10 Best Non-Combat Items In The Legend Of Zelda
9. The Blue Mail
Link has never been one to shy away from an outfit change over the course of his adventures. The most game-breaking example from Link's wardrobe came courtesy of A Link to the Past (subsequently reused in A Link Between Worlds): the Blue Mail.
The Blue Mail isn't just a palette swap for Link to keep things interesting as it reduces damage received by half and that is a very welcome buff in a game that puts even experienced players to the test.
Obviously many will be aware that the Blue Mail isn't the only damage reducing tunic change for Link in A Link to the Past, but the Red Mail is acquired so late in the game that it really isn't as useful to the player in the grand scheme of things - as a rule of thumb, any item picked up in Ganon's Castle (or any of the other final dungeons) is going to be overpowered as hell.
Over time, Link's costume changes started to mean progressively less and the last real instance of a tunic change giving a damage reducing buff came in Link's Awakening as subsequent games relied on rings, Magic Armour and Great Fairies to toughen up Link's defences and tunics became 'one trick ponies'.
A damn shame but at least there's a lot of wardrobe options in BOTW.