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

To upgrade the Ancient Cuirass in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you need to follow a specific process involving Great Fairy Fountains, materials, and rupees. The Ancient Cuirass is part of the Ancient Armor set, which is highly effective against Guardian enemies and provides a significant defense boost when fully upgraded. HereÔÇÖs a detailed explanation of how to upgrade it, along with tips and strategies to make the process easier.

First, you need to unlock at least one Great Fairy Fountain. There are four Great Fairy Fountains in the game, and each one requires a payment of rupees to unlock. The first fountain costs 100 rupees, the second 500, the third 1,000, and the fourth 10,000. Each fountain allows you to upgrade your armor to a higher level, with the fourth fountain enabling the maximum upgrade level. To upgrade the Ancient Cuirass to its highest level, you need to unlock all four fountains.

Once you have access to a Great Fairy Fountain, you can begin the upgrade process. The Ancient Cuirass requires specific materials for each upgrade level. For the first upgrade, you need 10 Ancient Springs, 5 Ancient Gears, and 200 rupees. For the second upgrade, you need 15 Ancient Springs, 10 Ancient Gears, and 500 rupees. The third upgrade requires 15 Ancient Screws, 10 Ancient Shafts, and 1,000 rupees. Finally, the fourth upgrade requires 1 Star Fragment, 15 Ancient Cores, and 2,000 rupees.

Ancient materials like Springs, Gears, Screws, Shafts, and Cores can be obtained by defeating Guardian enemies, such as Guardian Stalkers, Guardian Skywatchers, and Guardian Turrets. These enemies are commonly found in areas like Hyrule Field, Central Hyrule, and around Hyrule Castle. You can also find these materials in shrines that contain Guardian Scouts, especially in the Test of Strength shrines. Star Fragments, on the other hand, are rare drops that can be obtained by shooting down stars that fall from the sky at night or by defeating certain high-level enemies like Lynels.

To efficiently gather the required materials, focus on farming Guardian enemies in areas where they are abundant. Using Ancient or Guardian weapons can make these fights easier, as they deal extra damage to Guardians. Additionally, using the Stasis+ rune to freeze Guardians temporarily can give you an advantage in combat. For Star Fragments, itÔÇÖs best to camp on high vantage points like the Dueling Peaks or the top of the Lanayru Tower and wait for a star to fall. Once you see one, mark its location and head there immediately to collect it before it disappears at dawn.

One common mistake players make is not preparing adequately for Guardian fights. Guardians can be tough opponents, especially if youÔÇÖre not equipped with the right gear. Make sure to have plenty of arrows, especially Ancient Arrows, which can one-shot Guardians. Additionally, having a high-defense armor set and plenty of healing items can help you survive these encounters. Another mistake is not saving before attempting to collect a Star Fragment, as they can be difficult to spot and reach in time.

For advanced players, optimizing the farming process can save a lot of time. Using the Master Cycle Zero or a fast horse can help you quickly travel between Guardian spawn points. Additionally, using the Sheikah Sensor+ to detect Guardians can make finding them easier. If youÔÇÖre struggling with combat, consider upgrading other armor sets first to increase your defense and survivability before tackling Guardians.

An alternative approach to obtaining Ancient materials is to purchase them from the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab. You can trade in Ancient Ores and other materials for Ancient Springs, Gears, Screws, Shafts, and Cores. This can be a good option if youÔÇÖre having trouble defeating Guardians or if you have excess materials to trade.

In summary, upgrading the Ancient Cuirass requires unlocking Great Fairy Fountains, gathering specific materials, and paying rupees. Focus on farming Guardian enemies for Ancient materials and keep an eye out for Star Fragments at night. Prepare adequately for Guardian fights, and consider using the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab as an alternative source of materials. With patience and preparation, you can fully upgrade the Ancient Cuirass and enhance your defense against the gameÔÇÖs toughest enemies.