The Ultimate Guide to Shield Fusion in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, combat can be intense and focused on offense. However, a strong defensive strategy and shield can make a significant impact in battle, especially when facing multiple enemies. Dodging and parrying can mean the difference between life and death. With the ability to fuse items to shields, Link can explore numerous combinations to enhance his abilities. With the abundance of items in his inventory, it may be overwhelming to choose what to fuse with his shield. But certain materials can provide genuine benefits, such as equipping a smoke bomb or transforming the shield into a mode of transportation.

7 Puffshroom

Puffshrooms can be a valuable asset in Tears of the Kingdom, granting players the ability to use smoke bombs to counteract the overwhelming number of foes in Hyrule. They prove to be especially useful when dealing with large groups of Bokoblins or Moblins, as well as more formidable adversaries such as the White-Maned Lynel and King Gleeok, thanks to their ability to provide Link with a speedy escape. Not only are Puffshrooms effective when thrown or fused to an arrow, they can also be advantageous when paired with a shield.

When Link combines his shield with a Puffshroom, any incoming attacks (be it a strike, charge, or arrow) will trigger the Puffshroom to explode and release a thick cloud of smoke, temporarily blinding nearby enemies. This presents an opportunity for Link to unleash a flurry of strikes before the smoke dissipates. Alternatively, if the Puffshroom is triggered by an arrow, the player can quickly move to a different location to find a new angle of attack.

Flame Emitters are readily available in Tears of the Kingdom and serve as an initial introduction to the offensive Zonai Devices on the Great Sky Island. These emitters can be discovered scattered throughout specific locations and are accompanied by two Zonai Device Dispensers located near the Gutanbac Shrine and the Nachoyah Shrine.

6 Flame Emitter

When activated, the Flame Emitter Shield transforms into a formidable weapon, unleashing a fiery stream that can quickly take down foes with low health and inferior weaponry. Its focused directionality allows Link to keep enemies at bay and gain a temporary advantage in battle.

Dazzlefruit has a unique ability to temporarily blind enemies, similar to Puffshrooms. However, Dazzlefruit goes one step further by causing enemies to drop their weapons and shields, giving players the chance to steal or move them out of reach using Ultrahand. This versatile fruit can be thrown or shot with an arrow, and is also a valuable material for fusing to shields.

When used to create a Dazzlefruit Shield, this item is most effective in close combat situations. If an enemy arrow hits the shield, it won't do much unless foes are close by. But if an enemy strikes the Dazzlefruit fused to Link's shield in close quarters combat, it provides players with a golden opportunity to take down the enemy while it is dazed and weaponless.

4 Sled & Minecart

One of Zonai's latest creations is the Sled, designed to make small vehicles such as hovercrafts. However, its primary purpose is for advanced shield surfing. Players will encounter the Sled while completing the "High Spring and the Light Rings" Shrine Quest on Lanayru Mountain. They will need to travel to a Sky Island nearby and use the Sled attached to a shield to complete a shield surfing course.

But Sleds aren't the only traversal devices that can fuse to a shield. Believe it or not, minecarts can also be shrunk down to a tiny size and attached to a shield, effectively turning it into a skateboard. Link can then channel his inner Tony Hawk and grind on rails.

3 Rocket

In the absence of Revali's Gale in Tears of the Kingdom, players have had to come up with creative techniques to mimic its advantageous updraft. Fortunately, the game offers several traversal options that generate the same effect, ranging from igniting a Hylian Pinecone to stacking Zonai Fans on one another. However, there is another approach for Link to obtain a momentary yet potent boost.

Having a Rocket-fused shield in your inventory can come in handy when you encounter Zonai Rockets during your adventures. These shields provide a quick air boost that may not reach great heights or last long, but can greatly reduce climbing time. They can also help Link make a quick escape from areas filled with challenging enemies. Don't forget to keep one or two in your inventory for those unexpected situations.

2 Beam Emitter

Players will find the Beam Emitters useful once they stumble upon them, which can take some time. These handy Zonai Devices can be found in Shrines and certain caves, but the ones on the South Lanayru Sky Archipelago are the most plentiful. Although they work best when outfitted onto a vehicle, similar to the Zonai Cannon, players can also fuse them to a shield.

The Beam Emitter Shield can be a lifesaver in situations where Link is up against dangerous foes or a particularly strong enemy. It provides temporary protection until it depletes. While less precise than the Flame Emitter, which can easily veer off course with the slightest movement, it still packs a heavy punch and doesn't take up inventory space.

Fusing shields may seem counterintuitive, but it can actually double their durability. This is a great way to save inventory space, as stacking two identical shields on top of each other can make them last even longer. Having duplicates can be beneficial, especially if one has an extra durability buff that can be fused to another shield. Keep in mind that durability is a hidden number, while the numbers next to the shields indicate their parry power and ability to interrupt attack cycles.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.