- "Garments made of the scales of fallen Zora warriors. They let you breathe and swim in water but are weak against fire and ice."
- — In-game description
Zora Armor (ゾーラの服 Zōra no Fuku?) is a recurring item in the The Legend of Zelda series. While wearing the Zora Armor, Link can dive, swim faster, and breathe underwater indefinitely, like an actual Zora. In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it grants Link the ability to swim faster and allows him to swim up waterfalls like a Zora.
Appearances[]
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess[]
In Twilight Princess, the Zora Armor is the second set of clothing available in the game. The Zora Armor is necessary to complete the game, as it is needed in Lakebed Temple to retrieve the third and final Fused Shadow.
While wearing the armor, Link is more vulnerable to extreme heat and cold, including fire and ice-based attacks. If Link falls into the the icy lake of Snowpeak or the lava of the Goron Mines while wearing the armor, he will lose ten and twenty hearts respectively. He will also take double damage from any other fire- or ice-based attacks, such as the Fire Arrows fired by Bulblins, or the spears of Chilfos. Since only twenty Heart Containers are obtainable in the game, falling into lava with the armor on will result in an instant Game Over, even if Link is at full health. In the Wii U remake, if the Ganondorf amiibo is used while playing on Hero Mode, Link will take up to six times as much damage from normal fire/ice attacks while wearing the armor.
The Zora Armor is considered the Twilight Princess version of the Zora Tunic, Zora's Flippers, and Zora Mask. It closely resembles the Hero's Tunic, but is blue, covered in scales, has a longer cap, features flipper-like boots, intricately engraved metal headpiece, and a pendant resembling the Zora's Sapphire, similar to the pendants are worn by Queen Rutela and Prince Ralis. While underwater, a strip of navy cloth covers Link's lower face, presumably filtering oxygen out of the water.
Obtaining[]
Link wearing the Zora Armor
After clearing the Twilight from the Lanayru Province, Link heads to Telma's Bar in Hyrule Castle Town, where Prince Ralis is still in critical health and in the care of Ilia. Doctor Borville refuses to treat Prince Ralis, claiming that his knowledge of Zoran anatomy is insufficient to effectively help, when in reality he harbors a stern bias against the Zora for unknown reasons. The only way for Ilia to save the prince is by traveling to Kakariko Village to the village shaman, Renado. The Hyrulean Soldiers enthusiastically offer to help take them there, but flee when Telma says that they will likely encounter enemies. When the soldiers leave, she sees that Link is the only one left and requests his help.
After defeating King Bulblin a second time and escaping his horde of Bulblin Riders, the caravan finally reaches Kakariko Village. After Telma commends Link's courage, Queen Rutela's spirit thanks Link and asks him to follow her. She leads him to King Zora's Grave, which contains the Zora Armor.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild[]
- "Custom armor painstakingly crafted by each generation's Zora princess for her future husband. Wearing it will give you the ability to swim up waterfalls."
- — In-game description
The Zora Armor is an item from Breath of the Wild. It is a Zora body armor. The Zora Armor is body armor created by Zora Champion and Princess Mipha whom had known Link since he was a four year old swordsman prodigy. Mipha's childhood friendship and crush on the Hylian eventually grew into feelings of love which drove Mipha to accept Princess Zelda's request to become the Zora Champion and pilot Vah Ruta as it would allow her to support her beloved Link whom was the Hero Chosen by the Master Sword destined to confront Calamity Ganon. The Zora Armor fits Link perfectly as it was made by Mipha for him in accordance to Zora tradition in which Zora princesses create armor using their scales for their future husband and reveals the depth of her romantic feelings for Link. The Zora Greaves however predate the Zora Armor as they were originally commissioned by an Ancient King Zora for Hylian visitors after the completion of the East Reservoir Lake and Rutala Dam as a sign of gratitude and friendship for Hylian assistance in their construction. Eventually an Armor Shop was opened and sold Zora Greaves to Hylian tourists. However after the Great Calamity it was forced to close down due to lack of Hylian visitors. However Laflat the daughter of the shop's owner found the last remaining pair in the shop's storeroom which she kept as a memento of her father's shop despite having little need for them. The Zora Helm's origins are more obscure as their history comes from a faded Zora Stone Monument that tells of Link's past heroism during which he somehow acquired the Helm. However Mipha's Diary which provides an eyewitness account refutes some aspects of the story and makes no mention of the Zora Helm. However it is unclear if the stories are retelling the same event or two separate events involving Link's heroism. Only the Zora Armor is confirmed to have been crafted by Mipha. However the other pieces fit Link though this may simply be due to the fact they were apparently crafted for Hylians as Zora are noted to have little use for them as they are natural born swimmers.
