The Champions’ Ballad downloadable content for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild adds several new outfits for Link. The Royal Guard armor set lets you look like … a Royal Guard of old. Equipping the entire set will give you a Charge Attack Stamina Up bonus (making your charge attack consume stamina slowly).
This guide will walk you through all the steps for the EX Royal Guard Rumors side quest, from finding the book of rumors to the locations of all three pieces of gear. Collecting this outfit is going to take you into Hyrule Castle and will, eventually, take you right up to (but not into) the final boss fight against Calamity Ganon. Which is to say, this is a pretty late-game side quest. The enemies are tough, there are Guardians everywhere and you’re in a very challenging area.
Hyrule Castle isn’t linear. You can wind you way through its serpentine paths in any way you like. This makes exploring the castle somewhat confusing. That's why we created maps to show you where everything is. Use these to get your bearings. (You can also find these maps in our Hyrule Castle and Calamity Ganon walkthrough.)
You'll notice that there are two maps: one for the exterior and one for the interior. The exterior map shows you where each door into Hyrule Castle takes you. (The doors are all pink on the map.) The interior map shows you where the rooms are.
You’ll find your hints for this side quest in the Super Rumor Mill EX: Volume 4 book in Riverside Stable. The stable is in central Hyrule. Warp to Wahgo Katta shrine to get close.
The book tells you that the three pieces you’re looking for are in Hyrule Castle in three locations:
- The Dining Hall
- The Guards’ Chamber
- The second floor
The first two clues are nice and specific. The third … not so much. But we’re here to help.
Warp to Saas Ko’sah shrine inside of Hyrule Castle. Turn left when you arrive and go up the stairs. Use Magnesis on the metal block or the bookcase at the top to get into the Library. You’ll have to avoid or kill some Lizalfos, then use the stairs on your left to get up to the second floor. Stick to the left side and work your way down to the other end. Go through the door at the end of the room, then follow the hallway to the right.
Fight off the Lizalfos waiting for you, then take the next left (it’s the only way not blocked). Go through the door all the way down at the end of the hall and fight the Moblin you meet inside. Once it’s dead, check around the ground floor of this room for a bunch of weapons, then climb up the stairs. There’s a gap you’ll have to climb across, then just keep following them up.
Turn right at the top of the stairs, then follow the hallway to the next T-intersection. The Dining Hall is on your right, but that’s not actually where you need to go. And it’s full of Moblins.
Turn left and go down to the end of the hallway. It looks like a dead end, but there’s a wall you can destroy on your left. Smash through to find the EX chest inside (along with a Royal Guard’s Sword).
From the hidden room where you picked up the Royal Guard Uniform, head back into the hallway. Pass by the Dining Hall and continue along the hallway down the stairs. The next room you come to will have some Calamity and a Moblin to deal with. Once everything’s clear, go through to door on your left and up the stairs.
This will lead you to the Observation Room where there’s another Moblin and another Calamity Eyeball to deal with. Head straight through the room and onto the balcony. Jump off and to the right to drop to the road below you. Keep heading right until you find a door back into the castle.
When you go inside, switch to Cryonis to prop the portcullis open, then follow the hallway around to the left and up the stairs. Follow the hallway left again, then fight off the Lizalfos waiting for you. Take the door on your left that leads down to the Guards’ Chamber.
Kill the two Lizalfos at the bottom of the stairs. The EX chest is right by their fire. You’ll find the Royal Guard Boots inside.
The final piece of this set is in the same room as the final boss fight of the game. There’s also not a quick way there from where you picked up the boots. Just get outside and work your way all the way to the top of the castle, but do not enter the Sanctum — if you do, you’ll start the final fight.
Instead, turn to the left before you enter the hallway and climb onto the low wall. Turn back toward the castle and start climbing up the outside of the Sanctum. Keep climbing until you’re on the roof. Then climb up one more time.
You’ll find yourself on a wide ledge high above where you started. Turn left and climb over the buttress. Squeeze between the tower and the Calamity on the other side, then keep heading left. Climb over the next buttress as well, and you’ll find a balcony with a door into the second floor of the Sanctum.
Go inside and turn left. The EX chest is at the feet of a statue. The Royal Guard Cap is inside.
