Feature: 21 Amazing Shield Fuse Combos In Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

It was back in Eiji Aonuma's 10-minute gameplay demonstration for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that we first got a glimpse at the possibilities of shield fusing. The series producer took a Puffshroom, stuck it to Link's shield, and faced a Construct head on, sending up a cloud of smoke around them both.

At the time, this was hardly a game-changing revelation. "Great," we thought, "we can make some weird-looking shields and take on foes with various mushroom abilities". Then the game came out and we discovered that shield fusing had the potential to be so much more than just some fungal fun.

We soon realised that the possibilities of this mechanic were not limited to just combat, oh no. Fusing different items to Link's shield could in fact assist with traversal, puzzle solving, enemy distraction and much more. That is, if you know what you should be sticking on there.

Below, we have made a non-exhaustive list of over 20 different fusing options that you can use to up your shield game. So, chuck out those standard wooden defences (actually, don't do that, they might prove useful), and let's take a look at some of the best combinations out there.

Rocket, Poppet

Fuse a Zonai Rocket device to your shield and hold ZL to go flying into the air, perfect for scaling steep slopes when ascend isn't there to help you out. Yes, the burst of energy is relatively short-lived, but it's a wild ride all the same.

You might want to temper your expectations for the shield surfing awesomeness of this Fuse combo, mind. It doesn't grant that much more speed, and the short lifespan makes this a little disappointing.

Bomb Bouncing

If you want to get some airtime in style, then why not Fuse a bomb to your shield? This could be a Bomb Flower, Zonai Time Bomb, basically anything that goes boom. Simply pull off a shield surf manoeuvre and watch Link fly skyward, unscathed.

Spring Leaping

Much like the above tip, you can attach a Zonai Spring to your shield and flip into a surf pose to go twanging into the air. It might not send you quite as high as a bomb, but it does give off a neat little sound.

Cart Cruising

What if Link had a skateboard? That's the question everyone wants the answer to, right? Well, now you can find out! If you Fuse a Zonai Cart to Link's shield and then hit the slopes with a shield surf, you will be able to shred it for longer and over far rougher terrains than is usually possible. Totally tubular!

Mine Cart Madness

You can also use a standard mine cart for another skateboard-like effect. The problem here is that mine carts generally aren't as available across Hyrule as the Zonai Cart is, so it's not always the easiest Fuse to be getting together on the go.

Also, the higher centre of gravity doesn't look anything like as cool as using the Zonai Cart, and style points are the most important thing to consider when cruising down hills.

Ice, Ice, Surfing

For an even longer shield surf, try making yourself an ice block (achieved by throwing an Ice Fruit into water), and then whacking it on your shield. The slippery nature of the substance lets Link skate about like nobody's business when using the surf move, and you can even snake back and forth to keep it up for longer.

Of course, this isn't the most durable option out there (ice has a pesky habit of melting), but it's certainly fun while it lasts.

Sled Shredding

Particularly good in snowy conditions, fusing a Sled to Link's shield is a neat way to make those Hylian hilltop descents a little more entertaining. Why not turn a standard shield surf into a shield snowboard?

Fan-Tastic

Try to shield surf with a Zonai Fan fused to your shield and you are not going to get the hoverboard effect that you hoped for (yep, you just fall over).

Does it help to move you around while you are using the paraglider though? Ehh, also no, we're afraid.

Balloon-ing Marvellous

If you still want to live out the Breath of the Wild days before all of this fancy Zonai kit came along, then you can always stick an Octo Balloon on your shield and press ZL to watch Link slowly ascend into the air. Ah, simpler times...

Ore Offence

Parrying with a gemstone Fused to your shield isn't going to do anything unusual when parrying, but if you wait for an enemy to take a swing at you then the effect will come off loud and clear.

Each gemstone has its own effect that it will add to the defence (Ruby produces fire, Topaz electrocutes, etc.), so this is well worth playing around with to suit the situation.

Make Space With Springs

To get some distance between you and an oncoming enemy, Fuse a Spring Zonai device to your shield and watch them bounce back upon impact. As well as being reusable, this one has the added effect of a hilarious boing sound as the enemy flies backwards — you're welcome.

Mirror, Mirror On The... Shield?

Zelda fans are no strangers to a Mirror Shield, but you can take it to a more literal level in Tears of the Kingdom by combining your shield with (you guessed it) a Mirror.

Apart from distracting any enemies by giving them a chance to do their hair (ok, that doesn't actually happen), this combo reflects the sunlight from above into your enemy's eyes, temporarily blinding them and opening them up for an attack.

Still with us? Well, we're only just at the halfway point. Click over to page two for even more shield-fusing tips.