In Breath of the Wild, you can cook meals to restore health, gain buffs, or restore stamina. However, there will be times when Link will only need a buff instead of hearts. For these special cases, you should consider crafting Elixirs. Elixirs will give Link the boost he needs without wasting a meal.
During their Breath of the Wild gameplay, you’ll find various critters and defeat countless monsters. You should make a habit of farming anything you see, since it’s the critters/monster parts that serve as the key ingredients for any Elixir.
Updated on May 14, 2025 by Renri Seong: The sequel to Breath of the Wild (Tears of the Kingdom) has added new elixir recipes/effects that weren’t in the initial game. BotW‘s replayability will vary from player to player, but those that miss the original gameplay of BotW and can do without the new bells and whistles in TotK, should brush up on elixir recipes. Elixirs grant temporary buffs when consumed, but the buff is determined by the quality of your ingredients. Common critters to use are lizards and frogs, but with hundreds of monsters to slay, you may be wondering which monster part is best used for elixirs and which are better to keep in the inventory. The following guide has been updated to include the best locations to find most critters and monster parts.
Related
Breath Of The Wild: Where to Find the Best Horses
If players are looking to cover more ground faster in Breath of the Wild, they will need a great horse to help carry them further and faster.
Understanding Elixirs
How to Make Elixirs
Creating Elixirs is done through the same method as cooking food. Drop the desired ingredients into any cooking pot with a fire, but unlike food, Elixirs need (at most) two ingredients:
- Any Monster or Guardian part.
- A critter (ex: Restless Crickets, Tireless Frogs, etc)
Elixir buffs cannot be stacked. This means if Link wants to increase his Attack Power while also having Heat Resistance, he’ll need to choose between the two. Consuming two different Elixirs at the same time will override the first Elixir’s effects. For example, if you drink a Spicy Elixir and then an Electro Eleixir, you’ll lose your cold resistance and gain electric resistance instead. Cooking two ingredients with Elixir effects will cause them to cancel each other out.
Each Elixir has a duration that can be expanded by adding more ingredients or using “stronger” monster parts. For example, crafting a Spicy Elixir with four Warm Darners instead of one Warm Darner will generate a Spicy Elixir with a duration of 11minutes, 50 seconds. Using Dragon Parts will greatly expand the timer, but keep in mind that Dragon Parts are not considered Monster Parts. You’ll still need a Monster Part and a Critter to craft an Elixir.
Every Critter and Monster Part in BotW
Best Critter & Monster Locations
Most critters can be farmed from cutting down the grass in Hyrule, but some species only live in specific habitats. For example, critters that will add cold resistance are normally found in areas like the Eldin province. These are harder to find, and it’s recommended to use them for upgrades before making Elixirs.
Critters
|
Type |
Locations |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Frog |
|
|
|
Lizard |
|
|
|
Butterfly |
|
|
|
Darner |
|
|
|
Restless Cricket |
|
|
|
Sunset Firefly |
||
|
Beetle |
|
|
If you’re struggling to find critters in Hyrule, you can buy them from Beedle instead. Beedle’s wares vary from stable to stable, so you may not find what you’re looking for right away. He also sells a set amount, so you’ll need to wait for his wares to restock before you can buy any more.
Monsters
As for monsters, Link will defeat too many to count, but it’s important to pick up whatever parts they may drop. Remember: Elixirs require at least one monster part. Enemies like Bokoblins and Moblins can be found pretty much anywhere in Hyrule. If you’re looking for elemental specific enemies, then keep this in mind:
- Fire elemental enemies, such as the Fire-breath Lizalfos, can be found in Eldin or Death Mountain.
- Ice-elemental enemies, such as the Ice Keese, can be found in the snowy regions of the Tabantha region, Hebra Mountains, and Mount Lanayru.
- Electric-elemental enemies, such as the Electric Keese, can be found in the Faron region and Gerudo Desert.
