Zelda: Does The Hylian Shield Break In Tears Of The Kingdom?
In "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," a good defense is just as important as a good offense, if not more. A sturdy armor set and a shield are the only things that stand between Link and an untimely demise. But unlike armor, shields can break. After feeling the pain of having their shield break at an unfortunate part of combat too many times, the player may start wondering if there is a permanent solution. Many gamers understandably assume that the coveted Hylian Shield must be the unbreakable shield they seek.
But as it turns out, despite its legendary power, the Hylian Shield can break. However, the shield has an unmatched base defense level and durability, meaning it's still worth picking up. The shield can be repaired, too. But it requires the player to perform a secret technique. The Hylian Shield can also be retrieved after it completely breaks or is lost — after the player completes a lengthy questline.
The Hylian Shield breaks, but it's still worth getting
Even though it breaks after a beating, it's worth noting that the Hylian Shield can withstand more attacks than a regular shield. It has the highest base defense in the game at 90. What makes the shield even better is, like the Master Sword, the Hylian Shield can be retrieved much earlier than you'd expect. And having such a powerful shield in the early game is a great way to help a player struggling with combat.
Players must head to the back of Hyrule Castle to get the Hylian Shield (naturally), specifically northwest of the castle in the Hyrule Castle Moat. At roughly the coordinates (-0313, 1182), players will notice a large cave that the moat feeds into. Players will want to use the supplies nearby to build a boat to proceed through the cave. At the path's end, players then need to climb up the stone structure with the Hylian shield emblem.
After scaling the building, players will face a group of fearsome Gloom Hands. Players can either kill or run quickly past these enemies to proceed. Then, at the top of the structure, all that's left to do is light the large brazier surrounded by torches. This will spawn a chest from the ground containing the Hylian Shield.
How to repair the Hylian Shield
There is no official way to repair the Hylian Shield. However, there is a secret way to repair equipment in "Tears of the Kingdom" that many players might not be aware of. And thankfully, it's pretty easy to do and costs nothing.
If players offer up a piece of equipment to a Rock Octorok, it will return an upgraded version with a special effect. But more importantly, the modified equipment will have its durability restored. There are some restrictions, though, as this process can only be done once per enemy. In other words, players must wait for a Blood Moon, at which point the Rock Octorok will respawn and can be used again.
Players can find Rock Octoroks in several areas in "Tears of the Kingdom," but the most populated area is north of Death Mountain, near Sibajitak Shrine. Players only need to head north along the path for a short distance to scout for Rock Octorok. Once a Rock Octorok is found, players must drop their damaged Hylian Shield in front of the enemy as it is sucking in air. This will cause the Rock Octorok swallow the shield, then spit out a restored version.
How to recover a lost Hylian Shield
Unfortunately, replacing the Hylian Shield isn't as simple as repairing it. It's best to keep the Hylian Shield intact, as gaining the ability to summon lost items requires the player to complete a lengthy side adventure. Although the side adventure is six quests long, once it's done, players can summon as many lost items as they want an infinite amount of times — if they have the cash for it.
Players can begin this questline by talking to the townsfolk outside Ventest Clothing in Hateno Village. This will start the quest "Team Cece or Team Reede?," in which players must help crown a new mayor for the village. Thankfully, the quests in this adventure are all done in sequence, so they don't leave the player wandering around trying to figure out how to start the next step.
The sixth and final quest, "The Mayoral Election," will unlock a new dialogue tree with Cece in Ventest Clothing. When talking to Cece, she can replace any unique equipment or armor the player has lost. All players need to do is hand over 3000 Rupees, and a lost Hylian Shield will be theirs once again.