What Are The Best Early Items in Tears of the Kingdom?
What Are The Best Early Items To Get In Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?
In this article, I’ll review the top 10 best early items in Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Some examples will include special early armor, items, and weapons. While the topic is subjective to some gamers, I’m ranking based on the difficulty of obtaining the item. Secondly, I’m ranking based on how useful the item is to progress through the game. Lastly, I’m ranking based on how common the item is. Let’s get to it.
Early Special Armor
10. Fierce Deity Armor
The Fierce Deity Armor is one of the most rewarding armor you can get early in the game because it is the perfect offensive armor you can get. Link will need to show Ganondorf who's the real boss around Hyrule. Prevent Link from throwing Nerf attacks to no avail, and get this armor as soon as possible!
In my opinion, the Fierce Deity ranks #10 on this list because it is not a difficult armor to find. Getting it takes some time and effort, and there is plenty of exploring on the surface if you haven't. It's one of the most overpowered armors in the game, as "you feel a fierce, godlike power flow through you."
Even if players start with a tiny health bar in the game, some may value armor with a higher attack value because Tears of the Kingdom has stronger enemies than Breath of the Wild. The Fierce Deity armor will give players a better advantage when it comes to offense. You should wear it when you’re going in for a fight, and you look fierce.
What makes the Fierce Deity Armor amazing:
- The armor grants an automatic perk, raising your attack level. So it’s great to face off powerful enemies with it, from Silver Moblins/Bokoblins to Lynels and Gleeoks. The armor will enhance normal weapons just a little, enough to slay annoying normal Bokoblins with 1 swing.
- The armor has a set bonus, reducing stamina while performing charged attacks. This tactic is beneficial when defeating a Silver Moblin with less than 10 hits with a royal claymore. You can unleash charged attacks efficiently when you have powerful weapons, such as a Soldier IV Reaper.
- The process of getting the armor will eventually lead you to gain the Fierce Deity Sword in the end. The Fierce Deity Sword grants a level 38 attack. This weapon is super awesome! Save it for mini-bosses like Gleeoks or main bosses like Queen Gibdo.
Armor stats:
- The total base defense of the armor is 9 (each piece is 3).
- Automatically raises your attack up.
- The set bonus reduces your stamina while performing charged attacks.
- Fully upgraded defense requires 2 Lynel guts, 1 Dinraal’s horn, and 500 rupees for a defense level 20.
How to get the Fierce Deity Armor:
Finding the Boots:
Make your way to Cephla Lake Cave. You can fast travel to the Kisinona Shrine if you can.
Before going in, talk to the brothers on the right. They’ll give you a Misko quest to go in.
As you go in, use ultrahand to pick a treasure. Pick the treasure on the ground highlighted in green here. It is the left-second-diagonal to the brightgloom seed. You’re looking for the ember trousers.
Alternatively, head to the nearby stable (Foothill Stable) and feed one of the dogs 10 apples. They can sniff out treasure for you.
Once you find the ember trousers, a cutscene will inform you of a riddle where to find the other pieces, including the boots. You must find the ember trousers to trigger the Fierce Deity armor quest. The boots are located here, at the Ancient Tree Stump Cave.
Use the Hyrule Field Skyview Tower to glide to the location easily.
Here’s what the funny tree stump looks like, containing a long bridge.
Fall into the hole, and as you fall, you will want to face south as you come down.
You’ll see Misko’s banner near a small crepe of vines. I marked it with a brightgloom seed.
You’ll see an area with lots of strange branches. The treasure is up ahead by this hole. I marked it with a brightgloom seed.
Finding the Chest:
The chest piece is at the Akkala Citadel Ruins, close to the Domizuin Shrine. You can fast travel to that shrine, or fast travel to Ulri Mountain Skyview Tower and glide to the ruins. I marked the location in green.
Once you have made it safely, walk over to the west of the ruins by this wall, I marked it with brightgloom seeds.
Climb over the wall and jump over the other side.
You’ll see a small hole in the wall in the bottom right corner. Duck through it.
There will be a hole leading to the treasure. You almost got the whole set, great job!
