Magic Armor

The Magic Armor is a special barrier, in the form of magic or a tunic, that greatly reduces the amount of damage Link receives from enemies during battle. The Magic Armor has a catch though: in order for it to function properly, it must capitalize on the longevity of Link's magic meter, like in The Wind Waker or the amount of Rupees Link has, like in Twilight Princess.

The Wind Waker

 * See also: Island Trading Sequence

In The Wind Waker, the Magic Armor appears as a kind of jewel or crystal (which somewhat resembles the three spells from Ocarina of Time). It is an optional item in the game that can be obtained after completing the Island Trading Sequence.

Upon use, a magical barrier will cover Link, protecting him from taking damage, similar to Nayru's Love. The Magic Armor slowly drains Link's magic power (Rupees in the HD version) while active, and will simply stop working once Link's magic meter or Rupees runs out. Link can even activate the shield while sailing for protection from attacks during sea battles.

Twilight Princess

 * ''See also: Magic Armor Sidequest

The Magic Armor is an item in Twilight Princess that Link can use to make himself invulnerable. With the lack of a magic bar in Twilight Princess, the Magic Armor drains Rupees very quickly (about two per second). When attacked, it will drain 12 Rupees. Once Link runs out of Rupees, the armor loses its color and becomes very heavy, causing Link to move as if he has the Iron Boots equipped. If Link is out of Rupees when he equips this, Link can not get on Epona, and if Link equips it while riding Epona, Epona will stop, and Link will be sent flying off of Epona. He also sinks in water if he runs out of Rupees while swimming, forcing him to take the armor off or drown. The Magic Armor's design is similar to that of the crown and armor Princess Zelda wears, suggesting that the Royal Family had something to do with the making of the armor. Another possible connection to the Royal Family is the Triforce symbol near the bottom of the torso.

Once Link has donated to the Malo Mart Castle Town Branch, the Magic Armor will be available for purchase at 598 Rupees.

Because of its Rupee-draining qualities, many players seldom equip this armor. However, this is not quite as much of a problem after breaking the curse on Jovani.

Obtaining the Magic Armor
The quest for the Magic Armor can be started after completing the Lakebed Temple. Upon visiting Kakariko Village, Link can find Gor Ebizo in Malo Mart who wishes to reunite funds to repair a bridge that gave access to Hyrule Castle Town from western Hyrule Field, which is important to resume the import of Hot Spring Water to said town. Gor Ebizo (with the help of Malo himself) wants to put to an end the difficult economic situation in Castle Town by purchasing the most luxurious and expensive shop to replace it with one having reasonably-priced products. He needs a total donation of 1,000 Rupees, which Link can provide through various partial donations (unless he can donate that amount at once). After the donation, Link must talk to Gor Liggs, who is outside Malo Mart, who will request that the young hero go to western Hyrule Field to see the progression of the bridge's repair.

Although a Goron manages to repair the bridge, he becomes critically fatigued, and therefore cannot bring Hot Spring Water to the town. If Link speaks to him, he will need to return to Kakariko Village, where Gor Liggs will give him a barrel of Hot Spring Water to revitalize the fatigued Goron. Link must then crosses the western field with the barrel, but numerous enemies, including Leevers and Bulblins, will be there to hinder his progression; and if something happens to the barrel, the young hero will have to return to Kakariko Village for another. Once he reaches the bridge, he can throw the barrel onto the Goron, who will quickly regain his strength and energetically begin importing the Hot Spring Water to Castle Town, leaving a Heart Piece in the process.

Afterward, Link must go back to Malo Mart in Kakariko Village to find that another monetary collection has been initiated; this time to buy out Chudley’s Fine Goods and Fancy Trinkets Emporium. Fortunately, a mere 200 Rupees are required (this is because, thanks to the export of Hot Spring Water, both Malo and Gor Ebizo received a grand donation and they are reserving it toward the shop purchase. Had Link ignored aiding Gor Liggs's son, the money he would have needed would have been 2,000 Rupees). If Link completes the donation, the final objective will be complete. The young hero can now go to Castle Town to find a branch of Malo Mart where the Emporium used to be. Inside, he can find various goods at reasonable prices, including the Magic Armor for 598 Rupees.

Trivia

 * In The Wind Waker, after Link has finished the game and is wearing the normal island clothes for the second quest, the Magic Armor will still show the outline of Link's trademark hat even though he is not wearing it. Some theorize that this is the silhouette of the invisible "Hero's New Clothes".
 * Interestingly, both Magic Armor sidequests (the trading sequence in The Wind Waker and the donations in Twilight Princess) include the obtention of a Heart Piece; this may be to compensate for the high inversion of Rupees in the quests.
 * The Magic Armor in The Wind Waker strongly resembles the three spells given to the Hero of Time by the Great Fairies in Ocarina of Time, as all four objects have the same basic appearance (a sphere inside a transparent or semi-transparent diamond). In terms of function, the Magic Armor behaves nearly identically to Nayru's Love. This may indicate a relationship between the Armor and these spells, or may simply be a reference to them.