The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released in March 2017 to critical and commercial acclaim. Its open world, full of fascinating characters to meet, memories to uncover, and incredible creatures to encounter, blew us all away and immersed us in what was, for many, one of the best Zelda games ever made.

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One of the reasons Breath of the Wild is such an astounding game is the lack of limits placed on the player as they explore, with no areas being locked off from the game's start. With this freedom came risk, however, as dangerous enemies we weren't quite prepared for prowled the lands when we first started to play. Here are all the monsters we found in Breath of the Wild, ranked by how tough they are.

Updated on April 16, 2023, by Branden Lizardi: The highly anticipated follow-up to Breath of the Wild is nearly here. And with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom just on the horizon, we've been looking back at all of our BotW-related content. With the wisdom of time and new formatting options, some articles needed a second round of care and attention. We've updated this list to keep everything clean, easy to read, and accurate. Enjoy!

15 Chuchu - Jello's New Line Of Beanbag Chairs

Breath Of The Wild Chuchu

In terms of being a blue, gelatinous punching bag, Breath of the Wild's Chuchus are some of the cutest monsters. They're not hard to beat and don't really pose much of a threat to anything besides your precious weapon durability, as they're terribly slow and don't do very much damage. There are small and large versions of this opponent.

They do, however, come in different elemental varieties that are a bit more dangerous than their standard counterpart, with the Electric Chuchu being the most difficult as it is largely immune to physical attacks. Although, with this Zelda placing such a heavy focus on the bow and arrows, you'll have some way to easily dispose of these enemies 95% of the time.

Tips For Fighting Chuchus

  • Chuchus come in the normal (blue) type, as well as three elemental types - fire, ice, and electric - which you can take advantage of
  • Keep in mind that there will be an elemental blast when you defeat a Chuchu (as a result, bows are often useful to kill them so that you aren't caught in the blast)
  • Chuchus can also release a blast while they're alive and fighting you, after which they will turn a dark, dull color and cannot use their elemental powers against you - it takes a few seconds, but they can regain their energy after blasting

14 Keese - Winged Cyclopes With Their Eye On You

Imagine a faster and smaller Chuchu with wings, and you've got yourself a pesky Keese. Like the Chuchus, these monsters go down in a single hit and pose far less threat than most other enemies. They're slightly harder to deal with because they have the air to traverse, but waiting for them to approach or sniping them out of the air is fairly easy.

These enemies also come in elemental varieties, but their most dangerous aspect comes in the form of Keese hordes. First-time Breath of the Wild players have likely said: "Oh God, that's not a cloud" when seeing a giant swarm of Keese descend from the sky.

Tips For Fighting Keese

  • They come in three elemental types - fire, ice, and electric - on top of their normal brown type
  • Their eye is their weak spot to shoot for if you're using a bow and arrow
  • They can be blown away from you by using a Korok Leaf
  • When they attack in swarms, use a heavy weapon that can hit them all at once (whereas something like a spear is not so useful)

13 Octorok - Masters Of Disguise

Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild Octorok Types

Octoroks have been pelting Link with high-speed projectiles for over 30 years at this point, and we now have more tools to deal with them than ever. These sneaky enemies come in a few different variants to hide in different terrain to await the passing by of an unsuspecting hero.

They can be destroyed with arrows, runes, parrying their projectiles, or out-sneaking them, so any seasoned player should have no trouble at all. They're particularly good at sniping Link from out of view and ganging up on him while fighting other enemies, so remember to watch your back and be very suspicious of random grass patches.

Tips For Fighting Octoroks

  • You can find Water Octoroks, Forest Octoroks, Rock Octoroks, Snow Octoroks, and Treasure Octoroks in the base game of Breath of the Wild
  • In the Master Mode (included in Breath of the Wild DLC), there are also Sky Octoroks
  • Octoroks cover themselves with some kind of disguise, like a plant, and all of these various coverings (except rocks) can be attacked with a weapon to force the Octorok out of hiding
  • If you can't destroy their covering, bows are the most useful weapon against an Octorok - just wait for them to pop up to shoot (patience is key!)

12 Bokoblin - The Grunts Of This Operation

This staple enemy of the Zelda series has been around for quite some time now, and they largely exist to be the simple, baseline enemy type. While they aren't a complete cakewalk to defeat, they're still extremely predictable and lack the health pool that larger, harder monsters have.

They've received a few upgrades in Breath of the Wild, as they can interact with their environment to manipulate the physics engine to their advantage in ways like picking up objects and throwing them. These are pack enemies that get most of their strength from being in large groups, and encountering a group of higher-leveled Bokoblins while underprepared can lead to trouble.

