The land of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is populated by monsters and beast of all kinds. Minibosses in the forms of Hinox, Talus, and Molduga litter Hyrule’s most dangerous areas, however, there’s one enemy that has no health bar across the screen that still strikes fear in the hearts of most players: The Lynels.
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Showing up in 5 different varieties and always packing a punch, Lynels are some of the most dangerous enemies in the game, and players should avoid them until they have the proper gear and know the best tips and strategies.
6 Red-Maned Lynels
The weakest of the Lynel types scattered across Hyrule, Red-Maned Lynel are still no laughing matter. Any player who finds even a Red-Maned Lynel before stocking up on good weapons and armor is in for a nasty surprise. These Lynel can be farmed for Lynel Horns, Lynel Hooves, and Lynel Guts, which are used in the upgrading of the Barbarian Armor set. Red-Maned Lynels also drop regular Lynel swords, Lynel spears, Lynel crushers, Lynel shields, and Lynel bows. This gear is some of the most durable and highest damage in the game, so players should be sure to try and take on these fights once they feel ready. They can also drop shock and fire arrows.
5 Blue-Maned Lynels
Blue-Maned Lynels are the second tier, with more HP and better gear, these Lynel pose a greater challenge for Link. Blue-Maned Lynels start spawning after Link has completed 1 divine beast and wield (and drop) the Mighty Lynel gear. Each of which has a corresponding sword, spear, crusher, shield, and bow. The more enemies players defeat within the game, the more Lynels will begin upgrading to higher tiers. Because of this, the mighty Lynel equipment is only available for a certain span of time within the game. If players wish to complete the compendium, it is worth farming Blue-Maned Lynels to find each piece of Mighty Lynel gear.
4 White-Maned Lynels
The third tier of Lynels are the White-Maned Lynels. They again have increased HP and higher damage weapons, but they also have new attacks. White-Maned Lynels are capable of jumping into the air and slamming down to create a shockwave that knocks Link back. They also have the ability to create a sphere of flame spreading from the Lynel after it roars. These attacks deal significant damage and should be avoided when possible. White-Maned Lynels drop the powerful Savage Lynel sword, spear, crusher, shield, and bow, which are significantly better than the other Lynel gear varieties.
3 Silver-Maned Lynels
The Silver-Maned Lynels are the most difficult Lynel that Link will have to face in a players first run-through of Breath of the Wild. Unfortunately, they still drop the Savage Lynel gear, so players hoping to find even better weapons will be disappointed.
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What players can get from Silver-Maned Lynels are rare gem drops, such as Topazes, Rubies, Sapphires, Diamonds, and Star Fragments. This makes them well worth the intense fight players will need to go through in order to slay one of these mighty monsters.
2 Gold-Maned Lynels
Gold-Maned Lynels are the strongest non-boss enemies in Breath of the Wild. They only spawn in Hyrule during a playthrough in Master Mode, which is only available if players have bought The Master Trials DLC Pack and have beaten the base game.
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For those experienced players, Gold-Maned Lynels will still prove a significant challenge with a base 7500 HP and the best Lynel gear in the game. Taking on these big bad monstrosities is one of the ultimate tests of a player’s skill, and should only be attempted with the best gear and a solid strategy to match.
1 How To Fight A Lynel
Fighting a Lynel of any variety is no easy feat, and before attempting one of these big bad lion centaurs, players should get good at backstep dodging and shield countering. Really good. Stock up on good equipment; multiple swords that deal at least 30 damage, powerful bows with lots of shock arrows, upgraded armor, and lots of healing meals. Players should also upgrade their Stasis runes to be able to freeze the Lynel in place (if only for a little bit).
Lynels can’t be targeted at range because they wield powerful bows and will quickly take Link out, shooting over cover. Instead, once players find their target, get close and freeze it using Stasis+. It won’t be frozen for very long, but while it is, shoot it in the face with an arrow. Then equip a sword and mount the Lynel, hitting it as many times as possible. It will eventually buck you off, but stall it with shock arrows until you can Stasis+ the beast again. Getting into this pattern will take some practice, but eventually, Link will be slaying Lynel with no problem.
Stronger Lynel will leave less time frozen by Stasis+, so Link will need to be more careful with this strategy. The tried and true system is to just dodge and block, utilizing flurry attacks to deal quick and significant damage. If players have defeated several divine beasts, Urbosa’s Fury can help stun-lock the Lynel while it is frozen in Stasis to give more time for mounting.
This strategy should help players overcome these terrifying beasts and stay alive a little longer as they explore the dangers of Hyrule. While players can try using the Lynel Mask to sneak up on Lynel, they will quickly see through the mask (unlike other enemies). Because of this, players should just run-up to a Lynel and freeze them with Stasis+ rather than wasting time with the mask.
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