The 10 Most Valuable Ingredients In Breath of the Wild—and Where To Find Them
Games Lists The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The major regions of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are abundant in resources, and if you’re collecting the many critters and plants along the way, chances are, you won’t have to go hunting for them often.
But there are a few items that can be scarce and a little hard to track down, and that’s where this guide comes in.
Now of course, some of the most valuable materials and ingredients in Breath of the Wild are actually the various pieces you can get from attacking the three dragons, Naydra, Dinraal and Farosh. That’s in a guide for another time. Below are items you’ll need for the most helpful potions and the most valuable armor upgrades. While most are entries in the Hyrule Compendium, which gives a rough idea of where to find them, here we have some suggestions about specific places to look.
Smotherwing Butterfly
This rare butterfly lives in the volcanic regions. Its body contains a heat-resistant liquid, which can be turned into a topical elixir that offers resistance to flames.
Common Locations: Eldin Canyon, Death Mountain
Arguably one of the rarest ingredients in the game, Smotherwing Butterfly is often high in demand due to its use as an upgrade ingredient for the Flamebreaker Armor. You’ll find them all over Death Mountain but if you’re using the Hyrule Compendium, tracking them down will still be hard. They seem more sensitive than other butterflies, and they don’t travel in pairs or groups like other types. They also startle easy, which makes it even worse having to wear the clunky and loud Flamebreaker Armor, which alerts them quickly to your presence.
Personally, I just jet over to East Akkala Stable, the stable nearest to Death Mountain (fast travel to the Katosa Aug Shrine), and buy them from Beedle. Makes sense he’d have them in his inventory in that location, right? He sells at least three at a time, and usually that’s enough to get by until the next time I need them. It saves a lot of time. Plus while you’re there you can also purchase Swift Carrot and Hearty Radish, two speed boosting and heart container boosting ingredients, respectively.
Stealthfin Trout
Consuming the bioluminescent compound that makes this fish glow in the dark will increase concentration. Dishes cooked with it will suppress noise when consumed.
Common Locations: Great Hyrule Forest, Eldin Mountains
Another one of the hardest ingredients to get in the game, Stealthfin Trout is necessary to fully upgrade the stealth-enhancing Sheikah set. It is mostly found in the waters outside the Lost Woods and Thyphlo Ruins. It can be hard to find a good spot to fish without being pulled into the fog surrounding each one. Use the Sheikah set and Silent Shroom based elixirs for stealth, and drop Silent Shroom in the water to lure them to the shore. You can then use the paraglider and quickly switch to the Zora set to catch them before they dive for deeper waters. Just be sure to stay out of the mist!
Star Fragments
A mysterious stone fragment that fell from the sky. It looks like it would fetch a good price, but you may be able to use it in certain recipes as well.
Sometimes Star Fragments are given out as a reward for a sidequest, but most often you’ll see them out in the fields of Hyrule. At night a star will shoot across the sky and land on the ground, leaving a beacon that can be seen from a distance. Run over as quickly as you can (wear the Sheikah set upgraded to level 2 for additional speed and drink a speed elixir if you have one) and grab it before the sun rises and it disappears.
Now, according to a rumor over at GameFAQs, you can actually farm the star fragments if you’re impatient to collect them. Says LukeWindWalker:
“You can go up any high place you want and have a good view around hyrule, for example those twin peaks. Save the game, QUIT the game (not reload) and start it again. wait at campfire for FULL MOON and the shooting star will appear during the night. Collect the star fragment, go up your favourite viewpoint, save the game, quit the game, start the game again, and wait till full moon. the shooting star will appear again. it happens every time at full moon, you just need to quit you game before you wait for it.”
Big Hearty Radish
This hearty radish has grown much larger than the average radish. It’s rich in analeptic compounds that, when cooked into a dish, temporarily increase your maximum hearts.
Common Locations: Akkala Highlands, Lanaryu Great Spring
As an item in one of the most powerful recipes in the game, Big Hearty Radish is high in demand. Sadly, it’s also a bit scarce. Keep an eye out in temperate, grassy areas for a telltale pale purple flower giving away its location. They can be hard to spot in the bushes, so be sure to use the tracker in the Hyrule Compendium. I’ve had good luck finding them in the Torin Wetland just west outside of Tarrey Town, and the South Lake Akkala and Falls area. The Torin Wetland is also filled with the lesser Radish variety, Hearty Radish, as well as Armoranth, Hyrule Herb, and Warm Darner.