Tips For Fighting Bokoblins

  • At night, Bokoblins go to sleep in their camps (so that you can sneak up on them), leave their weapons by the fire or next to them (so that you can steal them), and have guards keeping an eye on the base (that you'll need to avoid)
  • Bokoblins are quite smart compared to other monsters. They can: light their wooden weapons on fire, pick up and throw things at Link, swipe at him with their claws when they can't find a weapon and can wear some armor
  • Bokoblins may be riding a Horse or a Bear - prioritize dismounting them by using strong attacks and elemental arrows

11 Lizalfos - Karma Chameleons

Breath of the Wild - Lizalfos holding spear

The sly Lizalfos is one of the many standard monsters found throughout Hyrule. Resembling a massive lizard with scaly skin and eyes that move independently of one another, these quick beasts boast a variety of attacks, including ranged strikes with their long tongues and up close and personal moves where they leap toward the player.

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Like the Bokoblin, Lizalfos are fairly easy to deal with once the player gains a better understanding of their patterns and the game's combat system. Stronger variants appear later on, and they also have the unique ability to camouflage themselves in the environment. Still, they remain one of the simpler enemies to deal with.

Tips For Fighting Lizalfos

  • There are several variations of colored Lizalfos, which indicates their difficulty: Blue, Black, Silver, and Gold (from least to most difficult)
  • In addition to the colored variations, there are also elemental Lizalfos: Fire-Breath, Ice-Breath, and Electric. Fire Lizalfos are weak to ice and vice versa, while Electric Lizalfos are weak to being hit in their horns with an arrow
  • Lizalfos have their own type of weapons (i.e., Lizal Spears), which are quite strong - try and steal one before attacking!
  • Lizalfos will camouflage to match their environment, and, while players are used to being able to see right through an in-game camouflage, this one is occasionally tricky to notice unless you're paying attention

10 Moblin - Monsters With A Capital "M"

Breath of the Wild - Moblin roaring

The Moblin is the last of the typical monsters that you'll find roaming about in almost every area of Hyrule, from the forests in the south to the icy peaks in the north. While they may look like a larger version of the Bokoblin with some slight visual tweaks, they have distinct attacks and can also lob smaller monsters at the player if present.

The Moblin's large frame gives it a lot of reach, but it also provides an advantage for the player as you can get up close to it and land some hits without giving it the chance to strike back. Though they have more health than Bokoblins and Lizalfos, they can still be taken down with just a little skill.

Tips For Fighting Moblins

  • Keep in mind that Moblins will usually use clubs or spears
  • Moblins are capable of picking up Bokoblins and throwing them
  • Like other enemies, the color of Moblin indicates its difficulty: Blue, Black, Silver, Gold (from least to most difficult)
  • Their large size makes them easy targets with a bow and arrow

9 Yiga Footsoldier - Harder To Beat Than Their Rank Suggests

One of the most consistently frustrating enemies you'll encounter is the Yiga Footsoldier. These Sheikah clan outcasts worship Ganon and ambush the player at multiple points along their journey in an attempt to keep you from defeating him. They don't have many hit points compared to some of the other enemies on this list, but they more than makeup for that in their battle tactics.

First, Yiga Footsoldiers rarely just appear in the world. They're often disguised, only transforming into masked opponents after you speak to them. Once they begin fighting, their combination of sickles, bows, and teleportation makes them a tough enemy to pin down if you don't have an upgraded Stasis rune. The Yiga Footsoldier may not be the deadliest enemy you'll face, but they are absolutely the most annoying.

Tips For Fighting Yiga Footsoldiers

  • Use the Stasis rune so they won't disappear on you - prioritize unlocking its upgrade!
  • Don't struggle to attack with your melee weapon if you can't get to them quickly enough - you should be able to predict where the Yiga Footsoldier will reappear based on their red glow, so take aim with your bow and shoot when they finally manifest
  • They often disguise themselves as passing travelers whom you might meet on the road, so be cautious when approaching strangers

8 Yiga Blademaster - Masters Of The Blade, Definitely Not Overcompensating

Hailing from the same renegade Sheikah clan as the Yiga Footsoldiers, Yiga Blademasters only start appearing in the world after you've completed a specific story quest (which is a challenge in and of itself). The Blademasters are less evasive than the Footsoldiers, but they pack many more hit points and devastating attacks.

Each Blademaster carries a special two-handed weapon that can send a deadly slice of wind through the air from a distance. Additionally, they can reach into the earth itself and make the ground beneath your feet explode violently, causing damage and knocking you down. They're among the hardest the game has to offer. If you're not prepared to go into a fight with one of these warriors, odds are you won't last very long.

Tips For Fighting Yiga Blademasters

  • Yiga Blademasters can summon two Yiga Footsoldiers when they spot you
  • They're stunned by an arrow to the head
  • The fissures they create can be used as updrafts (before the stone pillar emerges) so that you can get above the Yiga Blademaster
  • Try to stay on your feet when fighting them, using your dodges liberally, since the Windcleavers they use can produce blasts of air

7 Wizzrobe - Take Out Your Anger Against The Wizard In Your D&D Group

Breath Of The Wild Wizzrobe

If this were a list of the creepiest enemies in Breath of the Wild, Wizzrobes would be much closer to the top. Their prancing movements and eerie cackles are already unsettling enough, but when you get close enough to take in their jagged teeth and glowing, bulbous eyes, you realize these things aren't humans — just crude facsimiles of them.

All the Wizzrobes you encounter in the game will specialize in fire, ice, or electrical damage, and they'll often have additional effects based on those powers. Fire Wizzrobes will be able to raise the surrounding area's temperature, whereas Lightning Wizzrobes can summon thunderstorms. This is on top of their ability to cast elemental spells and turn invisible while moving, meaning that these are certainly among the more difficult creatures to defeat.

Tips For Fighting Wizzrobes

  • You may encounter stronger versions of each elemental type of Wizzrobe: Thunder Wizzrobes (electric), Meteo Wizzrobes (fire), and Blizzrobes (ice)
  • Use fire against ice Wizzrobes and vice versa to take them down quickly
  • Save the rods that they drop to defeat other Wizzrobes in case you don't have an elemental weapon
  • Since they levitate, arrows are really useful in these fights - especially electric ones that can stun them

6 Guardian Scout - Technology Has Gone Too Far... Again

The Guardian Scouts are a fun way to test out a player's combat skills in a one-on-one Shrine arena, and the later models can get particularly tough. They come in four different types, with each subsequent type being equipped with better gear, higher health, and more attack functions.

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If you aren't careful, a quick swipe from an Ancient weapon or a volley of energy blasts can be your downfall. Their main weakness, as is with all of the Guardian types, is its eye, so stunning it with arrows and going to town with your weapons leads you to victory.

Tips For Fighting Guardian Scout

  • Guardian Scouts come in four ranks of difficulty, denoted by Roman numerals (Guadian Scout I, Guardian Scout II, and so forth)
  • While the lasers can be a pain to deal with, they'll also burn the ground and cause an updraft that can give you the advantage
  • When they get close to death, you'll notice that they use a stronger laser attack than usual - it's ideal to take out the second half of their health bar all at once if you can manage to do that much damage at one time

5 Talus - The Mountainside Developed An Attitude

The Talus is one of the various bosses the player can encounter in the world of Hyrule. The Stone Talus will appear as just large stone formations at first; but get too close, and they'll slowly rise up to attack you. Depending on the region, you can also find Frost and Igneo Taluses (Talii?) ready to pound you into dust.

It takes a combination of knowledge, reflexes, and skill to defeat a Talus. You'll need to be able to locate its weak point, then hit it with an arrow, often while it's already attacking you. This stuns it long enough for the player to climb the monster and get in a flurry of strikes on its one vulnerable spot before you'll need to flee and repeat the process again. It doesn't take too much to bring them down once you perfect the process but be prepared for a lot of trial and error as you hone your approach.

Tips For Fighting Taluses

  • To do any significant damage, you'll need to attack the "Ore Deposit" on a Talus' back. To get to it, either climb the Talus or use your bow and arrow
  • There are five types of Taluses - Stone, Luminous, Rare, Frost, and Igneo - that you'll need to learn to fight
  • Igneo Taluses are weak to ice, and Frost Taluses are weak to fire
  • Use remote bombs on a Talus' arms so that they're easier to climb

4 Hinox - Straight Out Of Its Starring Role In The Odyssey By Homer

via: forbes.com

The Hinox is essentially the logical endpoint of the Bokoblin-Moblin branch of monsters, a massive cyclops that attacks by stomping, swiping, and occasionally ripping up surrounding trees to throw at you. These giants are located all throughout Breath of the Wild, snoozing on various plains, islands, and tundras.

