How to get the Royal Guard Armor set in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Royal Guard Armor might not like the most impressive armor in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but it’s an easy — and cheap — way to keep Link safe early in the game. It offers no special bonus. However, it provides slightly more protection than the Hylian Armor set you can purchase from Lookout Landing’s general store, which means you can save your rupees for something more useful later on.

Every piece of the set — which comprises a head, chest, and legs gear — is located inside Hyrule Castle. The floating castle takes some work to reach, but collecting the set also gives you a chance to pick up some soldier’s and royal guard weapons, which are far more powerful than anything you can get in or around Hyrule Field.

Royal Guard Armor set location

All three pieces of the Royal Guard Armor are located in Hyrule Castle. You can see the locations of each piece in the map above. But reaching the castle itself — not to mention navigating its byzantine and puzzle-packed hallways — can be confusing. If you’re stuck, the following sections will how to reach Hyrule Castle and how to track down every piece of the Royal Guard Armor.

How to get to Hyrule Castle in Tears of the Kingdom

You can get to Hyrule Castle without even expanding your stamina wheel, though you will need some stamina elixirs or stamina-replenishing meals. Cook at least three recipes that restore half or more of your stamina wheel or two that restore the entire thing.

Travel to the Lookout Landing Skyview Tower, and launch yourself into the air. Turn north as soon as you regain control of Link, and immediately deploy your paraglider. Glide toward the castle until you reach a safe landing place, which will probably be the path right outside the Sanctum.

Head northeast, avoiding or jumping through gloom puddles as you go, and make your way to the castle’s backside, by Serutabomac Shrine.

Royal Guard Boots Location

The Royal Guard legs piece is in the King’s Study, a hidden room in the Hyrule Castle library. Hop down from the platform where the shrine is, and turn around. Enter the doorway, and descend the staircase.

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It opens out into the library, and unlike in Breath of the Wild, there are no enemies here this time.

Hop down onto the ground level, and turn around. Use Ultrahand to move the bookcase and reveal a small doorway into the King’s Study, where you’ll find the Royal Guard Boots, which grant +4 defense. Grab the weapon and shield before you leave, too. If you’re early in the game, these are likely much more powerful than anything you have already.

Royal Guard Cap Location

The next piece is in Zelda’s Room, and the easiest way to get there is via the sanctum. You can fast travel back to the shrine and travel to the sanctum that way, or use your Ascend ability for a little shortcut. Exit the study, head to the other end of the library, and use Ascend in front of the gloom pool. You’ll pop up near a rocky rise.

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Climb that, glide to a small ledge under a stone arch, and use Ascend again. You’ll end up right in front of the sanctum. Head inside the sanctum, and turn left. Exit the window.

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The tower in front of you is Zelda’s study, which has a strong royal guard sword inside.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

At the other end of the walkway connected to the study is Zelda’s Room.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

The section of stone in front of the room’s entrance will crumble and fall away when you set foot on it, so move quickly to stay safe. The Royal Guard Cap, which grants +4 defense, is in a chest behind the screen that’s immediately to your left when you enter the room.

Royal Guard Uniform Location

The Royal Guard chest piece is in the Guard’s Chamber, which is underneath the First Gatehouse. Exit Zelda’s room the same way you entered, jump off the ledge in front of you, and deploy your glider.

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Glide forward and to your left, around a rocky outcrop, and you’ll see the gatehouse down below.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

Glide around it, land on or near the path underneath, and enter the door. Use Ultrahand to lift the gates. Keep the ability active while you pass under them.

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Walk up the stairs, take a left, and then turn left again once you reach the massive gloom pool. This staircase takes you down into the Guard’s Chamber.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

The chest with the armor is on a wooden platform above a giant gloom puddle. You could risk walking through it and using Ascend to reach the chest quickly, but there’s a safer way. Turn right and sneak along the platform until you reach the wall. The staircase is broken, but you can climb the wall anyway.

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Once you reach the gap separating you from the chest, use Ultrahand to make a bridge with the two wooden boards. Cross over, and the Royal Guard Uniform, which grants +4 defense, is yours.

Royal Guard Armor set upgrade costs, effect, and set bonus

The Royal Guard Armor has no base effects, but when the full set is equipped and upgraded to at least two stars, you’ll get a Charge Attack Stamina Up set bonus, lowering the stamina requirement for a charge attack.

You’ll be able to upgrade the armor at a Great Fairy Fountain in exchange for the following materials:

• 1-star (6 defense): 3 Boss Bokoblin horns, 3 Bokoblin guts, 10 rupees
• 2-star (10 defense): 3 Blue Boss Bokoblin horns, 3 Boss Bokoblin guts, 50 rupees
• 3-star (15 defense): 3 Black Boss Bokoblin horns, 3 Hinox guts, 200 rupees
• 4-star (24 defense): 3 Silver Boss Bokoblin horns, 3 Molduga guts, 3 Gleeok guts, 500 rupees

In order to upgrade all the Royal Guard Uniform, you’ll have to collect 9 Boss Bokoblin horns, 9 Bokoblin guts, 9 Blue Boss Bokoblin horns, 9 Boss Bokoblin guts, 9 Black Boss Bokoblin horns, 9 Hinox guts, 9 Silver Boss Bokoblin horns, 9 Molduga guts, 3 Gleeok guts, and 2,280 rupees.

Once you’ve found all three pieces of the Royal Guard Armor, consult our list of all armor sets and set bonuses to see what to find next, or check out our recommendations for the best armor.