Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake - How To Get A Free Hylian Shield

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has so many items and pieces of equipment that it’s hard to keep track of what is in each game. However, select iconic gear sets are shown as motifs throughout the entire series, like the Master Sword. Another piece of reliable equipment is the Hylian Shield, which, depending on the game, can be easy to get.

In Ocarina of Time, you can buy it outright at one of the first major shops in Castle Town, but 80 Rupees is a big ask for new players who may not yet know the best ways to earn Rupees. Here’s how to get one for free without paying the Rupee tax.

Get A Free Hylian Shield From The Graveyard

Early in the game, before you enter Dodongo’s Cavern, Ocarina of Time will constantly remind you that you need a better shield than your initial Deku Shield that you picked up in the opening moments; which burns up on contact with flames.

As a result, you’ll want to pick up the Hylian Shield, the classic reliable shield found in multiple Zelda games and one of the most iconic pieces of equipment in the series.

To find it, head to the graveyard behind Kakariko Village. When you enter the village, walk straight ahead and to the right, following the path up to the graveyard. Walk all the way to the back, near the big grave area near the hill. Go behind the grave in the gallery above, and pull the stone until it reveals a hole.

Drop in, and be prepared to either run or battle a formidable foe right away.

Inside the hole is a ReDead, an iconic and terrifying enemy throughout the series, including Ocarina of Time. They can scream to stun you, then grab you to suck your health, so you’ll need to approach them carefully. Thankfully, it’s easy to run past them, grab the shield in the chest, and then dash out before the ReDead can react.

As Young Link, you can’t use the Hylian Shield to its full potential because it’s a little too big for him. Link will crouch and hold the shield above him, so it’s less useful than the Deku Shield in some situations. However, I would keep it equipped in Dodongo’s Cavern regardless, because it won’t burn and can help protect you from vertical threats.

You keep the Hylian Shield when you turn into Adult Link. As Adult Link, you can wield the Hylian Shield like a normal shield, blocking attacks from the front.

If All Else Fails, You Can Buy One

There is another way out if you can’t locate the Hylian Shield in the graveyard for whatever reason, or you lose it somehow. The Bazaar in Castle Town sells a Hylian Shield for 80 Rupees, which you can reduce to 60 Rupees by talking to the guard near the trail to Death Mountain at the edge of Kakariko Village.

While you’re there, give the guard the Keaton Mask, the first mask from the Happy Mask Shop.

There are other chests that contain Hylian Shields, but these are the easiest ways to grab them early in the Ocarina of Time remake.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time