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, specific materials, and a bit of preparation. 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 smoother.

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 amount 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 Cuirass, you only need one fountain, but having more allows you to upgrade other armor pieces as well. The fountains are located in specific areas: near Kakariko Village, near Tabantha Tower, in the Gerudo Desert, and near Tarrey Town.

Once youÔÇÖve unlocked a Great Fairy Fountain, you can approach the Great Fairy and select the Ancient Cuirass for upgrading. The upgrade process requires specific materials, which vary depending on the upgrade level. For the Ancient Cuirass, the materials needed are Ancient Screws, Ancient Shafts, Ancient Cores, and Giant Ancient Cores. These materials are obtained by defeating Guardian enemies, such as Guardian Stalkers, Guardian Scouts, and Guardian Skywatchers. You can also find them in shrines and treasure chests scattered throughout Hyrule.

The Ancient Cuirass has four upgrade levels. For the first level, you need 10 Ancient Screws and 20 rupees. For the second level, you need 15 Ancient Shafts and 200 rupees. For the third level, you need 5 Ancient Cores and 500 rupees. For the fourth and final level, you need 2 Giant Ancient Cores and 1,000 rupees. ItÔÇÖs important to note that Giant Ancient Cores are rare and can be difficult to obtain, so you may need to farm Guardian enemies or complete shrines to gather enough.

To efficiently gather the required materials, focus on areas with a high concentration of Guardian enemies, such as Hyrule Field, Central Hyrule, and the area around Hyrule Castle. Using weapons like the Master Sword or Ancient weapons from the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab can make defeating Guardians easier. Additionally, using Ancient Arrows can instantly destroy most Guardian enemies, though this method doesnÔÇÖt yield materials, so itÔÇÖs best used sparingly.

One common mistake is not preparing adequately before attempting to farm Guardian materials. Make sure you have strong weapons, shields, and armor, as well as plenty of healing items. Guardians can deal significant damage, especially if youÔÇÖre not used to their attack patterns. Learning to parry their laser attacks with a shield can save you a lot of trouble and resources.

Advanced techniques include using stealth to approach Guardians without alerting them, allowing you to deal critical damage before they can react. You can also use the environment to your advantage, such as hiding behind rocks or trees to avoid their line of sight. Additionally, using the Stasis+ rune can temporarily freeze Guardians, giving you a window to attack or reposition.

If youÔÇÖre struggling to find enough materials, consider completing shrines that reward Ancient materials. Some shrines, like the Major Tests of Strength, have Guardian Scouts that drop Ancient Screws, Shafts, and Cores upon defeat. You can also purchase Ancient materials from the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab, though this requires a significant amount of rupees and Ancient Ores.

In summary, upgrading the Ancient Cuirass involves unlocking a Great Fairy Fountain, gathering specific Ancient materials, and paying the required rupees. Focus on farming Guardian enemies, use strong weapons and shields, and consider completing shrines for additional materials. With patience and preparation, you can fully upgrade the Ancient Cuirass and significantly enhance your defense against Guardian enemies.