The ancient blade is an extremely powerful item in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but it can be very difficult to find and use if you don’t have the right amiibo.
However, there are ways to get this rare item for those who lack the figurine. This page covers where to get an ancient blade for free, how to get one with amiibo, and where you can buy ancient blades later in the game.
What is the ancient blade?
You’ll spend a lot of the early game getting one-shotted by enemies. Even if you’re incredibly deft with the Switch, chances are, you’ll take a blow at some point that eliminates all of your hearts in one go. It’s annoying, but the ancient blade is your chance to even the odds.
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While it is clearly too small to wield as such, this ancient, dagger-like weapon is the perfect size to be used as an arrowhead, or as a weapon attachment. And at +50 Fuse attack power, that makes for some real powerful arrows, and a boon against late-game bosses like King Gleeoks.
However, it’s good for more than just bosses. This ultra-powerful weapon will one-shot most enemies too!
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Be aware, however, that it is as powerful as it is fragile, and it will break on use — even if you fuse it to an arrow and miss. Plus, anything you kill will be removed from existence — loot and all.
How to find an ancient blade in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
There is at least one ancient blade that you can find for free in Hyrule. Although there are rumors of more hidden in chests, we’re yet to verify this. This one, however, is certainly available for free.
Head to the Highland Stable in the Faron Grasslands and look for the well.
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Jump down it, grab a hammer and smash the nearby wall. Prepare for a fight, because once you go through, you will have two Shock Likes, a Blue Bokoblin, and a Silver Bokoblin waiting for you.
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Dispatch (or run past) them and follow the path to the end of the room. The path will veer right, taking you to an exit at the beach. Instead, when you see these boxes, jump down to them.
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It’s very faint, but you can make out the chest we’re looking for in the picture above, at the base of the middle wooden box. Hop on down and claim your hard-earned loot!
How to get an ancient blade with amiibo in Tears of the Kingdom
The quickest and easiest way to unlock the ancient blade in Tears of the Kingdom is to use an amiibo — specifically the 2017 Archer Link from Breath of the Wild. Back then, it dropped random food items along with a strong bow, so that’s a pretty decent return on investment!
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Remember, if you have any amiibo for Legend of Zelda, you can use it one once per day. The ancient blade is such a powerful item that you will definitely want to stock up daily.
How to buy ancient blades in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The ancient blade is undoubtedly a late-game item, given its rarity and power. This is shown, in part, by the fact that while you can buy them in Tears of the Kingdom, you have to jump through several hoops to do so.
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Firstly, you need to complete the fifth temple in the game — the Spirit Temple in the Depths — as part of the “Guidance of Ages Past” quest.
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After clearing the temple of enemies, one of the Constructs in the temple will sell you an ancient blade for the whopping cost of 50 Zonaite. That’s a lot of mining you need to do for a single one-use item!