Finding the Mask:
The mask is at Skull Lake, northwest of Deep Akkala, and near the tempest gulch.
You can fast travel to the Kamatukis Shrine if you can. It’s the most direct shrine.
Climb the tall stone pillar, or if you want the easy way, use a rocket shield, trampoline shield, or a flying Zonai device.
As you come up, there’s a hollow cave. Fall through it and follow a direct path. Beware, there are skeletons! Fight if you must, or ignore them.
You’ll eventually get to a path blocked by rubble. Crush it to make your way there with a cobble crusher or use plant bombs. Beware, there is a Stalnox in this room!
Fight for your life if the Stalnox is bullying you. He's very mean if you steal his stuff! Or you can ignore him and head to the treasure resting on a stone pillar. I marked it with a brightgloom seed. Now, you have the full Fierce Deity Set!
But hold your horses! You have a bonus gift from Misko, and Link loves it when Christmas comes early. Travel back to the Cephla Lake Cave. Fast travel with the Kisinona Shrine.
As you return to the cave, wear the full Fierce Deity armor. The cave will open a secret entrance, granting you the Fierce Deity Sword. I marked it with a brightgloom seed. Head toward that entrance for a rare weapon. Now, you have awesome early armor!
Weapons:
9. Shield Canon
Shield canons are so fun in Tears of the Kingdom! You can get them early in the game, and you must have the fuse ability, a shield of your choice, and a Zonai canon. Prevent Link from being uncreative, and get this weapon early!
In my opinion, the Shield Canon ranks #9 because navigating through Hyrule Castle can be challenging for some players. Many weapons and shields are lying around, but they are affected by gloom and aging. Finding the canons also requires effort, such as exploring all shrines or scouting for soldier constructs in the Sky or Surface. There’s also the device dispensers to look after.
Depending on what shield you have, it will determine the longevity and durability of the Shield Canon. Any Hyrule shield, such as Royal Shields and Rusty Shields, or better, a Construct Shield, is recommended. Remember that upgrading the energy cell is important to fire as many shots as possible. Wield it for middle to far range battle.
Here’s what makes the Shield Canon awesome and useful:
- It's excellent for mid to far-range battles! Destroy many enemies in your way. You can battle a variety of mini-bosses and main-game bosses with it, as the weapon will protect you while forcing colossal damage.
- It's another alternative to destroying rock rubble in caves. It's a good weapon for when you need rock sledges or a cobble crusher to make destroying rock rubble efficient.
- When you are fighting on grass fields or in forests, the Shield Cannon's blasts from the fire can cause an updraft. You can use this as an advantage by jumping over the fire's winds to fly up and activate bullet time to make the battle much more exciting.
Shield Canon best combos and stats:
- All shield canons depend on the amount of energy cells you have.
- The Traveler’s Shield (4 defense points), can fire 6 shots with 6 energy cells.
- The Royal Shield (62 defense points and shield guard up +7) can fire 13 shots with 13 energy cells.
- The Mighty Zonaite Shield (56 defense points and shield guard up +6) can fire 10 shots with 10 energy cells.
Finding Shields:
You can find shields anywhere in the game! The best place to get shields early is in Hyrule Castle. Explore the Sky and the Depths too! Every player has preferences for where to find certain things in the game.
As an example, the best shields are in any gatehouse. Royal Shields are in treasure chests. Travelers Shields and Rusty Shields are common to find in bases.
The Hylian Shield can be found in the docks beneath Hyrule Castle here.
Find shields at enemy campsites. Mighty Zonaite Shields are the best!
Findings canons:
As another alternative, you can find the device dispensers. You can get canons from the North Necluda Sky Archipelago. It’s close to the Sashara Slope Skyview Tower.
You can get it from the Necluda Sky Archipelago. It’s close to Rabella Wetlands Skyview Tower.
You can get it from the Sokkala Sky Archipelago. It’s near the Ulri Mountain Skyview Tower.
8. Shield Rocket
The Shield Rocket is one of the best early items in the game since Link will need every advantage to reach the sky! Shields and rockets are easy to find in the game through some exploration. Prevent Link from wasting his stamina climbing so much, and get this fused weapon as early as possible!
