This article is about the location. For the side quest, see EX Trial of the Sword.
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
- "To the blade's chosen hero... In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer the Trial of the Sword. You presently lack the power necessary to wield the true splendor of the Master Sword... You must fortify your mind, body, and soul by eradicating all obstacles that appear in this realm. In this illusory realm of sacred mystery, anything can happen... All that you obtain here will be lost upon your return to the reality you know. Chosen hero of the Master Sword... Overcome the Trial of the Sword and claim the blade's true splendor!"
- — Sword Monk
The Trial of the Sword, also known as Sword Monk's Shrine, is a location from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It is a Shrine-like Mini-dungeon unlocked during the side quest "EX Trial of the Sword" from "The Master Trials" DLC pack installation. When Link approaches the Master Sword pedestal at Korok Forest, the Great Deku Tree asks him to place the sword back in its pedestal to awaken its true splendor and to face the trial.
Trial[]
After placing the Master Sword back in its pedestal, Link is transported to the Trial of the Sword's Shrine an illusory realm of sacred mystery where anything can happen and enemies appear one after another inside forty five total rooms, and Link starts without any weapons, armor, or items currently in his inventory with the exception of his Key Items such as his Paraglider and Sheikah Slate. Runes are retained as well, though the amiibo Rune cannot be used during the trial, thus Link cannot use it to spawn items or Wolf Link. The Travel Medallion is unusable during the trial as well. Additionally, any of the Champions abilities Link has obtained will also be sealed and unusable during the trial. All the enemies of each room must be defeated to access the next room. The trial contains three sections with several floors that must be completed. Once a section is completed, Link is teleported to a chamber containing the Master Sword and a Sword Monk one of the seven unnamed Sheikah Monks that oversee the trial. Link can remove the Master Sword to quit the trial allowing him to return later to take on the other floors. Completing the Beginning Trials section increases the Master Sword's base attack to 40 (basically adding 10 points of attack power), while the completing the "Middle Trials" section increases it to 50. Completing the "Final Trials" (or all forty five rooms) leads to the "True" glowing state is unlocked permanently which increases it attack power to 60 and slightly increases its durability.
After clearing this trial, the true power of the Master Sword awakens and always remains in its glowing state. Any enemies that are fought in this dungeon do not drop any of their normal spoils as opposed to being encountered outside. Any section that has been completed previously can be revisited, however the same rules still apply as in the first visit.
There are rest areas within the sections of the Trial with weaponry, various restoration items, cooking pots, and ingredients for recipes; the "Beginning Trials" section has one at the seventh floor, there are two within the "Middle Trials" section, floors five and eleven, and the "Final Trials" section has three for floors six, twelve, and eighteen. Some floors even contain animals that Link can hunt.
The trial itself resembles the Cave of Ordeals, Savage Labyrinth, and Cave of Shadows from past games. Additionally the trial handicaps Link much like the Shrine Quest "Stranded on Eventide" as both test Link's ability to survive without the weapons and armor he has come to rely on though allows Link to retain his Runes and Key Items.
In early builds of the DLC pack, this location was named "Cave of Trials Challenge".
Spoiler warning: Spoilers end here.
See also[]
- Cave of Ordeals
- Cave of Shadows
- Savage Labyrinth
- Stranded on Eventide
- Take 'Em All On
- Treacherous Tower