1 Why This Item Matters
The Barbarian Armor Set is one of the most iconic and sought-after armor sets in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Comprising three pieces — the Barbarian Helm, Barbarian Armor, and Barbarian Greaves — each piece grants the Attack Up bonus, stacking with every additional piece equipped. With all three pieces worn and fully upgraded, the Barbarian Set provides a devastating offensive boost that rivals even the legendary Fierce Deity Set.
Each piece of the Barbarian Set is found at the heart of one of Hyrule's three massive Lomei Labyrinths — enormous stone mazes that have appeared in the series since Breath of the Wild. These Labyrinths are not merely cosmetic; each one is a genuine navigational challenge with high walls, dead ends, enemies, and treasure chests scattered throughout. Completing all three Labyrinths is a rite of passage for any serious TOTK player.
But the challenge doesn't end at the surface. In TOTK, every Labyrinth has been expanded with a Depths section — an underground extension accessible only after solving the surface maze. Dropping into the dark, Gloom-filled underbelly of each Labyrinth adds a second layer of puzzle-solving and combat to the acquisition process, making this one of the most substantial armor quests in the game.
The Barbarian Set is particularly valuable for:
- Combat-focused builds — pairing with Mighty meals and high-attack weapons for maximum DPS
- Lynel hunting — the sustained damage output makes Golden Lynels far more manageable
- Depths exploration — offensive power helps you clear Gloom-infected enemy camps efficiently
- Boss rush challenges — the Coliseum and DLC combat trials become significantly easier
- Speedrunning and challenge runs — many routing strategies incorporate this set for its reliable power
Set Bonus Breakdown
| Pieces Worn | Bonus | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 piece | Attack Up (×1) | +20% attack damage |
| 2 pieces | Attack Up (×2) | +30% attack damage |
| 3 pieces | Attack Up (×3) + Set Bonus: Charge Attack Stamina Up | +50% attack damage, reduced stamina drain on charged attacks |
| 3 pieces (★4 upgraded) | Attack Up ×3 + 20 DEF per piece = 60 total DEF | Maximum upgrade tier at Great Fairy Fountains |
The Charge Attack Stamina Up set bonus is especially powerful for two-handed weapon users — Great Swords, Claymores, and Savage Lynel Crushers consume less stamina per spin attack, allowing you to sustain your highest-damage moves for longer. This synergizes perfectly with the raw attack boost, making the Barbarian Set the optimal choice for heavy weapon builds.
2 Acquisition: The Three Lomei Labyrinths
The Barbarian Armor Set cannot be crafted. Instead, each piece is found inside a treasure chest located at the end of one of Hyrule's three Lomei Labyrinths. Each Labyrinth requires you to:
- Navigate the surface maze and reach the central shrine structure
- Interact with the terminal to open the way to the Depths section
- Drop into the Depths and navigate the underground maze
- Reach the final terminal to unlock the treasure chest containing the armor piece
The Three Labyrinths & Their Rewards
| Labyrinth | Location | Coordinates | Reward | Environmental Hazard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Lomei Labyrinth | North of Gerudo Desert, northeast of Gerudo Canyon | -1795, -3310, 0320 |
Barbarian Helm | Extreme heat (day) / cold (night) |
| North Lomei Labyrinth | Northeast of Hebra, in the Tabantha Tundra | -0825, 3530, 0235 |
Barbarian Armor | Severe cold (Level 2 Cold Required) |
| Lomei Labyrinth Island | Northeast Akkala, an island off the coast | 4655, 3700, 0130 |
Barbarian Greaves | None, but requires crossing water |
Upgrade Materials (★1 to ★4 per piece)
Once acquired, upgrade each piece at any Great Fairy Fountain. Each piece follows the same material progression:
| Level | Materials Needed | Cumulative Total per Piece |
|---|---|---|
| ★0 → ★1 | Mighty Thistle ×3, Luminous Stone ×3, Rupees ×10 | 3 each |
| ★1 → ★2 | Mighty Thistle ×5, Luminous Stone ×5, Rupees ×50 | 8 each |
| ★2 → ★3 | Bladed Rhino Beetle ×5, Luminous Stone ×10, Rupees ×200 | 8 Mighty Thistle, 18 Luminous Stone, 5 Bladed Rhino Beetle |
| ★3 → ★4 | Bladed Rhino Beetle ×10, Luminous Stone ×20, Rupees ×500 | 8 Mighty Thistle, 38 Luminous Stone, 15 Bladed Rhino Beetle |
The Depths Terminal Puzzle
In each Labyrinth, the terminal you activate on the surface opens a chute leading to the Depths. Once underground, you must navigate a second, smaller maze made of Zonai-era architecture and dark Gloom pools. At the end of each Depths section is another terminal. Activating this terminal spawns the treasure chest containing your Barbarian armor piece and a Narus Lightroot that illuminates the surrounding Depths area.
