The Hyrulean Handbook: What Not to Do in Breath of the Wild
Breath of the Wild is a masterpiece of open-world design, offering unparalleled freedom and exploration. However, even in Hyrule, the unwary hero can stumble into pitfalls, make frustrating mistakes, and generally make their adventure harder than it needs to be. Simply put, what not to do in Breath of the Wild includes ignoring crucial early-game resources, underestimating enemy difficulty, neglecting weapon management, and failing to fully explore the world’s intricate systems. Let’s delve deeper into the specific blunders to avoid on your journey to defeat Calamity Ganon.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Hyrule
Neglecting Cooking and Resource Management
One of the biggest early-game mistakes is ignoring the cooking mechanic. Raw food offers minimal benefits, but combining ingredients creates powerful meals with health recovery, stat boosts (attack, defense, speed), and elemental resistances. Don’t hoard your ingredients; experiment! Secondly, running out of essential resources such as arrows, wood, and healing items can quickly turn a simple outing into a desperate scramble for survival. Always be gathering!
Underestimating Enemy Power
Hyrule is a dangerous place. Rushing headlong into encounters with powerful enemies, particularly early on, is a recipe for disaster. Lynels, Guardians, and even high-level Bokoblins can quickly overwhelm an unprepared Link. Learn enemy attack patterns, prioritize defensive skills (perfect parries, dodges), and level up your gear before taking on tougher foes.
Ignoring Environmental Cues
Breath of the Wild’s environment is dynamic and interactive. Ignoring weather conditions can lead to Link freezing to death in the Hebra Mountains or being struck by lightning during a thunderstorm. Similarly, overlooking terrain features like updrafts (perfect for paragliding) or hidden pathways can mean missing valuable resources or shortcuts.
Poor Weapon Management
Weapon degradation is a core mechanic of Breath of the Wild, and failing to manage your arsenal effectively can leave you defenseless at the worst possible moment. Don’t get too attached to weapons; use them strategically, and always be on the lookout for replacements. Also, neglecting to learn weapon durability is a cardinal sin. Understand which weapons are fragile (like the Royal Guard’s Claymore) and which are more resilient.
Skipping Shrines and Side Quests
Ignoring Shrines and Side Quests is a sure way to miss out on valuable upgrades and resources. Shrines provide Spirit Orbs (used to increase health or stamina), while side quests offer rewards such as new weapons, armor, and lore. Moreover, the game is designed for players to explore and experiment so don’t miss the Games Learning Society website, a place to learn much more about the educational value of video games.
Rushing the Story
While it’s tempting to head straight for Hyrule Castle, rushing the main story means missing out on the vast majority of what Breath of the Wild has to offer. Take your time, explore the world, complete side quests, and discover hidden secrets. The journey is just as rewarding as the destination.
Neglecting Armor Upgrades
Armor provides essential defense against enemy attacks, and neglecting to upgrade your armor at the Great Fairy Fountains significantly reduces your survivability. Gather materials and visit the Fountains regularly to enhance your armor’s protection.
Not Taking Advantage of Stealth
Stealth is a powerful tool in Breath of the Wild. Ignoring the stealth mechanic means missing out on opportunities to ambush enemies, steal valuable resources, or avoid combat altogether. Use stealth armor, crouch to reduce noise, and take advantage of cover to gain the upper hand.
Forgetting to Save Frequently
Hyrule is a dangerous place. Forgetting to save your progress frequently can lead to significant setbacks if you die unexpectedly. Use the manual save function liberally, especially before engaging in challenging battles or exploring treacherous areas. The autosave function can be unreliable.
Misusing Special Abilities
Link’s Sheikah Slate abilities (Magnesis, Stasis, Cryonis, and Remote Bombs) are essential for solving puzzles, traversing the environment, and defeating enemies. Misusing or underutilizing these abilities makes the game significantly harder. Practice mastering each ability, and experiment with different applications.
Wasting Ancient Arrows
Ancient Arrows are incredibly powerful, capable of instantly defeating most enemies. However, they are also rare and expensive. Wasting Ancient Arrows on weak enemies is a common mistake. Save them for the most challenging foes, such as Lynels or Guardians.
Not Exploring Caves and Wells
Caves and Wells are often overlooked, but they frequently contain valuable resources, hidden secrets, and even challenging mini-bosses. Not exploring these areas means missing out on significant rewards.
