how many shrines in botw

How Many Shrines Are in BotW? A Complete Guide to Shrines in The Running Wild (BotW)

If you’ve been exploring The Running Wild (BotW), an immersive open-world adventure set in a mythic Old English-inspired landscape, one frequent question among players is: how many shrines are in BotW? Shrines play a vital role in the game’s spiritual and quest systems, offering deeper lore, rewards, and connections to the world’s ancient magic. In this article, we’ll break down the shrine count, highlight notable shrines, and explain their significance in the BotW experience.

Understanding the Context

Overview: Shrines in The Running Wild (BotW)

In The Running Wild, shrines are ancient, often mysterious structures scattered across the wild, forested, and coastal regions. They serve as places of worship to forgotten deities, points of pilgrimage, and sources of powerful blessings or skill upgrades. Each shrine tells a tale of a bygone age and rewards players who visit and honor them.

How Many Shrines Are There in BotW?

Key Insights

As of the latest full content update (April 2024), there are 42 major shrines scattered across the game world. However, this number includes both permanent shrines and dynamic shrines that appear through story events or seasonal updates. The dynamic shrines are temporary and tied to specific questlines or lore events, meaning the total count can fluctuate slightly depending on seasonal events or content expansions.

Notable Shrines and Where to Find Them

Below are some of the most significant and well-known shrines in BotW, many of which are essential for completing key story arcs:

1. The Shrine of Aelena

Location: Central Mistwood
A sacred site to the goddess of nature and seasons, featuring glowing runes carved into ancient oak trees. Requires solving a riddle to unlock.

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Final Thoughts

2. The Forgotten Shrine of Wex

Location: Thornspire Cliffs
An isolated coastal shrine, accessible only at low tide. Offers rare blessings that enhance skill in crafting and nature-based abilities.

3. The Sacred Pool of Elow

Location: Windhollow Glade
A shimmering spring shrine where players can cleanse their spirit and gain temporary path-breaking buffs through ritual bathing.

4. The Iron Altar Shrine

Location: Bastionful Hills
Home to a forging shrine dedicated to the blacksmith gods, where players can enhance weapon crafting skills.

Shrine Visitation Rewards

Visiting each shrine typically grants players:

Unique items such as amulets, scrolls, or stat-boosting elixirs
Lore-rich inscriptions that deepen understanding of BotW’s mythology
Special quests that unlock senior story chapters
Temporary buffs related to divine or elemental powers

Tips for Finding All Shrines in BotW

Use the Game Atlas to mark shrine locations—many are hidden or require specific paths.
Pay attention to NPC quest givers who often reference shrines as part of broader story arcs.
Explore overworld shrines tied to weather events or seasonal festivities—these change and appear temporarily.
Consider completing side quests centered on shrines; they often reveal more clues about hidden locations.