How to Repair Decayed Master Sword in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

As you battle your way across Hyrule, you may be eager to find the Master Sword in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. After destroying my hundredth sword by stabbing a Moblin, I knew I was itching to find the unbreakable weapon. However, the decayed Master Sword must be repaired first through a special quest before Link can wield it in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Here’s how.

So how do I repair the decayed Master Sword in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?

In the first hour of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you will have a decayed version of the Master Sword in your inventory. The game doesn’t make it that easy, though, and the powerful weapon will quickly be taken away from Link after you’ve completed the game’s opening tutorial on Great Sky Island.

The Master Sword is repaired through the “Dragon’s Tear” main quest, which is activated by talking to Impa at the New Serenne Stable. After discovering all 11 hieroglyphs etched across Hyrule and viewing the 12th secret Tear of the Dragon at the Rist Peninsula, the fate and location of the Master Sword will be revealed.

Warning: We will discuss major story spoilers to kick off the next part of this quest, so read at your own risk.

Zelda turned into a dragon, and the Master Sword is now located on top of her head. (If your jaw is on the floor like mine was, I get it.) But the next thing you may be wondering is, “Where do I find the Light Dragon, and how do I actually land on its back when it’s flying thousands of miles up in the sky?”

Technically, you can head up to the sky map and pray that you get lucky and spot the majestic creature. However, the way the game intends you to find the Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom is by heading to the Great Hyrule Forest to undertake a new quest.

How do I find the Master Sword again in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?

To find the Master Sword, you must speak to the Great Deku Tree in Hyrule Forest. Simple task, right? Think again. Unlike previous games, you can’t actually enter the iconic location through its fog-filled entrance. Instead, you must enter the Drenan Highlands Chasm, located northwest of the Great Hyrule Forest.

The easiest way to enter the underground area is to use the Thyphlo Ruins Skyview Tower. Once you descend to the Depths, head east and walk around the corridor of Hyrule Forest clockwise to its entrance.

Here is a map to show the exact path you should take:

Screenshot by Siliconera

Brightbloom Seeds are your best friend here, trust me. Throwing the item down on the ground will light things up so you aren’t stumbling around in the dark. Another tip that helped me navigate the Depths is constantly switching back to the Surface map by pressing Up on the D-Pad on the map screen. Doing this lets you easily track your path until you reach the Hyrule Forest entrance. Once you have arrived, you can unlock the Rikonasum Lightroot by interacting with the green Zonai seal. Now that you are here, simply use Link’s Ascend ability to warp through the floor of Korok Forest. Unfortunately, the Great Deku Tree is sick, and you must cure it.

Enter the giant tree’s stomach by dropping into the Deku Tree Chasm, and prepare for a difficult boss fight. Here, you will face off against a monster set of hands. I used about 10 Bomb Flowers to subdue the foe. The next phase of the fight will then begin, and you will fight Phantom Ganon.

While he is terrifying, you can easily stun him by shooting him in the head with your bow. Immediately slash with your sword, and then run away. Continue to stun him with arrows and whittle his health down. You should have at least 10 hearts for this battle and enough potions to recover your health with every hit.

Screenshot by Siliconera

It’s time to finally pull out the Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom…

After defeating Phantom Ganon, the tree will give you the “Recovering the Hero’s Sword” quest and mark the Light Dragon’s location on your map. Head here to finally get your hands on Link’s epic weapon.

The Dragon moves around, and you must reach a high platform in the sky to jump on its back using your Glider. If you have an unlocked Sky Archipelago or Shrine, warp to the one closest to the Light Dragon’s icon. You can also use a Skyview Tower or Zonai Device to launch into the sky. After spotting the Dragon, dive into the sky and use your glider to float to its back. Once you have landed on the Light Dragon, walk up its neck to the Master Sword on its head.

You will need two full stamina circles to pull the Master Sword from the Light Dragon. Simply hold the A Button down, and watch an intense cutscene play out. Once Link acquires the weapon, you will now have the repaired Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom and it is free from decay. Although the sword can technically break, it will regain its power after a 10-minute cooldown.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available exclusively on Nintendo Switch. If you’d like to get another iconic piece of equipment in the game, Midna’s Helmet is also available.

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