The world of Zelda is a vast one, with hundreds of characters and people to meet, interact with, save and sometimes, defeat. Breath of the Wild introduced the world to a couple of hundred more, some important, some not. As Link travels across the wild Hyrule, he'll meet a ton of new people that have varying abilities and strengths.
But, who is the strongest? Is it Link himself, or one of the bosses he has to contend with? In this list, we'll look at which characters are the strongest, based on their physical prowess, how difficult they are to take down, and their sheer mental strength as well.
10 Calamity Ganon
As the big bad final boss at the end of the game, Calamity Ganon is meant to be a superior and strong character. And of course, he is, having desolated the land and destroyed Hyrule's champions. But, he definitely isn't the strongest character in the game, with many players actually having a pretty easy time taking him down.
With that said, he's definitely still a very strong character. It'll take some serious skill to take him down, even if he isn't the most difficult Zelda boss of all time.
9 Daruk
As one of four people handpicked to be a Champion of Hyrule, you know Daruk is tough. As a Goron leader, he was tasked with piloting the Divine Beast Vah Rudania, a mighty machine of epic power. Daruk himself is a defensive powerhouse,
He can withstand some truly mighty blows, as many Gorons can, and he even grants Link his blessing, which can deflect basically any attack without leaving a scratch on Link. Complete invulnerability is nothing to shake a stick at, and his ability to lift his giant signature weapon, the Boulder Breaker, is a testament to his strength.
8 Monk Maz Koshia
As you take down shrine after shrine in BOTW, you'll become acquainted with the several dozen Sheikah Monks who sit waiting at the end of them. One of these monks is Maz Koshia, who serves as the final boss of the Champions' Ballad DLC questline.
This ancient monk will give Link quite the challenge to prove himself, With teleportation, archery, duplication, lasers, spikes, and lightning storms at his fingertips, Monk Maz Koshia is quite the foe. After his defeat, he'll grant Link the Master Cycle Zero.
7 Thunderblight Ganon
Calamity Ganon has some minions in BOTW, one for each of the Divine Beasts. These are the Blights, each themed around the associated element of that Divine Beast. Easily the most difficult among them is Thunderblight Ganon, which is so hard to take down that it has caused frustration for many a player.
This Blight boss is arguably twice as hard as Calamity Ganon himself. Its speed is so high that you can't even hope to get a hit in on it without some serious practice. Its electricity-based attacks also cause Link to drop his weapons, leaving you completely vulnerable constantly.
6 Naydra
There are three dragons that roam the land of Hyrule in BOTW, named for their respective regions and association with the famed goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore. These dragons initially appear to be just a duo, with Dinraal and Farosh appearing on a regular basis and soaring through the sky.
However, upon further investigation, the player will find the third dragon, Naydra, overtaking with Malice. For it to be strong enough to be basically invulnerable, like the other dragons, but also able to resist the Malice enough to stay alive, Naydra is the strongest of the trio.
5 Lynels
The true mark of a great player is the accomplishment of taking down Lynels. These large centaur-like monsters come in five variations, with Golden Lynels being the most difficult. These foes are no easy feat, requiring a ton of strategy and ability to defeat.
They can wield some of the best weapons in the game, and they have access to archery, elemental weapons, explosive power, and shooting fireballs. They're savage beasts that will stop at nothing to defeat Link, able to strike him with an arrow from a mile away.
4 Urbosa
Each of the Hyrulian Champions is strong, hence why they were chosen for the task. Daruk has been on this list already, but his power is dwarfed by Urbosa, the Gerudo Champion who pilots Vah Naboris.
Urbosa possesses the ability to manipulate lightning and she battles with the powerful Scimitar of the Seven. Not only does she wield lightning like a deity, she does it with ease, creating fantastic bolts of lightning with just a snap of her fingers. She also has arguably the strongest mental fortitude of the four champions, phased by very few things and able to take down multiple Yiga Clan members by herself.
3 Link
Who can argue with Link being one of the strongest characters in the series, let alone just BOTW? This Champion is a force to be reckoned with, able to take down most of the other super-strong characters on this list completely solo.
Link has a wide array of powers, tools, and strengths that all come into play in different ways. With very little to stand in his way and pose any real challenge, Link is an extremely tough character and a valuable soldier in the Hyrulian army.
2 Zelda
While Link may be the hero that ultimately seals the darkness away and defeats Ganon, he's got almost nothing on Princess Zelda. Sure, Link can defeat Ganon, but Zelda has been singlehandedly holding him off for more than a hundred years waiting for Link to arrive.
The mental and physical strength of that alone is enough to make Zelda a terrifying presence to those who stand in her way, but she also commands an army of guardians, leads the team of Champions, and destroys Ganon's essence on her own. She has legendary abilities passed down by the Goddess Hylia, and has telekinetic powers.
1 NPCs
No single person or thing on this list has the same amount of physical power that the wandering NPCs have. This is because they seem to be completely invincible and don't even flinch at attacks. Any NPC that Link can find wandering Hyrule is able to withstand several Guardian laser blasts without even looking up from what they're doing.
Link can toss an unlimited number of bombs at these people and they won't sustain a single scratch. Also, these random citizens have managed to live in a land desolated by Calamity Ganon's armies without being killed or hurt. From where do they draw this immense power?