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

Upgrading the Amber Earrings in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a process that involves visiting Great Fairy Fountains and gathering specific materials. The Amber Earrings are a piece of jewelry that can be purchased from the Starlight Memories shop in Gerudo Town. They provide a small defense boost and can be upgraded to increase their effectiveness. Here is a detailed guide on how to upgrade them.

First, you need to unlock at least one Great Fairy Fountain. There are four Great Fairy Fountains scattered across Hyrule, and each one requires a payment of 100 Rupees to unlock. Once unlocked, you can visit any of them to upgrade your armor, including the Amber Earrings. The Great Fairy Fountains are located near Kakariko Village, Tabantha Frontier, Akkala Highlands, and Gerudo Desert. Each fountain is guarded by a Great Fairy who will offer to upgrade your gear in exchange for specific materials.

To upgrade the Amber Earrings, you will need to gather the required materials for each upgrade level. The materials needed for each level are as follows: Level 1 requires 5 Amber, Level 2 requires 10 Amber and 5 Flint, Level 3 requires 15 Amber and 5 Opal, and Level 4 requires 25 Amber and 5 Star Fragments. Amber is a common material that can be found by breaking ore deposits scattered throughout Hyrule. Flint can also be found in ore deposits and is used for starting fires. Opal is a rarer gemstone that can be found in ore deposits or purchased from certain merchants. Star Fragments are rare and can be obtained by shooting down stars that fall from the sky at night or by defeating certain high-level enemies.

Once you have gathered the necessary materials, visit a Great Fairy Fountain and interact with the Great Fairy. Select the Amber Earrings from your inventory and choose the upgrade option. The Great Fairy will consume the required materials and upgrade your earrings to the next level. Each upgrade increases the defense bonus provided by the earrings, making them more effective in combat.

There are a few important tips and considerations to keep in mind when upgrading the Amber Earrings. First, make sure to gather enough materials before visiting the Great Fairy. It can be frustrating to realize you are missing a key material after traveling to a fountain. Second, consider the cost-benefit of upgrading the earrings. While they provide a decent defense boost, there are other armor sets that offer more significant bonuses, such as the Ancient Armor set or the Barbarian Armor set. Finally, be aware that upgrading armor can be expensive in terms of both materials and Rupees, so prioritize which pieces of armor you want to upgrade based on your playstyle and needs.

Common mistakes to avoid include not gathering enough materials before attempting an upgrade, forgetting to unlock a Great Fairy Fountain, and neglecting to consider the overall benefits of upgrading the Amber Earrings compared to other armor sets. It is also important to avoid wasting rare materials like Star Fragments on lower-level upgrades unless you have a surplus.

Advanced techniques and optimizations include farming materials efficiently by marking ore deposit locations on your map and revisiting them after each Blood Moon. You can also use the Sensor+ upgrade for the Sheikah Slate to detect specific materials like Amber or Opal. Additionally, consider using the Master Sword to break ore deposits, as it does not consume durability when used for mining.

Alternative approaches to upgrading the Amber Earrings include focusing on other armor sets that provide more significant bonuses or using the earrings as a temporary solution until you can acquire better gear. For example, the Ancient Armor set provides a significant defense boost and resistance to Guardian attacks, making it a better choice for late-game content.

In specific scenarios, the Amber Earrings can be useful for players who prefer a lightweight armor set or who are early in the game and have not yet acquired more powerful gear. They can also be a good choice for players who want to focus on defense without sacrificing mobility. Overall, upgrading the Amber Earrings is a straightforward process that can provide a useful defense boost, but it is important to consider the overall benefits and costs before committing to the upgrade.