As in previous series installments, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild features several Great Fairy fountains for Link to visit that each unlock upgrades for his equipment. Thanks to the unique approach the game has to weapons and armor, though, these upgrades take on a bit of a different form than what players might expect. Instead of the Great Fairies offering Link improvements to his Shield, Boomerang, or even Sword (such as in A Link to the Past), they instead offer increasingly vital upgrades to Link’s only permanent and unbreakable equipment in Breath of the Wild — his armor. Each new upgrade becomes available after Link visits one of the Great Fairies and pays a corresponding amount of Rupees, but it’s still necessary to have the requisite materials.
Also, thanks to the freedom players have to tackle any part of the game at their leisure, it’s possible to visit the four Great Fairies in any order. As long as players have the right materials and preparations for the journey, it’s even likely that they can stumble upon one of the Great Fairy Fountains by accident. Some of these fountains are easier to travel to than others, and their locations are occasionally hinted at by NPCs in nearby areas. Players will know they’re arriving at one of the four Great Fairy fountains when they see a large orange flower from a distance, with dozens of pink fairies flying nearby.
Great Fairy Fountain Requirements and Rewards
Getting any of the four Great Fairies to reveal themselves requires a financial transaction on the player’s part. This is a one-time price that Link needs to pay to meet the Great Fairies and unlock the ability to have them upgrade his armor, though he does still need a variety of ingredients (some of which can be difficult to come by). Still, these upgrades are worthwhile, significantly boosting the defensive capabilities or bonus effects of some of Link’s armor sets. After bringing the necessary materials to each Great Fairy and upgrading a piece of armor, a star appears next to the armor’s name to indicate its enhanced state. Every subsequent upgrade adds another star, up to a total of 4.
Unlocking each Great Fairy also strengthens the others, meaning it’s both possible to unlock them in any order and also upgrade the same piece of armor from different fairies for the same effect (up to three times). Regardless of which order players unlock the Great Fairies, the prices for getting them to reveal themselves stay consistent. The first fairy requires 100 Rupees to unlock, the second requires 500 Rupees, the third requires 1,000 Rupees, and unlocking the fourth and final Great Fairy will cost Link 10,000 Rupees.
The table below outlines the rewards and cost for unlocking each Great Fairy:
| Number of Great Fairies | Max Armor Upgrade | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ★ | 100 Rupees |
| 2 | ★★ | 500 Rupees |
| 3 | ★★★ | 1,000 Rupees |
| 4 | ★★★★ | 10,000 Rupees |
Great Fairy Fountain 1 – Cotera
The first Great Fairy that players are most likely to encounter is Cotera, whose fountain lies in the hills just above Kakariko Village. The easiest way to reach Cotera’s Great Fairy Fountain is to visit or complete the Tal’noh Naeg Shrine, unlocking the location for fast travel. After traveling to the Tal’noh Naeg Shrine, look for a clearing where you can spot the telltale large glowing flower with smaller fairies surrounding it.
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Great Fairy Fountain 2 – Kaysa
Although players can discover and unlock the Great Fairies in any order, following the main quest line of Breath of the Wild will likely lead to Kaysa being the second Great Fairy players encounter. She lies hidden in the Tabantha Region of Hyrule, south of Nero Hill and Rito Village. The easiest way to approach her fountain is to unlock and fast-travel to Tabantha Tower. Climbing to the top of the tower will give players a vantage point from which they can spot the telltale large flower where Kaysa is hiding, and it’s even possible to glide straight to the fountain from the top of the tower.
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Great Fairy Fountain 3 – Mija
Great Fairy Mija awaits players within the Akkala Region of Hyrule, and her fountain lies hidden on the eastern side of Lake Akkala. The quickest way to reach the fountain is to fast travel to the Dah Hesho Shrine, though players might be able to more easily spot the telltale glowing large flower and pink fairies by fast traveling to Akkala Tower and looking east.
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Great Fairy Fountain 4 – Tera
As one of the more difficult fountains to reach, it’s likely that most players will unlock Tera as the last of the Great Fairies. Her fountain lies deep within the desert of the Gerudo wasteland, and even reaching the general vicinity of Tera’s fountain requires having plenty of heat resistant elixirs, food, or clothing. Additionally, having a Sand Seal comes in handy to help traverse the vast stretches of desert lying between civilization and the fountain. From the Dragon’s Exile marker on the map, players need to head due Southwest, all while keeping in mind that the sandstorm areas of the desert will disrupt their navigation. Look for a large skeleton with the telltale glowing flower bud underneath.
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