When Should I Start the BotW DLC for the Best Experience? An In-Depth Guide
As a hardcore Zelda fan with over 100 hours clocked in Breath of the Wild, one question I see all the time is "When‘s the right time to dive into the DLC content?" And the honest truth is – it depends!
With so much extra gameplay packed in, you can tackle the DLC pretty flexibly and have a blast whenever you jump in. But certain elements definitely shine more at different points to maximize enjoyment.
That‘s why in this definitive guide, I‘ll break down:
- The complete DLC overview: What exciting extras add to your adventure
- Before or after Ganon decision tree: Key goods and bads of both approaches
- Granular detail on optimal timing: For Master Trials, Champions Ballad, gear, and more
Let‘s dive in to increase your install size and unlock even more secrets in Hyrule!
An Ocean of Extra Content – Your DLC Cheat Sheet
I won‘t bury the lede – both DLC packs add a TON of incredible material that meaningfully enhances and expands the BotW experience:
The Master Trials
| Trial of the Sword | A multi-stage survival challenge to unlock the sword‘s true splendor |
| Hero‘s Path Mode | See EVERYWHERE you‘ve traveled through Hyrule |
| Master Mode | Remixed enemies and Floating platforms with rare items |
| 8 New Armors | Korok Mask, Tingle suit – powerful and silly! |
The Champions‘ Ballad
| Multi-Part Champion Quest | Epic journey honoring fallen heroes |
| 16 Shrines + Maz Koshia | Puzzles, battles, and final TEST |
| Champion Abilities+ | Upgrades like a SECOND Revali‘s Gale |
| Master Cycle Zero | Zelda motorcycle – so badass |
With DOUBLE the content plus quality-of-life upgrades, both packs deserve your rupees! But on to the hot debate…
Pre or Post Calamity Ganon Decision Tree
While the DLC unlocks after freeing the Divine Beasts, you can tackle it before or after defeating big bad Ganon himself.
I‘ve done full completionist playthroughs for both, so let me walk you through the tradeoffs:
Dive In Pre-Ganon If You Want…
- Maximum story and allies when facing Ganon
- Upgraded Champion powers for the final fight
- Helpful gear to reveal secrets BEFORE ending
Save For Post-Game If You Prefer…
- No risk of reducing final boss challenge
- Extends adventure once Hyrule is saved
- Quality-of-life perks to uncover missed secrets
So if you‘re all about characterization and prep, jump in early! Want the toughest showdown? I‘d advise holding off.
For completionist heroes, my recommendation is to grab the Korok Mask ASAP then save the rest as your victory lap!
Optimal Timing To Start Every DLC Element
Beyond the big fork of pre-finale or post-credits, the individual pieces within each pack shine more at different points in your odyssey.
Let‘s analyze case-by-case:
Master Trials
Trial of the Sword
| Early Game | ❌ Avoid! Enemies too deadly without armor/heart upgrades |
| Mid Game | ✅ 13 hearts makes this very doable with skill |
| Late Game | ✅ Face rolls with Divine Beast powers/gear on your side |
I suffered MANY agonizing deaths attempting this ASAP – don‘t recommend! Have a few Divine Beasts cleared then test your courage.
Hero‘s Path Mode
As a hardcore explorer, I think this perk is optimally activated post-Ganon or in late game. While it tracks everywhere you travel regardless, seeing what areas you haven‘t trekked through yet is key for total map stamping!
Master Mode
Master Mode is a remix focused on challenge, so beginning a new play in Master Mode ensures EVERY step cranks combat up to 11. I‘d only tackle this if you‘re craving more suffering before NG+!
Armor
Prioritize swapping any rubbish gear for the Korok Mask right away. Finding all 900 seeds for full inventory upgrading takes FOREVER without assistance!
As for others, grab mid-game when you‘ll actually use effects like Majora‘s attack up. Come for fashion late game!
Champions‘ Ballad
Champion Quest
Similar to Master Trials, I recommend attempting this legendary series of challenges only once you‘ve honed skills/powers on some Divine Beasts rather than immediately at release.
Especially with REQUIRING maximum hearts to pull the Master Cycle Zero, delay gratification…then feel like a true Champion!
Based on my suffering, minimum recommendations I‘d advise before braving the quest:
- 💗 13+ Hearts
- 🛡 Upgraded Knight/Soldier Armor
- ⚔️ Attack Up recipes/elixirs
Prep like that still had me using MANY fairies…but made the multi-part quest achievable!
Master Cycle Zero
Since finishing the Champion Quest chain is required to obtain this rad motorcycle, timing aligns with that as outlined above.
I will note the Master Cycle does trivialize many traversal challenges like shield surfing down mountains. So if preserving difficulty matters, consider saving your lap around the kingdom for post-Calamity!
There you have it friends – from the big fork of pre or post finale to granular recommendations for specific elements, I hope mapping out ideal timing helps you get the most magical enjoyment out of your BotW DLC journey!
Whether you just can‘t wait to further support the Champions or you want to be surprised by extras after your quest feels complete, take these tips into account. Then get exploring – there‘s so much iconic new Zelda content now at your fingertips!
