The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released in March 2017 and has since become recognized as one of the best entries in the illustrious Legend of Zelda series. Among its many excellent features is its enormous world, which players are free to explore in any direction that they choose. Despite its size, Breath of the Wild's open world is filled to the brim with quests to complete, NPCs to interact with, and numerous other activities to indulge in.

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The fantasy world of Hyrule has its share of unique creatures and resources. However, much like here on Earth, money is the most valuable resource. Hyrule's currency comes in the form of rupees, which players can use to purchase a whole host of items such as weapons, armor, and even a house. Thankfully, there are a handful of strategies that players can use to ensure they're never short of rupees to spend.

Updated June 7, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Breath of the Wild is a game that needs no introduction. The sheer innovation this game brings to the table makes it clear why so many people consider it to be one of the most innovative open-world games ever made. There are a lot of things to praise in Breath of the Wild, even if the economy itself may be functional at best.

Players who don't want to run out of valuable rupees should make it a point to sell things from time to time to amass a decent fortune and complete certain tasks that net them additional cash. Some of the best and most optimal ways to earn money in the game can be deceptively simple, as long as players know what to do.

What Not To Sell In Breath Of The Wild

Thankfully, there isn't anything that players can sell in Breath of the Wild that will greatly hinder their progress. Pretty much anything Link manages to scavenge can be traded for Rupees freely, but that doesn't mean it's "smart" to sell anything and everything.

One of the best things to hold onto, especially in the early game, is Monster Parts. Although these items can be tossed to vendors for a nominal payout, they're better used in recipes and traded to Kilton, a merchant who specializes in Monster Parts. Tossing unwanted parts to Kilton will reward players with "Mon" a specialized currency that the merchant uses to trade for valuable items and costumes.

It's generally better to hold onto these parts until Kilton has nothing left to offer players as some of the items cost quite a bit of Mon to obtain.

1 Farm Dragon Scales

Can Sell For A Ton Of Money

The three dragons in Breath of the Wild can be breathtaking to behold when players encounter them for the first time. Removing the corruption from Naydra lets people interact with one from up close, with players encouraged to shoot arrows at this beast whenever they get the chance to close the distance.

Depending upon the specific body part that players hit with their arrows, they can farm one body part from each dragon every day. Most people prefer to hit the body, given that it's the easiest to hit and gives players a valuable scale. Players who don't mind grinding out this resource can farm three scales every day and sell it for a pretty penny, helping Link attain a substantial fortune in no time.

2 Don't Exchange Luminous Stones For Diamonds

Players Will Be Cheating Themselves If The Sole Motive Is To Earn A Profit

After freeing Zora's Domain from the corrupted mind of Divine Beast Vah Ruta, players get the opportunity to explore a version of Zora's Domain that's relatively happy, with new requests and NPCs to interact with. One of these is Ledo, initiating a quest where they are tasked with collecting ten luminous stones, rewarding them with a diamond for their efforts.

Suffice it to say, most people would jump at the opportunity to get a diamond with ease, but players who feel that this deal is good from a financial perspective should back off. The sale price of one diamond is less than ten luminous stones, so players are better off just selling it instead of exchanging it for something that is of less value, even if its uses in other departments make it far more valuable.

3 Sell 100 Baked Apples To Juney In Rito Village

A Somewhat Painstaking But Doable Way To Earn Rupees

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Juney is a character in Rito Village who is on an unsatisfactory honeymoon, with her favorite baked apples being the only resource that can make her happy at such a time. After giving her one baked apple and completing the quest, players can sell this food item to her in bulk, with higher amounts of this item netting them more cash.

If players have a surplus of apples and don't mind roasting a hundred of them over a fire in the most painstaking manner possible, they'll be rewarded for their efforts with 1,200 rupees, which is a pretty decent haul given the work players have put in for the same. This money-making method is better used once players have spent their time diligently gathering apples during their adventures in the game since they can easily have hundreds of apples in their inventory before even interacting with Juney.

4 Sell Excess Monster Parts

Instead Of Hoarding These Parts, Selling Them Is Way More Efficient

While it has already been mentioned that players should hold on to monster parts in the early game, Link will be drowning in these items after a certain point. Once players have explored the game enough and fought off several early to mid-game enemies, they can safely unload these parts after spending them on the required armor upgrades.

These low-end monster parts may not sell for a lot in the early stages, but players who have been diligently gathering these materials for a few hours can sell these items in bulk to gain a lot of rupees in no time flat. As long as players have not been running from encounters, this is a great way to be rewarded for being victorious in combat over and over again.

