How to Upgrade Inventory Space in Tears of the Kingdom
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The vast world of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is teeming with enemies to vanquish, puzzles to solve, and resources to gather. As you venture further, your inventory space will quickly become a constraint. Upgrading it is crucial for a seamless adventuring experience. To upgrade your inventory space, you need to collect Korok Seeds scattered throughout Hyrule and exchange them with Hestu, a large, dancing Korok. By giving Hestu these seeds, you can increase the number of slots for your weapons, bows, and shields.
Finding and Helping Hestu
Hestu isn’t always in the same location. Your journey to expand your inventory begins with finding him.
Hestu’s Initial Location
Initially, Hestu can be found at the base of Lindor’s Brow, cowering near a cave. He’s easily spotted due to his large size and distinctive maracas. When you approach him, he’ll explain that he’s frightened by two seemingly normal trees nearby. These trees will attack you, so be prepared for a quick fight. Defeat them, and Hestu will be relieved and willing to help you.
Moving to Lookout Landing
After your initial encounter, Hestu moves to Lookout Landing, the central hub early in the game. You can find him near the item shop, under a tree to the right. However, Hestu might not appear here immediately. You may need to progress further in the main story to trigger his arrival.
Relocating to Korok Forest
Eventually, Hestu will relocate to the Korok Forest. This move is tied to your progress in the game, possibly triggered by specific actions or story events. If you can’t find him at Lookout Landing, the Korok Forest is the next place to look.
Collecting Korok Seeds
Korok Seeds are hidden throughout Hyrule and the sky islands. Finding them involves solving small environmental puzzles.
Korok Seed Challenges
These challenges come in various forms:
- Offering Plates: Place the correct item on a plate.
- Rock Patterns: Complete a rock circle.
- Pinwheels: Shoot targets with your bow.
- Stumps with Symbols: Jump on stumps in the correct order.
- Rolling Rocks: Roll a rock down a hill to its designated spot.
- Corks: Plug up a cork with a fuse attached.
The Value of Exploration
Exploration is key to finding Korok Seeds. Look for anything that seems out of place or interactive in the environment. Keep your eyes peeled and your curiosity high!
Exchanging Seeds for Inventory Slots
Once you’ve gathered enough Korok Seeds, return to Hestu. He will gladly expand your weapon, bow, or shield inventory in exchange for the seeds.
Upgrade Costs
The cost of each upgrade increases as you acquire more slots. The first few upgrades are relatively cheap, requiring only one or two seeds. However, later upgrades can cost upwards of five or more seeds per slot.
Prioritizing Upgrades
Consider your playstyle when deciding which inventory slots to upgrade first. If you prefer melee combat, focus on weapon slots. If you rely heavily on bows, prioritize bow slots. Don’t neglect shield slots, as having more shields allows you to withstand more damage and conserve resources.
Inventory Limits and Total Seeds Needed
While there is no limit on the amount of common items and armor you can carry, Link’s inventory for weapons, bows, and shields is limited. To maximize these essential slots, you need to collect a significant number of Korok Seeds.
Required Korok Seed Count
To fully upgrade Link’s inventory, you’ll need 421 Korok Seeds. This breaks down as follows:
- Weapon Slots: 153 Korok Seeds
- Bow Slots: 108 Korok Seeds
- Shield Slots: 160 Korok Seeds
Maximum Inventory Slots
By spending all 421 Korok Seeds, you can achieve the following maximum inventory capacity:
- Weapon Slots: 13
- Bow Slots: 8
- Shield Slots: 7
Strategic Inventory Management
Even with expanded inventory slots, managing your inventory effectively is essential.
Fusing Weapons
The Fuse ability is a game-changer in Tears of the Kingdom. It allows you to combine weapons, shields, and arrows with various materials to create more powerful and versatile tools. Fusing can help you conserve inventory space by creating stronger weapons that last longer.
Weapon Durability
Weapon durability is a factor to consider. High-durability weapons are worth keeping, while those with low durability might be better fused with other items or discarded.
Identifying Essential Items
Identify the weapons, bows, and shields that best suit your playstyle and prioritize keeping them. Experiment with different combinations to find what works best for you.
Utilizing Storage
While not directly tied to Korok Seed upgrades, Link can purchase storage rooms in his house to store weapons, bows, and shields, giving you the possibility to keep useful weapons in your house.
Conclusion
Upgrading your inventory in Tears of the Kingdom is crucial for exploration, combat, and resource management. By finding Hestu, collecting Korok Seeds, and strategically expanding your weapon, bow, and shield slots, you can become a force to be reckoned with in Hyrule. Remember to explore thoroughly, solve the Korok puzzles, and manage your inventory wisely to make the most of your adventure. Remember that learning through play, as emphasized by the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org, is a powerful tool for mastering complex game mechanics and enjoying immersive gaming experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where is Hestu’s first location in Tears of the Kingdom?
Hestu is initially located at the base of Lindor’s Brow, near a cave. He’s scared by two attacking trees that you need to defeat to help him.
2. How many Korok Seeds do I need to fully upgrade my inventory?
You need a total of 421 Korok Seeds to max out your weapon, bow, and shield slots.
3. What are the maximum number of weapon, bow, and shield slots?
You can have a maximum of 13 weapon slots, 8 bow slots, and 7 shield slots.
4. How much does it cost to upgrade each inventory slot?
The cost increases with each upgrade. Early upgrades require only one or two seeds, while later upgrades can cost five or more.
5. Where does Hestu move after Lindor’s Brow?
Hestu moves to Lookout Landing, near the item shop, after you help him at Lindor’s Brow.
6. What if Hestu isn’t at Lookout Landing?
If Hestu isn’t in Lookout Landing, it means he’s moved to the Korok Forest. This is often triggered by progressing through the main story.
7. What do Korok Seeds look like?
Korok Seeds are small, golden, swirling objects that the Koroks give you after solving their puzzles.
8. How do I find Korok Seeds?
Korok Seeds are hidden throughout Hyrule. Look for environmental puzzles like completing rock circles, offering plates, shooting pinwheels, and jumping on stumps in the correct order.
9. Can I track how many Korok Seeds I’ve collected?
Yes, your inventory screen displays the number of Korok Seeds you’ve collected.
10. Are there any benefits to collecting all 900 Korok Seeds in Breath of the Wild?
Collecting all 900 Korok Seeds in Breath of the Wild earns you Hestu’s Gift, a large golden turd, which is purely ornamental and doesn’t have any practical use. There are only 421 Korok Seeds needed to max out your inventory in Tears of the Kingdom.
11. Does weather affect my ability to find Korok Seeds?
Weather generally doesn’t affect your ability to find Korok Seeds.
12. Can I store weapons anywhere else besides my inventory?
Yes, you can purchase storage rooms in Link’s house to store weapons, bows, and shields. This gives you additional space to keep useful items.
13. Is it worth upgrading my shield slots?
Yes, upgrading shield slots is highly recommended. More shields allow you to withstand more damage, conserve resources, and have a variety of shields for different situations.
14. What happens if I run out of inventory space?
If you run out of inventory space, you’ll need to either discard an item to make room for a new one, or utilize the Fuse ability to combine items and create stronger weapons, freeing up inventory slots. You can also head to your house and store weapons that you will use in the future, for when you need to replace weapons in your inventory.
15. How does fusing weapons affect inventory management?
Fusing weapons allows you to create stronger and more durable weapons, effectively reducing the number of weapons you need to carry. This can free up valuable inventory space.