The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn’t just one of the best games to come out on the Nintendo Switch; it’s also one of the best Zelda games of all time. The game has plenty of things to do, a massive open world, an engaging storyline, and countless enemies to take on. It’s easy to sink several hours at a time into the game and still feel like you can go for several more.

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However, due to Breath of the Wild’s weapon durability, the game encourages you to constantly try out new weapons. Unlike previous Zelda titles, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to what you can use in battle. If you’re planning to take on a powerful monster, you’ll want to use the strongest weapons you can.

Updated March 6 2023 by Casey Foot: With Tears of the Kingdom’s launch just around the corner, now is the perfect time to return to Breath of the Wild. The game’s expansive arsenal of weapons means that there are weapons for all kinds of situations, but if you simply want the ones that deal the most damage, these are what you’ll be looking for. With these weapons, taking down Calamity Ganon will be easier than ever.

13 The Boulder Breaker

Split image screenshots of the Boulder Breaker on the ground and Link wielding the Boulder Breaker.

Attack Power

60

Durability

60

Location

Reward for defeating Divine Beast Vah Rudania

Link can obtain the Boulder Breaker after successfully calming the Divine Beast Vah Rudania. 100 years ago, the Boulder Breaker was the Goron Champion Daruk’s signature weapon, and as expected, its attack power and durability are impressive - its base power and durability are both 60.

The Boulder Breaker is considerably stronger than the Cobble Crusher and Stone Smasher, making it the best weapon of choice when taking down Taluses across Hyrule. If it breaks, you can also replace it by speaking with the Goron blacksmith, Rohan.

12 Royal Claymore

Split image screenshots of the Royal Claymore on the ground and the Royal Claymore's hilt.

Attack Power

52

Durability

40

Location

Gerudo Desert, Tabantha Frontier, and Hyrule Castle

The Royal Gear series is one of the strongest in Breath of the Wild, so it’s unsurprising that the Royal Claymore’s strength is up there with the best - it has a base attack power of 52. In fact, its game description even says, “Its powerful strikes are said to crush an opponent's body and resolve alike."

Although the Royal Guard’s Claymore has a higher base attack power, the Royal Claymore has much higher base durability at 40, making it a more reliable weapon to use in battle overall.

11 Great Elemental Blades

Split image screenshots of the Great Flameblade, the Great Frostblade, and Great Thunderblade.

Great Flameblade

Great Frostblade

Great Thunderblade

Attack Power

34

30

32

Durability

50

40

50

Location

Coliseum Ruins and Eldin Canyon

Coliseum Ruins and Hebra Mountains

Coliseum Ruins and Tabantha Frontier

Part of the Magic Gear weapon set, the Great Elemental Blades consist of the Great Flameblade, the Great Frostblade, and the Great Thunderblade. While the attack power of these blades is relatively average, their strength comes from their magic.

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If the weapon is charged, it has an additional ten attack power. When used on monsters with the opposite element, it’s extremely effective and will kill them in one hit. If you have a Great Flameblade or Great Frostblade equipped, it will also protect you from either the cold or the heat, respectively.

10 Sword Of The Six Sages

Link in front of the Sword of the Six Sages in Breath of the Wild.

Attack Power

48

Durability

50

Location

Scan Ganondorf Amiibo

Outside of the Master Sword, it's a pretty neat surprise when a weapon from a previous title in The Legend of Zelda series returns, which is the case in Breath of the Wild. One weapon that falls into this category is the Sword of the Six Sages, which originally appeared in Twilight Princess.

It comes packed with the 'Durability Up' function, which is paired with an attack rating of 48. The only downside of this weapon is that it can only be acquired by scanning the Ganondorf amiibo and praying that the luck of this process gifts you with it, as it is not a guaranteed drop.

9 The Master Sword

Link pulls the Master Sword out of its pedestal in Breath of the Wild.

Attack Power

30

Durability

40

Location

Korok Forest

Making a list of weapons in a Zelda title and not including the Master Sword feels like sacrilege. Its inclusion in Breath of the Wild, though expected, wasn't an outright guarantee due to the range of weapons you can obtain.

To get your hands on the legendary weapon, you must have 13 red hearts of health to survive the damage taken during the process of acquiring it and prove yourself as a hero. Although the Master Sword’s base strength isn’t much to write home about, in certain situations, such as when near Guardians or malice, its attack power is doubled. If you complete all three Trials of the Sword, the Master Sword’s power will permanently be 60.

8 Savage Lynel Crusher

Link fighting a Silver Lynel in Breath of the Wild.

Attack Power

78

Durability

35

Location

Dropped by White-Maned Lynels and Silver Lynels

Lynels are arguably the hardest enemies you can find in the world of Breath of the Wild, so it's only a given that the weapons they have would also be of note. The Savage Lynel Crusher is one such weapon that can absolutely decimate enemies with a base attack power of 78.