|
Farmed from |
|
|---|---|
|
Bokoblin Fang |
|
|
Bokoblin Horn |
|
|
Bokoblin Guts |
|
|
Lizalfos Horn |
|
|
Lizalfos Talon |
|
|
Lizalfos Tail |
|
|
Icy Lizalfos Tail |
|
|
Red Lizalfos Tail |
|
|
Yellow Lizalfos Tail |
|
|
Moblin Fang |
|
|
Moblin Horn |
|
|
Moblin Guts |
|
|
Keese Eyeball |
|
|
Keese Wing |
|
|
Fire Keese Wing |
|
|
Ice Keese Wing |
|
|
Electric Keese Wing |
|
|
Chuchu Jelly |
|
|
Red Chuchu Jelly |
|
|
White Chuchu Jelly |
|
|
Yellow Chuchu Jelly |
|
|
Octo Balloon |
|
|
Octorok Eyeball |
|
|
Octorok Tentacle |
|
|
Lynel Hoof |
|
|
Lynel Horn |
|
|
Lynel Guts |
|
|
Hinox Toenail |
|
|
Hinox Tooth |
|
|
Hinox Guts |
|
|
Molduga Fin |
|
|
Molduga Guts |
|
|
Ancient Gear |
|
|
Ancient Screw |
|
|
Ancient Shaft |
|
|
Ancient Spring |
|
|
Ancient Core |
|
|
Giant Ancient Core |
|
Related
Best Main Quest Order for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The main quest line gives players some freedom in Tears of the Kingdom; here’s the best order to complete them.
How to Make Every Elixir in BotW
Every Elixir and What It Does
The critter and monster part will determine the buff duration. Some critters can be used interchangeably, but depending on what monster part is used and how many critters are added, the duration can be increased. There are a total of 11 types of Elixirs in Breath of the Wild:
|
Elixir Type |
Recipe |
Effects |
|---|---|---|
|
Hasty |
|
Increases Link’s movement speed. For longer effects, add more than one Hot-Footed Frog/Hightail Lizard. |
|
Sneaky |
|
Increases Link’s stealth. For longer effects, add more than one Sunset Firefly. |
|
Hearty |
|
Gives Link Temporary Hearts (yellow). For more hearts, add more Hearty Lizards. |
|
Mighty |
|
Increases Link’s attack. For longer effects, add more than one Bladed Rhino Beetle. |
|
Energizing |
|
Restores Link’s Stamina Wheel. For more Stamina Recovery, add more than one Restless Cricket or Energetic Rhino Beetle. |
|
Enduring |
|
Grants Link a Temporary Stamina Wheel. Link can stack up to two Stamina Wheels. |
|
Chilly |
|
Grants Link resistance to heat. For longer effects, add more than one Winterwing Butterfly or Cold Darner. |
|
Spicy |
|
Grants Link resistance to cold. For longer effects, add more than one Summerwing Butterfly or Warm Darner. |
|
Electro |
|
Grants Link resistance to shock. For longer effects, add more than one Thunderwing Butterfly or Electric Darner. |
|
Fireproof |
|
Makes Link flameproof. For longer effects, add more than one Fireproof Lizard or Smotherwing Butterfly. |
|
Tough |
|
Temporarily increases Link’s defense. For longer effects, add more than one Rugged Rhino Beetle. |
|
Fairy Tonic |
Fully recovers Link’s HP. |
Understanding Elixir Ingredients
How to Increase Elixir Effects
Critters are split into “invisible” tiers, and as such, they are responsible for the strength of an Elixir. You can determine the Elixir’s strength by checking the icons in its description. A level 1 Mighty Elixir will have one “sword” icon, while a level 3 will have three “swords.” Strength is also influenced by whether the Elixir was a “Critical Success.” This is when Link is cooking, and a five-note chime will play before the ingredients “jump” back into the pot.
There isn’t anything to indicate one critter’s rarity over another. However, you may notice that cooking a Darner + A Monster Part will generate a stronger effect than a Butterfly + A Monster Part. This is because Darners are “rarer” than Butterflies. The Darners will generate a “stronger level” than their Butterfly counterparts. For example: You can put together x4 Warm Darner + x1 Monster Part for a strong Spicy Elixir, or they can get a weak Spicy Elixir by using x4 Summerwing Butterfly + x1 Monster Part.
On the other hand, Monster Parts will extend the duration of the Elixir. Using a Horn will give the Elixir a shorter lasting effect than an Elixir with Guts. However, the duration isn’t influenced by the type of Monster, but rather the part. Cooking an Elixir with Bokoblin Guts will have the same effect as using Molduga Guts, even though the Molduga is tougher than the Bokoblin. What it will effect is the sales price. The Elixir that used Molduga Guts will be valued more than the Bokoblin one by Merchants. You’ll want to refrain from mixing in a ton of Monster Parts with Critters; you only need one.
There are also Dragon Parts, which are, ironically, not classified as Monster Parts. The lowest (Scale) can extend the effect of a meal from 1min30secs, while the highest (Horn) can stretch a meal’s effect for as long as 30minutes. Again: Keep in mind that Dragon Parts should not be mixed with Critters. Doing so will result in Dubious Food, as they are only compatible with food.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
10/10
- Released
-
March 3, 2017
- ESRB
-
E for Everyone: Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Havok
