When one talks about excellent open-world games, the last name that anyone would’ve thought of before 2017 would be Nintendo. While the developer is certainly one of the greatest and most important gaming companies of all time, they were known more for experimentation with new gameplay forms and opposed to conforming to established norms. However, this perception was turned on its head with the release ofThe Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, which just might be the greatest open-world game ever made. The combat, difficulty, progression, story, and wondrous sense of exploration are just a few of the many elements that this game has executed with the highest level of excellence.
With the sheer number of armor, weapons, shields, and bows—among other things—in the game, players would obviously want to obtain the best equipment possible. Armor is especially in demand in this regard, since it’s the only piece of equipment that doesn’t have a durability stat attached to it. Thebest sets of armor inBreath of the Wildprovide a wealth of bonuses while letting Link absorb more damage, which is imperative in a game where high-level players can spell one’s doom in no time flat.
Updated on July 30, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the best RPGs of the last 10 years. While this universe has existed for several decades at this point, it’s hard to argue against the fact that this title combines everything that makes the franchise great while adding amazing new things to it. Not only do players get a lot more options to interact with the world around them, but there are new and improved weapons and a large variety of armor sets that they can take advantage of. However, not all of them are great, so here are some that truly stand out and help Link survive the dangers lurking in the Kingdom of Hyrule.
23Worn Set
Base Defense: 2
Link starts off with the worst armor set in the entire game, which is understandable. The whole point of the Worn Set is to be replaced with other valuable armor in the game, after all.
That being said, Link looks pretty neat in this set, if nothing else. Of course, fashion doesn’t equate to defense, and Link would definitely be taken down in one fell swoop by any powerful enemy if he’s caught with this set of armor. The Worn Set is made up of a well-worn hairband, an old shirt, and well-worn trousers. The items from this set can be dyed at the Kochi Dye Shop in Hateno Village for 20 rupees a piece.
Where to Find
Found at the very start of the game in two chests within the Shrine of Resurrection. It can also be purchased at Tarry Town for 50 rupees a piece from Granté after completing the “From the Ground Up” Side Quest.
22Tingle’s Set
Base Defense: 6
Another armor set that comes from the DLC ofBreath of the Wildreferences one of the funniest characters in the series. Tingle is a pretty unique character that players get to interact with inMajora’s Mask, with this person being rather creepy at times.
It doesn’t help that his outfit is pretty goofy, and seeing it on Link can be quite hilarious. That being said, the armor set is pretty weak, and the bonus isn’t really all that great, since all it does is increase Link’s movement speed at night. The armor consists of three pieces: Tingle’s Hood, Tingle’s Shirt, and Tingle’s Tights
Found in three metal chests submerged in water. These areas are the Exchange Ruins, Castle Town Prison, and Mabe Village Ruins. In Mabe Village Ruins, the chest for the tights is located beneath an inactive guardian, near a pond of water. The chest for the hood can be found under a pile of rubble in the southeastern part of the ruins. Finally, the shirt and its chest are located in the center of the ruins, south of the three statues that players can find there.
21Dark Set
Base Defense: 9
The Dark Set is one of the coolest-looking armor sets in the game. The player needs to put in a ton of effort and get lucky with the appearance of Kilton’s shop to gain this sinister armor.
Wearing the full setunlocks greater night speed for Link, which is a minor yet appreciable buff. Unfortunately, the fact that the Dark Set can’t be upgraded really takes it down a notch when it comes to protecting Link.
Purchased by Kilton at Fang and Bone after completing the four Divine Beasts. The Dark Set consists of 3 pieces: the Dark Hood, the Dark Tunic, and the Dark Trousers. They go for 1999, 999, and 999 Mon respectively.
20Royal Guard Set
Base Defense: 12
The DLC forBreath of the Wildis pretty great and jam-packed with content, giving players another excuse to play this game…not that they needed one in the first place. Everything from new quests, challenges, and equipment is added to the game courtesy of these DLCs.
While the armor sets introduced in the DLCs may not be the most powerful around, their unique look and stat boosts more than makeup for their lack of proper defense. The Royal Guard set is a great example of this, with the armor set only having a cumulative strength of 4, which is truly pitiful. However, players can still wear this set because it decreases the amount of stamina used by Link for a charge attack. The fact that he looks pretty cool in this armor is also a plus. Unfortunately, the Royal Guard Set cannot be enhanced inBreath of the Wild, but it can be inTears of the Kingdom.
