Fighting every enemy head-on is not always a great strategy in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Sometimes, you just need to take a breather and take the enemies down with a perfectly placed headshot with an arrow. And what better weapon to achieve this satisfaction than the Royal Bow, one of the most prestigious bows in the history of Hyrule.
King Rhoam considered Royal Bows a perfect gift for the most talented archers of his Kingdom. With 38 strength and 60 durability, royal bows are nigh indestructible when compared to other ranged weapons in the game. In this guide, we will discuss how you can acquire a BoTW Royal Bow (Royal Guard Bow as well), how you can farm it, and its effectiveness.
Royal Bow BotW Location
Royal Bows can be found in treasure chests inside shrines in Zelda BOTW and occasionally in other regions too throughout Hyrule. It can also be obtained by defeating silver versions of archer enemies. These enemies can be farmed in Tabantha and Hebra regions for Royal Weapons.
The recommended way to find a Royal Bow in Zelda BOTW is to defeat Hinoxes, as they usually carry Royal Bows as necklaces.
Royal Bow can be looted from the necklace of a sleeping Hinox on the Northern edge of Herin Lake. It is to the West of Sarjon Woods and Northwest of Martha’s Landing.
Glide towards the sleeping Hinox from a ledge south to its position. Land slowly on its belly and crouch to get Royal Bow. You can come back here after using teleportation for the Royal Bow to respawn at the exact same location. It can be a good farming spot for the bow.
Another Royal Bow farming place in BOTW is near the Dagah Keek Shrine. Fast travel to the shrine, and then start heading southwest from there. You will encounter one Hinox (with Royal Bow) at each of the locations below:
- Tabahi Woods
- Kincean Island
- Ralis Pond
What About the Royal Guard’s Bow?
Weapon of choice for Royal Guard Archers, the Royal Guard’s bow is a darker version of the Royal Bow. It is one of the most powerful ranged weapons in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Crafted with Sheikah technology to defend against Ganon’s armies, the Royal Guard Bow can inflict 50 damage per shot, significantly higher than the Royal Bow. But due to its low durability, 20, and the ability to attract lightning strikes, it was soon discarded to be never used again.
The Royal Guard’s Bow is also required to complete a side quest called “Royal Guard Gear“. Just like the other parts of Royal Guard gear, the Royal Guard Bow’s location also happens to be in the Breath of the Wild Hyrule Castle. It can be obtained by defeating high-level enemies in Hyrule castle, but there are two locations where it is always present.
The first location is the Royal Armory above the Royal Library. Leave the library via the stairs and turn left. Keep going left until you reach a semi-open door. This area contains all Royal Guard weapons, including Royal Guard Bow.
The second location where you have to find the Royal Guard’s Bow is Princess Zelda’s room.
Royal Guard Bow will always respawn above the fireplace in Princess Zelda’s room. To reach there, climb the walls of Hyrule Castle and reach the main entrance. This is a very difficult area, so beware.
Having Zora’s armor will help you reach the main entrance rather quickly. Instead of going inside, turn left from the main entrance and keep going left until you reach a burnt tree beside a broken tower. Climb the tower and jump straight in direction of an ancient guardian.
Drop down on a connecting bridge. Go into the room to the left and drop down a hole to reach Princess Zelda’s room. The Royal Guard’s Bow in Zelda BOTW is available above the fireplace, cementing Zelda’s legacy as the head of Hyrule’s Royal Guard.