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While the act of getting this weapon is a challenge in itself, there's no denying the fact that the Savage Lynel Crusher is easily one of the strongest weapons in BotW. Just make sure to use it smartly against the toughest of foes instead of enemy fodder.

7 Edge Of Duality

Split image screenshots of the Royal Claymore on the ground and the Royal Claymore's hilt.

Attack Power

50

Durability

35

Location

Hyrule Field and West Necluda

With a base power of 50 and durability of 35, the Edge of Duality is a reliable weapon that can effectively take down enemies. Its base durability means that you can fall back on it in battle without fear of breakage, allowing you to hold your own against hordes of monsters.

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It’s easily the strongest weapon in the Sheikah Gear set, surpassing even the Eightfold Longblade by 18 base attack power. Overall, the Edge of Duality is a dependable weapon that will serve you well through multiple battles.

6 Demon Carver

Link running with a Demon Carver in Breath of the Wild.

Attack Power

40

Durability

25

Location

Dropped by Yiga Footsoldiers

After you defeat Master Kohga, Yiga Footsoldiers will begin to use Demon Carvers to attack Link. If you successfully take down a Footsoldier, they’ll drop their Demon Carver weapon, which you’ll want to snatch up.

With a base attack power of 40, Demon Carvers are comparably stronger than their counterpart, the Vicious Sickle, and will serve you well when fighting monsters. Encountering Yiga Footsoldiers might be a pain, but it’s worth it to pick up their weapons, especially if you get the chance to use their weapons against them.

5 Savage Lynel Sword

Savage Lynel Crusher BOTW

Attack Power

58

Durability

41

Location

Dropped by White-Maned Lynels, Silver and Golden Lynels

The Savage Lynel Sword is one of the strongest one-handed weapons in the game, with a base attack power of 58. You can find it after taking down either a White-Maned, Silver, or Golden Lynel, which are some of the deadliest enemies in Breath of the Wild.

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The weapon might be a challenge to obtain, especially if you aren’t prepared or properly equipped to face a Lynel. However, once you get it, it will make defeating other enemies a walk in the park and worth the struggle in the end.

4 Ancient Battle Axe++

Split image screenshots of the Ancient Battle Axe++ on the ground and Link battling a Guardian holding the Ancient Battle Axe++.

Attack Power

60

Durability

25

Location

Dropped by Guardian Scout 4

Of all the Ancient Battle Axes, the Ancient Battle Axe++ is easily the most powerful. Its damage has been scaled to its peak performance, and its cutting power is enhanced beyond the limits of the metal weapons in the game. It has a base attack of 60, though you can increase it with some Weapon Bonuses.

To get the Ancient Battle Axe++, you have to take on the strongest Guardian Scouts. They are not easy to take down, but the resulting weapon is worth all the trouble for the pure damage it deals.

3 Savage Lynel Bow

Link holding the Savage Lynel Bow in the menu.

Attack Power

32

Durability

45

Location

Dropped by White-Maned, Silver and Golden Lynels

The Savage Lynel Bow is one of the strongest bows in the game. It is an enhanced Lynel Bow, and you can obtain it by defeating either the Silver Lynels or the White-Maned Lynels. If you are playing in Master Mode, you can also get the bow from the Golden Lynels.

The bow fires three arrows at once, with each arrow dealing 32 damage. And if all three arrows hit their target, the total damage points increase to 96. That’s not all - the Savage Lynel Bow can get even more powerful thanks to the Five-Shot Burst weapon bonus, which lets it shoot five arrows simultaneously.

2 Meteor Rod

Link picks up the Meteor Rod in Breath of the Wild.

Attack Power

10

Durability

32

Location

Crenel Hills, Hebra Mounains

Elemental Weapons are some of the strongest in Breath of the Wild, although their durability isn’t the best. The Meteor Rod is the best of the Elemental Weapons, as it’s stronger than the Fire Rod and can shoot three fireballs at the same time. If Link performs a Spin Attack, he can cast five fireballs in a pattern too.

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The only downside to the Meteor Rod is its durability. It needs to recharge each time you use it, and if its magic runs out, it will completely break. But that said, the Meteor Rod is still a weapon worth having.

1 Royal Guard’s Claymore

Link holding the Royal Guard's Claymore in the menu of Breath of the Wild.

Attack Power

72

Durability

15

Location

Hyrule Castle

This is a unique version of the Royal Claymore that you can only find at Hyrule Castle. Getting it is no easy feat since the castle is filled with plenty of monsters, all of which are extremely powerful and ready to attack any intruders.

The only thing going against the Royal Guard’s Claymore is its durability, which won’t last for too long. However, it more than makes up for it by being incredibly powerful; it has a base attack power of 72, which you can increase by enabling some weapon bonuses.

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