Alright, listen up, fellow adventurer! Ready to get your hands on the legendary Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom? This guide will walk you through every step, no fluff, just the straight path to wielding the Blade of Evil’s Bane once more. We’re talking about getting that 100% completion feeling for this crucial part of the game.
Step 1: Unlocking the Hunt – Getting the Sword on Your Radar
After you’ve tackled a few of the initial main objectives, particularly the Regional Phenomena quests, you’ll trigger a quest that specifically directs you to start your search for the legendary blade.
This involves a conversation with Purah, who will point you towards the next step in uncovering the sword’s whereabouts. While progressing through the main story will eventually lead you to it, other triggers include completing the “Dragon’s Tears” questline or directly interacting with the Great Deku Tree in the Korok Forest. The “Trail of the Master Sword” quest, which starts after completing “Guidance from Ages Past” and potentially “Find the Fifth Sage,” involves speaking to Mineru, who then directs you toward the Great Deku Tree for more information on the sword’s location .
Similarly, completing all the Geoglyphs as part of the “Dragon’s Tears” quest can also reveal the Master Sword’s location. These different pathways indicate a degree of flexibility in the game’s design. Players who prioritize the main narrative might follow one route, while those who enjoy thorough exploration might discover another. Regardless of the initial trigger, all paths ultimately converge on the need to find the Light Dragon. Therefore, the initial focus should be on advancing through the main quests. Once a few Regional Phenomena are resolved, pay close attention to new quest prompts related to the Master Sword. This could involve a suggestion to visit the Great Deku Tree or investigate the mysterious Geoglyphs scattered across Hyrule.
Step 2: Following the Signal – The Sword’s Moving Target
Once you’ve progressed far enough in the main story or completed the necessary prerequisites (like speaking to the Great Deku Tree), a marker will appear on your Purah Pad map indicating the Master Sword’s general location. However, don’t expect a stationary icon. The Master Sword is currently with the Light Dragon, a massive, benevolent creature that soars across the skies of Hyrule. This means the marker on your map will be dynamic, constantly shifting as the Light Dragon follows its predetermined path. Think of it as a real-time tracking system for a very large, flying target. The map marker for the Master Sword directly corresponds to the Light Dragon’s current location in the sky. This tracking feature becomes available after initiating the relevant questline, often through interaction with the Great Deku Tree, which pinpoints the moving location .
The Light Dragon’s movement across the map implies that the Master Sword can be found in various regions. The research suggests the dragon generally follows a large loop around Hyrule. After speaking with the Great Deku Tree, not only will the Light Dragon’s location be marked, but its altitude might also decrease, making it more accessible. Completing the “Dragon’s Tears” questline can also lead to the Light Dragon appearing closer to the final tear’s location. Therefore, players need to be prepared to travel to different parts of the map based on the dragon’s current location. Keep your Purah Pad open and regularly check the map for the Master Sword’s location. Be prepared to travel to the region where the marker is currently situated. Since the Light Dragon often flies over diverse and potentially dangerous areas, it’s wise to ensure you have adequate supplies, including healing items and food, before embarking on your pursuit.
Step 3: Taking to the Skies – Reaching Dragon Altitude
The Light Dragon flies at a significant height, often much higher than you can reach from the ground alone. Your primary tool for gaining the necessary altitude will be the Skyview Towers scattered across Hyrule. Once you locate a Skyview Tower near the dragon’s current position, activate it to launch yourself high into the air. From there, deploy your paraglider and begin your descent towards the majestic creature. Keep an eye on your altitude and the dragon’s height; you might need to adjust your gliding path or utilize updrafts if available to gain more vertical distance. The Light Dragon’s initial high altitude necessitates the use of Skyview Towers for reaching it. However, the dragon’s altitude can decrease after certain story milestones, such as completing the Dragon’s Tears questline, making it more accessible from the towers. Completing all the Dragon Tears will cause the Light Dragon to fly at a lower altitude, around 700-800 meters, making it easier to reach from Skyview Towers .
While Skyview Towers are the most straightforward method, the research also hints at alternative approaches for reaching the Light Dragon’s altitude, including constructing flying machines using Zonai devices or utilizing the height of specific sky islands like the Zonaite Forge Island. Some players have even reported reaching the dragon from high points like Lindor’s Brow with sufficient stamina and stamina-boosting items. Therefore, locate the nearest Skyview Tower to the Light Dragon’s map marker. Activate the tower to launch yourself upwards. Immediately deploy your paraglider and begin gliding towards the dragon. Monitor your altitude and the dragon’s position, and be prepared to use updrafts or consider alternative methods if a direct glide isn’t feasible. The Ulri Mountain Skyview Tower is specifically mentioned as a good launch point, especially after completing the Geoglyphs .
Step 4: Patient Pursuit – Observing the Dragon’s Path
The Light Dragon isn’t on a fixed, short route. It traverses the entire sky of Hyrule in a large, looping pattern that can take a significant amount of real-world time (around two hours) to complete a full circuit. This means you’ll need to be patient and observant. Once you spot the dragon, take a moment to watch its trajectory. Try to discern the direction it’s heading. While its exact path can be somewhat unpredictable, understanding its general route around the map will greatly increase your chances of intercepting it efficiently. The Light Dragon follows a consistent but expansive flight path that covers the entire overworld map, requiring patience and strategic positioning for interception. The loop takes approximately two real-time hours. This extended duration emphasizes that players shouldn’t expect the dragon to be in the same spot every time they look and that they might need to wait or move to intercept it.
