You can finish Tears of the Kingdom without ever putting a mask on Link. You would also miss some of the strangest and most useful gear in Hyrule: a mask that rattles when a Korok is near, masks that make whole monster tribes ignore you, and four helms that quietly buff your Sage companions.
Let me break this down for you: what each notable mask does, where to get it, and which ones are worth a slot on your head.
How Masks Work in Tears of the Kingdom
Every mask goes in the head slot, so you can pair it with any chest and leg armor. That is the whole appeal. You keep your defensive set on your body and use the head slot for a utility effect.
- Standalone masks: pieces like the Korok Mask, Majora’s Mask and the monster masks carry their own effect and belong to no set.
- Set masks: the Glide Mask, Fierce Deity Mask and Mask of Awakening are the head pieces of full sets. Alone they mostly give defense; the full set unlocks the set bonus.
- Divine Helms: four helms tied to the old Divine Beasts. Each gives a small elemental effect and boosts one Sage.
- Upgrades: most armor can be upgraded at a Great Fairy once you free her, but a few novelty masks cannot be upgraded at all.
Armor never breaks, so anything you find is yours for good. Here’s the thing most guides won’t tell you: a mask with no defense can still be the best item in your inventory if it saves you an hour of searching.
Every Notable Mask at a Glance
| Mask | Effect | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Korok Mask | Shakes when a Korok is nearby | Chest in the Forest Coliseum, Depths below Great Hyrule Forest |
| Majora’s Mask | Certain enemies have a harder time spotting you | Five Lynel gauntlet in the Depths coliseum below the Coliseum Ruins |
| Bokoblin, Moblin, Lizalfos, Horriblin, Lynel Masks | That monster type will not attack you unless you attack first | Bubbul Gem trades with Koltin |
| Vah Ruta Divine Helm | Swim Speed Up, boosts Sidon | Zora’s Domain side quest and cave |
| Vah Medoh Divine Helm | Cold Resistance, boosts Tulin | Cave on the Biron Snowshelf, Hebra |
| Vah Rudania Divine Helm | Flame Guard, boosts Yunobo | Cave at the Twin Lizard Lakes, north of Death Mountain |
| Vah Naboris Divine Helm | Shock Resistance, boosts Riju | Ruins below the West Barrens, north of Gerudo Town |
| Glide Mask | Skydive Mobility Up (Glide set) | Dive Ceremony on Valor Island |
| Fierce Deity Mask | Head piece of the Fierce Deity set | Chest in the Skull Lake cave |
| Mask of Awakening | Head piece of the Hero of Awakening set | Thundra Plateau Cave, or the Link’s Awakening amiibo |
The Utility Masks Worth Wearing
Korok Mask
If you are chasing Korok seeds, this is the single best head piece in the game. When a Korok is hiding nearby, the mask starts shaking on Link’s face. Walk in the direction where it shakes more and you will find the seed in a fraction of the time.
To get it, travel through the Depths below Great Hyrule Forest (the Minshi Woods Chasm is a good entry point) to the Forest Coliseum. A trail of Mighty Bananas inside is a Yiga trap: pick them up, the doors seal, and a Gloom wreathed Black Hinox drops in. Beat it and the chest in its cell opens for you. Pair the mask with our Korok seed locations guide and your cleanup runs get much shorter.
Monster Masks
The Bokoblin, Moblin, Lizalfos, Horriblin and Lynel Masks let you blend in with that species. They will not attack you on sight, which is perfect for walking past camps, stealing from chests, or just watching monsters live their lives. Attack them and the disguise is over.
You get them from Koltin’s Bubbul Gem trades (the gems come from the Bubbulfrogs hiding in caves), and after Cece’s side quests in Hateno Village her shop sells the masks too, in case you want spares.
Majora’s Mask
Plot twist: the famous cursed mask is a stealth tool. It makes certain enemies slower to notice you, and it works best on Bokoblins, Horriblins and Stal monsters. The price is steep. You must survive five Lynels in a row in the coliseum in the Depths below the Coliseum Ruins, with a Silver among them and an even nastier one to close it out.
Actually Do This: bring plenty of hearty food and a strong bow, and fuse your best horns onto your arrows. Our Fuse guide covers which materials hit hardest.
The Divine Helms
Lore nerds, this one’s for you: the four Divine Helms are modeled on the Divine Beasts from Breath of the Wild, and each one is tied to the Sage of that people. While Link wears a helm, the matching Sage avatar wears a version of it and hits harder. That boost stacks with the permanent upgrade from Sage’s Wills.
- Vah Ruta (Sidon): Swim Speed Up. Tied to the Zora’s Domain side quest “Secret Treasure under the Great Fish.”
- Vah Medoh (Tulin): Cold Resistance. In a cave on the Biron Snowshelf, behind ice you melt with fire.
- Vah Rudania (Yunobo): Flame Guard. In a sealed cave at the Twin Lizard Lakes that you break open with blunt weapons or bombs.
- Vah Naboris (Riju): Shock Resistance. Under the West Barrens, where you blow open a hole in the floor near a ribcage.
The Math: each helm starts at 2 defense and gives only one level of its effect. That will not carry you through Death Mountain alone, so treat the helms as Sage buffs first and elemental gear second. For extra heat or cold protection, our cooking and elixir guide fills the gap.
Set Masks
The Glide Mask, Fierce Deity Mask and Mask of Awakening shine when you wear the whole set. The Glide Mask is the head of the Glide set, earned on Valor Island in the sky. The Fierce Deity Mask waits in a chest deep in the Skull Lake cave. The Mask of Awakening sits in Thundra Plateau Cave, which you open with a shadow puzzle, or you can scan the Link’s Awakening amiibo.
If you like collecting full outfits, our Archaic set guide covers the starter set you already own.
Masks and Unique Armor FAQ
What does the Korok Mask do in Tears of the Kingdom?
It shakes on Link’s face when a Korok is nearby, which makes Korok seeds far easier to find.
How do you get Majora’s Mask in Tears of the Kingdom?
Beat five Lynels in a row in the Floating Coliseum in the Depths below the Coliseum Ruins: a Lynel, a Blue-Maned Lynel, a White-Maned Lynel, a Silver Lynel and an armored Silver Lynel. The mask is in the chest at the center. Once you own it, Bargainer Statues in the Depths also sell it for 400 Poes.
Do Divine Helms do anything in Tears of the Kingdom?
Yes. Each gives one elemental effect and boosts the matching Sage avatar’s attack while you wear it.
Can you upgrade masks?
Most can be upgraded at Great Fairies, but some novelty masks, such as the Korok Mask and Majora’s Mask, cannot.
Hot Take: the Korok Mask does more for your completion rate than any armor set in the game. Get it early, swap in a monster mask when you want to stroll through a camp, and save the Divine Helms for fights where your Sage needs the extra punch.
