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

To upgrade the Ancient Helm 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 Helm is part of the Ancient Armor set, which is designed to enhance your combat effectiveness against Guardians and other enemies using ancient technology. Upgrading this helm increases its defense and unlocks set bonuses when worn with the full Ancient Armor set. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to upgrade the Ancient Helm, including mechanics, strategies, and tips.

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 certain number of rupees to unlock. The first fountain costs 100 rupees, the second 500, the third 1,000, and the fourth 10,000. To upgrade the Ancient Helm, you only need one fountain, but unlocking more fountains allows you to upgrade your armor further. Great Fairy Fountains are located in specific areas: near Kakariko Village, in the Tabantha region, near Tarrey Town, and in the Gerudo Desert. Once youÔÇÖve unlocked a fountain, you can return to it to upgrade your armor.

Next, you need to gather the required materials for upgrading the Ancient Helm. The materials vary depending on the 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. For the third upgrade, you need 20 Ancient Springs, 15 Ancient Gears, and 1,000 rupees. For the fourth and final upgrade, you need 25 Ancient Springs, 20 Ancient Gears, 1 Ancient Core, and 2,000 rupees. Ancient Springs, Gears, and Cores are obtained by defeating Guardians, particularly the smaller Guardian Scouts found in shrines or the larger Guardian Stalkers and Turrets in the overworld. You can also find these materials in chests within shrines or by dismantling Guardian weapons at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab.

To efficiently farm these materials, focus on shrines with Guardian Scouts, as they are easier to defeat and respawn after each Blood Moon. The Test of Strength shrines are particularly good for this. For larger Guardians, use weapons like the Master Sword, Ancient weapons, or Guardian weapons, as they deal extra damage to these enemies. Parrying Guardian laser beams with a shield is also an effective strategy to conserve durability on your weapons.

Once you have the required materials, visit a Great Fairy Fountain and interact with the Great Fairy. Select the Ancient Helm from your inventory and choose to upgrade it. The Great Fairy will consume the materials and rupees to enhance the helmÔÇÖs defense. Each upgrade increases the helmÔÇÖs defense by a set amount, and the final upgrade unlocks the Ancient Proficiency set bonus when worn with the full Ancient Armor set. This bonus increases the damage of ancient and Guardian weapons by 80%, making it extremely powerful for combat against Guardians and other tough enemies.

A common mistake is neglecting to farm materials efficiently. Some players may waste time fighting overworld Guardians without proper preparation, leading to broken weapons and wasted resources. To avoid this, always carry a few Ancient or Guardian weapons, as they are highly effective against Guardians. Additionally, make sure to use the Master Sword when itÔÇÖs fully powered, as it deals extra damage to Guardians and doesnÔÇÖt break permanently.

Advanced techniques include using the Ancient Armor set in combination with Ancient or Guardian weapons to maximize damage output. For example, wearing the full set and using an Ancient Short Sword or Guardian Spear can make short work of even the toughest enemies. Another optimization is to use food or elixirs that boost your attack power, further increasing your damage output.

If youÔÇÖre struggling to find materials, consider using the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab to purchase Ancient parts in exchange for rupees and ancient materials. This can be a good alternative if youÔÇÖre having trouble defeating Guardians or finding shrines with Guardian Scouts.

In summary, upgrading the Ancient Helm requires unlocking a Great Fairy Fountain, gathering specific materials, and paying rupees. Focus on farming Guardian Scouts in shrines for efficient material collection, and use effective combat strategies to defeat larger Guardians. Avoid common mistakes like inefficient farming and always prepare for battles with the right weapons and armor. By following these steps, you can fully upgrade the Ancient Helm and take advantage of its powerful set bonus for combat.