The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Treasure Chests & Rewards

Locate all Treasure Chests in Breath of the Wild and claim their rewards. Learn strategies to uncover Rupees, weapons, armor, and rare crafting materials.

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Treasure Chests & Rewards

Hyrule is brimming with hidden treasures, and uncovering them is a core part of the Breath of the Wild experience. Treasure chests can contain anything from valuable Rupees to powerful weapons, essential armor pieces, and even rare materials. This section will guide you through the various types of chests, common locations, and strategies for acquiring their contents.

Types of Treasure Chests

Not all chests are created equal. Understanding the different types can help you prioritize your exploration and anticipate rewards.

  • Standard Wooden Chests: These are the most common and often contain basic weapons, arrows, or low-value Rupees. They can be found almost anywhere in the overworld.
  • Metal Chests: These chests are sturdier and frequently hold more valuable items, including stronger weapons, shields, or higher denominations of Rupees. They are often found in enemy camps, hidden nooks, or submerged in water.
  • Sheikah Slate Chests (Shrine Chests): Found exclusively within Shrines of Resurrection, these chests typically contain unique weapons, armor pieces, or Spirit Orbs. Their contents are usually fixed and do not scale with game progression.
  • Ex-Shrine Chests (DLC): For players with The Champions' Ballad DLC, some chests appear outside of shrines after completing certain challenges, offering unique rewards.
  • Amiibo Chests: Scanning compatible Amiibo figures can summon special chests that drop exclusive items, including classic Zelda outfits, rare materials, and powerful weapons. These can be scanned once per day.

General Strategies for Locating Chests

While some chests are in plain sight, many require a keen eye or clever use of Link's abilities.

  • Sheikah Sensor +: Once you've completed the "Robbie's Research" side quest at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab, you can upgrade your Sheikah Slate to the Sheikah Sensor +. This allows you to set the sensor to detect treasure chests, making them much easier to find, especially when submerged or hidden.
  • Magnesis Rune: This is your best friend for retrieving metal chests.
    • Submerged Chests: Many metal chests are hidden underwater in lakes, rivers, and even small ponds. Use Magnesis to lift them out and onto dry land.
    • Buried Chests: Occasionally, metal chests are partially buried. Magnesis can still grab them and pull them free.
    • High-Up Chests: Some metal chests are placed on high ledges or suspended platforms. Magnesis can often reach them where Link cannot.
  • Stasis Rune: While less common for direct chest retrieval, Stasis can be used to move obstacles blocking chests or to create pathways to otherwise inaccessible areas.
  • Bomb Rune: Wooden chests can be destroyed by bombs, but this will also destroy their contents. Instead, use bombs to clear rock formations or destructible walls that might be concealing chests.
  • Environmental Clues: Look for suspicious rock formations, clusters of trees, or unusual terrain. Sometimes, a chest is simply tucked away in a less-traveled spot.
  • Enemy Camps: Most enemy encampments, from small Bokoblin outposts to larger Lizalfos strongholds, will have at least one treasure chest as a reward for clearing them out.

Notable Early-Game Chest Locations & Rewards

Here are a few essential chests to seek out early in your adventure, especially within the Great Plateau:

  • Great Plateau - Eastern Abbey:
    • Location: Within the ruins of the Eastern Abbey, near the central area. Look for a small, intact room.
    • Reward: Soldier's Broadsword (a significant upgrade from initial weapons).
    • Strategy: Navigate the Guardian Stalkers carefully, or disable them with arrows to their eye.
  • Great Plateau - Temple of Time (Roof):
    • Location: On the very top of the Temple of Time.
    • Reward: Soldier's Bow.
    • Strategy: Climb the broken walls and ledges of the temple. It's a long climb, so ensure you have enough stamina or stamina-boosting elixirs.
  • Great Plateau - River of the Dead:
    • Location: Submerged in the icy waters of the River of the Dead, near the starting point of the game.
    • Reward: Traveler's Sword.
    • Strategy: Use the Magnesis Rune from the bank to pull the metal chest out of the water. Be mindful of the cold if you decide to venture into the water yourself.
  • Great Plateau - Shrine of Resurrection (Initial Chests):
    • Location: The very first room you wake up in.
    • Rewards: Old Trousers, Traveler's Shield.
    • Strategy: Simply open them as part of the tutorial. These are crucial for early defense.

Advanced Chest Hunting Tips

  • Korok Seeds: Many Korok puzzles involve moving objects or solving environmental riddles that reveal chests. Keep an eye out for suspicious rock circles, lone rocks, or unusual arrangements of items.
  • Enemy Drops vs. Chests: While enemies drop weapons, chests often provide higher-tier versions or unique items. Prioritize chests in areas with strong enemies.
  • Revisiting Areas: Some chests, particularly those in enemy camps, can respawn their contents after a Blood Moon, though this is less common for fixed-item chests like those in Shrines. It's always worth re-exploring areas if you're hunting for specific resources.