3 Materials & Locations — Labyrinth by Labyrinth
Each of the three Lomei Labyrinths presents a unique challenge, environment, and route. Below is the complete breakdown for each Labyrinth including the surface approach, the maze solution strategy, the Depths drop, and what to expect inside.
🗺️ Labyrinth 1: South Lomei Labyrinth — Barbarian Helm
-1795, -3310, 0320 | Region: Gerudo Highlands
The South Lomei Labyrinth sits on a plateau north of the Gerudo Desert and northeast of the Gerudo Canyon Skyview Tower. It's the most accessible of the three Labyrinths and the recommended starting point. The Gerudo region presents a unique environmental challenge: extreme heat during the day and extreme cold at night. You need either the Desert Voe Armor (heat resistance) for daytime approaches or the Snowquill Armor / Warm Doublet for nighttime entry. Alternatively, cook Heat Resistance and Cold Resistance meals and time your approach carefully.
Surface Maze Strategy: The South Lomei surface maze is the simplest of the three, but still easy to get lost in. The most efficient method is to climb to the top of the walls using Ascend — the Labyrinth walls are thick enough that you can Ascend through them at junction points. From the entrance, move left (counter-clockwise) along the outer wall, using Ascend to hop between corridors. Alternatively, if you have sufficient stamina, climb directly over the walls and glide to the central shrine structure. While wall-climbing skips the intended puzzle, it saves significant time and avoids enemy encounters.
Once you reach the central structure, interact with the Zonai terminal to open the chute to the Depths. A cutscene will show the floor opening nearby.
Depths Section: Drop into the chute (equip the Glide Set or use your paraglider to control descent). The Depths section is dark — deploy Brightbloom Seeds or equip the Miner's Mask for visibility. The underground maze is smaller than the surface but filled with Gloom pools that drain your max hearts on contact. Navigate carefully, using Ascend to bypass some barriers. The terminal at the end unlocks the chest containing the Barbarian Helm.
🗺️ Labyrinth 2: North Lomei Labyrinth — Barbarian Armor
-0825, 3530, 0235 | Region: Hebra / Tabantha Tundra
The North Lomei Labyrinth is located in the far northeast of the Hebra region, in the frozen Tabantha Tundra. This is the most environmentally punishing of the three Labyrinths — the area requires Level 2 Cold Resistance to survive. The Snowquill Set (upgraded to ★2+) or a combination of Level 1 Cold Resistance armor plus a Spicy meal is mandatory. Without cold protection, Link takes rapid damage and the screen frosts over, making navigation nearly impossible.
Getting There: Fast-travel to Rito Village or the Tabantha Skyview Tower. From Rito Village, glide north and slightly east, using the updrafts around the mountains to gain height. The Labyrinth is visible from a great distance — it's an enormous dark stone structure on a flat snowy plain. The nearest shrine is Gatakis Shrine near Rito Village; if you haven't unlocked it, the Labyrinth is still reachable by gliding from high ground.
Surface Maze Strategy: The North Lomei surface maze is more complex than the South Lomei version, with narrower corridors and more dead ends. The Ascend-cheese method still works but requires more stamina due to the thicker walls in some sections. If navigating properly, follow the right-hand rule — keep your right hand on the wall and follow it; this guarantees you'll eventually reach the center (though it may not be the shortest path). Enemies here include Ice Keese and Frost Pebblits; equip fire weapons or Fire Fruit arrows to deal with them efficiently.
At the center, activate the terminal to open the Depths chute.
Depths Section: The North Lomei Depths section is the most treacherous of the three. The underground area has extensive Gloom coverage and is patrolled by Gloom-infected monsters — typically Black Bokoblins and a Moblin. Equip Gloom-resistant meals or the Dark Tunic (from the Depths bargainer statues) to mitigate the heart-drain. Bring plenty of Sundelion for recovery. The terminal at the end unlocks the Barbarian Armor chest.
🗺️ Labyrinth 3: Lomei Labyrinth Island — Barbarian Greaves
4655, 3700, 0130 | Region: Akkala, northeast coast
Lomei Labyrinth Island is an enormous stone maze located on an island off the northeast coast of Akkala, directly north of the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab. Unlike the other two Labyrinths, this one has no extreme temperature hazard. However, reaching the island requires crossing a significant body of water, which presents its own challenge depending on your available tools.
Getting There: Fast-travel to Ulri Mountain Skyview Tower (northeast Akkala) and glide east toward the coast. From the cliffs, you can see Lomei Labyrinth Island in the distance across the water. You have several crossing options:
- Build a hovercraft using Zonai Fans and a Steering Stick — the most reliable method
- Use a pre-built raft near the shoreline and attach a Korok Leaf or portable fan
- Swim with the Zora Armor — if you have it, the swim speed boost makes the crossing manageable
- Glide from the Sky Islands — if you've unlocked nearby sky platforms, you may be able to glide directly to the island
- Use the Travel Medallion — if you've placed it on the island during a previous visit
Surface Maze Strategy: The Lomei Labyrinth Island surface maze is the largest and most complex of the three. The corridors are wide but the layout is deceptive, with multiple loops and false paths. The right-hand rule works here but takes significantly longer than at North Lomei. The most efficient approach is a hybrid: Ascend through the walls at strategic points while using the map to orient yourself toward the central structure.
Enemies on the island include Electric Chuchus, Keese, and occasionally a Wizzrobe patrolling the central area. The Wizzrobe can be particularly dangerous if you're focused on navigation — deal with it first using an arrow to the head before attempting the maze.
Activate the central terminal to open the Depths chute.
Depths Section: The Lomei Island Depths section is unique because the drop takes you into a partially flooded underground area. Equip the Zora Armor or have stamina recovery food ready for swimming sections. The maze down here is more vertical than the others, requiring you to climb and swim between platforms. The terminal at the end unlocks the Barbarian Greaves chest and a Lightroot.
4 Optimal Route — Recommended Completion Order
The three Labyrinths can be tackled in any order, but the following sequence minimizes travel time, accounts for difficulty scaling, and ensures you have the right equipment for each challenge. Total estimated time: 3 to 5 hours depending on fast-travel unlocks and whether you clear or skip enemies.
Recommended Fast-Travel Unlock Priority
To execute this route efficiently, unlock the following fast-travel points before starting:
| Priority | Fast-Travel Point | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Gerudo Canyon Skyview Tower | Activate the tower (unlocks during main quest progression) |
| Essential | Rito Village / nearby shrine | Complete the Wind Temple questline or find a nearby shrine |
| Essential | Ulri Mountain Skyview Tower | Activate the tower in northeast Akkala |
| Recommended | Gerudo Highlands shrine (any) | Discover while exploring the region |
| Recommended | Hebra shrines (near North Lomei) | Discover for quick return trips |
| Optional | Travel Medallion on Lomei Island | Place your Travel Medallion for instant island access |
Loadout Checklist
- Armor: Snowquill Set (★2+) + Desert Voe pieces (or meals to compensate)
- Weapons: One-handed sword + shield for combat, hammer-type weapon for ore deposits
- Bows & Arrows: 30+ arrows, including Fire Arrows (Hebra), Ice Arrows (Gerudo), and Bomb Arrows (general)
- Fuse Materials: 10+ Brightbloom Seeds, 10+ Puffshrooms for stealth in Depths
- Meals: 5 Spicy meals (Hebra), 5 Chilly meals (Gerudo daytime), 5 Enduring meals, 5 Gloom-healing meals with Sundelion
- Zonai Devices: Fans, Steering Stick, and batteries for hovercraft construction
5 Gotcha Tips — What Can Go Wrong
The Barbarian Armor quest is straightforward compared to the Fierce Deity hunt, but each Labyrinth has its own set of pitfalls that can waste hours or get you killed. Here's every major gotcha and how to avoid it.
The classic strategy for Labyrinth navigation is using Ascend to clip through the walls and bypass the maze entirely. This works well in the South Lomei Labyrinth and moderately well in the North Lomei version. However, the walls in the Lomei Labyrinth Island are significantly thicker in many sections, and Ascend will fail to find a valid exit point. Don't rely exclusively on Ascend for the Island — be prepared to actually navigate the maze if needed. Bring stamina-recovery food in case you need to climb over sections instead.
Every Labyrinth's Depths section is in a completely unlit area of the underground. Without Brightbloom Seeds, Miner's Armor, or glowing weapon Fuses, you will be navigating blind. The Gloom pools make this even more dangerous since you can't see them until you're standing in one. Minimum recommendation: 20 Brightbloom Seeds and the Miner's Mask (purchased from a Depths bargainer statue for 100 Poes). The Miner's Set provides a permanent glow effect that makes Depths exploration infinitely more manageable.
Stepping in Gloom in the Depths sections temporarily reduces your maximum hearts. These broken hearts cannot be recovered with standard food — you must either return to the surface, stand in a light pool, or eat food made with Sundelion to restore them. Always carry 5–10 Sundelion meals when entering any Depths section. A single misstep into a large Gloom pool can drain 5+ hearts instantly, leaving you vulnerable to the enemies that patrol these areas.
The Tabantha Tundra surrounding the North Lomei Labyrinth is one of the coldest areas in the game. Level 1 Cold Resistance is NOT sufficient — you will still take damage over time. You need either: (a) the full Snowquill Set upgraded to at least ★2, (b) the Snowquill Set + a Spicy meal providing Level 2, or (c) two pieces of cold-resistant armor plus an active cold-resistance buff. Underestimating the cold is the #1 reason players abandon the North Lomei run and have to return later.
The Gerudo Highlands plateau where South Lomei sits experiences extreme temperature swings between day and night. Daytime requires heat resistance (Level 2 recommended); nighttime requires cold resistance. If you're doing the surface maze and Depths back-to-back, you may experience both extremes in a single visit. Bring both types of resistance meals, or plan your arrival for early morning / late afternoon when temperatures are moderate.
The Depths sections of each Labyrinth contain enemy camps that respawn every Blood Moon. If you're returning to a Labyrinth to retrieve a missed treasure chest or to farm additional materials, be prepared to re-clear the enemies. The good news is that Blood Moon respawns also reset the treasure chests in some side rooms, giving you another chance at loot.
Each Labyrinth surface maze contains 3–5 hidden treasure chests with valuable loot — typically high-level weapons, rupees, rare materials, and sometimes even Star Fragments or Large Zonai Charges. These chests are easy to miss when focused on reaching the center. After claiming your Barbarian piece, do a second sweep of the Labyrinth or use an online interactive map to locate any chests you bypassed. The South Lomei Labyrinth in particular has a chest with a Knight's Broadblade that's excellent for early-game Fuse experiments.
6 Free Benefits — What Else You Get Along the Way
Clearing all three Lomei Labyrinths is one of the most rewarding activities in TOTK beyond the Barbarian Armor itself. The journey takes you across three distinct regions of Hyrule, each packed with additional treasures, unlocks, and permanent upgrades.
Depths Lightroots — Permanent Map Illumination
Each Labyrinth's Depths section contains a Lightroot at the end terminal. Activating these Lightroots permanently illuminates a massive radius on your Depths map, revealing terrain, enemy camps, and resource deposits. The three Lightroots from the Labyrinths are:
- Sinonoyk Lightroot — beneath South Lomei Labyrinth, illuminates southern Gerudo Depths
- Kawakarut Lightroot — beneath North Lomei Labyrinth, illuminates northern Hebra Depths
- Nupisoyuat Lightroot — beneath Lomei Labyrinth Island, illuminates northeastern Akkala Depths
These Lightroots are among the most valuable in the Depths due to their remote locations. Unlocking them opens up vast new areas for exploration, Zonaite mining, and boss hunting.
