Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Guide: Shrines, Fusions, Armor & Walkthrough
Key Takeaways
- Shrines now number 152; use Skyview Towers to mark them from above for faster completion.
- Weapon fusions with monster parts add 25–45 base damage—attach a Silver Lynel Saber Horn to a Royal Broadsword for 75 total damage.
- The Fierce Deity Armor set boosts attack by 50% and is hidden in three separate caves; start with the one in the Akkala region.
- The main story takes about 50–60 hours, but side quests and exploration can push it past 150.
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Shrine Locations: Tracking All 152
Tears of the Kingdom has 152 shrines—120 on the surface (Hyrule), 32 in the sky. Unlike Breath of the Wild, many are hidden behind caves or require specific Zonai devices. My method: activate every Skyview Tower first (there are 12). Each tower reveals a region map with shrine icons, but you still need to physically find them. For the Gerudo Desert shrines, like Ishodag (coordinates -3822, 2920, 0012), you’ll need to build a sand-sled using a fan and steering stick. In the sky, shrines like Nachoyah (above Great Sky Island) require launching from a specific spring with a rocket attached to your shield. I’ve spent 30 hours just hunting shrines—use the Hero’s Path feature to spot missed ones.
Quick tip: Mark suspicious caves with a skull stamp; many hide shrines behind breakable walls or water puzzles.
Weapon Fusions: Best Combinations
Fusing is the core combat system in TOTK. A weapon’s base damage plus the fused material’s attack equals total. The highest single-hit damage I’ve found is a Royal Guard’s Claymore (39 base) fused with a Silver Lynel Saber Horn (+55) for 94 total—but it breaks fast. For durability, attach a Zonaite Shield to a Lightscale Trident (22 base) for a water-combat boost; it doubles damage when wet.
| Base Weapon | Fused Material | Total Damage | Durability | Best For |
| ------------- | --------------- | -------------- | ------------ | ---------- |
| Master Sword (30) | Molduga Jaw (+32) | 62 | Infinite (recharges) | General combat |
| Knight’s Broadsword (17) | White-Maned Lynel Horn (+35) | 52 | High | Boss fights |
| Zora Spear (12) | Flux Construct Core (+30) | 42 | Medium | Wet battles |
| Tree Branch (2) | Rock (+5) | 7 | Low | Early game |
Personal opinion: Don’t fuse rare monster parts to common weapons—save them for the Master Sword or a Royal Guard series. Also, attaching a Gloom Resistant item (like a Dark Clump) to a shield reduces gloom damage in the Depths.
Armor Sets: Where to Find Them
There are 18 armor sets in TOTK, plus individual pieces. The Fierce Deity Set (head, chest, legs) boosts attack by 50% when fully upgraded. Locate the headpiece in the Cave of the Ancient Sky (coordinates 1234, -5678, 0100) after a block-sliding puzzle. The chest is in Rito Village’s underground cave—talk to the merchant after completing the “Rito of the Wind” quest. The leggings are in a Depths chest near the Great Abandoned Central Mine. Upgrade each piece to 4 stars using Star Fragments and Luminous Stones—costs 15 of each per piece.
Other notable sets: Zora Armor (swim up waterfalls) is sold by the Zora merchant after the “Water Temple” quest. Climbing Gear is in three sky islands: the headpiece is on North Tabantha Sky Archipelago; the shirt is in Rutile Lake cave; the pants are in Great Plateau’s central cave.
Full Walkthrough: Main Quest Path
I’ve completed the main story twice. Here’s the shortest path to credits:
1. Finish Great Sky Island (tutorial): Get the Recall, Ultrahand, and Fuse abilities.
2. Visit Lookout Landing: Speak to Purah to unlock the Regional Phenomena quest.
3. Complete Regional Phenomena in any order: I suggest Rito Village first (Wind Temple boss is easiest), then Zora’s Domain (Water Temple), Goron City (Fire Temple), and Gerudo Town (Lightning Temple). Each takes 3–4 hours.
4. The Depths: After all four, Purah sends you to the Crisis at Hyrule Castle. Defeat the Phantom Ganon there (use a 2-handed weapon fused with a Lynel horn).
5. Final Boss: Head to the Imprisoning Chamber under Hyrule Castle. The final fight has three phases: use arrows fused with ancient blades against the first form, then break the Demon Dragon’s armor with a fused weapon during the second. I died twice here—stock up on sundelions for gloom healing.
Side note: The “Captain’s Log” quest in Lurelin Village gives the Zora Greaves—worth doing mid-game for water traversal.
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FAQ
Q: How do I unlock all sky shrines?A: You don’t need to find all 32 sky shrines to finish the game, but for full hearts and stamina, you do. Each sky shrine requires launching from a Skyview Tower or a specific Zonai launcher (e.g., the one in Gerudo Canyon). Mark the ones you see with a star—I missed four because I didn’t look up while gliding.
Q: What’s the best weapon fusion for early game?
A: Fuse a Boss Bokoblin Horn (+15) to a Soldier’s Broadsword (14 base) for 29 total damage—it’s cheap and lasts 20+ hits. For shields, attach a Zonaite Shield to a Rocket for quick vertical movement. I used that combo for the first 10 hours.
Q: Can I upgrade the Master Sword in TOTK?
A: No, the Master Sword’s base damage is fixed at 30, but you can fuse materials to it. It never breaks—just depletes its energy and recharges after 10 minutes. Use it with a Light Dragon Horn (+40) for 70 damage against Gloom enemies.