Lynels are among the most dangerous enemies in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The huge hybrid creatures of lion, human and horse have several thousand life points, extremely powerful melee weapons, multiple bows and numerous attacks that can defeat even a well-equipped Link in just a few hits. At the same time, they are among the most rewarding enemies Hyrule’s: Defeated Lynels leave behind Lynel Horns, Lynel Hoofs and Lynel Hearts as well as some of the strongest weapons, shields and bows in the entire game.
In normal play there is 22 fixed Lynel locations. Unlike with Hinoxen, Stone Talus and Molduga However, you don’t have to defeat them all to get a monster order. Kilton forgives no Lynel Order. The opponents are still important for the game to be as complete as possible because their four basic game variants have their own entries in the Hyrule Compendium, their materials are required for high-quality armor improvements and the various Lynel weapons can sometimes disappear permanently if the opponents are upgraded to stronger variants over the course of the game.
How many Lynels are there in Breath of the Wild?
In normal mode, a total of 22 Lynels live in Hyrule. The majority of them do not have a permanently fixed color. Breath of the Wild uses a scaling system in the background: If Link defeats many different enemies over the course of the adventure, 18 of the 22 Lynels are gradually upgraded from red to blue, then white and finally silver. This not only increases their life points, but also makes their weapons more powerful.
| Lynel variant | Life Points | occurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Red Lynel | 2.000 | basic game |
| Blue Lynel | 3.000 | basic game |
| White Lynel | 4.000 | basic game |
| Silver Lynel | 5.000 | basic game, after sufficient game progress |
| Golden Lynel | 7.500 | Master mode |
The color of a Lynels on a specific Location may therefore differ from that shown in older maps or videos. A Lynel that is blue at the start of the game may already be white or silver when you visit later. His position still remains the same.
Four Lynels function differently than the remaining opponents
Of the 22 base game lines, 18 scale via the normal enemy system. Three other copies, on the other hand, permanently retain a specific variant: The Lynel on the thunderhorn remains red in normal and master mode, the Lynel in the first gatehouse of Hyrule Castle remains blue in normal mode and the opponent in the second gatehouse remains white. In master mode, the two castle leuns are instead raised to white and silver respectively.
The Lynel in the Arena Ruins has its own system. Its strength depends on the number of freed Titans: the further you advance with Vah Ruta, Vah Rudania, Vah Medoh and Vah Naboris, the stronger the opponent becomes. After all four Titans, he reaches his silver level in normal mode or his gold level in master mode.
All 22 Lynel locations at a glance
The following variants basically correspond to the early or original state of the opponents. On subsequent visits, almost all Lynels may have already become stronger. The type of weapon – sword, lance or greatsword – remains particularly interesting for the respective location if you want to collect certain Lynel weapons.
| # | Location | Initial variant | weapon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hebra West Summit | Blue | Greatsword |
| 2 | North Tabanta Snowfield – West | White | Greatsword |
| 3 | North Tabanta Snowfield – Middle | White | Sword |
| 4 | North Tabanta Snowfield – East | White | Lance |
| 5 | South of the Tabanta Bridge stable | Red | Greatsword |
| 6 | Gerudo Summit | White | Lance |
| 7 | Olpa Plateau | Blue | Greatsword |
| 8 | Oseira Plain – South | Red | Greatsword |
| 9 | Oseira Plain – North | Red | Lance |
| 10 | West of Lake Riola | Red | Lance |
| 11 | Lanayru Street East Gate | Red | Sword |
| 12 | Thunder Horn | Red – stays permanently red | Sword |
| 13 | Lodrum Peninsula | Blue | Sword |
| 14 | Inner Akkala Plain | Blue | Lance |
| 15 | Plains of North Akkala | Blue | Sword |
| 16 | East Deplian Badlands | White | Sword |
| 17 | Ehumpo Plateau | White | Greatsword |
| 18 | Juglano Highlands | White | Lance |
| 19 | Ulmo Hill | Blue | Lance |
| 20 | Coliseum Ruins | Red, scaled with freed Titans | Elemental Sword |
| 21 | First Gatehouse of Hyrule Castle | Blue – Solid | Sword |
| 22 | Second Gatehouse of Hyrule Castle | White – Solid | Sword |
Lynels in the North Tabanta snowfield – three opponents
The highest Lynel density can be found in the North Tabanta snowfield. There are three initially white Lynels patrolling relatively close to each other. One carries a greatsword, one carries a sword and shield, and the third carries a lance. This makes the region ideal for farming the powerful Chimera weapons in the later game. However, take two-stage cold protection with you, for example the fully fitted Rito-Set.
