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The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom injects a new dose of fun into the iconic open-world gameplay by introducing new abilities. While all of them are game-changers, one that will be most useful is Fuse. This allows players to attach items to weapons, shields, and arrows to enhance and alter the host tool's properties. As such, the possibilities are near endless. However, some combinations are better than others.
Fusing with shields, in particular, allows for offense alongside defense and enhances traversal. So let's look at the best shield fusions in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's option.
Here are the five best Shield Fuse combos in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
To use Fuse, players must have obtained the Fuse ability from the In-Isa Shrine in the Sky Islands in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. The ability can be accessed by bringing up a wheel by pressing and holding the L button. Select Fuse and then target the item nearby to fuse the weapon.
1) Puffshroom Shield
The Puffshroom is a rare mushroom found around Hyrule. It was the first of its kind shown to fans in the video demonstration hosted by the game's producer Eiji Aonuma. On being hit, the Puffshroom emits a large cloud of smoke that obscures the enemy's view. This grants an opportunity to sneak away when in trouble, as the smoke will make enemies go from attack mode to search mode.
This is an excellent way to Sneakstrike in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. Pressing the L stick allows protagonist Link to crouch, and going up behind unaware foes will enable him to perform a Sneakstrike attack which deals massive damage. A good use case scenario would be against Moblins, which are common worldwide.
2) Minecart Shield
Besides materials and ingredients, players can even attach whole items to shields. This includes the Minecart in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. These are scattered around the world, including the Sky Islands. They are traditionally used to get across rails. However, fusion grants a new way of traversal. Attaching it to the shield will allow using the Minecart in real time.
To do so, players only need to shield-surf with the Minecart attached, and the cart should move as normal with Link riding atop it. While other fused objects will prevent this, such as boulders, it can be done with the Minecart. This is also a good way of traversing plain terrain, which normal shield-surfing cannot do.
3) Emitter Shield
There are many Zonai devices to discover in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. This includes a variety of Emitters. The first kind players should come across is the Flame Emitter. Shaped like a dragon's head, this device spews flame toward the enemy. It was also seen in previous trailers for the game, attached to a shield. This way, players can be on the offense while defending.
It activates every time Link pulls up the shield. However, be vary as this fusion, while incredibly powerful, deteriorates the shield quickly. Since weapon durability also extends to securities, using the Emitter combo sparingly is advisable. It is also best used on a Zonai shield as it will reduce the energy consumption of the Emitter when using it. Other Emitters include shock, ice, and a beam variant.
4) Muddle Bud Shield
The Muddle Bud is a curious plant player that will first encounter while in the Depths region below Hyrule. It is a powerful tool in battle as it can release an odor that confuses foes into fighting their allies. While it can be thrown into a group of enemies, fusing it to shields also works. In this case, lure in a group of enemies while defending and have a foe break attack the Muddle Bud.
This will disorient the group, making things easier for the player. A purple icon above their heads signifies this status. Do note that the effects last briefly but should still be enough to clear most of the enemy horde. Use it on a powerful foe like a Bokoblin Boss for best results, and watch it attack its allies.
5) Two-handed weapon shield
Defense is an essential aspect of combat, which is why the best-case scenario is using a one-handed weapon and a shield in each hand. But this is not possible with two-handed weapons. As such, Link is left vulnerable in these situations. Thankfully, there is a way to overcome this limitation.
While most options are about items fused to shields, this is the reverse. This fusion sees players fuse a shield to a two-handed weapon in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. This way, players can block and parry attacks when they usually cannot.
The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is now for Nintendo Switch.