Ignoring Travel Medallion
The Travel Medallion is an invaluable tool that allows you to create a custom fast travel point anywhere in the world. Ignoring the Travel Medallion and not using it strategically makes traversing the vast Hyrulean landscape much more tedious. It is an invaluable item.
Dismissing Horses
Horses are essential for quickly traversing Hyrule, and dismissing horses as simply a means of transportation is a mistake. Bond with your horses, upgrade their stats at stables, and learn to utilize their abilities effectively.
Not Interacting With NPCs
Hyrule is populated with a diverse cast of NPCs, each with their own stories, quests, and useful information. Not interacting with NPCs means missing out on valuable lore, side quests, and even essential tips for navigating the world.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What’s the best early-game weapon in Breath of the Wild?
There isn’t one “best” weapon, but Royal Broadswords and Knight’s Broadswords are excellent choices early on. They can be found in Hyrule Field and are relatively durable. Also, don’t sleep on the Forest Dweller’s Sword if you enjoy setting enemies on fire.
2. How do I defeat a Lynel in Breath of the Wild?
Lynels are among the toughest enemies. Mastering perfect parries and dodges is crucial. Use Stasis to stun them, then unleash powerful attacks. Ancient Arrows can instantly defeat them, but are costly. Upgraded armor is a must.
3. What’s the best way to farm rupees in Breath of the Wild?
Selling cooked meals is a reliable method. Cooking five high-value ingredients (like gourmet meat) creates meals that sell for a significant profit. Hunting animals and selling their meat is also effective.
4. Where can I find fairies in Breath of the Wild?
Fairies are found near Great Fairy Fountains and in specific locations like the Tabantha Greatbridge. Wear stealth armor to increase your chances of catching them. Hold them in your inventory for a free revive.
5. How do I unlock all the Great Fairy Fountains in Breath of the Wild?
You need to complete a series of quests for the stable owners. Each quest requires you to find and bring a specific musician to the Great Fairy Fountain.
6. What’s the purpose of Korok Seeds in Breath of the Wild?
Korok Seeds are used to increase your inventory slots for weapons, bows, and shields. Trade them to Hestu, who is initially found on the road to Kakariko Village.
7. How do I repair the Master Sword in Breath of the Wild?
The Master Sword doesn’t break permanently, but it runs out of energy and needs to recharge for 10 minutes. However, this cooldown is removed when in areas corrupted by malice. If the DLC is installed, the Trial of the Sword increases the Master Sword’s power permanently.
8. What’s the best armor set in Breath of the Wild?
The Ancient Armor set (Ancient Helm, Cuirass, and Greaves) is often considered the best due to its high defense and resistance to Guardian lasers. However, the Barbarian Armor set provides an attack boost, which some players prefer.
9. How do I find Star Fragments in Breath of the Wild?
Star Fragments fall from the sky at night. Look for shooting stars and mark their landing location on your map. Collect them quickly before they disappear.
10. What is the hardest shrine in Breath of the Wild?
The Eventide Island Shrine Quest is often considered one of the hardest, as it requires you to defeat all enemies on the island without any of your equipment.
11. Can I ride the Lord of the Mountain in Breath of the Wild?
Yes, you can ride the Lord of the Mountain, but it cannot be tamed and registered at a stable. It disappears after a short time.
12. How do I get the Hylian Shield in Breath of the Wild?
The Hylian Shield is found in a chest in the Lockup area of Hyrule Castle. You’ll need to defeat a Stalnox to access it.
13. What are dragon parts used for in Breath of the Wild?
Dragon parts (scales, claws, fangs, horns) are used to upgrade armor at Great Fairy Fountains and to create powerful elixirs with specific effects.
14. How do I activate the Trial of the Sword DLC in Breath of the Wild?
The Trial of the Sword is activated by interacting with the Master Sword in the Korok Forest after obtaining it. It increases the sword’s power permanently.
15. Is there a post-game in Breath of the Wild?
No, there isn’t a true post-game. After defeating Ganon, you’re returned to the point before the final battle, allowing you to continue exploring and completing any remaining tasks. A completion percentage is displayed on the map to help with completionists endeavors.
By avoiding these common mistakes and following the tips provided, you’ll be well on your way to mastering Breath of the Wild and experiencing all that Hyrule has to offer. Happy exploring! You can even learn more about the learning possibilities in video games at GamesLearningSociety.org.