How do I upgrade the Cap of the Wild in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild?

To upgrade the Cap of the Wild in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you need to follow a specific process involving Great Fairy Fountains, specific materials, and a bit of preparation. The Cap of the Wild is part of the Wild Set, which also includes the Tunic of the Wild and the Trousers of the Wild. This set is inspired by Link's classic green tunic from previous Zelda games and is obtained by completing all 120 shrines in the game. Once you have the Cap of the Wild, you can upgrade it to increase its defense and unlock set bonuses.

First, you need to locate a Great Fairy Fountain. There are four Great Fairy Fountains scattered across Hyrule, and each one requires a certain amount of rupees to unlock. The first fountain is near Kakariko Village and costs 100 rupees to unlock. The second is near Tarrey Town and costs 500 rupees. The third is in the Gerudo Desert and costs 1,000 rupees. The fourth is near the Tabantha Bridge Stable and costs 10,000 rupees. You only need to unlock one fountain to start upgrading your armor, but unlocking more fountains allows you to upgrade your armor to higher levels.

Once you have access to a Great Fairy Fountain, you can bring the Cap of the Wild to the fairy to upgrade it. Each upgrade level requires specific materials, and the materials needed increase in rarity and quantity as you progress through the upgrade levels. The Cap of the Wild can be upgraded up to four times, with each level increasing its defense and potentially unlocking a set bonus when worn with the full Wild Set.

For the first upgrade, you will need 10 Acorns and 2 Courser Bee Honey. Acorns can be found by cutting down trees or searching around forested areas, while Courser Bee Honey is obtained by destroying beehives found in trees, particularly in the Faron region. The second upgrade requires 5 Energetic Rhino Beetles and 5 Hightail Lizards. Energetic Rhino Beetles can be found on trees in the Akkala region, and Hightail Lizards are common in grassy areas throughout Hyrule. The third upgrade requires 5 Hot-Footed Frogs and 5 Electric Darner. Hot-Footed Frogs are found near water sources in the Hebra region, and Electric Darner can be found near bodies of water in the Faron region. The fourth and final upgrade requires 5 Lynel Guts and 5 Naydra's Scales. Lynel Guts are obtained by defeating Lynels, which are powerful enemies found in various locations, and Naydra's Scales are obtained by shooting the dragon Naydra, which can be found near Mount Lanayru.

It is important to note that upgrading the Cap of the Wild requires a significant amount of preparation and resource gathering. You will need to spend time exploring Hyrule to collect the necessary materials, and some of these materials, such as Lynel Guts and Naydra's Scales, are particularly rare and difficult to obtain. To make the process easier, consider using the Sheikah Sensor+ to track specific materials, and make use of the stealth armor set to sneak up on creatures like Energetic Rhino Beetles and Hot-Footed Frogs.

One common mistake players make is not unlocking enough Great Fairy Fountains early in the game. While you only need one fountain to start upgrading your armor, unlocking more fountains allows you to upgrade your armor to higher levels, which can significantly improve your defense and survivability. Additionally, some players may overlook the importance of upgrading the entire Wild Set together. While you can upgrade each piece individually, upgrading the full set to level 2 unlocks the set bonus, which increases your attack power when wearing the full set.

In terms of advanced techniques, consider using the Master Cycle Zero, obtained from the Champions' Ballad DLC, to quickly travel across Hyrule and gather materials more efficiently. Additionally, using the Ancient Armor set or the Barbarian Armor set can help you defeat Lynels more easily, making it easier to obtain Lynel Guts for the final upgrade.

In summary, upgrading the Cap of the Wild requires access to a Great Fairy Fountain, specific materials, and a bit of preparation. By following the steps outlined above, you can upgrade the Cap of the Wild to increase its defense and unlock set bonuses, making it a valuable piece of armor for your adventures in Hyrule.