Sha Gehma Shrine is an excellent fast travel point for the three battles. After a Blood Moon, you can defeat all Lynels in the region again and collect their weapons and materials.
Lynel on the Ploymus Mountain – first contact at Vah Ruta
The Lynel on the Thunderhorn above the village of Zora is for many players the first encounter with this type of opponent. While preparing for Vah Ruta, Link will need 20 Electro Arrows. The game therefore takes you to the mountain where the red Lynel patrols. You don’t have to defeat him at this point . Instead, sneak through the area and collect the numerous electric arrows from tree trunks and the ground.
If you already feel up to the fight, you can of course still challenge him. This Lynel is particularly important because it is the only base game copy that remains permanently red. This means you can still get the Lynel Sword, Lynel Shield and Lynel Bow very late in the game. We describe the path to the Ploymus Mountain as part of our solution to the village of the Zora.
Two Lynels on the Oseira Plain
On the Oseira Plain south of the Great Plateau, two Lynels live relatively close to each other. One uses a greatsword, the other a lance. The path of the giant horse back to the rider rifle training camp also leads through this area. You don’t necessarily have to defeat the two Lynels and you can avoid them on horseback.
You can find more details about the giant horse in our guide to horses, Epona and special horse equipment.
Lynels in the mountains of Eldin
In the very north Hyrule’s an excellent farm route runs over several Lynels. One enemy each lives on Juglano Plateau, Ehumpo Plateau and East Ehumpo Plateau. A little further southwest at the Ulmo hill you will find another copy. If the Lynels have already become silver variants in the advanced game, you can loot several Chimera weapons and large amounts of Lynel materials in a relatively short time using this route.
Lynel in the Arena Ruins
The Arena Ruins is located north of the Great Plateau on the Hyrule Field. A Lynel waits in the center, while there are monsters with elemental weapons on the various floors. The Lynel differs from most of its kind because its development is directly linked to the number of your freed Titans.
As he progresses, he also wields increasingly powerful elemental weapons. After all four Titans, a silver Lynel with a fire sword is waiting there in normal mode. Anyone who wants to farm strong Lynel materials can therefore regularly visit the arena again after a blood moon.
Lynels in Hyrule Castle
The two Lynels in Hyrule Castle are located in the first and second gatehouses. As soon as you enter one of these closed rooms, the gate will be locked and the Lynel will appear as a kind of intermediate boss. In normal mode, the opponent is permanently blue in the first gatehouse and permanently white in the second gatehouse. In master mode, this becomes a white or silver Lynel.
For our full exploration of Hyrule Castle, it is not essential to defeat the two Gatehouse Leuns. They do not count towards the card rating or towards a Kilton Order. However, if you want to fight each Leun variant or collect additional materials, you can of course do both.
Special feature of the castle Lynel – weapons do not normally drop
The two Lynels in the gatehouses behave differently to their prey than normal specimens. After a regular victory, they leave behind mostly monster parts and arrows; their visible weapons, bows and shields will not normally drop as normal loot . Other Lynels are therefore much more suitable for the targeted hunt for beast or chimera equipment.
So don’t rely on the permanently blue Castle Lynel to conveniently provide you with all the beast weapons for the Hyrule Handbook. Photograph these weapons as early as possible on normal Lynels or buy missing manual images later from Symin in the Hateno Village Institute.
Defeat
Lynel – Headshot, Stun and Mount
The safest and most efficient strategy against almost everyone Lynels starts with one Hit in the face. A clean headshot stuns the monster for a few seconds. Immediately sprint to the side Lynels and climbs onto his back with A. Link can make several hits there with his equipped melee weapon before being thrown off.
These back attacks have an enormous advantage: They do not consume any durability of the equipped weapon. Therefore, equip your strongest weapon before leveling up – even if it is already almost broken. A particularly strong royal sword, guard two-hander or a powerful chimera weapon can be used again and again for back attacks without breaking.
After throwing, attack immediately with the bow
After Link is thrown from his back, he is in the air for a brief moment. Immediately draw your bow and use slow motion to send more arrows towards the Lynels. If you then land and hit the face again, the opponent can be stunned again and mounted again.
With a little practice, this creates a very efficient cycle of headshot, mount, several free weapon hits and subsequent bow attack.