The Zora Armor itself is obtained from King Dorephan during the Quest "Divine Beast Vah Ruta" and grants Link the power to swim up waterfalls like a Zora. The Zora Helm can be obtained from a sunken treasure chest found in the ruins in Toto Lake where it is implied to have been enshrined after Link managed to drive off a Lynel that attacked Zora's Domain 100 years before the events of Breath of the Wild by a barely legible Zora Stone Monument. The Zora Greaves can be obtained in the Side Quest "Lynel Safari" which is given by Laflat after Link receives the Zora Armor during the "Divine Beast Vah Ruta" quest. She asks Link to take a picture of the Lynel on Ploymus Mountain using the Camera Rune and show it to her and she will reward him with the Zora Greaves. The Zora Armor set increases Link's swimming speed, allows him to perform a Spin Attack (which is similar to the Spin Jump from Skyward Sword) in water, and allows him to swim up waterfalls, and grants the "Swim Dash Stamina Up" set bonus which reduces the amount of stamina used to Swim Dash once the set is properly upgraded. As a result, the Zora Armor set is the ideal armor for swimming. The Helm grants Link the ability to perform the swimming spin attack, while the Armor allows him to swim up waterfalls, while the Greaves simply complete the set. All three pieces increase Link's swimming speed as a standard bonus. The armor set is one of a kind and cannot be sold as the Armor is a cherished memento from Mipha and Laflat makes Link promise he will take good care of the Greaves. The Helm is implied to have originally belonged to Link like the Champion's Tunic which is also one of a kind and cannot be sold as Link received it from the Royal Family of Hyrule during the inauguration of the Champions and it had been preserved by Impa for a century. The Zora Armor set can be dyed at the Kochi Dye Shop and upgraded by Great Fairies. Though the Salvager Headwear, Salvager Vest, and Salvager Trousers grant Swim Speed Up and Swim Dash Stamina Up set bonus without any upgrades it does not allow Link to perform a swimming Spin Attack, the ability to swim up waterfalls, and its defense is inferior to the fully upgraded Zora Armor set.
Miracle of the White Scale[]
- "Our scholars say that in the distant past, Zora's Domain had a king with no special talent for the art of war. What he lacked in skill with a blade he made up for in love for his people, and especially love for his queen. One day, news reached the king of a horde of monsters gathering in the Zodobon Highlands. The king steeled himself for war to protect his people, but the queen knew how ill suited for the task he was. Worried for his life, she wove one of her own scales into his armor, hoping that her love would protect him in battle. It seemed for a time that the tide of battle favored the Zora and that all would make it safely home. But the cunning Lizalfos general saw an opening and seized it, driving the king's forces into a corner. Just when the general's sword was ready to crash down upon the king, a miracle took place. An errant sunbeam reflected from the scale on his armor blinded the Lizalfos stopping the deathblow from falling. This was the chance the king needed to rally his forces and turn the tide, taking down the general and securing victory. This came to be known as the Miracle of the White Scale, a scale that only female Zora possess. It was this miracle that began the tradition of Zora princesses crafting armor for their future husbands."