In my opinion, the Shield Rocket ranks #8 because although it's versatile in many situations, it is extremely one-use. Rockets can be a minor pain to find, depending on where players explore early in the game. Intentionally have as many shields as possible. You'll want to use them while exploring Hyrule and in battle.
What makes the Shield Rocket great:
- Use them when going into battle, specifically facing Gleeoks! Gleeoks are the fiercest mini-bosses in the game and can be very intimidating for close combat. A shield rocket is your best tool against this enemy since it can soar high and stay high.
- You can temporarily shield surf in the sky! It will assist you in gaining a quick horizontal boost. It has the same capabilities that Tulin has (giving you a boost in the air) but is better because of the shield rocket’s speed.
- Reach high unattainable platforms, especially if there’s an opening at an angle. Or use them to reach high platforms with thick ledges because Link can’t climb upside down. Use them to prevent climbing on
Shield Rocket Boosts Stats:
- Most shield rockets will grant a short boost that lasts up to 3 energy cells or a little less.
- The Travelers Shield (4 defense points) lasts almost 3 energy cells.
- The Royal Shield (55 defense points durability up +) lasts almost 3 energy cells.
- The Mighty Zonaite Shield (50 defense points durability up +) lasts 2.6 energy cells.
Reference to the Shield Canon page if you want to know where to find shields!
Finding rockets:
The best way to find rockets is to go to the sky and find Soldier Constructs that love shooting rocket arrows at you.
You can unlock Device Dispensers early. Find them at the West Hebra Sky Archipelago.
There's another one at South Hyrule Sky Archipelago.
7. Royal Halberd Rock Sledge
One of the best weapons you can fuse early in the game is a Royal Halberd and a rock or boulder fused with it. Link must take advantage of offense on particularly early weak enemies, such as Bokoblins, Lizalfos, Wizzrobes, and Stone Taluses. Prevent Link from waking up and hitting enemies with a tree branch, and get this weapon as soon as possible!
In my opinion, the Rock Sledge ranks #7 because there is a partial risk of getting the Royal Halberd in Hyrule Castle, and the weapon is moderately strong. Sometimes, an enemy is wielding it or hidden in treasure. Finding rocks is accessible in the game because there are so many caves and loose rocks. The strength of the Royal Halberd depends on the strength of your Rock Sledge. Use this weapon when you are going up against smaller but tough enemies.
What makes the Royal Halberd Rock Sledge useful:
- Crushing rubble in caves! But you can also mine with them. Learn to get rich by mining from rubies, sapphire, luminous stones, diamonds, and even Zonaite!
- By dodging attacks at the right time, the weapon will allow you to gain a flurry rush faster than other weapons. The Royal Halberd can hit those blindspots instantly without getting too close to the enemy. Flurry Rushes are slow-motion moments where Link dodges an attack and unleashes powerful attacks toward an enemy.
- The Royal Halberd is long and can attack enemies from a mid-range distance. When it becomes a Rock Sledge, it can send weak Bokoblins and weak Soldier Constructs to fall. It’s perfect for taking Stone Taluses down!
- You can also throw it very far like a spear! You can hit Aerocudas with it as well as annoying bats or tip off a powerful Flux Construct. If there’s ever a moment the Royal Halberd Rock Sledge goes bad, throwing it at an enemy can slightly increase damage.
Royal Halberd Best Stats:
Common
- Royal halberd (7 level attack durability up) with a rock (1) has 8 attack points.
- Royal halberd (7 level attack + long throw) with a boulder (3) has 10 attack points.
Rare
- Royal halberd (12 level attack + attack up +5) with a rock (1) has 18 attack points.
- Royal Halberd (12 level attack + durability up +) with a boulder (3) has 15 attack points.
Finding the Royal Halberd:
You can find them anywhere in Hyrule Castle in treasure chests. Beware, Horriblins wield them!
Finding rocks or boulders:
You can find rocks and boulders anywhere, such as inside caves. Boulders will add more strength to the Rock Sledge combination. Here are the best early locations.
You can find many loose rocks on Great Sky Island.
