Keep

Keeps are critical strongholds in.

Features and Overview
Keeps represent territories that the Allied Forces, Enemy Forces, and Rogue Forces fight over. They are often walled structures filled with enemy forces that must be defeated. The progression of the Hyrulean Forces' control over the Keeps are indicated by a Keep Meter, which appears beneath the names of the respective Keeps. While the Dark Forces control Keeps, they may call upon reinforcements in an attempt to sway the battle in their favor. In order to prevent this, the Hyrulean Forces must deplete the Keep Meter, which summons the Keep Boss. Keep Bosses are tougher variants of enemies that serve as the last line of defense for Keeps. Once defeated, Keeps will switch control over to the Hyrulean Forces until they are overrun by Dark Forces again.

Keeps that are controlled by the Hyrulean Forces are overseen by key members of the Hyrulean army, such as the Captains. When a Keep is in danger of falling to the Dark Forces, a notice will be given, prompting Link and his allies to return and defend them.

Sometimes Keeps will also house chests, which may or not be revealed once the Keep is taken. These chests usually contain Rupees, and sometimes Heart Containers, Pieces of Heart, or new weapons for characters to use in the form of Sealed Weapons.

Bases
Bases are important Keeps that the Forces own, indicated by a fortress symbol on the stage map. Bases are crucial in keeping throughout the battle. If the Allied Base should fall, the Allies will be defeated unless the Base is saved from further attack. Enemy Bases are usually securely guarded by barriers until their defenses are gradually weakened and are opened, and a Boss may wait at its end. Defeating the Boss will usually take over the Base and end the battle in victory, although not all stages are won if the Enemy Base is taken over.

Not all stages start with an Allied Base or even an Enemy Base. The Allies however may reach an empty Keep during the course of the battle and claim it as their own Base. Allowing these new Bases to fall will still result in the battle ending in defeat.