Breath of the Wild has hidden Ancient Shrines throughout the world that provide stat increases through challenges, but players can bypass some puzzles with simple tricks. Different abilities on the Sheikah Slate give Link the ability to manipulate the world around him, with other powers offering new opportunities for players to solve in-game problems. Players looking to bypass some of the game's most frustrating puzzles to progress faster should utilize some clever tools in Link's arsenal.
BOTW's endgame is to defeat Calamity Ganon, who has overtaken Hyrule Castle and claimed control of the Divine Beasts. Unfortunately, Link is weakened from his century-long slumber and must grow in power as he travels through Breath of the Wild's open world. One vital mechanic is Ancient Shrines, which supply Link with a Spirit Orb. Players can trade Spirit Orbs to increase Link's maximum health and stamina, making him a more formidable opponent against some of Breath of the Wild's most powerful enemies.
Ancient Shrines are home to puzzles that can cause some frustration, particularly when it comes to some of the more obtuse, mysterious, or mind-bending ones. Players who are really struggling shouldn't give up hope, however, as there are a number of different tools and tricks that can be used in order to get past some of these tricky and occasionally frustrating challenges.
Elemental Weapons Solve Breath Of The Wild's Tests Of Strength
One useful tool for Ancient Shrines are Link's elemental weapons, obtainable in the open world, as quest rewards, or as loot from chests. Enemies in Breath of the Wild react to certain elements depending on their stats. Frost weapons have a chance to freeze opponents, electric weapons shock and stun foes, and fire weapons inflict burn damage. When used in Breath of the Wild's Ancient Shrines, Link's elemental weapons can bypass many challenging enemies blocking the way forward. In particular, these weapons deal devastating damage in Minor or Major Tests of Strength present throughout Hyrule.
justlookingfordragon posted one of the most effective methods for players to defeat Guardian Scouts on Reddit, utilizing Breath of the Wild's inventory pause and the Guardian's elemental weakness. A legitimate Major Test of Strength would see Link scurrying around pillars, dodging powerful attacks, and peppering his opponent with arrows from a distance. However, glitching BOTW's Guardian into a corner and switching between the Great Frostblade and Great Thunderblade initiates a stunlock. The Guardian Scout is unable to break free from the ice quicker than Link is able to switch weapons.
Breath of the Wild's Sheikah Slate Provides The Perfect Trick With Stasis
As players upgrade the Sheikah Slate, they gain access to new abilities like Stasis and Magnesis. A particularly useful ability is Stasis, which freezes an item and holds the kinetic charge of players' attacks. This ability results in useful hijinks within Shrines that require specific placements of different items. Stasis is notorious for its many glitches and chaotic tricks in Breath of the Wild, including launching Link impossible distances. Using Stasis to manipulate the placement of essential items or launch Link into the Shrine's final chamber can be an efficient method of bypassing complex puzzles or platforming areas.
The infamous Dako Tah Shrine requires players to manipulate electric currents to release bridges and create pathways. While this Shrine isn't particularly difficult, it can be quite time consuming. Players who have had their fill of puzzles should follow Adrylek's tutorial on YouTube. Instead of playing with electricity, Link can manipulate physics using Stasis. First, players must remove a green, conductive box from the first room of the Shrine. Positioning the box correctly on the metal platform allows players to create a Stasis catapult. Activating Stasis on the box with BOTW's Sheikah Slate and winding up several heavy attacks gives enough force for the box to sling players up to the Spirit Orb's chamber. The audio cues of Stasis running out can help players time Link's jump to be shot upward, bypassing the electricity puzzle entirely.
Explosives And Octo Balloons Bypass Breath Of The Wild's Puzzles
Octo Balloons are monster parts in Breath of the Wild dropped by Octorok enemies. These balloons can be attached to items to levitate them temporarily. Players can use Octo Balloons to lift Remote Bombs into the air and be held in place with Stasis. Skilled players should be able to propel themselves toward the Balloon and detonate the Bomb, hurtling Link past any obstacles and landing safely in the Shrine's gated area with few issues. Switching between Sheikah abilities and maneuvering Link midair takes practice but can be combined to bypass certain puzzles inside Ancient Shrines.
One of the most useful puzzles to bypass with Octo Balloons and Remote Bombs is Breath of the Wild's Myahm Agana Shrine. Normally, players would need to depend on the Nintendo Switch's questionable tilt mechanics to guide a sphere through a maze. Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch's input is less than reliable and often tilts the sphere too far to one side. This shrine has been the source of endless frustration in the BOTW community. Thankfully Aralik posted their method of clearing the Shrine on Reddit, displaying how positioning Link on one of the Shrine's elevated platforms can give players a straight shot towards the elusive Spirit Orb. Both remote bombs and an Octo Balloon are needed to complete this trick.
Using Bombs & Shield Jumps For Breath Of The Wild Shrine Skips
Players unwilling (or unable) to collect Octo Balloons can utilize their remote bombs for an easier 'bomb jumping' trick to bypass many Shrines of Power in Breath of the Wild, including the frustrating Owa Dam and Mirro Shaz Shrines. To bypass these crude aiming games, the Owa Daim and Mirro Shaz Shrines can be solved by players positioning Link in a straight-shot over the fence surrounding the Spirit Orb. Teh_Cactus_Plant on Reddit even has a method that requires nothing more than using a shield to perform all the necessary skips to make Owa Daim a quick trek off the beaten path.
The Legend of Zelda franchise emphasizes puzzle mechanics, but Breath of the Wild encourages creative solutions for in-game problems. Players eager to solve puzzles legitimately will likely enjoy the levels designed for them, but fans on their second playthroughs can embrace creative freedom with Breath of the Wild's systems. There are many ways to play Breath of the Wild, and the single-player nature of the game means everyone can embrace the fun nature of such glitches and hijinks freely.
Source: justlookingfordragon/Reddit, Adrylek/YouTube, Aralik/Reddit, Teh_Cactus_Plant/Reddit