The best armor in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

By James On May 25, 2023

Finding the best armor in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is hard enough already. When you consider how many options there are – and the huge difference between playstyles – it can be difficult to know exactly what to look for.

If you’re struggling with how to equip yourself, don’t worry, because we’ve rounded up the best armor Tears of the Kingdom to prepare for Hyrule’s greatest challenges. And remember, once you’ve found what you like, don’t forget to upgrade your armor.

The best armor in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

At a glance, here’s the best armor inside Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom:

Zonaite armor
Fierce Deity Armor
Sliding armor
Froggy armor
Miner’s armor
Climbing armor
Champion leather
Phantom armor

There are plenty of armor sets inside Tears of the Kingdom. Different situations may require specific bonuses over others, so it’s hard to pinpoint a unique set that will cover all your needs at once. That may sound like a blessing if you like trying out different armor pieces, but it does mean that the number of armor pieces to choose from can be quite dizzying.

Our selections are based on a wide range of experiences, aiming to cover different scenarios depending on where you are in the game. In some cases you need as much attack as possible to defend yourself, while in other cases you may struggle to climb a hill in the rain. We’ve taken into account the bonuses of each armor, as well as a few notable set bonuses you’ll get after upgrading all three pieces to level 2 at the Great Fairy Fountains.

Zonaite armor

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

The Zonaite armor is one of the best armors in Tears of the Kingdom. This set, which has a Zonai-inspired design, provides great help for using Zonai devices, reduction of required energy costs. If you’ve been in awe of the community’s inventiveness and associated memes, this armor is an important option to use in piloting your Zonai inventions for as long as possible.

Increasing your maximum energy cell capacity provides a solid foundation. The Zonaite Armor adds synergy to that upgrade, so you use as little energy as possible.

Prioritizing the search for this armor depends solely on how much attention you pay to Zonai devices. I recommend it as a late-game option, as stronger enemies require different strategies (and more creative Ultrahand constructions). Depending on the situation, it’s enough to wear one or two pieces of armor – mixing and matching with other armor pieces to use multiple effects will be fruitful.

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to find the armor, visit our Zonaite Armor Locations page.

Fierce Deity Armor

The best defense? Much annoyance! The Fierce Deity Armor focuses on one crucial thing: increasing attack from Link. The beloved set of Breath of the Wild is back and remains as useful as ever.

There’s a distinct difference between wearing the full set as opposed to wearing one or two at a time, but if you encounter enemies attacking with a specific element, mix-matching is more than encouraged. The Ember Armor and Frostbite Armor are usually great companions.

Remember that a higher attack applies to multiple situations. You can sail through the depths with two pieces of the miner’s armor and one of the Fierce Deity’s armor to keep the path clear while dealing more damage than usual, and that’s just one scenario.

In case you’re wondering, yes, this set has the same properties as the Barbarian Armor. Choosing between the two depends on two factors: the different materials required to upgrade each armor, and ultimately, which one you think looks best. (It’s this one.)

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to find the armor, check out our Fierce Deity armor page.

Sliding armor

Link wears the Glide Armor on top of a Sky Island in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Parachuting is a task that Link often performs Tears of the Kingdom. The Sliding armor exponentially increases your diving mobility. When the full set is upgraded, wearing all three pieces will too neglect fall damage whole.

For example, if you’re trying to reach a temple or specific sky island after using a Skyview tower, it can be difficult to actually reach the place safely without running out of stamina first. The paraglider, useful as it is, can only help so much in these scenarios.

Taking advantage of increased air mobility is a huge difference. The full armor becomes similar to a jumpsuit and with the set bonus you always stick to the landing.

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to find the armor, visit our Glide Armor Locations page.

Froggy armor

Rain showers in Hyrule always happen at the most inopportune times. If you have ever slipped while climbing mountains and hills, the Froggy armor is here to help by adding slip resistance with every piece. When the full set is upgraded at the Great Fairy Fountains, you won’t slip anymore while wearing all three pieces.

Of course this set comes into its own in the rain. That said, many caves tend to contain waterfalls and pools of water, making later climbs a challenge unless you have this armor. For any of these scenarios, if low stamina is an obstacle for you, I highly recommend doing a mix-and-match between this and the Climbing Armor set.

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to find the armor, check out our Froggy Armor page.

Miner’s armor

The Miner’s armor set offers a solid defense, but most importantly let you shine. With each new part you find, the beam of light emanating from him will only increase. While there are several ways to gain resistance to gloom and combat its secondary effects, the armor makes exploring the depths a lot less daunting.

Here’s my broad recommendation: If you’re just going from point A to B to map out the place, wear the full kit. Once an enemy enters combat, quickly pause and switch to pieces from a different set. The miner’s armor goes well with the climbing armor, especially since climbing trees and hills in the depths has saved me countless times from contact with gloom-ridden surfaces.

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to find the armor, visit our Miner’s Armor location page.

Climbing armor

The Climbing armor it is best to find it as early as possible Tears of the Kingdom, not because it is suitable for beginners, but because you should get your hands on it as soon as possible. The increase the rate of climb saved me from falling off a cliff countless times, provided that one more push I needed it when my stamina was still pretty low.

In the late game it remains as useful as ever, improving exploration exponentially. If you want to get the most out of it, the set bonus lowers the stamina cost of jumping on a climbwhich is a nice touch that makes the armor whole.

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to find the armor, visit our Climbing Armor Locations page.

Champion leather

Link looks confused while wearing the Champion's Leathers in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom.

If you like Link’s look Breath of the Wildthe Champion leather brings it back with some essential improvements. While it may not seem unusual at first considering it’s just a chestpiece with +5 defense, investing in upgrades and using the right weapon will unlock its potential.

The chest piece of the Champion Leather can be up to 32 defense. To do this, you need access to all Great Fairy Fountains and you need to complete all four improvement levels for them. The best part is that since it’s only one piece, both the head and leg pieces of your choice will add to the already excellent 32 defense base.

Now, in the same vein as Breath of the Wild, this piece of armor also unlocks a “hidden” attack from the Master Sword. Essentially, Link cannot throw the Master Sword. However, if you’re wearing the Champion Leather’s, the throw instead produces beams from the weapon, which is great for dealing with ranged enemies. (Note that, unlike Breath of the Wild, you do not need to have full health to perform this special move. But the more health you have, the greater the beam’s distance will be.)

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to find the armor, visit our Champion Leather’s location page.

Phantom armor

If you buy the Master Trials DLC from Breath of the Wilddon’t worry, because the Phantom Armor is back in Tears of the Kingdom. The set increases Link’s attack and each piece adds 8 defense for a total of 24 defenses. As such, this is a great early game option as it’s pretty easy to get your hands on.

Note that you cannot upgrade it in the Great Fairy fountains. This is the main reason why I would separate this set from the Barbarian and Fierce Deity armor sets, as the lack of upgrades is a notable limitation.

Essentially, I recommend the armor as a solid set for your first few dozen hours in the game. Once you start to feel that your current defenses aren’t enough to deal with the bigger threats in Hyrule, that’s the perfect time to switch things up.

You can find the Phantom Helmet in Puffer Beach Overhead Cave at the coordinates (0273, -3875, 0001)the Phantom Armor in Tamio River Downstream Cave at the coordinates (-2934, -0823, 0009)and the Phantom Greaves in the Ancient Altar Ruins of the Gerudo Desert at the coordinates (-2518, -3720, 0008)found by jumping into the sand hole.