The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BotW) is almost gleeful in the way it casts aside the traditions of the series to present an open-world adventure unlike any other. Not only is protagonist Link relieved of his signature green tunic and iconic hat (at least by default, anyway), the famous Master Sword is an optional extra, too.

We've already shown you how to acquire that particular blade, and now we're going to reveal where you can find the Hylian Shield - another famous accessory which is hidden away in the game.

This superb shield is located deep inside Hyrule Castle, which is under the control of Calamity Ganon. Given how dangerous the castle is at all times, we'd advise you wait until you possess the Master Sword before attempting to grab the shield. The sword is especially strong against the enemies you'll meet inside the fortress and you'll have at least 13 heart containers by this stage, which gives you a fighting chance of coming out alive.

Where To Find The Hylian Shield (Location)

First things first, head to the north side of the castle moat, next to the uppermost stone pillar. We've marked the point on the map below.


From here, you should be able to see the entrance to the castle's underground dungeons; they're marked by three glowing blue stones and there's a small curving ramp below. What you need to do is drift using your glider and land on this section. There's a stationary Guardian here which is best avoided, so sprint for the dungeon entrance as soon as you touch down.


As soon as you enter the dungeon you'll encounter a closed gate to your immediate right. Use your Magnesis rune to lift this up and proceed. This section features several cells containing monsters and high-level loot, so it's worth taking your time and picking up a few choice items along the way, if you're up for the fight.


How To Get The Hylian Shield (Method)

Once you're happy you can head to the far end of the corridor where you'll enter a large circular room with a pile of seemingly inanimate bones on the floor. This is actually a Stalnox, and it will spring to life once you enter the room. A door will close behind you as well, so make sure you're ready for the fight - you'll need arrows in your inventory as you have to aim for the monster's eyeball to temporarily take it down.

When the Stalnox hits the floor after an arrow to the eye it's a good time to rush up and deliver a few blows with the Master Sword, but when he gets back to his feet make sure you're not nearby - his attacks inflict a large amount of damage and you'll find yourself kicking the bucket if you're not careful. Once you've got the monster's health down to almost nothing attacks against the body won't have an effect - you need to hit the eyeball with an arrow one last time and it will pop out completely. Attack the eyeball and you'll finish off the beast, which drops the Hylian Shield. Ba-ba-ba baaaa!


Can the Hylian Shield Break?

Yes, whilst the Hylian Shield is the best one in the entire game and boasts amazing durability as well as the highest parry rating, but be warned - it's not indestructible. If it breaks you can purchase another from Tarrey Town - but it will only be available for sale if you've already unlocked it either via this method or using an amiibo (see below).

Using amiibo To Get The Hylian Shield in Breath of the Wild


If you find this whole process a little too demanding then don't worry, you can obtain the Hylian Shield using the Breath of the Wild Zelda amiibo.

The catch here is that Zelda drops shields at random so you're not guaranteed to get the Hylian Shield on your first scan - it might take a few days before you get it. Once you do, Zelda won't drop the Hylian Shield again, but you'll be able to buy it from the vendor in Tarrey Town if you lose or break it.