This armor set is part of a DLC, marked by a quest called EX Royal Guard Rumors. All three parts of this set can be found in Hyrule Castle. The Royal Guard Set is made up of the Royal Guard Cap, the Royal Guard Uniform, and the Royal Guard Boots.
19Gerudo Set
Base Defense: 3
The Gerudo Set is a necessity for Link to get into Gerudo Town disguised as a woman. However, aside from this function, it doesn’t really have any other purpose.
While it does give some resistance against warmer temperatures when worn as a full set, it’s still nowhere near substantial to warrant it being a good set of armor. It doesn’t provide a lot of protection against attacks. doesn’t help that this set of armor can’t be upgraded either. The Gerudo Set consists of 3 separate pieces: the Gerudo Veil, the Gerudo Top, and the Gerudo Sirwal.
Players need to get this set in Kara Kara Bazaar if they wish to secure entry into Gerudo Village without being thrown out for being a voe. The set goes for 600 rupees before gaining entry to Gerudo Town, after which, it can be purchased with a 10% discount for a total of 540 rupees at the Fashion Passion store.
18Hylian Set
The Hylian Set is another set of armor that definitely looks neat, althoughit falters quite a bit when it comes to promoting defense. As a result, players won’t really have a reason to use this armor after the early game.
The materials required to upgrade this armor aren’t really all that expensive, but making that effort seems like a bit too much. After all, the player will have other pieces of armor to focus on instead.
Can be purchased from Enchanted in Kakariko Village and the Ventest Clothing Boutique shop in Hateno Village. The trousers can also be obtained in a treasure chest in the Great Plateau, northeast of the Temple of Time. The Hylian Set is made up of the Hylian Hood, the Hylian Tunic, and the Hylian Troussers. These attire pieces go for 60, 120, and 90 rupees, respectively, for a total of 270. The tiers for this armor have the following attributes.
3
1
5
2
8
12
4
20
15x Amber
17Desert Voe Set
The Desert Voe Set can be described as an upgraded version of the Gerudo Set, which isn’t saying much given the relatively low bar it is set against. Just like the Gerudo Set, wearing it gives resistance to warm temperatures too.
Unlike the Gerudo Set, this armor can be upgraded at a Great Fairy Fountain. However, given the other sets of armor that Link can use in the game at this point, it must be wondered why anyone would bother with upgrading the Desert Voe Set in the first place. The Desert Voe Set consists of: the Desert Voe Headband, the Desert Voe Spaulder, and the Desert Voe Trousers. Unlike other attire pieces on the list, the Desert Voe Set is rather expensive, going for a whopping total of 2400 rupees. This might not seem like a lot in the later stages of the game, but it can be a daunting amount for those who are just getting started.
The full set can be purchased from either the Gerudo Secret Club in Gerudo Town or Rhondson Armor Boutique in Tarrey Town.
16Radiant Set
The Radiant Set is another piece of armor that is pretty unique but is more of a light show than anything else. That being said, it’s a pretty entertaining light show.
The entire set can be upgraded and gives Link two welcome perks. It lets him blend in with Stal enemies and also enjoys a higher attack with Bone weapons. However, these benefits are rather situational and pale in comparison to the other armor on this list.
Can be purchased from the Gerudo Secret Club in Gerudo Town.
15Salvager Set
Base Defense: 15
It’s odd thatBreath of the Wildcollaborated withXenoblade Chronicles 2, but it does make sense given the exclusivity of both games on Nintendo hardware. The Salvager Set was added in an update for the game and is pretty powerful in its own right.
Sure, it can’t be upgraded, but fans will find this to be a worthy alternative to a weaker variant of the Zora Armor. Swimming around with this set is as easy as it comes, and players can cross most water bodies with ease while enjoying a decent level of defense.
Follow the red shooting starts that can fall in random locations around Hyrule.
14Soldier’s Set
The Soldier’s Set has one of the highest armor ratings in the game, allowing players to achieve high defense ratings early on. This makes it ideal for fighting enemies like Lynels.
However, the one drawback when it comes to this armor set is that there’s no set bonus attached to the same after increasing the armor levels by two or more. This makes the Soldier’s Armor largely irrelevant in the longer run, especially when other armor sets can reach the same armor rating and provide set bonuses as well.
Can be purchased from the Ventest Clothing Boutique shop in Hateno Village.