Perfect Dodge and Flurry Rush
Anyone who stays in close combat should follow the movements of the Lynels not just block, but for perfect evasive maneuvers to use. Particularly Lynels With sword and shield, they deliver clearly recognizable horizontal series of blows. A well-timed backflip activates Flurry Rush, giving Link multiple free hits.
The unarmed charge attack, in which the Lynel rushes towards Link on all four legs, is also ideal for a perfect sideways dodge. The better you master timing, the less food and shields you will need throughout the battle.
Perfect shield block against Lynels
Almost all direct melee attacks from a Lynels can be parried with a perfectly timed shield block. Press A immediately before the hit while Link has his shield ready with ZL. A perfect block costs no shield durability and briefly breaks the Lynels’s attack rhythm.
This technique is particularly valuable against Lynels with a greatsword, because its powerful strikes and ground attacks can otherwise destroy ordinary shields in just a few hits. The Hylian Shield is more forgiving of mistakes due to its enormous durability, but perfect parrying is still the better method.
Use fire breath for slow motion headshots
Lynels can spit three large bursts of fire in a row. Just run steadily sideways to avoid them. If the fire hits grass, small updrafts are created. Open the Paraglider, climb up and draw the bow. The slow motion now gives you an excellent opportunity for several precise headshots.
White, silver and gold Lynels also have a powerful area explosion. As soon as the opponent roars loudly and raises his weapon, you should either immediately gain distance or parry the attack perfectly.
Don’t take refuge on a rock
Lynels are so dangerous precisely because their fights are difficult to outsmart using elevated positions. If a Lynel cannot reach Link in close combat for a long time, he draws his bow. If you are behind a rock or other cover, he shoots his arrows steeply into the sky, so that they then rain down practically vertically on Link.
These attacks are extremely precise and can completely bypass cover. It is therefore better to stay on the same level as your opponent and fight in a controlled manner at close range.
Elemental arrows hardly provide any advantages
Lynels have a naturally high resistance to fire, ice and electricity. You can therefore not freeze them like normal monsters or permanently disarm them with electric arrows. Normal arrows are completely sufficient for headshots. It’s better to save expensive elemental arrows for opponents on whom their actual additional effect works.
Urbosa’s Fury is still useful, as the stretch ability can stun a Lynels, creating a new opportunity to mount.
Stasis+ vs Lynels
If you have improved the stasis module at Purah in Hateno Village to Stasis+, you can also freeze Lynels for a very short moment. The time window is significantly smaller than with normal opponents, but is enough to cancel a dangerous attack or prepare a well-aimed arrow. However, as a permanent combat strategy, Stasis+ does not replace learning headshots and perfect dodging maneuvers.
Lynel Mask and Majora’s Mask only work for a short time
The Lynel mask from Kilton’s Monster Shop initially deceives a Lynels. The monster looks at Link curiously and doesn’t attack immediately. However, unlike Bokoblins or Moblins, Lynels recognize the deception after a short time and still become hostile. Even Majora’s Mask from DLC 1 only helps temporarily.
If Link draws a weapon or uses the Sheikah Slate directly in front of the opponent, the cover can also be blown very quickly.
Antique Arrows vs Lynels – no loot
One hit with one Antique arrow leaves a normal one Lynels disappear instantly. This initially seems like the simplest solution, but it has a significant disadvantage: it leaves your opponent behind no monster parts and no weapons. Therefore, if you want to farm Lynel Hearts, Chimera Bows, or other rare equipment, you should never use Ancient Arrows.
All Lynel weapons at a glance
Lynels use three different types of melee weapons: sword with shield, lance or greatsword. Each copy has a multiple sheet. The weapons come in three quality levels: normal Leun equipment, beast equipment and chimera equipment.
| Weapon | Lynel | Beast | Chimera |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sword | Leun Sword – 24 | Beast Sword – 36 | Chimera Sword – 58 |
| Greatsword | Lynel Greatsword – 36 | Beast Greatsword – 54 | Chimera Greatsword – 78 |
| Lance | Leun Lance – 14 | Beast Lance – 20 | Chimera Lance – 30 |
| Sheet | Lynel Bow – 10 × 3 | Beast Bow – 20×3 | Chimera Sheet – 32×3 |
| Shield | Lynel Shield – 30 | Beast Shield – 44 | Chimera Shield – 62 |
Chimera Bow – one of the strongest bows in the game
The Chimera Bow has a base value of 32 and fires three arrows at the same time by default. However, only one arrow is used from Link’s inventory. If all three projectiles hit the same target, enormous damage is caused.
