Ancient cores are collectible items in Zelda Breath of The Wild. They’re used to upgrade rune powers, which makes them extremely valuable. Some enemies drop them, but there’s a more reliable way to get them. They can be found in certain chests. In this guide, we’re going to show you Zelda Breath of The Wild ancient core locations, how to upgrade runes with them.

Where to find ancient cores in Zelda BoTW

Guardians sometimes drop ancient cores when you kill them. They can be tough to kill, but since you need the cores, it’s better to confront them whenever you find one. Luckily, there are certain locations where you can get cores without having to fight a giant ancient robot.

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One such chest is located in the Dah Kaso Shrine in Central Hyrule, west of the Great Plateau region. It’s in the last room of the shrine, where the monk gives you the spirit orb. It’s a battle test, so you’ll have to defeat a special Guardian mini-boss.

Another chest is hidden in the Akh Va’quot Shrine, next to the Rito Village in the Tabantha region. It is located on the island in the middle of lake Totori. As soon as you enter, turn right and go up the stairs. Look across the gap – there’s a platform with a glowing tube there. Shoot the tube, and it will rotate the platform. This will cause the turbine to blow onto the fins on your side, lifting the grate, giving you access to the chest.

How to upgrade runes in Zelda BoTW

In order to use the ancient cores you’ve gathered, you’ll need to find a tech lab. There’s one in Hateno Village, in the Necluda region. Talk to Purrah, the tiny, bespectacled woman standing on a stool. If you haven’t, you’ll first need to complete the quest that ends with you getting the camera. You can also talk to Robbie at the Akkala Ancient Tech lab, if that’s more convenient. You can find it in the northeastern corner of the map, in the Akkala region.