Why Does the Master Sword Break So Easily in Breath of the Wild?
The Master Sword‘s fragility in Breath of the Wild initially shocks many players. This mythical blade, so iconic and legendary in Zelda lore, now shatters easily when battling mere Bokoblins. What happened to lower the mighty Master Sword into such a weakened state?
Extensive Damage from the Great Calamity
Historical records show the Master Sword endured extreme trauma fighting Calamity Ganon‘s forces 100 years ago. Link used the blade valiantly against overwhelming numbers of Guardians and other creatures corrupted by Malice across Hyrule. This fierce combat drained much of the sacred weapon‘s internal magic, leaving it greatly diminished from its former glory days.
Examining the Master Sword‘s in-game stats conveys how severely it was depleted:
| Stat | Full Power | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 60 | 30 |
| Durability | Very High | Low |
As someone who grew up battling Ganon with the Master Sword across decades of Zelda adventures, it is sad to see the once nigh-unbreakable blade so fragile. Only a few strikes from a modest foe now shatter Link‘s iconic weapon in Breath of the Wild.
Glows Blue & Temporarily Empowered Fighting Corrupted Foes
Hope still remains for restoration of this legendary blade! When confronting Guardians and other enemies contaminated by Ganon‘s Malice, the Master Sword temporarily regains glorious power – glowing blue and dealing 60 damage with valiant strikes.
Witnessing those fleeting moments of the sword unleashing its innate sacred power against corrupted foes just shows the awesome potential still dwelling within. The Master Sword may be weakened, but its courageous spirit endures!
From a gameplay perspective, this mechanic introduces rewarding risk/reward strategic decisions. You carefully conserve the Master Sword‘s use for only when its momentary boost in strength is desperately needed against powerful corrupted enemies and bosses.
The Recharge Mechanic – A Blessing from the Goddess
While the Master Sword‘s easy breaking may seem jarring early on, take solace that the blade only becomes temporarily depleted, not permanently shattered. After 10 real-world minutes resting in your inventory, its internal magic replenishes and the Master Sword once again springs to life at full durability. Hylia clearly still watches over it.
So the fragility stands as a compelling narrative device to convey the sword‘s damaged state from past trials, while not overly compromising gameplay enjoyment thanks to the recharge mechanic. Just as Link awakens again despite injuries, so too does his iconic blade.
And there is underlying hope that in future games, the Master Sword may be restored to its former glory – or even exceed it! But for now in Breath of the Wild, take satisfaction in those temporary moments when its blue glow burns bright against the Malice…and know this legendary weapon still has a grand destiny to fulfill.
