The Hylian Shield is one of the best shields in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Fortunately, the shield can be acquired relatively early on in the game, albeit with a few important things to consider.
You’ll need to have completed the main mission that unlocks the paraglider and the Skyview Towers to make the quest easier. However, you can still acquire the shield without having to use the Skyview Tower. The Hylian Shield is located within Hyrule Castle and can be quite challenging to approach if you are under-leveled. So, this comprehensive guide details the best path to take and avoid any enemy engagements.
Reaching The Hyrule Castle Docks
Once you have unlocked the Lookout Landing Skyview Tower, launch yourself in the air and glide over to the east of Hyrule Castle. Avoid landing on the castle, as you want to be at the lower level near the dock area. Once you're behind Hyrule Castle, you'll spot a cavern. Continue gliding through the cavern and land on the green cliffs to your left. The exact location you should be aiming at to reach the dock can be referenced from the image above.
You can continue along this path until you reach the stairs, where a bunch of long arms called Gloom Hands will emerge from the ground and start attacking you. These enemies can be really challenging, and the best strategy at this point is to avoid them altogether. If you manage to defeat the Gloom Hands, they will summon a new enemy called the Phantom Ganon, an even more difficult enemy to deal with.
To evade the hands, you'll need to swim through the waters in the docks and reach the rocks with some spider webs on the nearby structures. While climbing structures with spider webs, you can rest on the webs to restore stamina before having to climb more. Climb all the way to the top of the structure to reach an area with a large brazier surrounded by smaller torches.
Light an arrow using the nearby torches and shoot it at the bigger torch to set it on fire. With the bigger torch alight, a chest containing the Hylian Shield will emerge from the ground.
Hylian Shield Stats
The Hylian Shield is arguably the best shield in Tears of the Kingdom and comes with a number of incredible qualities, including unmatched defense, exceptional durability, and combat versatility.
The shield features a defense rating of 90, providing excellent protection against enemy attacks, and outmatching all other available shields in the game.
The Hylian Shield is also nearly indestructible, ensuring reliability as you engage in countless battles and harsh encounters. Even though the shield will eventually break, you can repurchase it after completing the side quest, "Team Cece or Team Reede?" Although the shield will now cost 3,000 rupees, rest assured that it is worth your investment.