Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom’s Most Powerful Item Has A Serious Downside

Aug 01, 2023

There are many powerful weapons and items in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but using one of the strongest has a severe downside.

There are many powerful items in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but using the strongest of all also comes with a severe downside. As with Breath of the Wild before it, carefully managing and utilizing items is key to combat in TOTK. However, although logic dictates that the best items in any game are also the most powerful, that may not always be the case for the player.

Items can be used in a variety of ways in TOTK, with the perhaps most important of these being as materials for Link’s new Fuse ability. Depending on the weapons, shields, and other items used, the combinations created through this process can grant major tactical advantages. With Link able to Fuse almost anything in Hyrule together, there is a multitude of potential combinations to fit a variety of play styles. Of course, the most prominent examples of Fuse materials include some of TOTK’s various Zonai Devices, but even a simple mushroom can prove surprisingly effective under the correct circumstances.

The Ancient Blade’s power in TOTK cannot be understated. Although too small to be wielded by itself, it can be fused to weapons or arrows for an incredible 50 attack power. It can kill most monsters in one blow, although it should also be noted that powerful Boss monsters like Gleeoks can resist its effects. However, using an Ancient Blade does have its drawbacks. For example, no matter what it is Fused to, the item is incredibly fragile and will break after one strike. But far worse is the fact that enemies defeated with an Ancient Blade will never drop any materials or items.

In a game like TOTK, the gameplay loop is heavily reliant on the player gathering materials from defeated monsters in order to face the next. The Ancient Blade disrupts this completely, ensuring that Link pays the price for using such overwhelming power by taking away any tangible reward for his endeavor. For example, a Lynel is easily erased from existence, vanishing into blue light along with anything it might have dropped as soon as Link attacks it. Of course, it is worth noting this is not the first time that such an effect has been seen in the Zelda franchise; Ancient Arrows in BOTW function in much the same way.

For players who are willing to forgo any materials in defeating their enemies, there are many treasure chests found hidden around Hyrule which contain an Ancient Blade. However, a far more reliable method of obtaining them is to visit the Spirit Temple after Link defeats the Seized Construct. Here, a Zonai Mining Construct sells the potent item for 50 pieces of Zonaite each. It is a high but understandable price; an Ancient Blade’s instant-kill effect arguably makes it the most powerful item in the game, even though Silver Lynel materials technically rate higher in terms of raw attack power.

Related: One Fuse Combination Makes Every Zelda: TOTK Fight Hilariously Chaotic

Ancient Blades uniquely allow a player to instantly defeat tricky foes, a valuable quality for those who are either not confident in their chances of victory or do not have the tie to spare for a lengthy battle. However, this costs the player any hope of receiving valuable materials from that same fight. This is perhaps unsurprising, considering that they will have done little to earn such rewards by using this Fused item in battle. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom consistently rewards exploration, experimentation, and effort. Using an Ancient Blade is simply the easy way out of an encounter, and so the downsides of using one reflect that.