How to farm dragon materials in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Learning how to farm dragon materials in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a crucial endeavor. Tears of the Kingdom features four dragons — Farosh, Naydra, Dinraal, and the Light Dragon — who are located in various locations around map. You’ll want to find them sooner than later: They not only have some of the most valuable items in the game, but also the most useful when it comes to Fuse combinations.

This guide explains how to farm dragon materials in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, from dragon scales to shards of spikes, so you can then combine these resources with some of the best weapons in the game.

How dragon materials work in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

There are five dragon parts you can obtain from all four dragons in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. While similar in nature, each dragon has a specific elemental property for its materials, which include scales, spikes, claws, fangs, and horns.

The item you get will depend on which area of its body you attack with either a melee or ranged weapon. In general, dragon materials come in handy for Fuse combinations, crafting elixirs, and upgrading armor (and they’re key for improving the Fierce Deity Armor set). Bear in mind there’s a timer in place for dragon farming. After you get a dragon part — excluding shards of spikes — it takes 10 minutes for materials to drop again.

This is indicated by the dragon losing its colorful glow. If you pause the game in any capacity, you’ll also pause this hidden timer, so be mindful of those bathroom breaks.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

In terms of the best farming method, you can just stay on top of a dragon and leave the game idle for 10 minutes. The risk of doing so is a surprise attack from an Aerocuda, or passing through an electric storm, which can leave you vulnerable to lightning if you have any metal weapons, shields, or bows on him.

Remember, Farosh, Naydra, and Dinraal all have hazardous conditions around them based on their signature element. If you don’t have the proper resistance to counter them, your best chance is to approach the dragon, grab the material you need, and make a swift escape. Then rinse and repeat after 10 minutes.

How to farm dragon scales

Dragon scales are obtained by hitting the dragon anywhere on the body — except the mouth, feet, or horns — with either a melee or a ranged weapon.

If you’re not aiming for a specific material, I recommend combining your arrows with a Keese eyeball. Thanks to the homing effect from the resulting arrow, you’ll ensure you won’t waste an arrow by missing the shot.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

That said, if you’re able to just hop on the dragon and do a quick hit with a melee weapon, it’ll be an easier method all around.

Here’s the list of dragon scales in Tears of the Kingdom and what they do:

• Farosh’s Scale: 16 Fuse attack power.
• Naydra’s Scale: 16 Fuse attack power.
• Dinraal’s Scale: 16 Fuse attack power.
• Light Dragon’s Scale: 12 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with a healing effect (restores a quarter of a heart per hit.)

How to farm dragon spikes

Shards of spikes are manually picked up from the dragon’s back, near its spikes. There are around eight to 12 of them at a time — and yes, it’s a new item type that wasn’t present in Breath of the Wild.

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Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

Unlike all other items, you can grab them in chunks. That said, shards of spikes won’t respawn after 10 minutes like the rest of the materials. For this, you’ll have to go somewhere else instead of staying on top of the dragon, and come back later. While the math behind the item’s respawn rate is uncertain, if you’re periodically checking on the dragons to farm materials, it won’t take long until you see them again.

Here’s the list of dragon spikes in Tears of the Kingdom and what they do:

• Shard of Farosh’s Spike: 16 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with lightning.
• Shard of Naydra’s Spike: 16 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with frost.
• Shard of Dinraal’s Spike: 16 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with fire.
• Shard of Light Dragon’s Spike: 12 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with a healing effect (restores a quarter of a heart per hit).

How to farm dragon claws

Dragon claws are obtained by hitting any of the dragon’s feet or hands, which are on the sides of the body towards the lower end.

In order to get dragon claws, I recommend jumping on the dragon first. Then, you can drop off from its back and use your paraglider to stay afloat, as all dragons have wind currents around them at all times to help.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

Then, using your bow in mid-air to activate slow motion, I recommend attacking the legs/hands from the front. Make sure to get as close as possible, as there’s a chance for the arrow to hit the body instead. It’s by far the most tricky body part to farm, but it’s only a matter of practice.

Here’s the list of dragon claws in Tears of the Kingdom and what they do:

• Farosh’s Claw: 18 Fuse attack power.
• Naydra’s Claw: 18 Fuse attack power.
• Dinraal’s Claw: 18 Fuse attack power.
• Light Dragon’s Talon: 14 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with a healing effect (restores a quarter of a heart per hit).

How to farm dragon horns

Dragon horns are obtained by hitting the dragon’s horns with either a melee or a ranged weapon.

The best method is to jump on a dragon, and then make your way toward the head. Once there, use any melee weapon to hit the horns. The material will drop on the spot, so you don’t even have to worry about it falling down to the ground. Of course, ranged weapons will also work, in case you’ve arrows to spare (I wish that were me).

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

Also, remember that dragon horns are specifically useful for cooking elixirs, as they extend the effect or resistance you’re targeting for a 30-minute period.

Here’s the list of dragon horns in Tears of the Kingdom and what they do:

• Shard of Farosh’s Horn: 26 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with lightning.
• Shard of Naydra’s Horn: 26 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with frost.
• Shard of Dinraal’s Horn: 26 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with fire.
• Shard of Light Dragon’s Horn: 20 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with a healing effect (restores a quarter of a heart per hit).

How to farm dragon fangs

Dragon fans are obtained by hitting the dragon’s mouth. Now, there’s an intricacy at play here, as you’ll need to hit the lower jaw. If you aim higher, you’re likely to get a dragon scale instead, since it’ll be considered an area of the larger body.

I recommend moving towards the dragon’s head, dropping into the air, and immediately aiming with your bow so you can slow down time. Then, aim at the lower half of the dragon’s mouth, and the item will drop.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

It will stay in place for a few seconds — if you don’t pick it up on the spot, it will simply fall to the ground. You can then skydive and pick it up in the air, or grab it once it hits the surface. (The Glide Armor set can be of help here.)

Here’s the list of dragon fangs in Tears of the Kingdom and what they do:

• Shard of Farosh’s Fang: 20 Fuse attack power.
• Shard Naydra’s Fang: 20 Fuse attack power.
• Shard of Dinraal’s Frang: 20 Fuse attack power.
• Shard Light Dragon’s Fang: 16 Fuse attack power, imbues weapons with a healing effect (restores a quarter of a heart per hit).

Those are all the dragon materials available in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom!