How to Activate the Blood Moon in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Activating the Blood Moon in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TOTK) isn’t about flipping a switch or using a specific item in the traditional sense. It’s a dynamic, recurring event that is primarily governed by in-game time and system memory. The Blood Moon is a crucial mechanic that resets enemies, resources, and certain items in the game world, making it a vital cycle for gameplay. While you can’t “force” it with a single button press, understanding the mechanics behind it allows you to anticipate and even slightly influence its appearance. Essentially, the Blood Moon automatically triggers after roughly 2 hours and 48 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay (equivalent to seven in-game days) or when the game’s memory fills up due to extensive exploration and combat.
Understanding the Blood Moon Mechanics
The Blood Moon isn’t just a random occurrence. It’s deeply tied to the game’s system. The most common trigger is the passage of seven in-game days. However, this isn’t as simple as sleeping through seven nights. The clock only advances when you’re actively playing – time spent in menus, loading screens, or resting at campfires doesn’t count towards this timer.
The Time-Based Trigger
- Seven In-Game Days: This is the primary timer. This equates to around 2 hours and 48 minutes of active gameplay without interruptions.
- Active Gameplay: Activities like exploring, fighting, puzzle-solving, and resource gathering count towards the timer.
- Inactive Time: Menu browsing, loading screens, resting at campfires do not contribute to the timer.
- Midnight Trigger: The Blood Moon cutscene always plays at midnight in-game, provided the other conditions are met.
The Memory Overload Trigger
Another way to bring about a Blood Moon is by overloading the Nintendo Switch’s memory. The game tracks the number of assets and enemies loaded into the world. When this number surpasses a certain threshold, it triggers a Blood Moon to clear the memory and reset these assets. This can happen naturally through normal gameplay or by actively trying to overload the game.
- Extensive Exploration: Moving through different areas loads numerous game assets into memory.
- Frequent Combat: Engaging in many battles keeps the system busy.
- Large Asset Loading: Using abilities like Ultrahand, moving large items or destroying large areas can speed up the memory filling process.
Strategies for Influencing the Blood Moon
While you can’t directly summon a Blood Moon with a specific action, you can take some steps to encourage it. These are related to maximizing your active gameplay time and engaging in activities that use up memory.
Maximize Gameplay Time
To increase your chances of seeing a Blood Moon, it’s beneficial to stay in the world and explore it actively. Engage in fights, complete shrines, gather resources, solve puzzles, and move between areas.
- Avoid Pauses: Minimize time spent in menus or loading screens.
- Continuous Play: Keep Link moving and interacting with the environment.
- Explore Diverse Locations: Visit different regions of the map to load more assets.
Engage in Memory-Intensive Activities
While exploring, keep an eye out for areas where you could strain the Switch’s memory. Battle large groups of enemies, destroy multiple items, and engage with the world to speed up the memory fill.
- Combat Focus: Target locations with large groups of enemies.
- Resource Grinding: Mine ore deposits, chop down trees, and gather materials.
- Active Environment Use: Utilizing Ultrahand and other abilities to move and alter large environmental assets.
The Importance of Checking With Hino
If you’re curious if a Blood Moon is imminent, there is a way to check. Talk to the NPC named Hino. He can be found in different towns throughout Hyrule during the day, such as at the Lookout Landing. Hino will comment on the moon, and if he indicates a Blood Moon is likely, you’ll know to prepare for a reset. This is a useful way to confirm that the conditions are right for a Blood Moon without relying solely on the timer.
The Blood Moon’s Effects
The Blood Moon is more than just a visual spectacle; it’s a reset mechanism for the game world. It impacts:
- Enemy Respawn: All defeated enemies, including bosses, are resurrected. This makes it possible to farm specific enemies for rare drops.
- Resource Reset: Ore deposits, flora, and other harvestable resources are replenished.
- Weapon Respawn: Some weapons found throughout the world, in chests or lying on the ground, will also respawn.
- Cooking Pot Reset: Cooking pots in camps are reset and can be used again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you directly summon a Blood Moon in Tears of the Kingdom?
No, you cannot directly summon a Blood Moon. It is a dynamic event primarily triggered by time and system memory.
2. How long does it take for a Blood Moon to occur naturally?
A Blood Moon will typically occur after roughly 2 hours and 48 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay, which is equivalent to seven in-game days. This doesn’t include time spent in menus or on loading screens.
3. Does sleeping at a campfire speed up the Blood Moon?
No, resting at a campfire or sleeping in a bed does not contribute to the Blood Moon timer. It only counts active gameplay time.
4. What is the significance of talking to Hino?
Hino is an NPC who can predict if a Blood Moon is likely to occur on the current night. He does this by looking at the moon, and his dialogue is a good indicator to know if it’s imminent.
5. Does defeating a lot of enemies cause a Blood Moon?
While frequent combat can contribute to memory overload and trigger a Blood Moon, it is not the sole factor. It is mainly time-based.
6. What does the Blood Moon reset in Tears of the Kingdom?
The Blood Moon resets defeated enemies, resources like ore deposits and flora, and specific weapons. It’s a way to replenish the game world.
7. How does the system memory overload affect the Blood Moon?
When the Switch’s memory is overloaded with loaded assets and enemies, it can trigger a Blood Moon as the system attempts to clear its cache.
8. Can I delay a Blood Moon?
Yes, if you enter a shrine, or Hyrule Castle just before midnight, you can delay a Blood Moon until the next night.
9. Is it possible to have consecutive Blood Moons?
Consecutive Blood Moons are possible if you delay the first one, and then the trigger conditions are met again the next night.
10. Is the Blood Moon a necessary mechanic?
Yes, the Blood Moon is a crucial mechanic that keeps the game world dynamic and allows players to replenish essential resources, farm enemies and obtain weapons.
11. Does the Blood Moon occur during all moon phases?
The Blood Moon only occurs during a full moon.
12. Will I lose progress when the Blood Moon occurs?
No, the Blood Moon does not affect your overall game progress or your inventory. It only resets specific aspects of the world.
13. Do Lynels respawn with the Blood Moon?
Yes, all defeated enemies, including formidable foes like Lynels, respawn with the Blood Moon.
14. Are there any items that can force a Blood Moon?
There are no items that directly force a Blood Moon in Tears of the Kingdom, unlike what some past rumors or misinformation online might suggest. There is a item known as the Bloody Tear in another game franchise, but it does not apply here.
15. How can I best prepare for a Blood Moon?
If you want to prepare for a Blood Moon, consider marking valuable ore deposits on your map, plan out areas for farming enemies, and clear your inventory so you can collect new resources. Using Hino as a resource can also help you prepare.
By understanding these mechanics, you can better manage your gameplay in Tears of the Kingdom and utilize the Blood Moon to your advantage.