Best starting gear in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

With The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom finally here, many players are gearing up for their journey across the new Hyrule. However, because they have such a vast world to explore at their fingertips, players may not know where to start when it comes to their equipment or where they can find the items for a great start.

Much like its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, this new title in the Zelda franchise features an open world free for you to explore at your own pace. As such, it is entirely possible for two playthroughs to be drastically different from one another, leading to many not starting the game in the same way as well.

With so many ways that players can go about starting a new playthrough of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, some may get overwhelmed with all the options. As such, many new players may potentially prefer to just know where they can get a good and consistent start. Thankfully, this is very easy to do.

---

Starting off strong with a powerful loadout in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Official artwork for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Image via Nintendo)

The first thing you will be able to upgrade on your playable avatar is the armor you're using. The first different piece of armor that you will be able to find is the Warm Greaves, which are located on the east side of the starting area, on the giant tree outside of the shrine where you obtain your ascend power.

You only need to use the new power earned from the shrine to pass through the underside of a loose slab of tree bark to reach a room with an unlit fireplace and a chest. Opening this chest will reveal the new Warm Greaves, which gives you some solid starting defense as well as some very useful cold resistance.

The next thing you will want to get as quickly as possible is the Paraglider. Unlike Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom restricts access to the glider behind completion of the questline you receive from Purah once you reach Lookout Landing.

Once you have the Paraglider, you will be able to access a secret entrance to the Hyrule Castle that grants you the Hylian Shield. This shield is the best across the franchise and has a defense stat of a whopping 90 in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As such, it is a must-have for those just starting a new save file.

The best place to start a new journey is in the Rito Village. This is where the game recommends that every player start their adventure, and it is also a great place to pick up some early upgradeable armor. Although the weather there will be cold, the Warm Greaves you picked up earlier will allow you to withstand the harsh conditions.

As far as weapons go, there is no definitive best starting weapon in the game. This is due to the durability system still remaining in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The Hylian Shield's high defense and durability make it a must-have for those looking to explore Hyrule, but sadly there are no weapons in the game that fit similar criteria due to many of them breaking incredibly easily.