There’s no question that Tears of the Kingdom houses some of the best armor that we have seen in the franchise. Yes, there are some sets that have been stolen from previous games, but bringing them all together in this entry not only plays to the nostalgia of long term fans, but also makes for some great in-game fashion

Below, we’ll be taking you through what we think are the best armor sets in Tears of the Kingdom, providing a top ten list (since there are so many to choose from) marking them on both in-game usage and abilities as well as simply how they look on Link.

Best Armor Sets in Tears of the Kingdom¶

10. Phantom Set¶

When looking for early game defense increases, the Phantom set is one that you can make a beeline for. Not only does it look absolutely fantastic, harkening back to the Legend of Zelda games of old, it boasts a defense stat of 24 right off the bat, no upgrading necessary.

You’ll also benefit from an Attack Up increase which again is pretty fantastic in the early game since you’ll likely be feeling a bit underpowered. This means it’s actually a far better option than the easy to get Hylian set and something that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

The only real downside is that you can’t apply any upgrades at all meaning it is stuck at this defense level. Annoying, but if you were to be able to, it may be a little overpowered since you can get it by simply exploring.

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9. Froggy Set¶

The Froggy set is one that offers more function than actual defense since its base stat of each piece is only 3, with a maximum only going to 20. However, where it shines is its ability to allow Link to ‘stick’ to surfaces, removing any possibility of slipping off a cliff when in rainy weather.

While you might think that this is a very specific use-case, the fact that it seems to rain so often in Hyrule severely hampers your ability to traverse the higher up portions of the map, so equipping the Froggy set completely negates this.

Yes, you will want to be switching to another set for fighting, but this can be done with ease anyway.

It won’t cost you any Rupees to acquire but you will have to head off on a myriad of side quests so there is a solid amount of time you will need to put in to pick it up.

8. Glide Set¶

A completely new set to be introduced with Tears of the Kingdom is the Glide set, mainly due to the fact that Breath of the Wild didn’t have a Sky map, and is one that should definitely be a pick up for avid explorers. The reason why is because again, similar to that of the Froggy set, it provides and extremely useful bit of functionality - increased Skydive mobility, and an Impact Proof set bonus.

Having increased air movement is obviously great as it is, but it’s the Impact Proof bonus that you’ll be climbing for. As you’d expect from its name, this allows you to completely negate fall damage, potentially removing the need for the Paraglider completely.

You can upgrade each piece to 16 defense, but you won’t be using it in combat so not completely necessary and a potential waste of precious materials.

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7. Soldier’s Set¶

If you’re looking for a more traditional looking armor set, akin to something you might find in real life, the Soldier set is probably what you’re after. Like the Phantom set, you can in fact get this set pretty early on if you’re doing some exploring in and around Hyrule Castle, but its base stats are lower.

However, if you choose to throw a bunch of upgrades into the set, it will offer up some of the best defense in the game, totalling 84. Sadly, there is no additional set bonus here which is a little annoying, but if you just want some armor to do what it was made for - protection, the Soldier set is more than capable.

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6. Of The Depths Set¶

If you’ve been playing a bunch of Tears of the Kingdom, you’ll know that the introduction of Gloom, while a fun challenge, can be an absolute annoyance at times. So, to counter that, you can pick up the Depth’s set.

Each piece of this set when equipped increases Gloom resistance, giving you specific hearts for this, which is perfect for traversing the Depths as well as those times where Gloom hands make a surprise appearance. Also, once you equip the full set, you’ll gain Gloom Attack Resistance, furthering it power against the dark forces.

The one big downside to this set is the way you get it. You have to do a bunch of Depths exploring to begin with, find a whole lot of Poes, and find Bargainer Statues, meaning by that time, you may have found a way to manage without armor of this ilk.

With that being said though, it looks absolutely fantastic, so may be worth it just as a fashion statement.

5. Miner’s Set¶

Again, another extremely functional set for the Depths, the Miner set is one that you may find yourself wearing over the Depths one. This is due to the fact that this set completely removes the need to illuminate the Depths with Brightbloom Seeds for example, since it has a glowing effect. If this wasn’t enough for you, once you have the whole set equipped, you’ll also leave a glowing trail behind, making your Depths exploration efforts just that bit easier.

Moving to the aesthetics, as you would expect, you’ll be looking a little more rugged rather than it offering some flair. This will only appeal to certain people, but the functionality alone should sway you in using it.

