There's a lot that goes into making a world seem real, as evidenced by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which offers up a master class in immersion. Very few games in the years since the release of the iconic Switch game have been able to compare when it comes to the amount of freedom that Breath of the Wild provides its players.
Breath of the Wild takes advantage of an expansive open world to create pockets of culture in almost every place the player turns. Each region has a specific climate, with specific flora, fauna, monsters, and townspeople. However, with uncanny realism and immersion comes challenges for the player. One of the specific challenges players will face, particularly in some parts of the map, is lightning.
How To Avoid Lightning In Breath Of The Wild
To avoid being targeted by lightning, players must unequip every metal object from Link, including armor. The Soldier's Armor is the only piece of armor that directly attracts lightning, but a significant amount of weapons will, too. This, unfortunately, includes the Master Sword. Monster arms are safe, as are wooden clubs.
For full immunity to lightning, players should don the Thunder Helm and/or the Rubber Set. The Rubber Set is a set of armor that can be acquired by completing the Shrine Quest Trial of Thunder at the Thundra Plateau and grants the player full immunity to lightning if the full set is worn. The Thunder Helm can be acquired by completing the four main side quests in Gerudo Town, then returning to Riju to receive the reward. As opposed to the Rubber Set, full immunity is granted using only one armor slot.
What Does Lightning Do?
When it strikes, lightning will do a maximum of 14.5 hearts worth of damage, depending on the armor and weapons that players have equipped. It knocks off any weapons that Link is holding as well.
Lightning will also set fires if it hits anything flammable like trees or bushes. It can be weaponized against enemies by placing a metal object near a group and waiting for a strike. It still does the 14.5 hearts of damage to enemies, so players should make sure to have a secondary plan of attack if dealing with a higher-level monster.
Where and When Does Lightning Strike?
Weather is determined randomly in Breath of the Wild, but thunderstorms will only hit the regions of Akkala, Central Hyrule, Faron, Lanayru, and Necluda. They seem particularly frequent in Faron. There is no way to predict when thunderstorms will occur, but lightning will strike every five in-game minutes during a thunderstorm.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available now for Nintendo Switch and Wii U.