Chimera bows with the five-shot bonus are particularly valuable. They shoot five arrows for the price of a single projectile, making them one of the most powerful bows in Breath of the Wild. Silver Lynels are an excellent source for these weapons.
Chimera Greatsword – 78 attack points without bonus
With 78 attack points, the Chimera Greatsword is one of the strongest permanently farmable melee weapons in the game, even without an additional weapon bonus. High-quality specimens can achieve significantly higher attack values. The disadvantage is that Link has to wield the powerful weapon with both hands and therefore cannot keep a shield ready during the normal attack.
However, this weapon is perfect for back attacks on a stunned Lynels: Since the blows while riding do not consume durability, you can reserve an extremely powerful Chimera greatsword exclusively for these attacks.
Lynel weapons can disappear in the endgame
If you want to completely photograph the Hyrule Compendium yourself, you should not put off the Lynel equipment until the end of the game. Due to the enemy scaling system, some weaker weapon variants gradually disappear from the normal game world. In particular, the Leunenlance, Lynel Greatsword and the various beast weapons may later become difficult or even impossible to obtain regularly.
The Lynel Sword, the Lynel Shield and the Lynel Bow remain available through the permanently red enemy on the Thunderhorn. For the remaining weaker weapons, it is advisable to take a photo early. If you missed an entry, you can buy the corresponding image later from Symin in the Hateno Village Institute.
Lynel horn, Lynel hoof and Lynel heart
Defeated Lynels leaves behind three special monster parts. The amounts that appear depend, among other things, on the strength of the opponent. Silver Lynels can also drop valuable gems and even star shards.
| Material | Selling price | At Kilton |
|---|---|---|
| Lynel Horn | 40 Rupees | 20 Mon |
| Lynel Hoof | 50 Rupees | 30 Mon |
| Lynel Guts | 200 Rupees | 100 Mon |
You shouldn’t sell Lynel hearts too quickly for a complete game. Several high-value armor upgrades require these rare materials. Lynel hooves are also required for a task in the Korok Forest.
Lynel materials for the Barbarian set
The Barbarian set from the three great labyrinths uses Lynel materials at each level of improvement. This means that you need numerous victories against strong opponents for a fully developed set. You can find the exact quantities per piece of armor in our guide to the Great Fairies and armor improvements.
| stage | Lynel Material per Barbarian Part |
|---|---|
| ★ | 1 Lynel Horn |
| ★★ | 3 Lynel horns + 2 Lynel hooves |
| ★★★ | 4 Lynel hooves + 1 Lynel heart |
| ★★★★ | 2 Lynel Hearts + Dragon Part |
If you want to fully improve the barbarian mask, barbarian clothes and barbarian trousers, you should therefore hunt Lynels again regularly after a blood moon. The armor is one of the best offensive sets in the game and increases Link’s attack power through its individual parts.
“Mysterious Hyrule” – Lynel Hoof requires
One of the Korok tasks in the Korok Forest also requires a Lynel material. During “Mysterious Hyrule” Walton asks you several puzzles and each requires a specific item. For one of these you have to show a Lynel hoof. Therefore, pick up at least one hoof after your first successful leunen fight at the latest.
You can find the way through the Lost Woods as well as all Korok tests in our guide to the forest of the Koroks and Master Sword.
Lynels for Hyrule Manual Photograph
Own in normal game four Lynel variants each has its own entry in the Hyrule Handbook: Red, Blue, White and Silver. Therefore, photograph at least one opponent of each color. Because many Lynels As you level up over the course of the game, you don’t have to search in four specific locations – as you progress, the stronger variants appear automatically.
| Manual entry | basic game |
|---|---|
| Lynel | Requires |
| Blue Lynel | Requires |
| White Lynel | Requires |
| Silver Lynel | Requires |
| Golden Lynel | Master mode |
The red entry remains possible at any time via the Lynels on the Ploymus Mountain. If you missed out on blue or white due to very late game progress, the set castle Lynel or the purchase of manual images from Symin also remain as insurance.
Golden Lynel in master mode
The golden Lynel only exists in Master Mode from DLC 1 “The Legendary Trials”. It has an enormous 7,500 life points and represents the highest development level of the normal scaling Lynels. As soon as your internal opponent progress has increased far enough, many originally weaker Lynels become golden specimens.
Golden Lynels use Chimera Equipment and in Master Mode, they also regenerate health if Link does not deal damage to them for a long time. This should keep you consistently offensive after the fight begins. You can find all information about the additional level of difficulty in our overview of the DLC content for Breath of the Wild.