- — Miracle of the White Scale
According to the third Zora Stone Monument, the tradition of Zora Princesses crafting Zora Armor for their future husbands began as a result of an event known as the Miracle of the White Scale. In the distant past, Zora's Domain had a king with no special talent for the art of war who was forced to lead his army to confront a horde of monsters lead by a Lizalfos General gathering at Zodobon Highlands to attack Zora's Domain. The queen knowing how ill suited her husband was at waging war and worrying for his life, she wove one of her white scales into his armor, hoping her love would protect him in battle. Just as she feared, her husband was overcome by the Lizalfos general's attack and just as he was about to be killed, a miracle took place, when an errant sunbeam reflected from his wife's scale which blinded the Lizalfos and stopped the deathblow from hitting him, giving the King time he needed to rally his forces and take down the general and defeat its monster army, resulting in a great victory. This explains why Mipha created the Zora Armor for Link as she like Princess Ruto before her had developed romantic feelings for Link, though tragically Mipha was unable to reveal her true feelings for him during her lifetime as she was tragically killed by Waterblight Ganon during the Great Calamity, however he became aware of them when he awoke 100 years after the Great Calamity. Her father King Dorephan was also aware of her feelings for Link which was partially the reason he gave the Zora Armor to Link.
Along with the Zora Helm and Greaves, the Armor cannot be sold, possibly due to the Armor being a gift from Mipha created especially for him, which exemplifies the set's importance. Additionally each piece is one of a kind as the Zora Armor Shop closed its doors and has become so rare that not even the rare armor researcher Granté is able to acquire them. However Laflat notes Zora Greaves were once quite common as they had been produced for Hylians for nearly ten millennia before her father's shop closed. It is unknown if the shop created Zora Armor and Helms for Hylians or simply specialized in Greaves. It should be noted that Mipha likely designed the Zora Armor to grant Link the power to swim up waterfalls as Zora Armor intended for male Zora would likely not require it as male Zora can naturally swim up waterfalls. Additionally Muzu was under the impression Mipha crafted it for a male Zora until Sidon and Link revealed the truth to him. Link likely refuses to sell the other two pieces due to having been friends with the Zora since childhood as well as his promise he makes to Laflat concerning the Greaves. The Zora Helm also gives him the ability to attack which swimming and is the only armor that does so.
Unlike the Zora Armor from Twilight Princess, the Zora Armor made by Princess Mipha does not render Link vulnerable to fire or ice. However it does not provide any resistance to cold, heat, or electricity.
Upgrades[]
It can be enhanced by the Great Fairies.
| Level | Armor | Effect | Materials | Set Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 3 | Swim Speed Up
(Swim up waterfalls) |
None | |
| ★ | 5 | Swim Speed Up
(Swim up waterfalls) |
|
None |
| ★★ | 8 | Swim Speed Up
(Swim up waterfalls) |
|
Swim Dash Stamina Up |
| ★★★ | 12 | Swim Speed Up
(Swim up waterfalls) |
|
Swim Dash Stamina Up |
| ★★★★ | 20 | Swim Speed Up
(Swim up waterfalls) |
|
Swim Dash Stamina Up |
Spoiler warning: Spoilers end here.
Theory[]
Theory warning: This section contains theoretical information based on the research of one or several other users. It has not been officially verified by Nintendo and its factual accuracy is disputed.
Given that the Zora Armor allows Link to breathe and swim underwater indefinitely, it is possible that it has Silver Scales (or perhaps even Golden Scales, though their coloration more strongly suggests the former) sewn into it, and it may also incorporate a Zora Tunic. This is potentially supported by the statement in the description that the armor is "made of the scales of fallen Zora warriors", as the proprietor of the Diving Game in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time states that the Silver Scale is, indeed, a genuine Zora scale, and the scales seen in the armor are silvery in color. It is possible that Queen Rutela's husband produced the armor by sewing Silver Scales into a blue tunic, while incorporating some light metal pieces to allow for defense.
Theory warning: Theories end here.
Gallery[]
.png "Twilight Princess Tunics Zora Armor (Render).png (198 KB)")
.png "Breath of the Wild Zora Armor Set Zora Helm (Icon).png (9 KB)")
.png "Breath of the Wild Zora Armor Set Zora Greaves (Icon).png (11 KB)")
.png "Twilight Princess Artwork Zora Armor (Concept Art - Hyrule Historia).png (976 KB)")
See also[]
- Golden Scale
- Mermaid Suit
- Salvager Vest
- Silver Scale
- Zora's Flippers
- Zora Costume
- Zora Helm
- Zora Greaves
- Zora Mask
- Zora Tunic