You can find loose rocks in Hyrule Castle Town ruins.
You can find loose rocks and boulders in deep Forests such as the one in the Great Plateau.
6. Flame Emitter Broadsword
One of the hottest fused weapons is the Flame-Emitter Claymore because Link sometimes needs to burn his enemies to the ground. The Royal Claymore is a common weapon in the game, as Flame Emitters are common Zonai items. Prevent Link from getting cold or being surrounded by multiple enemies, and get this weapon as soon as possible!
In my opinion, the Flame-Emitter Claymore ranks #6 because it’s an underrated weapon, and it's easy to find Royal Claymores in Hyrule Castle, ruins, or caves. These areas are low risk despite the enemies inhabiting them. Obtaining flame emitters early in the game is so easy that the tutorial leads you to the first Device Dispenser. When surrounded by many enemies, you should wield a Flame-Emitter Claymore, choosing to fight or flee.
Why the Flame Emitter-Claymore is useful:
- They are great for a charged attack when a large group of enemies surround you. The charged bursts of flame will help you escape the enemies and gain a better position in battle. Sometimes, keeping spinning helps you get out of trouble!
- They are super helpful for attacking Frost-like enemies! A charged attack is not necessarily needed to strike a swarm of Ice Keese, as 1 stroke is enough.
- You can burn many things! You can burn vines blocking a path to an entrance or a climbing area. You can also use them when a Zonai hot-air balloon runs out of fire, gaining height.
Flame Emitter-Claymore Best Combo Stats:
- Passive ability is the improved flurry rush.
Common
- A Royal Claymore(10 attack points) with a flame emitter (1) grants 11 attack points.
Rare
- A Royal Claymore (18 attack points) with a flame emitter (1) grants 19 attack points.
Finding Royal Broadsword:
They are most common in the Central Hyrule Depths and Hyrule Field around the ruins.
Alternatively, you can find it in Hyrule Castle or caves.
Finding Flame Emitters:
You can find 2 Device Dispensers in Great Sky Island.
You can find them in the West Hebra Sky Archipelago.
You can find them in the North Hyrule Sky Archipelago.
You can find them in Zonaite Forge Island.
5. Royal Bow
The Royal Bow is one of the best bows to get early, as Link is known for being the best knight in Hyrule! Royal Bows are common bows in the Hyrule area, depending on how players want to find it. Prevent Link from being a starved archer, and get this weapon as soon as possible!
In my opinion, the Royal Bow ranks as #5 because it is one of the most durable, aggressive, and effective bows in the game. It can shoot far and close with great power, depending on whether you have a regular Royal Bow or a Quick Shot Royal Bow. It’s super easy to find in the Hyrule Castle area with little risk of getting it, and it's more durable than the Dusk and Royal Guards Bow.
What makes the Royal Bow useful:
- It can shoot far enough to hit Gleeoks perfectly in bullet time! The Royal Bow can take out each eye with 2 shots with a fully upgraded stamina wheel, saving a sliver of stamina to protect yourself from landing.
- It’s super effective for raiding enemy bases, especially when you’re starting to learn how to use a bow in battle. During bullet time, 1 shot takes up a ¼ partial stamina, delivering a 1-shot sniper kill on basic enemies such as Bokoblins and Lizalfos.
- It can shoot far enough to hit Lynels in bullet time! The Royal Bow, with some bomb arrows, can take out a Lynel’s armor in roughly 10 shots with a fully upgraded stamina wheel if aiming at the head.
Royal Bow Best Stats:
Common:
- A Royal Bow (38 attack points, Quick shot) will support 54 full shots until it breaks.
- A Royal Bow (45 attack points, Attack Up +7) will support 38 full shots until it breaks.
Rare
- A Royal Bow (47 attack points, Attack Up +9) will support 38 full shots until it breaks.
Finding the Royal Bow:
You can get the Royal Bow in Hyrule Castle. There are plenty.
Items
4. Fire Fruit
Fire Fruit is one of the best early items in the game because it will provide Link with many uses, from cooking it to fighting with it! Without this item Link will be hangry and doesn’t like sharing his food. Prevent him from being hangry and get fire fruit as soon as possible!