Additional Lynel on the Great Plateau in master mode
In normal play there is no Lynels on the Great Plateau. Master mode, on the other hand, adds a 23rd copy. It patrols the plains behind the Temple of Time and permanently remains a white Lynel. His equipment is particularly unusual: although he is not silver or gold, he already carries a powerful chimera greatsword.
You can theoretically encounter this enemy shortly after the start of the game, at a time when Link has hardly any hearts, armor or weapons. A fight is then deliberately extremely difficult and not necessary for progress on the Great Plateau.
Lynels in the test of the sword
DLC 1 owners will also encounter Lynels within the Trial of the sword. In the master’s examination, among other things, a blue Lynel appears and towards the end even a white Lynel between several other strong opponents. Since Link can only use equipment collected during the trial, these battles are among the most dangerous parts of the entire challenge.
If you have collected ancient arrows, this is one of the few situations in which using them against a Lynels is particularly worthwhile: within the test, survival counts more than the loot, which cannot be permanently taken out of the test room anyway.
Is there a Lynel Order at Kilton?
No. Although Lynels are stronger than many Hinoxes, Stone Talus and Molduga, Kilton does not award a medal for them. After defeating Ganon, you can only check three groups of monsters with him:
| Monster Order | Required opponents |
|---|---|
| Hinox Order | 40 Hinoxes and Stalnoxes |
| Stone Talus Order | 40 Stone Talus, Igneo Talus and Frost Taluss |
| Molduga Order | 4 Molduga |
| Lynel Order | Does not exist |
There is therefore no in-game permanent counter that confirms that all 22 Lynels have been defeated at least once. Of course, you can still work through each location for a particularly complete score.
Do Lynels count for 100% map display?
Lynels also play no role for the official 100% display of the world map. You don’t have to defeat a specific enemy or all 22 locations. Map scoring is instead based on other registered map elements such as Koroks, Shrines, Titans and Locations.
For our complete Breath of the Wild Walkthrough Lynels are still among the important endgame opponents: We need their manual entries, their materials for armor upgrades and, if possible, photos of the different weapon levels.
Farm
Lynels after the blood moon
Like almost all normal enemies, Lynels returns after a blood moon. This allows you to defeat the same easily accessible enemies as often as you like. The three Lynels in the northern Tabanta snowfield and the several examples in the northern mountains near the Juglano and Ehumpo highlands are particularly suitable for high-quality equipment.
Silver Lynels are particularly attractive because, in addition to Chimera weapons, they can also drop Leun hearts and additional valuable materials. Once you’ve mastered their moves, these battles are some of the best ways to permanently refill extremely powerful weapons.
Lynels – Collectibles
| Target | For full score |
|---|---|
| Red Lynels photograph | Hyrule Compendium |
| Blue Lynels photograph | Hyrule Compendium |
| White Lynels photograph | Hyrule Compendium |
| Silver Lynels photograph | Hyrule Compendium |
| Golden Lynels photograph | Master mode |
| Collect Lynel Hoof | For “Mysterious Hyrule” |
| Collect Lynel materials | For armor upgrades |
| Lynel weapons photograph | For Complete Hyrule Compendium |
| Beast Weapons Photograph | If possible before further enemy scaling |
| Chimera Weapons Photograph | Easily available in the endgame |
| 22 base game Lynel defeat | Optional – no separate medal |
| Defeat Additional Plateau Lynel | Optional in master mode |
Which Lynel is the best for practicing?
For the first serious attempts we recommend the red Lynel on the Thunderhorn. He remains permanently at the weakest level, has “only” 2,000 life points and uses a sword whose attacks can be countered comparatively well with backflips. Activate a nearby fast travel point beforehand and save the game so that you can repeat the fight without having to travel long distances.
Once you have mastered headshots, mounts and perfect dodges reliably, you can switch to blue, white and finally silver Lynels. The basic movement patterns remain similar – especially health, damage and equipment become more and more dangerous.
All Lynels mastered
In contrast to the large monster groups of Hinox, Stone Talus and Molduga Breath of the Wild doesn’t require you to play every 22nd Lynels defeated for a visible award. Nevertheless, they are among the most important opponents of a complete game: they provide indispensable materials for strong ones Armor, possess some of the most powerful weapons in the game and represent one of the best ways to truly master Link’s combat techniques.
Anyone who photographs all Leun variants, secures the weaker Leun and beast weapons in time for the Hyrule Compendium and later regularly defeats silver or gold specimens in master mode has also completely covered this large area of opponents in our 100% walkthrough.