Breath of the Wild Best Weapons: Strongest by Attack and Durability

Two plain measures, both from the game data: attack (guard for shields), and attack × durability — how much damage a weapon deals in total before it breaks, leaving bonuses aside. Where the top weapons come from is below each table. Every number is in the full weapon list.

What are the strongest one-handed weapons?

The Savage Lynel Sword (58) drops from White-Maned and Silver Lynels (Zelda Dungeon) — see Lynel locations. The Master Sword’s listed 30 becomes 60 near Malice, Guardians, the Blights and Calamity Ganon, and the Trial of the Sword raises it to 60 for good (Zelda Dungeon). By attack × durability, the Savage Lynel Sword (2,378), the Ancient Short Sword (2,160) and the Scimitar of the Seven (1,920) lead.

What are the strongest two-handed weapons?

The Royal Guard’s Claymore has 72 attack but only 15 durability. By attack × durability the Boulder Breaker leads (60 × 60 = 3,600), ahead of Biggoron’s Sword (3,000, amiibo) and the Ancient Bladesaw (2,750). Zelda Dungeon notes the Boulder Breaker, Daruk’s weapon, comes from Bludo in Goron City after Vah Rudania, and that it is very effective against every kind of Stone Talus.

What are the strongest spears?

By attack × durability the Lightscale Trident leads (22 × 70 = 1,540), then the Ancient Spear (1,500) and Savage Lynel Spear (1,350). Zelda Dungeon: Mipha’s trident is a gift from King Dorephan after Zora’s Domain is saved from Vah Ruta.

What are the best bows?

The Bow of Light (100) exists only in the final battle. By attack × durability the Ancient Bow leads (44 × 120 = 5,280), then the Great Eagle Bow (28 × 60 = 5,040, three arrows per shot). Zelda Dungeon: the Ancient Bow is made by Cherry at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab (1,000 rupees, 10 Ancient Gears, 15 Ancient Springs and a Giant Ancient Core) once its furnace is lit with the Blue Flame, and its arrows fly straight instead of dropping; the Great Eagle Bow, Revali’s bow, is Kaneli’s gift after Vah Medoh. More on bows.

What are the best shields?

The Hylian Shield (guard 90, durability 800) is in a class of its own. Of the rest, the Ancient Shield (70) deflects Guardian beams without a parry, at the cost of durability (Zelda Dungeon). More on shields.

Sources

• Numbers: the game’s weapon parameters, checked against Game8 and Zelda Dungeon (all weapons).
• Where weapons come from, the Master Sword’s awakened power and the Ancient Shield: Zelda Dungeon’s Breath of the Wild one-handed, two-handed, spear, bow and shield pages, and Master Sword.

See also the Blights you beat to earn the Champion weapons, and weapon durability.