The Master Cycle was a motorcycle that was added to Breath of the Wild in DLC. It was much easier for Link to get around Hyrule with a reliable piece of machinery at his side. When it was added to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as DLC, fans were pleasantly surprised that it was Zelda's weapon, not Link's.
This new piece of revolutionary tech was given to Zelda as per her request - and who could blame the princess? Who wouldn't want the chance to drive that beast around? This guide will walk you through anything and everything you need to know about Zelda's brand new Master Cycle weapon.
4 Unlocking The Master Cycle
As with much of the other DLC content, Zelda's Master Cycle is unlocked by completing requests in the EX Royal Ancient Lab. The quest that unlocks the Master Cycle (and the ones that improve its capabilities) is in the bottom right of that web. As a result, you'll need to put in some work on the middle strand and the bottom strand to obtain it.
As with Link's flail, there are three versions of the Master Cycle to obtain:
- First: Master Cycle
- Second: Master Cycle Hunter
- Third and Final: Master Cycle Sentinel
The Master Cycle Hunter and the Master Cycle Sentinel are both great - the Hunter is noted as being made for combat, while the Sentinel focuses on the bike's stability and the rider's safety.
3 Attacking With The Master Cycle
Basic Attacks
When using the Master Cycle, Zelda is always on it (unless she's flying with her glider). Her new set of attacks all involve rumbling around and throwing herself and the bike at the opponents.
As one might expect from a set of attacks on a bike, nearly all of them move Zelda around the battlefield quite drastically. And unless she is dodging, the Master Cycle's turning radius isn't incredible. As a result, this is not the weapon to use in the Yiga Clan Hideout or on any other map where navigating through hallways, a lot of doorframes, or around equipment quickly is essential - the Master Cycle shines in the open fields of Hyrule Warriors.
Overloading
The ability to Overload her bike is the new trick that Zelda can pull when she uses the Master Cycle. When you hold down the right trigger (ZR), Zelda becomes unrestrained on her bike! She begins to drive much faster and damages any opponents she comes into contact with. At this level, it's not unlike Riju's special ability where Patricia the sand seal go on a rampage.
However, there's a catch. A little speedometer of sorts can be found in the top left corner whenever using the Master Cycle. While you're overloading, the speedometer's gauge will start to fill up. If you overload the bike for so long that the speedometer gauge fills up, the Master Cycle overheats. You'll have to wait through a cooldown period before overloading again.
The trick is to get the timing just right. When the speedometer is between half-full and full, Zelda goes even faster and does even more damage. You'll need to time it just right to do that extra damage but not go for so long that you overheat the Master Cycle.
If you complete her requests on the Hyrule map, Zelda unlocks an extra ability: when she starts to overload the Master Cycle, she lets out a blast attack that damages enemies around her.
2 New Rune Abilities
Unlike other heroes, Zelda's Sheikah Runes change depending on the weapon she's using. The Master Cycle provides her with a brand new set of Rune effects to play with.
Cryonis
Zelda's new Cryonis Rune is pretty incredible. Using Cryonis while still on the Master Cycle causes a staircase made out of ice to appear in front of you.
Assuming it isn't destroyed for some reason (for example, if you had cast Cryonis to counter a charging enemy), you'll be prompted to "Ride" with the X button. If you choose to ride, Zelda will drive up the staircase and beyond - pillars of ice appear beneath her to keep her above the opponents. You can wait for the Rune to wear out on its own, or use the B button to end it whenever you want.
Remote Bombs
The Remote Bombs Rune is reminiscent of Zelda's other attacks, though not identical. Using the Remote Bombs on her Master Cycle causes Zelda to summon five bombs to appear, in a line, in front of the Master Cycle. After a moment, unless she is otherwise interrupted, she gestures and the bombs fly away to explode in a semi-circle (a few meters away) in front of her.
Magnesis
As always, Zelda's Magnesis Rune requires there to be some kind of metal nearby - that could mean weapons, metal boxes, or other items.
If she casts Magnesis while on the Master Cycle, Zelda creates a spinning circle of energy in front of her that picks up any nearby metals. As she moves, it follows her. It always stays in front of the Master Cycle and picks up more metal as it goes, injuring any enemies that it comes in contact with.
It's a bit like what she creates with the Sheikah Slate weapon's Magnesis Rune, except stuck to the front of her Master Cycle.
Stasis
Zelda's Statis Rune on the Master Cycle is fairly straightforward. She uses Stasis to freeze any enemies that are immediately in front of her. However, rather than being locked into a certain attack type (as is the case with many other heroes and with Zelda's other weapons), you can continue to attack freely, whether it's on the Stasis-afflicted opponents or not.
1 Improving The Master Cycle
There are two ways to improve the Master Cycle (other than fusing it with other weapons, which players who have beat the game are familiar with).
The EX Royal Ancient Lab Challenges
The Royal Ancient Lab challenges aren't over just because you've unlocked the bike. Completing more requests will allow Robbie and Purah to improve Zelda's Master Cycle immensely. Check the descriptions to discover how they can improve the bike's power.
Zelda's New Quests On The Map Of Hyrule
Once you've unlocked this new weapon for Zelda, new quests will appear in Hyrule. You'll be able to differentiate them from other quests for Zelda by the little "EX" that appears in the map icon.
Doing these quests will unlock:
- Bonus combos for the Master Cycle
- An enhanced ability (blast attack during overload)