The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild has been out for well over a year now, yet Master Mode still seems to elude most of us for one reason or another. Whatever the case, if you’re planning on once again picking up the sword(s. Sooooo many swords…), you’re going to want to know what you’re getting into. With that in mind, here’s some tips from an old Master Mode veteran to get you started.
It’s Still The Same Old Hyrule
Yes, there’s floating platforms. Yeeep, that’s a Lynel in the Great Plateau. But the core game remains unchanged. Dodging is going to be important this time around, and so are shields, especially in the beginning, where you’re basically a sitting duck. All that said, this is the same Breath of The Wild you sunk 300+ hours into already. It’s just a little tougher this time around. But hey, this time you’re going into it with experience.
Live To Fight Another Day
You don’t have to fight every battle. In fact, you should be fighting as few battles as possible. Seriously, battles in Breath of the Wild are relatively unrewarding: a few materials and maybe some arrows are usually your only prizes. So run. Run a lot. Take shortcuts, and avoid clusters of enemies until you’ve got enough power to take them out. And get cheap – elemental arrows and Urbosa’s Fury can make short work of most enemies while keeping them immobile. Even the dreaded Gold Lynel can be felled with some cheap trickery, a few Daruk’s Protection, and a toooooooon of edibles to keep the health up.
Enemies Heal Too
Keep. Shooting. Arrows. Seriously, never let up. In Master Mode, the enemies heal if they go untouched for too long. So keep a healthy supply of arrows, and let one loose any time you can’t lay a hit. This is especially true for bosses – those Blights will heal most of their health if you don’t have the arrows to keep them at bay. Be especially wary of the optional DLC bosses; You’ll need the perfect strategy to take them out with your limited gear (Urbosa’s Fury comes in VERY handy here).
Don’t Lose That Winning Mindset
This one will vary from person to person, but you might find your second outing in Hyrule is… a liiiiittle less special than the first. Locales are more familiar, shrines start to feel tedious and repetitive, and all that gear you had in your old file is gone. Just remember, you’re in this for the bragging rights, and that personal challenge of beating those gold enemies and laying some whoopings on Ganon all over again; so pop in some good tunes, wear your favourite outfit and get into it. Breath of the Wild is a massive game – you’re going to want every heart and bit of stamina you can get, enough koroks to stockpile the best gear, and the strongest, most upgraded gear you can get. It’s going to be a long haul; Make sure it’s a fun one.