The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Getting a Sword and Shield
When you first start out in Breath of the Wild, you won’t have any weapons or equipment on your person, save for the Sheikah Slate. You might pick up a few Tree Branches here and there, but those won’t last very long and they won’t be great for defending yourself either.
When the game starts, simply move forward in the open world until the game prompts you to go to the waypoint marked on your map. Head that way, and you’ll run into an enemy with a sword and shield. Before you confront it, it’s highly recommended that you pick up a Tree Branch on your way. Attack the enemy until it collapses, and it’ll drop both its sword and shield. You can then pick up his equipment and have Link equip them. It’s not much, but you’ll at least be able to defend yourself more reliably now. Do note that the sword and shield are susceptible to weapon degradation as well, so always be on the lookout for more equipment.
Be sure to check out our Breath of the Wild wiki for more tips, tricks, and information on Breath of the Wild.