How to Get the Master Sword in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Hidden deep within Hyrule lies the Master Sword-restored, reforged, and more elusive than ever. This guide reveals where to find it, how to claim it, and what makes its power and durability unlike any other weapon in Tears of the Kingdom.

There are a large number of strong weapons to find early on in Tears of the Kingdom, yet none are more trustworthy than the Master Sword; tracking down its location is key. This page explains the step-by-step process to find the Master Sword location, and what you’ll need to add it to your collection.

My only request is that, if you must Fuse items with the Master Sword, you do so responsibly. The thing has a reputation to uphold, after all.

Where to find the Master Sword

Head to the Light Dragon circling above Hyrule, visible in the sky after progressing through the main story until it appears. Fast-travel to the Thyphlo Ruins Skyview Tower in the Depths for a quick launch toward its path, then glide to the glowing blue sword hilt protruding from its head. Pull the Master Sword free once your hearts total at least 20 by attacking the dragon’s mouth or waiting patiently. Note that it breaks after prolonged use and respawns on the dragon after a blood moon.

The Master Sword is located on the head of the Light Dragon, which flies in a circle around Hyrule. If you see a dragon in the sky and want to check if it’s the Light Dragon, look for white and yellow coloring and a blue aura radiating from the Master Sword in its head. You can also activate the in-game camera and zoom in, and you should see “Light Dragon” pop up on the screen.

But if you don’t want to rely on happenstance, check out our step-by-step guide on how to find the Light Dragon, which will lead you to the Master Sword.

How to get the Master Sword and how much stamina you need

To claim the Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom, you first need at least two full green stamina wheels, earned by trading Lights of Blessing for Stamina Vessels at Goddess Statues. The sword is lodged in the Light Dragon’s head, so track its route through the skies, land on its back, then make your way to the dragon’s head and start pulling. During this sequence, your stamina drains steadily, and temporary yellow bonus stamina from food or elixirs does not count, so you must have the permanent upgrades before attempting the pull.

Once you’ve found the Light Dragon and mounted it, you’ll see the Master Sword is on its head. You are going to need two green stamina wheels in order to pull out the Master Sword. If you don’t have enough stamina, the Light Dragon will shake you off. Again, yellow stamina wheels don’t count here – so it might be worth respecing your health into stamina.

Walk toward the Master Sword and once you’re close, go ahead and press the button prompt to start a sequence to retrieve the weapon.

The sequence itself is fairly simple, as you just need to hold down the button while Link attempts to grab the Master Sword. If you have at least two full green stamina wheels, complete the sequence to add the Master Sword to your inventory. There’ll be an important story cutscene, and afterward, the weapon will be yours.

Does the Master Sword break in Tears of the Kingdom?

No, the Master Sword does not break like other weapons in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Instead, it depletes energy after around 40 hits and requires a 10-minute recharge before use again.

Tears of the Kingdom starts with the mummified Ganondorf breaking the Master Sword, but when Link pulls the formerly decayed Master Sword from the Light Dragon it’s been repaired.

While the repaired Master Sword doesn’t have infinite weapon durability in Tears of the Kingdom, the Master Sword doesn’t break, either. You will have to give the Master Sword time to recharge after periods of extended use. When you see a prompt saying that the Master Sword has run out of energy, you’ll have to wait 10 real-life minutes for it to recharge in order to wield it again.

If you open your inventory and highlight the Master Sword, you’ll see the timer in the description. It will remain paused while you’re looking on this screen, mind you, as it only counts when you’re actively moving Link.

Once the countdown has finished, there’ll be a prompt on the screen saying that “the Master Sword’s power has been restored.”

How much damage does the Master Sword do?

The Master Sword deals a base attack power of 30, but it increases to 60 when used against gloom-corrupted enemies, such as those touched by the Demon King’s influence. Its power also spikes during certain story moments or when fighting specific bosses. While it has no traditional durability and does not break, it can run out of energy after extensive use, requiring a recharge period before it can be wielded again.

The Master Sword, unlike most weapons in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, does not display its base damage.

Over at Reddit, the community has been trying to pinpoint the exact values since the game’s launch. The estimate is that the Master Sword does 30 damage. At times the sword will glow, which happens when fighting against gloom-afflicted enemies, or the Demon King himself if you’re that far into the game yet. When it does, the base damage is doubled. Supposedly, the increase should be from 30 to 60 damage.

For a one-handed sword, 30 base damage is quite decent. It takes three hits to take down a Blue Bokoblin, for example, and around seven for a Black Bokoblin. All the while, a Blue Boss Bokoblin took around a dozen quick swings. But you’ll be getting the most out of the weapon by charging attacks whenever you have the chance.

It’s worth noting that you can fuse items with the Master Sword, which increases both its attack power and durability. You can use the sword until you get the low-energy prompt, for example, and then Fuse a material to extend it. Or just go ahead and do a combination from the get-go once its energy is repleted.

Where to find the Light Dragon after getting the Master Sword

After pulling the Master Sword, the Light Dragon resumes its endless clockwise loop high in Hyrule’s skies, passing most Skyview Towers every two real-time hours.

Flight Path

The Light Dragon follows a fixed circuit around Hyrule’s perimeter.​
It starts high above the Great Sky Island area, then zigzags clockwise: northwest sky islands → Eldin mountains/Lost Woods → Rito Village area → around Lanayru/Lanayru Skyview Tower → down to Faron/Necluda → southwest deserts → back north.​

Best Spots to Spot It

• Skyview Towers: Activate towers clockwise (e.g., Nachoyah Shrine on Great Sky Island, then Pikida Stonegrove, Rabella Wetlands); launch and scan skies in all directions.

• Sky Islands: Northwest or southeast islands (e.g., Glide Set Challenge or Zonai Forge Tower); glide high and wait for the glowing white dragon.

• Lanayru Skyview Tower at noon: Reliable spawn window in that region; sleep at a fire to cycle time.​

• Hero’s Path mode: Once spotted, ride it briefly to map its full route on your Purah Pad.​

It flies at 700-900m altitude, slower than other dragons, and dips lower post-quest but stays mostly sky-level. No quest marker remains after the sword, so manual searching or sky rides work best.​

What materials does the Light Dragon drop when shot

Shooting the Light Dragon with arrows (or hitting it) drops specific materials based on the targeted body part, with a 10-minute cooldown per harvest.

Materials List

Additional Drops

Shard of Light Dragon’s Spike spawns under the back spikes; pick them up while riding (no shooting needed).
All Light Dragon parts restore ¼ heart when eaten but skip Gloom damage; they’re premium for Champion’s Leathers upgrades (2 of each type needed).