The Sword Beam ability inBreath of the Wildisn’t anything new to theLegend of Zeldafranchise. Regardless, it’s at Link’s disposal if he decides to try it out on his enemies. Players would do well to remember that the Sword Beam is exclusive to the Master Sword.
Like most of the previous entries in theZeldaseries, the Master Sword is a special weapon that players will need to work to get inBreath of the Wild. Known as the Sword That Seals the Darkness, it reaches full power when Link is battling specific foes or is in specific areas. Unlike regular swords, the Master Sword is capable of hitting targets from a distance thanks to its Sword Beam ability.
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How to Get the Master Sword
The Master Sword waits for Link in theKorok Forestin theGreat Forest of Hyrule, which is to the very north of Hyrule (beyond Hyrule Castle). Players will need to navigate through theLost Woodsbefore they can reach the Korok Forest. After that, they can try and draw the Master Sword from its pedestal.
If Link doesn’t have13 hearts, he won’t be able to retrieve the sword. There are a total of4 Heart Containersfrom freeing the Divine Beasts. The remaining8 Heart Containerswill need to betraded for the Spirits Orbsthat Link receives from Shrines (4 Spirit Orbs = 1 Heart Container).
If players do not have theTrial of the Swordfrom the Expansion Pass, the Master Sword’s strength will remain at30. The only time the Master Sword will increase to60attack is inside Hyrule Castle, when a Guardian is near, or when battling Calamity Ganon and its Blights.
If players want to increase the sword’s power permanently, they will need to do the Trial of the Sword. This involves overcomingthree separate trialswhere Link will need toevery enemy on each floor. Completing the Beginner Trials raises the sword’s power to40, Middle Trials raises it to50, and the Final Trials raises it to60.
Using the Sword Beam
It’snot requiredto recover all the Master Sword’s strength via the Trial of the Sword in order to use the Sword Beam. Thankfully, the Sword Beam can be used even at 30 power. Here are some things to keep in mind regarding the Sword Beam ability:
Now that players understand the above points, here’s how to use the Sword Beam:
Since the Master Sword can’t beremovedfrom the Inventory, Link will not throw the sword like he would other weapons. If Link hasless than full HP, he will “throw” the Master Sword, but there won’t be any energy to fling at the enemy. Keep this in mind when using the Sword Beamto fight monsters.
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Increasing the Sword Beam’s Attack
As for damage, the Sword Beam may not be too impressive. It does a total of20 damageagainst enemies such as Guardians, but since it can be used continuously as long as Link has full HP, it can quickly chip away at an enemy’s health. The Sword Beam is good to rely on if players are low on arrows.
If players manage to completeall 120 Shrines, they’ll get the Armor of the Wild. Each piececan be upgraded by a Great Fairy. Getting them tolevel 2will unlock the Set Bonus: Master Sword Beam Up. As its name indicates, this will enhance the power of the Sword Beam attack. So, if players intend on using the Sword Beam often in battle, they should upgrade and wear the Armor of the Wild to bring out its full potential.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis available on Nintendo Switch.