The dragon’s path is generally described as a large loop around the perimeter of Hyrule, often passing near significant landmarks like Skyview Towers and Geoglyph locations. Completing the Dragon’s Tears questline might cause the dragon to linger more around the Akkala region. Some sources describe the path as roughly following the locations of the Dragon Tears in a zigzag pattern around the map’s edges. Therefore, once you have a general idea of the Light Dragon’s location from your map, find a high vantage point or a Skyview Tower in its vicinity. Observe its flight path for a few moments to understand its direction. Use this information to plan your next move, whether it’s launching from a nearby tower or waiting for it to come closer.
Step 5: The Glide of Faith – Closing the Distance
Once the Light Dragon is within gliding distance after launching from a Skyview Tower or a high vantage point, it’s time to make your move. Glide towards the dragon, aiming for its back initially. This is crucial: you’ll need a significant amount of stamina to reach it. The absolute minimum requirement to even attempt to claim the Master Sword is two full, green stamina wheels. If you’re even slightly short, you’ll likely run out of stamina mid-glide and fall. Consider using stamina-boosting food or elixirs before you launch to help you reach the dragon. Look for recipes that use ingredients like Stamella Shrooms or Restless Crickets. However, remember that while these can help you reach the dragon, the final act of claiming the sword requires permanent stamina upgrades. Those temporary yellow stamina boosts won’t cut it. Reaching the Light Dragon and, more importantly, claiming the Master Sword necessitates having at least two full, permanent stamina wheels. Temporary stamina boosts from food or elixirs can aid in reaching the dragon but do not fulfill the core requirement for drawing the sword .
The stamina requirement highlights the game’s emphasis on exploration and physical endurance as key aspects for acquiring powerful items, contrasting with the heart container requirement in Breath of the Wild. To achieve two full stamina wheels, you’ll need to acquire five additional Stamina Vessels beyond the one you start with. Each Stamina Vessel requires four Lights of Blessing, which are obtained by completing Shrines. This means you’ll generally need to complete 20 Shrines to meet the stamina requirement. Alternatively, completing the “A Call From the Depths” side adventure and choosing the Stamina Vessel as a reward can reduce the Shrine requirement by four. Therefore, before attempting to glide towards the Light Dragon, ensure you have at least two full green stamina wheels. If not, prioritize completing more Shrines and exchanging Light of Blessings for Stamina Vessels at a Goddess Statue. If you’re close but not quite there, consume stamina-restoring food or elixirs before launching to aid your glide.
Step 6: Claiming the Blade – The Sword in the Stone (Dragon’s Head)
You’ve successfully landed on the Light Dragon! Now, make your way towards its head. You’ll clearly see the Master Sword embedded there, glowing with a familiar aura. Carefully navigate to the very top of the dragon’s head. Once you’re close enough, a prompt will appear on your screen, inviting you to interact with the legendary weapon. Get ready, this is the moment you’ve been working towards! The Master Sword’s location on the Light Dragon is consistently described as being embedded in its head. This serves as a clear visual and interactive target for the player. After safely landing on the Light Dragon, immediately orient yourself and head towards its head. The interaction prompt will appear when you are in the correct position, directly in front of the embedded Master Sword.
Step 7: Stamina Check – The Dragon’s Test
This is the final, crucial test. As you approach and interact with the Master Sword, the Light Dragon will react, sensing your intent to reclaim the powerful blade. It will begin to thrash and move, testing your grip and resolve. To successfully pull the Master Sword free, you absolutely must have at least two full, green stamina wheels. If your stamina isn’t sufficient, you won’t be able to maintain your hold, and the dragon will throw you off, forcing you to try again later after upgrading your stamina. The core requirement for successfully claiming the Master Sword is possessing two full, permanent stamina wheels. This acts as a final gatekeeper, ensuring the player has invested in stamina upgrades. This requirement represents a significant change from Breath of the Wild, which required 13 heart containers. Therefore, before you attempt to interact with the Master Sword, take a moment to visually confirm that you have two complete green stamina wheels. If you’re unsure, it’s better to err on the side of caution and complete more Shrines to upgrade your stamina before making the attempt .
Step 8: The Legendary Pull – Wielding the Blade of Evil’s Bane
With your two full stamina wheels secured, approach the Master Sword on the Light Dragon’s head and press and hold the interact button (usually the ‘A’ button). You’ll see Link gripping the sword tightly, straining against the dragon’s movements. Keep holding the button down. As your stamina depletes (if you have just the minimum), the sword will slowly begin to come free. Once the animation completes, the legendary Master Sword is yours! Congratulations, you’ve reclaimed the Blade of Evil’s Bane! The final action to obtain the Master Sword involves holding down the interact button, symbolizing Link’s effort to pull the powerful weapon free while withstanding the Light Dragon’s reaction. Once the interaction prompt appears, firmly press and hold the interact button until the animation of Link successfully pulling the Master Sword from the Light Dragon’s head is complete.
Conclusion
And just like that, the legendary Master Sword is back in your hands! You’ve braved the skies, tracked a mythical dragon, and proven your strength. This iconic weapon will be invaluable in your adventures across Hyrule. Remember that the Master Sword has unique properties, like its ability to recharge over time , so don’t hesitate to rely on it in your battles against the forces of evil. Go forth, hero, and may the power of the Master Sword guide your way!