BotW Main Quest Order: All 15 Main Quests and the Best Route

Breath of the Wild only fixes the order at the start. Once you leave the Great Plateau and meet Impa, the Divine Beasts, the Master Sword, the memories and Hyrule Castle are all yours to arrange, and you can even go straight for Ganon. This page lists the 15 main quests in story order, then covers the recommended route, how the Divine Beasts affect the final battle, and when to get the Master Sword and memories.

What is the overall main story order?

1. Great Plateau. Follow the Sheikah Slate and The Isolated Plateau: raise the Great Plateau Tower, clear four shrines and get the paraglider from the Old Man.
2. Kakariko Village. Seek Out Impa: head east off the plateau, past the Twin Peaks, then north along the road. Impa gives you two jobs: free the four Divine Beasts and get the Sheikah Slate repaired.
3. Hateno Village. Locked Mementos: the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab restores the Sheikah Slate and its camera. Report back to Impa to start Captured Memories.
4. The four Divine Beasts. Free the Divine Beasts: any order, then report to Impa once all four are back.
5. The Master Sword. The Hero’s Sword: with 13 hearts, go through the Lost Woods to Korok Forest and pull it. Optional.
6. Destroy Ganon. Enter the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle, defeat Calamity Ganon, then face Dark Beast Ganon on Hyrule Field.

Steps 4 to 6 can be mixed freely, and Captured Memories can be done at any time.

What are all the main quests?

There are 15 main quests in the base game. The table groups them by story; it is not a fixed order.

Find the Fairy Fountain is listed as a main quest, but its real job is to introduce the Great Fairies, who upgrade armor for rupees. Locations and prices are on Great Fairy Fountains. The five DLC main quests are covered in The Champions’ Ballad.

In what order should you free the Divine Beasts?

Any order works. For a first playthrough we suggest Vah Ruta, Vah Medoh, Vah Rudania, then Vah Naboris: Mipha’s Grace revives you when you fall, Revali’s Gale makes climbing and travel much faster, and Naboris has the longest lead-in, so it goes last. The full reasoning and an alternative order are on Divine Beasts order.

Each Divine Beast has some setup first:

Each Blight Ganon you defeat inside a Divine Beast gives a Heart Container and that Champion’s ability. Blight health rises in the order you beat them: 800 for the first, then 400 more for each one after. Boss strategies are on Blight Ganons, and the four abilities are compared on Champion abilities.

How do the Divine Beasts affect Hyrule Castle?

Destroy Ganon is given to you on the Great Plateau along with Seek Out Impa, so you can go to the castle at any time. How many Divine Beasts you free changes the final battle:

In the quest description, the King’s ghost says Zelda is holding Calamity Ganon back inside the castle and that Ganon will fully return once her strength gives out. There is no actual time limit in the game, though, so take as long as you like.

When should you get the Master Sword?

You need 13 hearts: the starting 3 plus 10 Heart Containers. Yellow hearts from meals and elixirs do not count, and stamina is not checked. The four Divine Beasts give 4 Heart Containers between them; the other 6 come from trading Spirit Orbs at Goddess Statues, 4 orbs each.

The Master Sword is in Korok Forest, past the Lost Woods. It is not required to finish the game and can be pulled whenever you like. Its attack rises near Malice and Ganon, though, so getting it before the castle makes the end much easier. The route and numbers are on Master Sword; for splitting containers between hearts and stamina, see hearts or stamina.

When should you look for the memories?

Once the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab repairs the Sheikah Slate, the camera works again and the album shows 12 photos Zelda left behind. Report to Impa to start Captured Memories.

There is no time limit. Step into the glowing circle when you pass a photo location. After all 12, Impa points you to a 13th; recover all 13 and the ending after Calamity Ganon gains an extra scene. Photo locations are on Captured Memories.

What should you prepare before the final battle?

The routes into the castle, how to get the Hylian Shield and which meals to bring are on Hyrule Castle walkthrough. Strategies for Calamity Ganon and Dark Beast Ganon are on Calamity Ganon. After the credits you return to a save from before the final battle; see post-game.

If you have only just left the Great Plateau, start with the Great Plateau walkthrough and beginner tips.