5 Find Hinox Spots

These Large Enemies Drop Valuable Loot And Are Usually Loitering Around Valuable Ore Deposits

The Hinox is one of the more daunting enemies that players can face in the early going of Breath of the Wild. This enemy hits like a truck, and players will be happy that its lumbering and slow nature means that players can dodge most of its blows after reading its movements.

The Hinox generally rests around spots with treasure or valuable mineral deposits. It also drops a bunch of valuable loot when killed, meaning that most people will be rewarded with a nice payday for taking out this beast.

6 Kill Animals North Of Snowfield Stable

Running Over Animals With A Horse Nets A Large Amount Of Valuable Meat In No Time

If players don't care too much about the wildlife in Breath of the Wild, then players can use an easy way to gain a ton of valuable high-quality meat in no time flat. Players should take a horse — preferably the iconic Giant Horse to cover more surface area — and head to the area north of Snowfield Stable.

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Following this, players should just gallop around with their horses and whack as many animals as possible in the process. Doing so nets a ton of meat that players can either sell on their own or use in recipes to enhance their value. Doing this over and over again nets a ton of funds in no time at all!

7 Annihilate As Many Silver/Gold Enemies As Possible

These Enemies Drop Gems That Fetch A High Sale Price

Players who progress quite a bit into the game will unlock the toughest variant of enemies in the base game. These enemies have a silver tint and can easily whack Link to kingdom come if the player isn't decked out with the best equipment and weapons. These foes become even more powerful in Master Mode, where players can be easily taken out by the golden variants if they're not careful enough.

However, taking on these enemies is extremely lucrative since they drop valuable equipment and a bunch of gems too. Farming enough of these enemies gives Link so many rupees that he can become a millionaire in no time flat!

8 Loot And Kill In Hyrule Castle

Houses Tough Enemies And Valuable Items For Players To Scavenge For A Pretty Penny

Hyrule Castle is the final dungeon in the game that players should ideally attempt after defeating all the Blight Ganons and getting the Master Sword. By this point, players will be kitted out with the best equipment and weapons, which may make the act of farming high-value materials in Hyrule Castle somewhat meaningless.

However, this doesn't need to be the case at all. Instead, players who are good at sneaking around or dealing with Guardians using early-game weapons can head to the castle and loot the most valuable items here before heading back and selling these items for gargantuan profits! This is easily the hardest way to earn rupees in the game, so only veterans should ideally try and attempt this farming method.

9 Find Blupees

Shooting These Creatures With Arrows Leads To Them Dropping Rupees

Earning money from Blupee's only narrowly makes it onto this list, as finding the unique creatures is easier said than done. Blupees are blue, rabbit-like beings that Link can find sporadically throughout the many forests in Hyrule. A particularly good spot to look for them is on the Satori Mountain, as a group of them will gather when the Lord of the Mountain is there.

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Although finding them can be tricky, it's worth keeping an eye out for them. Just one hit with an arrow can net players 100 rupees. After seeing them, players must be careful and not give their position if they want to maximize the total haul they can enjoy from this unique creature. It's a shame that players must attack this cute critter to net some cash, but it isn't that big a deal since the animation makes it look like an inconvenience instead of something that actively hurts the creature.

10 Use The Sheikah Slate

Can Track Valuable Materials After Upgrading This Device

One of the most interesting aspects of the Sheikah Slate stays hidden from players who refuse to upgrade the device but it's definitely worth doing for those looking to make a lot of extra Rupees.

Once the slate has been upgraded and players can take photographs, they can then photograph certain items that they wish to "track" via the device's handy sensor. After an additional upgrade (players need to talk to Purah after taking a photograph and handing over three ancient screws), they'll be able to hunt for anything they want.

Taking a picture of a treasure chest will cause the slate to track them and make an audible beep whenever Link is nearby. This also works for valuable ores.

11 Cook Profitable Recipes

Dishes Fetch A High Price, Especially The Ones With A Lot Of Valuable Materials

On the flip side of the previous entry is cooking. This method is a simple, easy, and reliable way of farming rupees.

The best way to make money is by cooking it to make meals with five ingredients. This alone will net a decent income, though specific ingredients can generate vast sums. Raw Prime Meat and Raw Gourmet Meat are two of the best ingredients to use, as players can earn between 200 and nearly 500 rupees by just using these two luxury ingredients.

12 Defeat Stone Taluses

They Drop A Bunch Of Valuable Gems After Being Defeated

Stone Taluses are mini-bosses that pop up all over Hyrule, providing a tough test for players if they choose to stay and fight. Facing the enormous monsters is certainly worth doing, as they can provide players with a substantial income.

