Knowing how to upgrade armor in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is something you might not think you need to know. But you do. It's entirely possible to run through most of the game with basic armor still at the lowest defense level, but unless you're a combat master, you'll sour the experience with far too many unnecessary deaths.
Upgrading armor may feel like a chore, but it will lighten the load. Literally. You won't need to sit through loading screens nearly as much. And a quick upgrade is oftentimes easier to obtain than another heart container. It's worth doing. Even if it's a bit of hard work.
How to upgrade armour in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
Just like in Breath of the Wild, the entities in charge of upgrading gear in Tears of the Kingdom are the Great Fairies dotted around Hyrule. And, again, like last time, they won't be put to work without good cause.
This time around, it isn't a healthy sum of Rupees they want before they'll come out of their flowers and emerge from the waters within.
Each one has a different requirement, and you'll need to complete their requests before you'll even have the chance of offering them goodies in exchange for your favourite garb adorned with the power to stop a whack from basic Bokoblin from forcing you to chow down on an elaborate meal.
For specifics, you'll want to check out the Great Fairy locations in Tears of the Kingdom and the separate guides to unlocking them. We'll give you a hint right now, though. You'll need to get and use the Towing Harness to unlock the closest one to the Lookout Landing near the start of the game.
For more on Tears of the Kingdom, check out how to find the Horse God if you're set on making the most of your pony. And if you're in need of some heat resistant gear, we have the answers you're looking for. You might want to upgrade that stuff before you tackle the Lightning Temple lead-in.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Guides and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom page.