Side Quests Guide — Best Quests & Rewards

TotK has over 200 side quests (including Side Adventures, Side Quests, and Shrine Quests). Most are optional, but the best ones reward unique armor, powerful weapons, useful upgrades, and important story content. This guide ranks the most valuable and highlights what you get.

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Quest Types in TotK

| Type | What It Is | |------|-----------| | Side Quest | Standard NPC-given quests with unique rewards | | Side Adventure | Longer quest chains tied to exploration goals | | Shrine Quest | Puzzles that unlock a hidden shrine |

All three types appear in the Adventure Log and give distinct rewards. Shrine Quests specifically award Spirit Orbs (via shrine completion) and are worth prioritizing.

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Top Side Quests by Reward

1. Stable Trotters Questline (Unlocks Great Fairies)

How to start: Talk to reporter Penn at any stable — the "Potential Princess Sightings!" lead Reward: Unlocks all 4 Great Fairy Fountains (armor upgrade access)

The most impactful side quest chain in the game. Without Great Fairies, you can never upgrade armor. Penn's investigation leads to each stable's musician group, and helping them reach each Great Fairy fountain awakens it.

Priority: Do this early. Great Fairy armor upgrades change the difficulty of every subsequent encounter.

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2. Recital at Warbler's Nest (Biggoron's Sword)

Location: Rito Village area — seek out the five Rito children spread across the region Reward: Biggoron's Sword (base attack 50 — one of the best early two-handers)

Find all five Rito children playing games at specific locations around Rito Village and guide them back to Warbler's Nest for a song. The Biggoron's Sword reward is comparable to endgame two-handed weapons at the point you can access it.

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3. Tarrey Town Expansion Chain

Location: Tarrey Town, Akkala region How to start: Talk to Hudson at the Tarrey Town construction site Reward: Multi-stage — unique shops, exclusive armor pieces, aerial transport

The longest and most rewarding side quest chain. Gathering workers of each species builds out Tarrey Town into a full community with unique vendor services unavailable elsewhere. The aerial transport feature added late in the chain provides convenient fast travel.

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4. Lurelin Village Restoration

Location: Lurelin Village, Faron coast How to start: Arrive at the destroyed village — Bolson has a plan Reward: Village restored, gambling mini-game access, special merchant items, unique Rupee rewards

The Lurelin village was attacked and destroyed. Helping rebuild it through a series of tasks rewards significant Rupees and restores one of TotK's most atmospheric locations.

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5. Satori Mountain Questline

Location: Satori Mountain, Hyrule Ridge How to start: Investigate the glowing pink cherry blossom tree on Satori Mountain at night Reward: Satori (the Lord of the Mountain) appears — mountable rare creature

Satori is one of the most unique encounters in TotK — a rare rideable spirit creature. The questline involves environmental puzzles that reveal Satori's mountain. Riding Satori is not permanent (it's a one-time encounter) but completing the series nets materials and the experience.

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6. Dragon's Tears (Main Lore Questline)

Location: All Geoglyphs scattered across Hyrule surface How to start: Discover your first Geoglyph (large shape on the ground visible from above) Reward: Full story of Zelda's fate + Light Dragon location (required for Master Sword)

This is a mandatory lore investment for story understanding. Completing all 12 Dragon's Tears memories also reveals where the Light Dragon is — and the Light Dragon holds the Master Sword. See Master Sword Guide for completion.

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7. Camera Work in the Depths (Autobuild Unlock)

Location: Lookout Landing — Robbie's lab How to start: Complete Robbie's Camera introduction Reward: Camera ability + eventually Autobuild (from Great Abandoned Central Mine)

The Camera unlock chain is technically a Side Adventure. The Autobuild ability you ultimately receive from the Depths mine is one of the most powerful utility tools in the game. High priority.

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8. Hateno Village Research Lab Chain

Location: Hateno Village — Robbie's secondary lab How to start: Complete the Lookout Landing Camera questline, then visit Hateno Village Reward: Compendium purchase option (buy missing entries for 100R each)

After Robbie relocates to Hateno Village, he offers the Compendium purchase service that lets you fill in any missing photographs at cost. Essential for completionists.

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9. Addison Sign Quest Chain

Location: Throughout all of Hyrule — look for Addison holding up a sign How to start: Find Addison struggling to hold up a Hudson Construction sign — help him Reward: Per sign: Rupees + meals + a random item. Many signs = good passive income

The Addison sign quest appears endlessly — there are 58 signs across Hyrule. Each time you help Addison with Ultrahand (create a support structure for the sign), you earn Rupees and food. Easy money for Ultrahand practice simultaneously.

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10. Meeshy's Wish / Lucky Clover Gazette Chain

Location: Multiple stables — Penn's reporting How to start: Talk to Penn at any stable Reward: Each investigation leads to a reward + Great Fairy progress

The Lucky Clover Gazette investigation chain at stables unlocks Great Fairies (see Stable Trotters above). Each stable Penn visit is worth doing immediately when discovered.

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Shrine Quest Priority

Shrine Quests award Spirit Orbs (via shrine completion) — always do them. Top memorable ones:

"A Song of Storms" (Faron) — Complete the skyreach and environmental puzzle to unlock the shrine.

"Sifumim Shrine" and nearby islands — series of sky island puzzles near Lanayru.

"Courage to Fall" (Akkala sky) — skydiving challenge to reach the shrine; part of Glide Armor chain.

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Side Adventures Worth Prioritizing

"The Heroines' Secret" (Gerudo) — Uncover the ancient Gerudo heroines statues scattered around Gerudo. Reward: exclusive armor piece.

"White Goats Gone Missing" (Central Hyrule) — Simple delivery chain, good Rupee reward, teaches key navigation area.

"Yunobo of Goron City" (Fire Temple) — The Fire Temple quest is technically a Side Adventure before becoming a Main Quest. Doing it early opens Yunobo's charge.

"From the Ground Up" (Tarrey Town) — See above. Tarrey Town expansion.

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Tips for Side Quest Efficiency

1. Talk to every NPC you meet — especially in towns and stables. Most quests start with a single conversation.

2. Visit all stables first — stables concentrate many quest givers and Penn encounters in one location.

3. Don't skip Lurelin and Tarrey Town — both have multi-reward chains that pay dividends across the whole game.

4. Check the Adventure Log often — the log updates with quest leads even for quests you haven't officially "started." The map shows orange exclamation marks for nearby quest NPCs.

5. Dragon's Tears as early as possible — finding and activating all 12 Geoglyphs early means the Light Dragon appears on your map for Master Sword collection whenever you're ready.

6. Addison signs during travel — whenever you pass Addison, take 60 seconds to help. 58 signs × average 100R = 5,800R across the playthrough for minimal effort.

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See also: Getting Started Guide | Quests Database | Great Fairies Guide