A fight with a Hinox can be challenging, but once you've got a feel for it, it does get a bit easier (although it can still be difficult in certain circumstances.) Staying focused on its movement is key, as the Hinox will telegraph its next attacks, and hitting its massive eye with an arrow will help you bring down these colossal beasts.

Tips For Fighting Hinox

  • Its eye is its weak point, so it's a great place to aim your arrows, but once you've attacked it a few times, it will catch on and start to cover its eye
  • There are three types of Hinox: Red, Blue, and Black (from least to most difficult)
  • They are almost always asleep, so it's not hard to just avoid fighting them by sneaking past
  • Keep Hinoxes away from trees (if possible) since they can pick those up and throw them at you

3 Molduga - The Moby Dick Of The Desert

via youtube.com

Speaking of colossal beasts, this next entry covers the largest monster found in Breath of the Wild: the Molduga. These leviathans are a strange hybrid of lizard and fish, living deep underneath the sands in the Gerudo Wasteland. Simply wandering into their territory is an invitation for disaster as the Molduga attacks from below, shooting you up into the air before letting you drop all the way back down.

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The key to approaching a Molduga fight is to find solid ground and stun them with bombs. The Molduga can only detect the player when they walk on the sands, so quickly finding a rock to perch atop becomes critical. Lobbing bombs toward the monster then lets you incapacitate them long enough to get a few good hits in before retreating back to safety.

Tips For Fighting Moldugas

  • Take advantage of Shield Surfing while fighting a Molduga to move fast and avoid being hit - you can use a Sand Seal to surf everywhere instead of just downhill
  • If you don't want to Shield Surf, find solid ground where your footsteps won't tip off the monster
  • Since they're sensitive to noise, take advantage of remote bombs and bomb arrows, which cause the Molduga to panic and fly out of the sand
  • When you do manage to stun a Molduga, your window of opportunity may be small - use quick weapons, not heavy ones

2 Guardian - Your Cat Will Love This Laser Pointer

As anyone who has played Breath of the Wild will tell you, there are few sounds more nerve-wracking or anxiety-inducing than the sound of a Guardian's laser charging up. The steady beeping building to a crescendo has been the death knell for countless Links across countless games. They also come in Turret and Skywatcher variations, allowing them to rule both sky and Earth.

There are two ways to defeat Guardians—perfect timing or Ancient gear. If you're confident in your reflexes, you can parry Guardian lasers back to their sources by hitting the deflect button when the light hits your shield. This can be tricky to master, though, so the best chance you may have is to find the Master Sword or build some Ancient weapons, both of which deal significant damage to Guardians.

Tips For Defeating Guardians

  • Always be practicing your timing for parries and flurry rushes on other opponents so that, once you reach a Guardian, you don't struggle (as much)
  • The variations of Guardians (other than Guardian scouts) are often just as difficult to beat as the big kind; Guardian Turrets are stationary with a powerful laser, Guardian Skywatchers and Sentries fly and scan the landscape for you, and Guardian Stalkers (the kind depicted above) are especially quick and agile
  • The other weakness that Guardians have is their eye - shooting arrows at it will do dramatic damage and stun it

1 Lynel - We Didn't Know Lions Could Get Any Scarier

Breath of the Wild Every Golden Lynel Location Split Feature Image

The Lynel, truly the undisputed king of monsters in Breath of the Wild's Hyrule. These lion-centaur beasts have some of the best weapons in the game, are capable of both melee and ranged attacks, and can drain a player's hearts before you even realize you're in danger. A single strike from a Lynel is enough to kill a player without upgraded armor, and it still deals a significant chunk of damage even if you do have all the best equipment.

If you encounter a Lynel in the wild and you are not prepared for a legendary duel, you will lose. Their devastating offensive capabilities and massive health pool make them the most dangerous, challenging, and terrifying monster in all of Breath of the Wild.

Tips For Fighting Lynels

  • You can tell how difficult a Lynel will be to defeat by its color: Blue-Maned, White-Maned, SIlver, and Golden (from least to most difficult)
  • You'll get a second or two to prepare for battle since, once a Lynel notices you, they stare you down for a moment before attacking
  • The best way to take on a Lynel is by mastering your dodges and hitting flurry rushes - Lynels telegraph their attacks quite clearly, so you'll be able to catch on (even if it's only after a lot of practice)
  • If you manage to sneak up behind a Lynel, you'll be able to mount the beast and attack a few times before you're bucked off
  • All Lynel types are immune to elemental damage - elemental weapons don't do any additional damage - except for the kind from Urbosa's Fury

NEXT: The Legend of Zelda: The Most Powerful Bows In Breath of The Wild, Ranked