In my opinion, Fire Fruit ranks as #4 because it is a common item early in the game. There are many fusions to go with the item with many effects, some of which help melt ice. There's a large commodity of Fire Fruit, and there are locations to travel to that have Fire Fruit. There is no risk of obtaining them. You should use them when neutralizing an enemy’s defense!
What makes Fire Fruit useful:
- It’s delicious in cooking! If cooked correctly, it will raise your attack in high temperatures. For example, Hylian rice, meat, and 2 Fire Fruits create a Scorching Meaty Rice Balls dish. Eat that meal in areas such as Gerudo.
- You can create a campfire! It takes 1 wood and 1 Fire Fruit to make one. Sadly, you can’t cook in the campfire, but it will allow you to sit down and wait for your desired time of day. This is nice because you can decide to find specific critters during specific day times.
- You can fuse arrows onto them, creating a burn effect on an enemy. Fire Fruit arrows are great for aerial battle against a Frost Gleeok. Or you can just throw Fire Fruit at close combat, such as facing off a Frost Talus. You can also use Fire Fruit arrows to burn things that are much farther away, such as vines blocking a climbing path.
- You can fuse fire fruits to a shield, creating a burstful counterattack. As enemies strike your shield, they ignite the Fire Fruit, scorching themselves to death while you laugh at their demise.
- You can fuse fire fruits with many weapons, such as swords or spears, igniting concentrated bursts of flame onto the enemy. You should use a Fire-Fruit sword to neutralize an enemy's defense by burning their wooden shield.
Fire Fruit Best stats:
- Fuse attack power is 1.
- Raises a melee attack power and unleashes 1 attack ignited by flame.
- Raises an arrow attack power and unleashes 1 shot ignited by flame.
- Raises attack power onto a shield and ignites an enemy when they strike it..
Finding Fire Fruit:
You can find them in Hyrule Field. Sometimes, enemies hold on to them.
You can find them at the Yamiyo Shrine near Cherry Blossom Trees.
You can find them inside at the In-Isa Shrine.
3. Bomb Flower
Bomb Flowers are the best destructive items early in the game because they will deliver collateral damage! Use it on all enemies because Link loves exploding things. Prevent Link from exploding himself in front of taunting enemies, and get many Bomb Flowers as soon as possible!
In my opinion, Bomb Flowers rank #3 on this list because they are so important in aggressive battles. They are versatile for all uses, such as Bomb Flower arrows, shields, and spears. You can even create an explosion device with them! You should use them for battle or useless shield surfing.
What makes Bomb Flowers useful:
- They are great for shooting out far-range explosives toward enemy camps! You can make your enemies fear you more if you can find and shoot one of their explosives to increase explosiveness.
- They are superior against brute enemies such as Hinoxes, Froxes, Lynels, Gleeoks, the main bosses, and Ganondorf. Get a Rocket Shield boost to activate bullet time in the air and fire away those Bomb Flower arrows! Bomb Flowers increase the likelihood of destroying a Lynel's armor.
- They are mighty with other fusions. Fusing bombs onto shields or melee weapons can have creative uses. If you fuse many Bomb Flowers with other explosives, such as explosion barrels, it's more destructive!
- You can destroy oversized rock rubbles blocking your path instead of crushing them with a cobble crusher. Bomb Flowers are perfect alternatives for when you still need cannons, Yunobo, or Mineru.
- If you don't have a rocket but have a shield, a bomb flower can provide almost the same boost! Shield jump to gain an explosive boost in the air.
- Get them for free in the Depths or caves. Alternatively, pay poes at the statue located at Lookout Landing if you have lots of poes and need those items in bulk. Find Bomb Flowers in shops such as Gerudo or Tarrey Town.
Bomb Flower best stats:
- Fuse attack power is 1.
- 10 Bomb Flowers fused together will grant a level 10 attack.
- Falcon Bow, Mighty Zonaite, or Savage Lynel Bow increase distance for explosions.
- 2 explosive barrels with 2 bomb flowers can defeat almost half of a Boss Bokoblin.
