Live by the Sword
In Tears of the Kingdom, Link must fight through dastardly monsters and survive varied weather conditions during his quest to find Zelda. With a touch of creativity, it is possible to turn almost anything into a good weapon, though some objects make for better weapons than others.
Most of Link’s weapons won’t be too good during the first few hours of the game, but there are a few ways to get around this thanks to his new Fuse ability. The following early-game weapons are some of the best in Tears of the Kingdom.
Bows and Arrows
The Construct Bow is one of the best early-game bows, and it can be obtained from the Constructs, which are the green, mechanical enemies. With a damage stat of 5, it delivers a fair amount of pain, and it also doesn’t catch on fire, which makes it useful to have when exploring hot areas. Later on in the game, Strong Construct Bows make an appearance, and they have a higher damage stat.
The Bokoblins are occasionally armed with bows, and some of them are worth looting. During the early hours of the game, it’s a good idea to look out for the Spiked Boko Bow which has a damage stat of 12, and the Dragonbone Boko Bow which has a considerably high damage stat of 24.
Alone, arrows don’t do much damage, even with a strong bow. However, once they are fused to something, they can become deadly missiles. Useful items to fuse to arrows before firing includes Fire Fruit for flaming arrows, and Bokoblin parts such as teeth and fangs to increase the damage delivered. Keese parts are also good to have on hand, as a Keese eyeball ensures an arrow never misses, and a Keese wing allows arrows to travel further. Bomb flowers deal devastating damage, and they are best saved for stronger enemies such as the Gloom Hands.
Sticks and Spears
On their own, sticks aren’t particularly strong or durable, though this doesn’t mean that Link shouldn’t pick them up. A Thick Stick or Wooden Stick alone will do in a pinch, but with a little fusing, they become tools of death. Once again, creativity is key when it comes to getting the most out of sticks. A Soldier Construct Horn, which is dropped by Constructs, will significantly boost the damage output of sticks. This is also true with rocks and spiny bones fused to sticks.
Spears are just long sticks. However, they fly further when they are thrown. Attaching Explosive Barrels, typically found in Bokoblin camps, to spears allows Link to decimate enemies from a distance. This is particularly useful for dealing damage to groups of Bokoblins, or enemies perched on top of a Talus.
Sometimes, all Link needs is a little space, and by fusing the right items into a stick or spear, it’s possible to force enemies to keep their distance. Attacking a Korok Leaf, Wooden Plank, or Sail to a stick turns it into a device capable of blowing enemies away with a gust of wind. Fusing two sticks forms a Long Stick that allows for long-distance strikes.
Zonai technology can also be fused to sticks and spears. Fusing the Flame Emitter to a stick creates a fantastic flame thrower. Lastly, keep an eye out for Stalkoblins, which are the skeletal forms of the Bokoblins that rise from the grave. When they are defeated, they drop a Bokoblin Arm which deals high damage, though it is very fragile.
Swords
The Traveler’s Sword is fairly common, though it has a base damage stat of 5. Instead, look out for the Soldier’s Broadsword, as it is more powerful. When it comes to fusing, attaching a massive boulder to a sword turns it into a hammer that can squash enemies or crush rocks for minerals.
Stone Axes are also great to have. Not only do they chop down trees effectively, but they also slash through enemies with ease. Fortunately, they can be found lodged in tree stumps on the Great Sky Island, making them quite accessible for Tears of the Kingdom beginners.
Shields
Although a good offense is priceless, Link will be defeated if he doesn’t have a good defense as well. At first, the only worthwhile shield around is the Rusty Shield, though as Link explores, it’s possible to find the Dragonbone Boko Shield, Spiked Boko Shield, and the Zonaite Shield early on.
Through fusing, shields can also be used to attack. With a Flame Emitter, even a Pot Lid becomes capable of slaying a Bokoblin. Items like Fire Hydrants can also be attached, though they are only encountered later on in the game.
Typically, precious stones are sold for money, but they can also be attached to shields. The effect the stone has on foes can be found in their descriptions. For instance, Opal is said to have “the power of water”, and enemies striking a shield fused with Opal will be doused in water.
As seen, the Fuse ability makes a massive difference to weapons during the first few hours of Tears of the Kingdom. Any loot, including Chuchu Jelly and mushrooms, can be used to improve weapons, with some combinations leading to interesting effects. Though early-game weapons aren’t too powerful, they can be crafted to be much stronger.