Staminoka Bass
This Hyrule bass got to be the biggest fish by never getting caught (until now). Its long life results in a cooked dish that will restore a lot of stamina.
Common Locations: Hyrule Field, West Necluda
This simple and unassuming fish is one of the best sources of Stamina restoration in Breath of the Wild. You don’t even have to cook it into a fancy or convoluted recipe with multiple ingredients to benefit from its power. Even five roasted Staminoka Bass are enough to restore substantial portions of your Stamina Wheel.
The Hyrule Compendium lists the Staminoka Bass as commonly found in Hyrule Field and West Necluda. When I need a few in a jiffy, I head over to Riverside Stable on the Hylia River, outside of Hyrule Field. There are usually several in the shallow water surrounding the animal pens at the Stable.
Endura Carrot
Highly valued as a medicinal plant, this carrot contains large amounts of nourishing energy. When cooked into a dish, it boosts your stamina beyond its maximum limit.
Common Locations: Hyrule Ridge, Faron Grasslands
In addition to the locations listed in the Hyrule Compendium, Endura Carrot can be found at Great Fairy Fountain locations, sometimes around a tree but other times around rocks, or even in the case of the Great Fairy of Gerudo Desert, bone! These are ideal for recipes that award extra Stamina Wheels. Combine with Endura Shroom.
Fleet-Lotus Seeds
The plant that bears these seeds grows near deep water. The roots draw nutrients from the water, which boosts your movement speed when the seeds are cooked into a dish.
Common Locations: Lanaryu Great Spring, Lanaryu Wetlands
As mentioned above and in our Breath of the Wild recipes guide, Fleet Lotus Seeds are valuable for their use in strong speed-boosting recipes. They grow mostly in deeper bodies of freshwater. If you’re in a jam and need some quickly, fast travel over to Zora’s Domain and pick them from the pond surrounding the shrine. You can also get some Bright-Eyed Crab while you’re at it, a Stamina replenisher that you can combine with Staminoka Bass.
Combine these with Swift Carrot, which can be bought in Kakariko Village, and Swift Violet, which grows all over cliffs in mountainous regions.
Hearty Durian
This fruit’s odor earned it the nickname “king of fruits”. It offers immense restorative power; dishes cooked with it will temporarily increase your maximum hearts.
Common Locations: West Necluda, Faron Grasslands
Like the Big Hearty Radish, Hearty Durian are essential to the strong recipes that grant bonus Heart Containers. A large batch of them can be found on the red cliffs outside the Faron Tower in the Bronas Forest and in the greater area in general. Teleport to Faron Tower and look directly over to the nearest red cliffs and paraglide into the tropical trees, where the Hearty Durian grow. Nearby you’ll also find a lot of Mighty Thistle, which is helpful for Attack Power boosting recipes.
You can also purchase some, albeit for outrageous prices, at the Gerudo market.
Mighty Bananas
This fruit grows mainly in tropical forests of the Faron region. When it’s used as an ingredient, the resulting dish will temporarily increase your attack power.
Common Locations: Faron
Mighty Bananas, cooked as a bundle or with other ingredients, make a powerful attack-boosting meal. You’ll find them in huge numbers in the same location as Hearty Durian, so stock up at the same time while you’re on a fruit run.
Big Hearty Truffle
Years of going unpicked have allowed this hearty truffle to grow quite large. It’s chock-full of nutrients. When cooked into a dish, it temporarily increases your maximum hearts.
Common Locations: Hebra Mountains, Great Hyrule Forest
Big Hearty Truffle seems to be one of those items that seems to pop up either more frequently or exclusively when it is raining. Whatever the case, you’ll find it at the base of trees. Try temperate regions like Akkala; I’ve had good luck in the Torin Wetland.
Holly Green is the assistant editor of Paste Games and a reporter and semiprofessional photographer. She is also the author of Fry Scores: An Unofficial Guide To Video Game Grub. You can find her work at Gamasutra, Polygon, Unwinnable, and other videogame news publications.