Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Unveiling the Secret to Reviving Rusty Weapons

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What are Pristine Weapons?

Rusty weapons and shields made their appearance in Breath of the Wild, naturally raising the question of whether they would return in Tears of the Kingdom. Similar to its predecessor, players could repair the worn-out gear in BotW and restore them to their original state. Hence, players might be curious about whether the same feature exists in the sequel.

In Tears of the Kingdom, players will come across rusty weapons in various locations such as wells, caves with breakable rock walls, abandoned ruins, or in the possession of monsters. These items are particularly abundant in the starting areas of the game. Enhancing a rusty weapon or shield by affixing another object to it will not only boost its attack power and durability but also require careful consideration for inventory management.

Can Rusty Gear Be Fixed?

Regrettably, Tears of the Kingdom does not offer repairs for rusty weapons. However, there is a way to obtain a "bonus" effect for these weapons by utilizing the Rock Octoroks found in the Eldin Region. Players can simply drop their rusty gear (one at a time) and allow the Rock Octoroks to inhale them.

When the Octorok "sparkles," this indicates that the weapon has been cleaned.

Players can then kill the Octorok with an arrow (or melee weapon) so it drops the weapon.

The weapon will still retain its rusty state instead of transforming into a Traveler's Claymore. However, when players access the menu and inspect the cleaned weapon, they will notice a white/light blue icon positioned in the top-left corner. This icon signifies that a "level 1" bonus has been applied to the weapon.

Gold icons represent the maximum level or "level 2" and cannot be cleaned once more.

Cleaning a weapon covered in rust has the potential to enhance its durability, as indicated by a diamond icon, or it may acquire a bonus of increased critical damage, symbolized by crossed swords icon.

Rusty gear can receive bonuses, but superior weapons are readily available. Therefore, it is more beneficial to merge rusty weapons with rocks or boulders. Their feeble attack power and limited durability make them ideal for demolishing walls and extracting ore resources.

If players desire a fully restored version of a rusty weapon, they should seek out Pristine Weapons.

What are Pristine Weapons?

In Tears of the Kingdom, there are three distinct categories of weapons (excluding Zonai weapons):

The first category consists of decayed weapons, which are weapons retrieved from Breath of the Wild but have since deteriorated. These weapons exhibit a considerable reduction in their attack power compared to their Breath of the Wild counterparts, and their durability is also greatly compromised. This adaptation is necessary to accommodate TotK's fusion mechanic. Through fusion, by combining a decayed weapon with another weapon, both the attack power and durability can be enhanced. It is worth mentioning that the choice of materials and weapons used in the fusion process will determine the resulting increase in attack power and durability.

Rusty weapons have limited functionality, primarily useful for breaking ore and rock. Nevertheless, they become hazardous when wielded by an enemy, especially when Link possesses only a few heart containers. It is worth mentioning that these weapons cannot be repaired in TotK.

On the other hand, there are pristine weapons available. These finely preserved and polished gears can be found in The Depths. While venturing through this area, players may randomly come across a cairn. At the summit of these stacked stones resides the spirit of a soldier. When Link acquires the weapon from the spirit, its essence peacefully passes on.

The pristine weapons will "respawn" during each Blood Moon.

Pristine weapons can be any of the following:

One-handed sword

Claymore (two-handed)

Spear

Players will see a sparkling icon beside the weapon's name, indicating that it is in a "pristine" condition and has a higher attack power (and durability) compared to the decayed or rusted weapons commonly found on The Surface. It is strongly recommended to fuse monster parts, like a Silver Lynel Horn, with a pristine weapon. By doing so, the weapon's attack power can be increased to more than 100, depending on the specific weapon.

Players must locate and utilize/damage the degraded version of the flawless weapon before the flawless version emerges in The Depths. For example, if they desire an immaculate Knight's Claymore, they must acquire a deteriorated Knight's Claymore (e.g., within Hyrule Castle) and utilize it until it shatters. This action will activate its appearance in The Depths.

The category of impeccable weapon available in The Depths depends on the region that Link explores. Typically, The Depths beneath Hyrule Field or the Great Plateau yield Traveler Swords or Traveler Claymores. Although these weapons are not substandard by any means, the superior flawless weapons tend to emerge in "higher-leveled areas," such as the Gerudo Desert Depths or Eldin Canyon Depths.

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