The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a game that keeps on giving, and one of its most exciting mechanics is shield fusing. At first, it seemed like a fun way to make some weird-looking shields and take on foes with various mushroom abilities. However, players quickly discovered that shield fusing had the potential to be so much more than just a gimmick for combat.
Fusing different items to Link’s shield could help with traversal, puzzle-solving, enemy distraction, and much more. In this article, we’ll explore over 20 different fusing options that can up your shield game. So, let’s take a look at some of the best combinations out there.
Top Shield Fusing Combinations
Zonai Rocket device: Fuse a Zonai Rocket device to your shield and hold ZL to go flying into the air, perfect for scaling steep slopes when ascend isn’t there to help you out. While the burst of energy is relatively short-lived, it’s a wild ride all the same.
Bomb: If you want to get some airtime in style, then why not fuse a bomb to your shield? This could be a Bomb Flower, Zonai Time Bomb, or anything that explodes. Simply pull off a shield surf manoeuvre and watch Link fly skyward, unscathed.
Zonai Spring: Much like the bomb tip, you can attach a Zonai Spring to your shield and flip into a surf pose to go twanging into the air. It might not send you quite as high as a bomb, but it does give off a neat little sound.
Zonai Cart: What if Link had a skateboard? Fuse a Zonai Cart to Link’s shield, hit the slopes with a shield surf, and shred it for longer and over far rougher terrains than is usually possible. Totally tubular!
Ice Block: For an even longer shield surf, try making yourself an ice block (achieved by throwing an Ice Fruit into water) and then whacking it on your shield. The slippery nature of the substance lets Link skate about when using the surf move, and you can even snake back and forth to keep it up for longer.
Sled: Particularly good in snowy conditions, fusing a Sled to Link’s shield is a neat way to make those Hylian hilltop descents a little more entertaining. Why not turn a standard shield surf into a shield snowboard?
Zonai Fan: Unfortunately, fusing a Zonai Fan to your shield won’t give you the hoverboard effect that you hoped for. You’ll just fall over. However, it can help move you around while you are using the paraglider.
Octo Balloon: If you still want to live out the Breath of the Wild days before all of this fancy Zonai kit came along, then you can always stick an Octo Balloon on your shield and press ZL to watch Link slowly ascend into the air.
Gemstone: Parrying with a gemstone Fused to your shield isn’t going to do anything unusual when parrying. However, if you wait for an enemy to take a swing at you, the gemstone’s effect will come off loud and clear. Each gemstone has its own effect (Ruby produces fire, Topaz electrocutes, etc.) and is worth playing around with to suit the situation.
Spring Zonai device: To get some distance between you and an oncoming enemy, fuse a Spring Zonai device to your shield and watch them bounce back upon impact. As well as being reusable, this one has the added effect of a hilarious boing sound as the enemy flies backwards.
Mirror: Zelda fans are no strangers to a Mirror Shield, but you can take it to a more literal level in Tears of the Kingdom by combining your shield with a Mirror. Apart from distracting any enemies by giving them a chance to do their hair (ok, that doesn’t actually happen), this combo reflects the sunlight from above into your enemy’s eyes, temporarily blinding them and opening them up for an attack.
Shield fusing in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a fun mechanic that can add a new layer of creativity to combat, traversal, and puzzle-solving. With so many different options available, players can experiment with a range of combinations to find the perfect shield for any situation. Whether it’s surfing down snowy hills, launching into the air with a bomb, or blinding enemies with a mirror, shield fusing has the potential to make every playthrough unique and exciting.
Leave a Reply