How to Get the Master Sword in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
Home → Zelda → How to get the Master Sword
Zelda
How to Get the Master Sword in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
Tips
Unlike Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom requires stamina instead of hearts to claim the Master Sword. That makes shrine routing important: you can rush the sword early by investing Lights of Blessing into stamina, then swap upgrades later if you prefer more hearts. For a smoother early route, combine this with shrine hunting, stamina upgrades, and strong early weapons before chasing the Light Dragon.
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Get the Master Sword in TotK
The Master Sword is held by the Light Dragon flying high above Hyrule. To get the Master Sword in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, you need 2 full stamina wheels, not hearts. Paraglide onto the Light Dragon’s head, land near the glowing sword, and hold the interact button until Link pulls it free. No quest is strictly required, but tracking the Light Dragon is much easier after progressing the Dragon’s Tears or Deku Tree questline.
1
Get 2 full stamina wheels. The Master Sword drains stamina while you pull it from the Light Dragon, so hearts do not matter for the extraction. Complete shrines, trade Lights of Blessing for Stamina Vessels, and prioritize stamina upgrades until you have two full green wheels. If you need upgrades faster, follow our stamina upgrade guide.
2
Find the Light Dragon. The Light Dragon flies in a long route around Hyrule, often high above the surface. If you have not completed the related questline, it can be hard to track because it may not be marked on your map. Use Skyview Towers, high Sky Islands, and long glides to spot it, or progress the Deku Tree questline to make finding it much easier.
3
Get high enough to reach it. Use a Skyview Tower, Sky Island, falling debris, or a Zonai flying device to reach the Light Dragon’s altitude. Once you are above or level with the dragon, glide toward its head. If you are still early in the game, bring decent weapons and food before chasing it; our best early weapons guide can help you prepare.
4
Land on the dragon’s head. Aim for the glowing Master Sword embedded near the Light Dragon’s head. The dragon moves slowly, so landing is manageable once you are at the right altitude. Stay near the sword and make sure you have enough stamina before interacting with it.
5
Hold the interact button to pull the sword. Stand by the glowing sword and hold A on Nintendo Switch. The extraction drains stamina, not hearts, and you need two full green stamina wheels to finish the pull. Temporary yellow stamina does not count, so upgrade your real stamina before attempting it.
→
Temporary hearts do not help with the Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom — the pull checks stamina instead. Focus on real Stamina Vessels from shrines, not Hearty meals.
→
The Master Sword recharges after breaking instead of disappearing permanently, making it one of the most reliable weapons in the game. It is especially useful because you do not need to replace it like normal weapons.
→
You can ride the Light Dragon safely once you land on it, and you can collect dragon materials from its body. The Dragon’s Tears are found at geoglyph locations across Hyrule, not directly on the dragon.
→
The sword is especially valuable against Gloom-based enemies and late-game threats. If Phantom Ganon or Gloom Hands are giving you trouble, check our Gloom Hands guide before pushing deeper into dangerous areas.