To the depths you go
If you’re like me, you spent many, many hours in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom staring at the “L power wheel” going “so…where is the final ability?” Sight unseen I had to tough it out, not knowing what this mystery ability actually was. If you’re looking for info on autobuild, you’re in the right place!
What is autobuild?
You’ll acquire autobuild in the Great Abandoned Central Mine during a questline in the depths. It allows you to quickly build contraptions and vehicles in a snap!
If you’re wondering why your “L” ability wheel still isn’t filled yet, autobuild is the final piece of the puzzle. It has a three-hand purple icon, and can be found in the depths as part of a sidequest. As the name suggests, it’s a full-on ability that you’ll be using to “automatically build” structures and vehicles, from basic creations such as hot air balloons to more complex concepts. Over the course of the game you’ll acquire more blueprints to make more objects: particularly when following the depths-related questlines.
When using autobuild, if the components are already nearby, you can build it for free. If not, you’ll need to will some parts into being through materials.
Step 1: Get the camera quest at Lookout Landing, and finish it
The first step of your journey is going to Lookout Landing and speaking to Josha and Robbie. They’ll send you on the quest “Camera Work in the Depths,” which you’ll want to complete before moving into the next stage, where you’ll pick up autobuild.
Once you’ve picked up the quest Camera Work in the Depths, head south into the giant hole in the ground (it’s marked with gloom on your map): you can walk there or fire yourself out of the Lookout Landing tower and casually glide over. After you’re inside the chasm, speak with the attendant there to get a clue as to Robbie’s whereabouts.
We have a comprehensive guide on how to unlock the camera in Tears of the Kingdom here.
Step 2: Talk to Josha at Lookout Landing to get the follow-up quest to find autobuild
Head back to Lookout Landing and talk to Josha to get “A Mystery in the Depths,” the follow-up to Camera Work in the Depths.
Step 3: How to find the Great Abandoned Central Mine
The key to finding the mine, as Josha suggests, is to follow the statues.
Warp back to the Iaysus Lightroot, and follow the long line of statues to the Great Abandoned Central Mine. It really helps if you take brightbloom seeds to light the way, but the statues are still visible through myriad methods (including using the Gerudo Champion/Sage ability as a sonar to detect walls and pitfalls). We recommend just running through this entire sequence and ignoring all of the resistance along the way, as it’s a decently long journey.
After following the statues to the end of the line, you’ll come across the Great Abandoned Central Mine. Speak to the Steward Construct out in the open (the green robot NPC) to pick up autobuild. That’s it! All you need to do to complete the tutorial is select the skill, then trigger it near the broken vehicles. The ability will “automatically build” it, and you’ll take on a boss immediately afterward.
If you need ideas, there’s a comprehensive database of contraptions you can look over here!
Related: How to Unlock the Purah Pad Camera in Tears of the Kingdom on GameSkinny
