This compendium details the various tools, treasures, and artifacts Link utilizes in his quest across Hyrule to vanquish Ganon and save Princess Zelda. They are categorized by how they function or where they are primarily found.
Equipment
These are the primary tools Link wields for combat, defense, and utility. Most require active use.
Sword
Link’s first weapon, received from the Old Man. It’s essential for defeating enemies. When Link is at full health, it can project a beam attack.
White Sword
An upgrade dealing double the damage of the standard Sword. Found hidden in the overworld, it requires Link to have at least 5 Heart Containers. Also shoots beams at full health.
Magical Sword
The most powerful sword, dealing double the White Sword’s damage (4x the standard Sword). Found hidden, it requires Link to possess at least 12 Heart Containers. Shoots powerful beams at full health.
Wooden Shield
Link’s basic shield, often purchased. Automatically blocks simple frontal projectiles like rocks and arrows when Link isn’t attacking. Cannot block magic or fireballs.
Magical Shield
A larger, improved shield. It can block most projectiles, including magic beams and fireballs that the Wooden Shield cannot. Found in dungeons or bought at a high price.
Boomerang
A thrown weapon that stuns most enemies upon impact and returns to Link. It travels a short distance and can retrieve nearby small items (Rupees, Hearts, Bombs). Found in early dungeons.
Magical Boomerang
An upgraded version found later. Throws much farther and faster than the regular Boomerang, stunning enemies and retrieving items from across the screen.
Bomb
An explosive device. Damages enemies in its blast radius and destroys certain weak walls to reveal secrets. Link has a limited carrying capacity (which can be upgraded). Bought or found.
Bow
Required to fire Arrows. Found within a dungeon, it is useless without ammunition.
Arrow
Ammunition for the Bow, purchased with Rupees. Used as a ranged attack. Firing an Arrow costs 1 Rupee.
Silver Arrow
A powerful, rare type of Arrow found only in the final dungeon (Level 9). These are essential and are the only way to defeat the final boss, Ganon. Requires the Bow and consumes Rupees per shot.
Blue Candle
Can only be used once per screen visit. Must be purchased.
Red Candle
An upgrade found in a dungeon. Can be used multiple times on the same screen without leaving.
Recorder (Flute)
A magical instrument found in a dungeon. Playing it in the overworld reveals secret entrances and allows warping between discovered dungeons. Inside dungeons, it can affect certain enemies (e.g., waking/defeating them).
Food (Meat)
Bait purchased from shops. Used to distract hungry Goriya enemies in dungeons, allowing Link to pass or attack them more easily.
Letter
An item given by an Old Man. Must be shown to specific Old Women hidden in caves to gain the ability to purchase Potions.
Life Potion (Red Potion)
A potion that fully restores Link’s health. It is used automatically if Link’s health drops to zero, or can be selected manually. Single use per purchase (requires the Letter).
2nd Potion (Blue Potion)
A superior potion that also fully restores health. After its first use, it becomes a Red Potion, granting a second full heal. More expensive than the Red Potion (requires the Letter).
Magical Rod
A staff found in a late-game dungeon. Shoots a beam projectile. When paired with the Book of Magic, the beam turns into a flame capable of burning enemies and lighting rooms.
Inventory
These items provide passive effects or enable new exploration methods. They are often kept in Link’s subscreen inventory.
Raft
Allows Link to cross bodies of water from specific dock locations on the overworld map, reaching new areas. Found within a dungeon.
Book of Magic
Enhances the Magical Rod, turning its beam attack into a fire projectile that can burn enemies and light dark rooms. Found within a dungeon.
Blue Ring
A defensive ring that halves the damage Link takes from all sources. Changes Link’s tunic color to cyan/blue. Purchased from a secret shop.
Red Ring
The best defensive item, reducing damage taken to one-quarter (half the damage taken with the Blue Ring). Changes Link’s tunic to red. Found within a late-game dungeon.
Stepladder
Allows Link to cross single-tile wide gaps or rivers/lava pools, both in dungeons and the overworld. Found within a dungeon.
Magical Key
A reusable key found in a late-game dungeon (often Level 8). It can open any standard locked door an infinite number of times without being consumed.
Power Bracelet
Grants Link the strength needed to push specific large rocks and gravestones in the overworld, revealing hidden passages and secrets. Found hidden in the overworld.
Dungeon
Items found and primarily used within the confines of Hyrule’s labyrinths.
Compass
Found in each dungeon. Adds a flashing marker to the Dungeon Map, revealing the location of that dungeon’s main objective (Triforce Fragment or Ganon).
Dungeon Map
Found in each dungeon. Displays the layout of the dungeon’s rooms as Link explores them. Essential for navigation.
Small Key
Standard keys used to open locked doors within dungeons. They are consumed upon use. Found by defeating enemies, in chests, or sometimes purchased.
Triforce Fragment
Pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. One is guarded by the boss in each of the first 8 dungeons. Link must collect all 8 fragments to enter Ganon’s Lair (Level 9).
Miscellaneous
Pick-ups providing immediate effects, health upgrades, or currency.
Recovery Heart
Dropped by defeated enemies. Instantly restores one full heart of Link’s health upon collection.
Heart Container
Increases Link’s maximum health capacity by one full heart. Dropped by dungeon bosses and occasionally found hidden in the overworld.
Clock
A temporary power-up sometimes dropped by enemies. Picking it up freezes most enemies on the screen for a few seconds.
Rupee
The currency of Hyrule, used to buy items from shops. Link has a maximum carrying capacity (initially 255).
Yellow Rupee
Worth 1 Rupee. Commonly dropped by enemies or found.
Blue Rupee
Worth 5 Rupees. Less common drop or found in more valuable secret spots.