Side Quest Completion Guide — Tracking and Finishing All Quests
Side Quest Completion Guide — Tracking and Finishing All Quests
Tears of the Kingdom features over 130 side quests and 60 side adventures spread across all of Hyrule. Many offer unique rewards, armor pieces, and story context that enrich the main game. This guide covers how to find, track, and efficiently complete them all.
Quest Types
TotK separates optional content into two categories:
Side Quests
Shorter tasks given by NPCs — typically fetch quests, combat challenges, or puzzle solutions. Rewards include rupees, materials, armor pieces, and occasionally unlocked vendors or features.
Side Adventures
Longer multi-step quest chains with narrative depth. These often span multiple regions and involve story-relevant characters. Side adventures frequently reward unique items, abilities, or permanent world changes.
Tip: Side adventures are generally more rewarding than side quests. Prioritize them when choosing what to tackle next.
How to Find All Quests
Talk to Every NPC
Most quests trigger by speaking to NPCs. Key locations with high NPC density:
| Location | Quests Available | |----------|-----------------| | Lookout Landing | 8-10 quests (your base of operations) | | Hateno Village | 6-8 quests (village life, school, dye shop) | | Kakariko Village | 5-7 quests (Ring Ruins, Paya's research) | | Tarrey Town | 5-6 quests (Hudson Construction, economy) | | Rito Village | 4-5 quests (storm aftermath recovery) | | Zora's Domain | 5-6 quests (sludge cleanup, Sidon's story) | | Goron City | 4-5 quests (Marbled Rock Roast, Yunobo) | | Gerudo Town | 5-6 quests (sand shroud, Riju's legacy) | | Lurelin Village | 3-4 quests (village rebuild, pirates) |
Check Stables
Every stable has 1-3 quests available from NPCs inside or nearby. The Stable Trotters musician quest chain (unlocking Great Fairies) originates from stable NPCs. Talk to everyone at every stable you visit.
Revisit After Main Quests
Many side quests only become available after completing specific main quests or temples. Revisit villages after each temple completion — new NPCs appear and existing NPCs have new dialogue and quests.
High-Priority Quest Chains
The Stable Trotters (Great Fairy Unlock)
A four-part side adventure that unlocks all four Great Fairies for armor upgrades. This is the most important side quest chain in the game.
Start: Talk to musicians at Woodland Stable, Snowfield Stable, Outskirt Stable, and Dueling Peaks Stable.
Addison Sign Quests
President Hudson's assistant Addison appears throughout Hyrule holding signs that need support. Help him prop up each sign using Ultrahand and available materials. There are 70+ Addison encounters across all regions.
Reward per sign: A random assortment of materials, food, and rupees. Completing all signs also contributes to Tarrey Town development.
Tip: Addison signs are quick to complete. Use a nearby log or rock with Ultrahand to prop up the sign, then talk to Addison to claim the reward. These are excellent rupee generators during exploration.
Lurelin Village Rebuild
After pirates destroy Lurelin Village, you can help rebuild it by completing a multi-step side adventure. Rewards include access to the village shop, a unique weapon, and the satisfaction of restoring the fishing village.
Hateno School
A quest chain involving Hateno Village's school and its students. Teaches game mechanics through NPC dialogue while rewarding materials and rupees. Light and fun.
Josha's Depths Research
Available at Lookout Landing. Josha sends you into the Depths to investigate ancient phenomena. Rewards unique materials and advances the Depths lore.
Efficient Quest Completion Strategy
Step 1 — Region Sweep
Pick one region at a time. Visit every named location, stable, and village in that region. Talk to every NPC. Accept all available quests before starting any.
Step 2 — Batch Similar Quests
Group quests by type before executing:
- Fetch quests: Check if you already have the required items in your inventory
- Combat quests: Route them with your farming circuits (kill the target while farming nearby enemies)
- Delivery quests: Plan a delivery route hitting multiple quest turn-ins in sequence
Step 3 — Check Quest Log
Open the Adventure Log regularly. Quests are sorted by type (Main, Side Adventure, Side Quest, Shrine Quest). Any quest with a yellow exclamation mark has new progress available.
Step 4 — Revisit After Milestones
After completing each of the five temples, do a full village revisit tour. New quests unlock post-temple, and existing quest NPCs often have new dialogue or reward changes.
Quest Rewards Worth Prioritizing
| Quest | Reward | Why It Matters | |-------|--------|---------------| | Stable Trotters chain | All 4 Great Fairies | Armor upgrades — most impactful reward | | Lurelin Village Rebuild | Village shop + fishing | Unique shop inventory | | Camera Work in the Depths | Sensor+ upgrade | Tracks any photographed item | | Hateno Dye Shop | Armor dyeing | Cosmetic customization | | Koltin quests | Monster armor pieces | Unique disguise armor | | A Picture for the Closed Door | Armor piece | Unlocks hidden shrine | | Potential Princess Sightings | Geoglyph locations | Story memories + dragon path | | Regional Phenomena (all 4) | Sage companions | Core combat abilities |
Tracking Progress
Adventure Log Organization
The Adventure Log tracks all active and completed quests. Use it to:
- Count remaining quests per category
- Identify quests with new objectives (yellow marker)
- Review completed quests for missed rewards
Map Markers
Place custom map pins on:
- NPCs who mentioned a quest you cannot start yet (prerequisite not met)
- Quest locations you plan to visit during your next regional sweep
- Addison sign locations you spotted but skipped
Completion Checklist Approach
For 100% completion, track quest counts:
- Main Quests: 23 total
- Side Adventures: ~60 total
- Side Quests: ~130+ total
- Shrine Quests: ~30 total
Common Blockers
- "Come back later" NPCs: Some quests require time-of-day conditions. Rest at a fire or inn to change time.
- Weather-dependent quests: Certain quests need rain, thunderstorm, or clear weather. Wait or fast-travel to a region with different weather.
- Prerequisite chains: Some quests do not appear until you complete another quest first. If a village seems to have fewer quests than expected, check if you missed an earlier quest in the chain.
- The Yiga Clan quest line requires visiting multiple disguised Yiga across Hyrule. If stuck, visit every stable and look for suspicious NPCs.
See also: 100 Percent Guide | Tarrey Town Guide | Lurelin Village Guide | Great Fairy Upgrade Guide
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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