Upgrade Material Locations — Zelda: Skyward Sword Guide

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Gathering the right materials is crucial for upgrading your gear and potions at the Bazaar's Scrap Shop. This section details where to find every essential upgrade material, along with strategies to maximize your collection efforts. Remember that many materials have a higher drop rate during specific times of day or from certain enemy types.

Faron Woods

Amber Relic: Commonly found in various chests throughout Faron Woods, especially after clearing the Deep Woods. You can also find them by dowsing for treasure spots or defeating Bokoblins.
Jelly Blob: Dropped by all varieties of ChuChus. The most efficient way to farm these is to seek out the larger, more aggressive ChuChus found deeper within Faron Woods, particularly near the Sealed Temple entrance.
Bird Feather: Obtained by catching Blue Birds with your Bug Net. These birds are abundant throughout Faron Woods, particularly in open areas like the viewing platform near the Skyview Temple entrance.
Deku Hornet: Found in Deku Hornet nests. The most accessible nests are hanging from trees near the Skyview Temple and the Great Tree. Use your Bug Net to collect them.
Goddess Plume: A rarer drop from Blue Birds, especially those found in the higher branches of the Great Tree. You can also find them in some late-game treasure chests within Faron Woods.

Eldin Volcano

Monster Claw: Dropped by Keese and Lizalfos. Keese are plentiful in the caves and tunnels of Eldin Volcano. Lizalfos are found throughout the region, particularly guarding pathways and treasure.
Monster Horn: A less common drop from Lizalfos. Focus on defeating the larger, more armored Lizalfos for a better chance.
Ornamental Skull: Dropped by Bokoblins. Eldin Volcano is teeming with Bokoblins, especially around the volcano's base and the entrance to the Earth Temple.
Evil Crystal: A rare drop from Bokoblins, particularly the red and black variants. You'll also find them in some treasure chests within the Earth Temple and surrounding areas.
Eldin Ore: Found in ore deposits scattered across Eldin Volcano. Use your bombs to break open the shimmering rocks. These are particularly abundant in the caves leading to the Earth Temple.

Lanayru Desert

Ancient Flower: Found in the past versions of Lanayru Desert, activated by Timeshift Stones. Look for them growing in the lush, green areas that appear.
Lanayru Ant: Found by digging in sandy areas with your Digging Mitts. They are particularly common near the Lanayru Mining Facility and the Shipyard.
Lizard Tail: Dropped by Lizalfos. While less common than in Eldin, Lizalfos can be found in certain sections of the Lanayru Desert, especially in areas with rocky terrain.
Scarab: Caught with your Bug Net in sandy areas. They are often seen scuttling across the ground, particularly near the Lanayru Mining Facility.
Sand Cicada: Found by digging in sandy areas with your Digging Mitts, similar to Lanayru Ants. They are more prevalent in the drier, open expanses of the desert.
Dusk Relic: A rare material found in treasure chests within the Lanayru Mining Facility and the Sandship. Also a very rare drop from Technoblins in the desert.

The Sky & Skyloft

Hornet Larvae: Found in Deku Hornet nests on Skyloft and some smaller islands in the Sky.
Skyloft Dew: Occasionally found by cutting grass on Skyloft or by defeating certain small enemies.
Goddess Plume: Very rarely dropped by Blue Birds found flying around Skyloft. More reliably found in specific treasure chests on various Sky Islands.
Rare Beetle: Caught with your Bug Net on Skyloft, particularly in the Pumpkin Patch or near the Waterfall Cave.
Star Shard: These fall from the sky at night. Look for the shimmering trails and collect them before they disappear. They are more common on clear nights.

General Strategies for Material Farming

Dowsing: Once you've acquired the Dowsing ability for materials, use it frequently! It will highlight nearby hidden materials, making farming much more efficient.
Bug Net: Essential for catching insects and birds. Upgrade your Bug Net to the Big Bug Net for a wider reach.
Bombs: Use bombs to break open ore deposits and reveal hidden paths that may contain materials.
Digging Mitts: Crucial for finding buried items like Lanayru Ants and Sand Cicadas.
Revisit Areas: Materials respawn! If you're low on a particular item, revisit areas where you've found it before. Leaving and re-entering a region (e.g., flying back to Skyloft and returning) will often reset material spawns.
Night vs. Day: Some materials, like Star Shards, are only available at night. Others, like certain insects, are more prevalent during the day. Pay attention to the time cycle.
Enemy Drops: Many materials come from defeating enemies. If you need a specific monster drop, target those enemies and defeat them repeatedly.
Treasure Chests: Always open every treasure chest you find. They often contain valuable upgrade materials.