How do I upgrade the Zora Armor set in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild?

Upgrading the Zora Armor set in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a process that involves visiting Great Fairy Fountains and providing specific materials to enhance the armor's defense and unlock set bonuses. The Zora Armor set consists of three pieces: the Zora Helm, Zora Armor, and Zora Greaves. Each piece can be upgraded up to four times, with each upgrade increasing its defense rating and, at the fourth upgrade, granting a set bonus. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to upgrade the Zora Armor set, including mechanics, strategies, and tips.

First, you need to locate and unlock Great Fairy Fountains. 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. You only need to unlock one fountain to start upgrading your armor, but unlocking more fountains allows you to upgrade your armor further. The fountains are located in specific areas: near Kakariko Village, near Tabantha Tower, near the Gerudo Desert, and near Tarrey Town. Once youÔÇÖve unlocked a fountain, you can return to it to upgrade your armor.

To upgrade the Zora Armor set, youÔÇÖll need specific materials for each upgrade level. The materials required vary depending on the piece of armor and the upgrade level. For the Zora Armor, the first upgrade requires five Lizalfos Horns and one Silent Shroom. The second upgrade requires five Lizalfos Talons and five Hyrule Bass. The third upgrade requires five Electric Lizalfos Horns and five Hearty Blueshell Snails. The fourth upgrade requires one Lizalfos Tail and one Opal. For the Zora Greaves, the first upgrade requires five Lizalfos Horns and one Hyrule Bass. The second upgrade requires five Lizalfos Talons and five Hearty Blueshell Snails. The third upgrade requires five Electric Lizalfos Horns and five Opals. The fourth upgrade requires one Lizalfos Tail and one Star Fragment. The Zora Helm follows a similar pattern, requiring Lizalfos parts and other materials like Flint or Amber for its upgrades.

Collecting these materials can be time-consuming, so itÔÇÖs important to plan ahead. Lizalfos can be found in various regions, particularly near water, such as the Zora River or Lanayru Wetlands. Electric Lizalfos are more common in areas like the Gerudo Desert or Faron Grasslands. Silent Shrooms can be found in forests, while Hyrule Bass and Hearty Blueshell Snails are found in bodies of water. Opals can be obtained by mining ore deposits or defeating Stone Taluses. 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 the required materials, visit a Great Fairy Fountain and select the armor piece you want to upgrade. The Great Fairy will consume the materials and increase the armorÔÇÖs defense rating. After the fourth upgrade, the Zora Armor set will grant a set bonus called Swim Dash Stamina Up, which reduces the stamina cost of swimming dash attacks. This is particularly useful for exploring water-based areas like the Zora Domain or Lurelin Village.

A common mistake players make is not collecting enough materials before attempting to upgrade their armor. ItÔÇÖs important to gather materials in advance, especially rare ones like Star Fragments or Electric Lizalfos Horns. Another mistake is not unlocking multiple Great Fairy Fountains, as this limits the number of upgrades you can perform. Unlocking all four fountains allows you to fully upgrade all your armor sets, including the Zora Armor.

For advanced players, optimizing material collection can save time. Use the Sheikah Sensor+ to track specific materials, such as Lizalfos or Silent Shrooms. Additionally, farming Star Fragments can be made easier by camping on high vantage points like Dueling Peaks or the Gerudo Highlands and waiting for a star to fall. Cooking meals that increase stealth or attack power can also help when farming Lizalfos or other enemies.

In summary, upgrading the Zora Armor set involves unlocking Great Fairy Fountains, collecting specific materials, and visiting the fountains to perform the upgrades. Planning ahead, gathering materials efficiently, and unlocking multiple fountains are key strategies. The set bonus from the fully upgraded Zora Armor is highly beneficial for water-based exploration, making the effort worthwhile. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can enhance your Zora Armor set and improve your overall gameplay experience in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.