TotK Best Armor: Which Set to Wear for Defense, Attack and Heat

This page picks The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom armor by what you want to do: one or two sets for each job, why, where to get them and what they reach fully upgraded. Every piece with its effect and defense is in the all armor table; this page only answers “which set should I wear”. Where each piece is lies on the set’s own page, and upgrade costs are in armor upgrade materials.

Which set for which job?

Which set has the highest defense?

Three sets reach 28 per piece and 84 for the set at four stars. What sets them apart is the extra effect:

• Hero of the Wild set: its set bonus is Attack Up, so it is the pick if you want defense and damage. The three pieces are in chests by three Dark Skeletons in the Depths, and upgrades use dragon parts; see dragon parts.
• Soldier’s set: no effect and no set bonus, but the earliest to get: all three are free, in chests in the Royal Hidden Passage under Hyrule Castle. The last star needs Lynel parts.
• Zonaite set: each piece has Energy Up and the set bonus is Energy Recharge Up, for anyone who runs Zonai devices a lot. All three are in chests on sky islands.

The Ancient Hero’s Aspect is the reward for finishing all 152 shrines (the quest The Shrine Explorer; the chest is in the Temple of Time, see all shrine locations). It fills the head, body and legs slots on its own and reaches 84 at four stars, the same as the three sets above. Upgrading it costs three times as much as any other armor (30, 150, 600 and 1,500 rupees), and the materials are silver monster horns, boss guts and Zonaite.

The only way past 84 is to mix pieces. The Champion’s Leathers reach 32 at four stars, more than any 28 piece; wearing them with a 28 head piece and 28 leg piece (say, the Soldier’s Helm and Greaves) gives 88. The Champion’s Leathers are the reward for the side quest A New Champion’s Tunic, which starts in Hateno Village, from a chest in Hyrule Castle. While wearing them the Master Sword fires its beam even when your hearts are not full (see Master Sword). Upgrades use Light Dragon parts.

Which set makes you hit harder?

• Barbarian set: each piece has Attack Up, and all three at two stars add Charge Atk. Stamina Up. The pieces are cave chests (Robred Dropoff Cave, Crenel Hills Cave and Walnot Mountain Cave), and upgrades need Lynel parts from the second star.
• Fierce Deity set: the same effect and set bonus as the Barbarian set. It is also three cave chests, and the Link (Majora’s Mask) amiibo can drop it. Upgrades use dragon parts.

Both reach 20 per piece, below the 28 sets. To keep more defense, swap the head for the Diamond Circlet (Attack Up, 28 at four stars, sold in Gerudo Town), or just wear the Hero of the Wild set. Before you can upgrade anything, the Phantom set has 8 defense and Attack Up on each piece, but it cannot be upgraded.

What should I wear against cold, heat and fire?

All three work the same way: an effect on every piece and one more from the set bonus, 20 per piece at four stars, and all are sold in the nearest town (how temperature works: temperature and weather).

• Cold: the Snowquill set. Cold Resistance on each piece, and the Unfreezable bonus stops ice attacks from freezing you. Brazen Beak in Rito Village sells it for 650, 500 and 1,000 rupees. For a single piece, the Ruby Circlet also gives Cold Resistance (20 at four stars).
• Heat: the Desert Voe set. Heat Resistance on each piece, and the set bonus is Shock Damage Resist. The Headband is sold at Kara Kara Bazaar (450 rupees), the Spaulder (1,300) and Trousers (650) in Gerudo Town. The Sapphire Circlet is the single heat piece (20 at four stars).
• Fire: the Flamebreaker set. Flame Guard on each piece keeps you from catching fire near the lava on Death Mountain, and the Fireproof bonus negates fire damage. The Goron City armor shop sells it for 1,400, 700 and 1,200 rupees. The Vah Rudania Divine Helm also has Flame Guard, but only reaches 16.

What should I wear against shock and lightning?

The Rubber set: Shock Resistance on each piece, and all three at two stars give Lightning Proof, so lightning strikes in a thunderstorm do not hit you. The pieces are cave chests, 20 per piece at four stars. As a single piece, the Topaz Earrings give Shock Resistance (they top out at 18). The Lightning Helm is Lightning Proof on its own, but it has only 3 defense and cannot be upgraded. The Desert Voe set bonus, Shock Damage Resist, also cuts shock damage.

What should I wear for stealth and night travel?

• Stealth set: Stealth Up on each piece; the set bonus is Night Speed Up (9pm to 4am). Sold at the Kakariko Village armor shop for 500, 700 and 600 rupees once you finish the Gloom-Borne Illness quest. 16 per piece at four stars.
• Yiga set: also Stealth Up plus Night Speed Up, and with the set on, Yiga members do not attack you. It has the lowest defense, 12 per piece at four stars. Each piece is the reward for clearing a Yiga hideout.

For stealth on the head alone, wear Sheik’s Mask (Stealth Up, 16 at four stars).

What should I wear for climbing, swimming and speed?

• Climbing: the Climbing set. Climb Speed Up on each piece, and the set bonus halves the stamina a climbing jump costs. The pieces are in caves. Rain makes walls slippery; then switch to the Froggy set: Slip Resistance on each piece and Slip Proof as the set bonus, from the Lucky Clover Gazette investigations.
• Swimming: the Zora set. Swim Speed Up on each piece, and the set bonus halves the stamina of a swim dash; the Zora Armor alone lets you swim up waterfalls. For the head you can also use the Opal Earrings (Swim Speed Up, 20 at four stars).
• Speed: the leg pieces Sand Boots (Sand Speed Up) and Snow Boots (Snow Speed Up) are sold in Gerudo Town and reach 20. For night travel, wear a Night Speed Up set: Stealth, Yiga, or the non-upgradable Dark set and Tingle set (all three pieces on is enough).

What should I wear for gliding and diving from the sky?

The Glide set: Skydive Mobility Up on each piece and Impact Proof as the set bonus, so a landing from any height does not hurt. Each piece is the reward for a Dive Ceremony on a sky island. 16 per piece at four stars.

What should I wear in the Depths and against gloom?

• Depths set: Gloom Resistance on each piece, and all three at two stars add one more heart of it. It is bought with Poes at Bargainer Statues: Tunic of the Depths 150, Gaiters of the Depths 200, Hood of the Depths 300. 20 per piece at four stars.
• Miner set: every piece glows, and the set bonus Shining Steps leaves light where you walk. The pieces are in chests in Depths mines.

Midna’s Helmet also gives Gloom Resistance, but has 7 defense and cannot be upgraded; it is in the Lone Island Coliseum in the Depths. For getting around down there see the Depths.

Which other sets have a special use?

• Radiant set: with all three at two stars, Stal monsters do not attack you and bone weapons deal 80% more damage. 800 rupees a piece in Kakariko Village.
• Ember, Frostbite and Charged sets: in hot weather, cold weather and thunderstorms your attacks add fire, ice or electricity, and the set bonus strengthens charge attacks in the same weather. Wear them for fights in the matching region.
• Royal Guard set: 24 per piece at four stars, with Charge Atk. Stamina Up; all three are in Hyrule Castle.

The remaining sets (the hero sets and the non-upgradable sets) are listed in the all armor table.