Each piece has a base defense stat of 3 which can subsequently be upgraded to 20, a decent amount of protection that can serve you well, but you may find yourself needing a little more as you face the more challenging enemies that you come across in the Depths.

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4. Ancient Hero’s Aspect¶

The Ancient Hero’s Aspect is probably one of, if not the coolest set you can pick up in Tears of the Kingdom. Not only does it have huge lore implications, it looks fantastic, completely changing Link’s appearance to that of a Zonai of old. It’s also pretty unique in the sense that you only need one piece to ‘complete’ the set, contrary to that of others.

Moving to its benefits, you’ll see right away that it boasts huge defence. While you need to consider that this stat number is essentially 3 pieces combined into one, it’s still extremely impressive, and is right up there with the top defence armor in the game.

Moreover, you’ll also benefit from a Master Sword Beam increase which while isn’t the absolute best set bonus, it’s still a nice addition, especially if you’re someone who likes to don the iconic weapon over your typical fused options.

Actually acquiring it is a total pain as it is tied to Shrines (see our guide on how to get it), but in our eyes, it is well worth the effort due to that high defence alone.

3. Zonaite Set¶

The first set to make the top three is the Zonaite ensemble. This one ticks many boxes both in the functionality and fashion department, potentially making it a go to as a set that is worn at all times.

You’ll be embodying the look of a Zonai warrior, which is both unique and pretty awe-inspiring, similar to that of the aforementioned Ancient Hero’s Aspect.

As previously stated though, it doesn’t just offer the looks, the functionality is also stellar. This is due to each piece of the set decreasing the amount of energy required by Zonai devices, allowing you to use them far longer, pretty integral for getting around the map. Moreover, once you complete the set, you’ll get an additional bonus of Energy Recharge Up which shortens the time needed for your batteries to get back to their fullest.

The benefits don’t stop there though. Contrary to the other ‘fancier’ sets that offer specific traits with no real protection, the Zonaite armor is actually another of the stronger sets in the game providing a stat of 84 when fully upgraded. So, when combined with the already brilliant bonus to batteries, this set should be an absolute must get for all.

The reason why it’s not our number two or even one pick is simply because of how awkward it is to get. You have to do a whole lot of exploring on specific sky islands that are both a pain to get to initially, but also once you’re there, you’ll have to do that bit more to get your hands on each piece.

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2. Of The Wild Set¶

Snagging the number two spot is the Wild armor set, one of many retro-looking sets that can be acquired in the game.

Looking at the aesthetics initially, it is an absolute classic look for Link with the green tunic and cap, with brown boots to complete the nostalgia. This is similar to that of other classic sets in the game, but none can equal the defence rating when upgraded.

This is because you’ll be getting a whopping 84 defence stat, only matched by a couple of other sets in the game. You’ll also benefit from the same set bonus of Attack Up like the other classic sets offer, so there’s no real reason why you would pick any of the others over this apart from the looks.

It is pretty tricky to get though since you’ll have to not only do some Depths exploring, but also traverse over some hot areas, requiring heat resistant armor, so it can be a bit of a challenge to complete the full set.

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1. Fierce Deity Set¶

If you’ve made it this far, you were probably wondering when the Fierce Deity set was going to be making an appearance, and well, it takes the top spot for multiple reasons.

If you played Breath of the Wild and got accustomed to both the power and visuals this armor puts across, you’ll already know why it’s more than likely high up on everyone’s picks for armor in Tears of the Kingdom.

However, if you didn’t, let’s talk about why you should be picking it up as soon as you can.

First, let’s talk about its aesthetic. One of the more unique looking armor in the game, this set gives Link fully white eyes with red and blue face markings, harkening back to the look first introduced in Majora’s Mask. The tunic is relatively intact but sports more of a body armor look with an overall colour change from the traditional green to a more grey blue throughout.

Moving to its actual use, this is where Fierce Deity truly shines. Its properties lie in increasing attack, pretty integral, especially late game when you’ll be taking on tougher bosses and those all important Lynels. Once you complete the set, you’ll also gain a charge attack stamina buff also, meaning those spin attacks will cost less stamina.

The only real downside is that while you can upgrade its defence stat, this does max out at 20 per piece, totalling 60 for all three. This is lower than that of other sets but due to the power you gain from its bonuses, we have to forgive this.

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And there you have it, our top ten picks for the best armor sets in Tears of the Kingdom. As the armor in this game is so diverse, all offering up slightly different bonuses, the ‘best’ set are certainly subjective, so we’d suggest just getting as many as you can from this list and trying them out for yourself.