Labyrinth Treasure Chests — Weapons, Rupees, and Rare Materials
Each surface Labyrinth contains multiple side chests in addition to the main Barbarian armor chest:
| Labyrinth | Side Chest Loot | Notable Finds |
|---|---|---|
| South Lomei | 4 chests | Knight's Broadblade, 50 Rupees, Amber ×3, Large Zonai Charge |
| North Lomei | 5 chests | Royal Broadblade, Sapphire, 100 Rupees, Star Fragment, Large Zonai Charge |
| Lomei Labyrinth Island | 6 chests | Diamond, Topaz ×2, 150 Rupees, Knight's Claymore, Ancient Blade, Large Zonai Charge ×2 |
Depths Completion Rewards
At the end of each Labyrinth's Depths section, activating the terminal spawns not only the Barbarian armor chest but also a Sage's Will — a rare item used to upgrade your Sage companions' abilities. Each Labyrinth gives one Sage's Will, meaning the full run nets you 3 Sage's Wills total. These are extremely valuable since Sage's Wills are otherwise only found at remote sky island locations or rare Depths chests.
Additionally, each Depths terminal room contains a chest with a Large Zonai Charge (worth 50 Energy Well refills) and several standard Zonai Charges scattered around the area. If you're running low on Zonai device battery, these Labyrinth runs are an excellent resupply opportunity.
Map Exploration & Korok Seeds
Simply traveling to and from the three Labyrinths will reveal large portions of your surface map in three under-explored regions:
- Gerudo Highlands: 3–5 Korok Seeds from rock puzzles and ring challenges around South Lomei
- Tabantha Tundra: 2–4 Korok Seeds, plus potentially a Frost Gleeok spawn to the north of North Lomei
- Akkala Coast: 3–5 Korok Seeds from the crossing route and island exploration
You'll also likely discover 5–10 new shrine locations to activate for future fast-travel points.
Unique Enemy Encounters
The regions around the Labyrinths host unique enemy encounters that are worth seeking out:
- North of North Lomei: A Frost Gleeok spawns on a frozen lake — one of the most challenging overworld bosses in the game. Defeating it drops Gleeok parts for powerful elixirs and Fuses.
- South Lomei surrounds: Golden Lizalfos and Molduga spawn in the Gerudo Desert below the plateau — excellent for late-game material farming.
- Lomei Island waters: Stalkoblins patrol the shores at night, and the deep water around the island sometimes has Armored Porgy schools for high-level cooking.
The Bargainer Statue Connection
Each Labyrinth Depths section places you near a Bargainer Statue — the creepy hooded figures that trade Poes for rare items. If you've been collecting Poes during your Depths exploration, these statues sell the Miner's Set, Dark Tunic, Mystic Set, and various other exclusive items. The statue near Lomei Island is particularly useful since it's one of the few in the far northeast Depths.
Permanent Fast-Travel Network Expansion
Beyond the Lightroots, completing the Labyrinths encourages you to unlock shrines and Skyview Towers in three regions you might otherwise neglect. By the end of this quest, your fast-travel network will cover:
- The entire Gerudo Highlands via the Skyview Tower + surrounding shrines
- The entire Hebra/Tabantha region via Rito Village + North Lomei area shrines
- The entire northeast Akkala region via Ulri Mountain Tower + Lomei Island
This dramatically improves your ability to traverse Hyrule for future quests, farming runs, and exploration.
Recommended Next
With the Barbarian Set complete, you're now equipped with one of the strongest offensive armor sets in the game. The natural next step is to acquire the even more powerful Fierce Deity Set — check out our Fierce Deity Armor Set Guide for the ultimate Attack Up build. The Fierce Deity Set requires completing a hidden 4-part treasure hunt across Hyrule, but the payoff is the highest raw damage output in the game. Alternatively, if you want to round out your armor collection, our Stealth Armor Set Guide will help you build the perfect sneaking loadout for assassination-style combat and wildlife hunting.