Finding Bomb Flowers:
You can find them anywhere in the Depths for FREE!
You can go to the Lookout Landing Statue and pay poes for Bomb Flowers.
2. Zonai Charge
Zonai Charges make Link happy because he has more power to control Zonai devices. In the game, Zonai Charge helps improve the longevity of a Zonai device, such as Link’s favorite, the wing fused with fans, rockets, and a control stick. Prevent Link from charge dysfunction and falling to his death, and get them early as soon as possible!
In my opinion, Zonai Charges rank #2 on this list because they improve the duration of a player's Zonai creation. Examples include using a Zonai Device in the sky, at sea, or rolling over rough terrain in the Depths. Sometimes, those devices are menacing weapons. You should use Zonai Charges to increase battery life at any time and place when using Zonai Devices.
What makes Zonai Charge useful:
- It improves the overall battery life for all Zonai devices! Go far in the sky or drive longer in the Depths. Attach a canon to attack enemies!
- It adds an extra temporary charge for your energy cell. You start with a very tiny energy cell (3 charges), which doesn't last that long. For example, if Link is almost reaching that floating island with a shrine he hasn't found, use Zonai Charges if you have one to make the trip!
- Find a Zonai Dispensing Device, and put the Zonai Charges in there! You don't know what you'll get if you haven't awakened a Dispensing Device. You can find Zonai Devices that can spark your creativity from rockets to hot air balloons!
Zonai Charge stats:
- Fuse attack power is 2.
- 1 small Zonai Charge adds ⅓ boost for an energy cell, roughly 1 or 2 seconds.
- 3 small Zonai Charges add 1 complete boost for an energy cell lasting a few seconds.
- 1 large Zonai Charge boosts an energy cell, increasing battery for less than a minute.
Finding Zonaite Charge:
You can get them by defeating Soldier Constructs.
You can get them from the abandoned mines in the Depths for the Zonai you crushed.
1. Zonaite
Link is so high on Zonaite because he loves making the easy way look so dang satisfying. Zonaite is super important in this game because it allows Link to adapt to the depths, the sky, and new changes on the Surface. He needs it to perform various tasks, such as using the auto-build ability. Prevent Link from being Zonaite poor and get Zonaite rich as soon as possible!
In my opinion, Zonaite is the #1 item in the game because of the creative nuance of the auto-build ability (it needs Zonaite to work). It helps players understand how Tears of the Kingdom differs from Breath of the Wild. The Zonaite you collect increases the rate of how much you want to use auto-build. Use Zonaite in almost every situation, such as making a fun exploring machine, large structures, and freaking oversized killing machines.
What makes Zonai useful:
- With a bountiful of Zonaite, you can make whatever you like with the autobuild ability! However, you must earn a schema stone from a construct or use ultrahand to start the creative process. Become Hyrule’s version of Elon Musk and aim for the stars.
- Go to Forges located at mines in Depths or in the Sky to buy either Zonai Charges or Crystalized Charges for the Zonaite you have. Each Forge Construct refines Zonaite into 2 of those charges.
Zonaite stats:
Zonaite is a unique item with 2 systems of statistics. One statistical summary describes Zonai as a tangible element of energy. The other statistical summary connects to the auto-build ability, intentionally making Zonaite infinite and finite, granting a variety of combinations.
Zonaite itself:
- Fuse attack power is 1.
- Small Zonaite has a lower power output.
- Large Zonaite has a higher power output than regular Zonaite.
- The more you find and farm Larger Zonaite, the more you will build what you want.
Zonaite Autobuild stats:
- Infinite possibilities of creation!
- The fan-favorite air bike costs 9 Zonaite.
- An Instant Scaffold costs 18 Zonaite.
- A Liftoff Fanplane costs 21 Zonaite.
- A Big Rig costs 24 Zonaite.
- A creative Hover Stone-Beam Emitter killing machine costs 42 Zonaite.
Finding Zonaite:
You can crush a Zonaite Dispenser in Depths or Sky. They look like this.
After being crushed, you win the Zonai lottery. What’s your lucky number?
Or you can defeat an enemy in the Depths.
Thanks for reading!