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When a Talus is defeated, they will drop stones such as Amber and Sapphire, which the player can sell for sizable fees. A guide to defeating the tricky foes can be found here, and a guide to locating them can be found here. Crush these rock giants, and claim the rewards.

13 Mine Ores

The Stones They Drop Are Extremely Valuable

Thankfully, defeating Stone Taluses isn't the only way to farm precious stones. Large rocks can be found all over Hyrule, and Link can find valuable resources within them if he breaks them open with one of his heavy weapons. The minerals can be sold for the following amounts (in rupees):

• Amber: 30
• Opal: 60
• Luminous Stone: 70
• Topaz: 180
• Ruby: 210
• Sapphire: 260
• Diamond: 500

Stones aren't just useful for their rupee value. Players can also use them to upgrade certain pieces of armor.

14 Use Amiibos

Players Get A Ton Of Free Loot, With Some Of These Items Fetching A Decent Price

For those with a few Amiibos lying around, this can be a great way to earn Link some extra income daily. Breath of the Wild lets players scan Amiibo one time per day. This rewards them with food ingredients, weapons, armor, rupees, and more.

What's especially great about this method is that the Amiibo doesn't have to be Legend of Zelda-themed, and there is no limit to how many different figures can be scanned each day. This provides a consistent source of income if players get into the habit of doing it.

15 Sell To Ramella

Gives A Better Price If Players Sell A Bunch Of Jewels To Her

Ramella is a Gerudo who spends her time in Goron City, after leaving Gerudo Town in search of Jewels. She will become a valuable ally for players once completing the Divine Beast Vah Rudania quest, as she will ask Link to bring her some of the previously mentioned precious stones.

Ramella will only accept the stones in quantities of 10, which can be a pain to collect. However, it's worth complying as the financial reward is significant. For example, ten Amber stones would usually be worth 300 rupees, but Ramella will buy them for a whopping 500.

16 Conquer Camps

Defeating Enemies In These Camps Lets Players Unlock Chests With Valuable Loot

The not-so-friendly tactic of raiding camps and killing the inhabitants within is another way to earn a pretty penny – probably not the best life lesson that Nintendo has ever taught.

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Camps can be found all over Hyrule, and many of them reward players for their efforts with items such as swords, bows, or rupees. Conquering camps is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game. Players can flex their creative muscles, something that the game actively encourages players to do with the gameplay mechanics and weapons at their disposal.

17 Obtain Ancient Materials

Fetch A Pretty Penny

Guardians can be some of the toughest enemies in Breath of the Wild, especially during the game's early stages. Much like the Stone Talus, it's worth defeating the Guardians if possible, as they will drop valuable resources.

Guardians will drop Ancient Materials, which can be sold for profits ranging from 12 to 200 rupees depending on the item. Better yet, Hyrule is filled with Guardians that have already been destroyed, offering the materials to players without them having to break a sweat. Like precious stones, Ancient Materials can be used for upgrades and armor sets, so sell with caution.

18 Collect Farosh's Horns

The Dragon's Horns Sell For 300 Rupees Each, And Farming Them Lets Link Hoard A Ton Of Money In No Time

Collecting Farosh's horns is without a doubt the most action-packed and intense way of farming for rupees. For many players, this makes it one of the most enjoyable methods. Anyone who has played Breath of the Wild will likely have seen the dragon flying around the skies, but not many know how to use it for profit.

If players can shoot the dragon's head with an arrow, one of its horns will fall to the ground. Thankfully, players don't have to chase Farosh around the entire map trying to find it. The dragon will always start the day at Riola Spring, making it easy to farm the material. The dragon's horns are worth 300 rupees each, making them a tantalizing target.

19 Play The Snowball Bowling Minigame

With The Optimal Strategy, Players Can Get A Bang For Their Buck In No Time

Breath of the Wild's snowball bowling minigame is one of the many hidden gems located around the game's huge map. The minigame can be found at Pondo's Lodge, just northeast of the Hebra Tower. As the name suggests, the game entails a traditional game of bowling with a not-so-traditional bowling ball made out of snow.

Players will need to spend money to make money, as each attempt costs 20 rupees. However, Pondo will give Link a Gold Rupee worth 300 rupees for every strike, making the risk worth the reward. Moreover, there are videos online showing precisely where to aim the enormous snowball, ensuring that players can get a strike on almost every attempt.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Platform(s)

Nintendo Wii U , Switch

Released

March 3, 2017

Developer(s)

Nintendo EPD

Genre(s)

Action , Adventure