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

Weather Effects & Environmental Hazards

Master the environmental challenges of Hyrule. This guide explains weather effects and hazards like extreme heat and cold in Breath of the Wild.

·Multi-source verified (83/83)

Weather Effects & Environmental Hazards

Hyrule is a vast and diverse land, but its beauty often comes with environmental challenges. Understanding and preparing for various weather effects and hazards is crucial for survival and exploration. Failing to do so can lead to constant health drain, equipment damage, or even instant defeat.

Extreme Temperatures: Hot & Cold

Navigating regions with extreme heat or cold requires specific gear or consumables to prevent Link from taking continuous damage. The temperature gauge in the bottom right of your HUD indicates the severity of the environment.

Cold Environments

Areas like the Great Hyrule Snowfield, Hebra Mountains, and higher elevations of Mount Lanayru will inflict freezing damage. This damage is constant and can quickly deplete Link's health.

  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Warm Clothing: The most straightforward solution.
      • The Warm Doublet (found on the Great Plateau by cooking a Spicy Meat and Seafood Fry for the Old Man, or purchasing from him later) provides one level of cold resistance.
      • The Snowquill Set (Tunic, Trousers, Headband) purchased in Rito Village offers excellent cold resistance when worn as a set, providing two levels of resistance per piece.
    • Cold Resistance Elixirs/Food: Cook ingredients with "Spicy" in their name, such as Spicy Peppers, to create dishes or elixirs that grant temporary cold resistance. Combine 5 Spicy Peppers for a significant duration.
    • Flame Weapons: Equipping a Flameblade, Flamespear, or Great Flameblade will provide a small amount of warmth, enough for one level of cold resistance. This is a good emergency option if you're short on warm clothes or food.
    • Torches: Carrying a lit Torch also offers a single level of cold resistance. Be careful not to put it away or drop it in water.

Hot Environments

Regions like the Gerudo Desert during the day and the entire Death Mountain area present extreme heat. The desert's heat will cause Link to burn, while Death Mountain's volcanic heat will set Link ablaze, causing rapid health loss and igniting wooden equipment.

  • Mitigation Strategies (Gerudo Desert - Day):
    • Heat Resistance Clothing:
      • The Gerudo Veil, Gerudo Top, and Gerudo Sirwal (obtained by disguising Link as a woman to enter Gerudo Town) provide excellent heat resistance.
      • The Desert Voe Set (Headband, Spaulder, Trousers) can be purchased in Gerudo Town after completing certain quests, offering superior heat resistance.
    • Heat Resistance Elixirs/Food: Cook ingredients like Chillshrooms, Hydromelons, or Cool Safflinas to create dishes or elixirs that grant temporary heat resistance.
  • Mitigation Strategies (Death Mountain - Volcanic Heat):
    • Flamebreaker Armor: This is absolutely essential for Death Mountain.
      • The Flamebreaker Armor (Chest), Flamebreaker Boots, and Flamebreaker Helm can be purchased in Goron City. The Chest piece alone provides one level of fireproof protection, enough to survive the initial areas.
      • A full set provides complete immunity to volcanic heat and fire damage.
    • Fireproof Elixirs: Crafted from Fireproof Lizards and Monster Parts, these elixirs provide temporary fireproof protection. You can find Fireproof Lizards around the foothills of Death Mountain.

Lightning Storms

When rain turns into a lightning storm, any metallic equipment Link has equipped (weapons, bows, shields) becomes a lightning rod. A red spark icon will appear next to your equipped items, indicating they are vulnerable. If struck, Link will take massive damage, often resulting in an instant Game Over.

  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Unequip Metal Gear: The most critical step. Open your inventory and unequip all metal weapons, bows, and shields. Replace them with wooden or non-metallic alternatives (e.g., Wooden Bow, Traveler's Shield).
    • Rubber Armor Set: The Rubber Helm, Rubber Armor, and Rubber Tights provide shock resistance. Wearing the full set (upgraded twice at a Great Fairy Fountain) grants immunity to lightning strikes.
    • Shock Resistance Elixirs/Food: Cook ingredients like Electric Safflinas or Voltfin Trouts to create dishes or elixirs that grant temporary shock resistance.
    • Seek Shelter: Find cover under an overhang or in a cave until the storm passes.
    • Drop Metal Items: If you're caught off guard and have no non-metallic alternatives, you can drop your metal equipment on the ground. Just remember to pick it up once the storm clears!

Rain

Rain, while not directly damaging, significantly impacts gameplay, particularly climbing and stealth.

  • Effects:
    • Slippery Surfaces: Climbing any surface becomes incredibly difficult as Link will frequently slip, losing stamina and progress.
    • Reduced Visibility: Rain can obscure your view, making it harder to spot enemies or landmarks.
    • Stealth Bonus: Enemies have reduced detection range during rain, making stealth approaches easier.
    • Extinguishes Fire: Any open flames (torches, campfires) will be put out by rain.
  • Strategies:
    • Wait it Out: If climbing is essential, find a sheltered spot and light a campfire (if possible) to pass time until the rain stops.
    • Climbing Gear: The Climber's Bandanna, Climbing Gear, and Climbing Boots (found in various shrines like Ree Dahee, Chaas Qeta, and Tahno O'ah) increase climbing speed and reduce stamina consumption, making rainy climbs slightly more manageable, but still challenging.
    • Revali's Gale: If you have obtained Revali's Gale from Vah Medoh, you can use it to gain significant vertical height, bypassing some climbing sections.

Sandstorms & Blizzards

These severe weather conditions primarily occur in the Gerudo Desert and Hebra Mountains, respectively.

  • Effects:
    • Zero Visibility: Both sandstorms and blizzards drastically reduce visibility, making navigation extremely difficult.
    • Map Disruption: Your Sheikah Slate map will be scrambled and unusable during these events, preventing you from seeing your current location or setting pins.
    • Temperature Extremes: Blizzards bring intense cold, while sandstorms in the desert can still be hot (though the primary danger is visibility).
  • Strategies:
    • Follow the Path: In the Gerudo Desert, follow the established paths or the direction of the wind to avoid getting lost.
    • Use Landmarks: If possible, identify and move towards distinct landmarks before the storm fully engulfs you.
    • Wait it Out: Similar to rain, finding shelter and waiting for the storm to pass is often the safest option.
    • Stamina Management: Be extra careful with stamina consumption as getting lost can quickly drain your resources.