From swords to magical masks, The Legend of Zelda franchise is replete with interesting items that Link can employ in his adventures through Hyrule. The franchise features numerous variations on several key items -- like grappling hooks and gliders -- many of which are among the most useful items players will obtain on their quests.
Many of these items are necessary for conquering the games' many dungeons, while others represent the substantial quality of life improvements like enhanced attack power or increased speed. Some of these items have even risen to the status of synonymity with The Legend of Zelda franchise. On their next playthrough, players should be sure not to miss these eminently useful tools.
Hero's Charm
A late-game item from 2002's Wind Waker, the Hero's Charm has the unique ability to reveal a targeted enemy's health meter. This charm is worn as a mask and notably features Sheikah eyes in its gilded design -- an allusion to the insight this item bestows.
In the hands of skilled players, the Hero's Charm allows for optimization of Wind Waker's combat by letting players prioritize enemies based on their remaining health. Its effectiveness is maximized in the hand of the most hardcore Zelda players, but franchise fans of any skill level are sure to find this rare charm useful as they play the game.
Hookshot/Longshot/Clawshot
While helping to traverse obstacles and access new areas of Hyrule in the Zelda franchise's 2D games, the grappling hook by any other name truly came into its own in 1999's Ocarina of Time and subsequent 3D titles. The Longshot added a thrilling level of vertical gameplay to the franchise, not only bringing depth to the game's dungeons but also allowing for meaningful returns to environments the player had previously explored. With the Hookshot in hand, treasure chests and rupee-laden platforms that had just been out of reach become suddenly accessible, opening up new avenues for gameplay and discovery.
Sailcloth/Deku Leaf/Paraglider
Several Legend of Zelda games have featured parachute-like items that Link can use, but no versions of these tools surpass the Sailcloth in Skyward Sword, the Deku Leaf in Wind Waker, and Breath of the Wild's Paraglider. In each of these titles, this fan-favorite item allows for some of the most dynamic early-game movement, permitting players to glide through the air and navigate wind currents to reach distant elevated platforms.
The gliders also have the highly practical use of negating all fall damage when activated just before the player collides with the ground. With gravity as its principal mechanic, the Sailcloth, Deku Leaf, and Paraglider yield diminishing returns in late-game stages, but it cannot be beaten with regard to utility in the game's early stages.
Double Clawshot
Double your Hookshot, double your fun. This simple but nuanced addition to a fan-favorite item allowed for increased mobility and unprecedented level design. Like a Hylian Spider-Man, Link can use one clawshot to stick to a wall and then use the other to grapple to a second point. With prior iterations, Link's movement was restricted to a single unbroken line.
The additional degree of movement allowed by the Double Clawshot may not seem like too radical of a change, but fans of Skyward Sword will no doubt remember the dynamic gameplay change when they obtained the item in the Sandship, one of the Zelda franchise's most underrated dungeons. Beyond its utility, this item opens up new and exciting dimensions of level design, making the Double Clawshot one of the series' most gameplay-enriching additions.
Bombs
A staple item since The Legend of Zelda's seminal 1987 title that has aged well, bombs are a classic example of creative item utility in the franchise. Though classified as weapons, bombs in Zelda have numerous use-cases, from lighting fires or clearing rubble blocking Link's path.
Wild Bomb Flowers can also be targeted by ranged weapons and detonated at a distance, making them useful and unconventional distanced weapons or tools for solving explosive puzzles. For exceptionally skilled players who employ glitches and exploits in their gameplay, bombs also can be manipulated in such a way to allow clipping out of bounds to access areas in the game out of their intended sequence.
Bunny Hood
It's far from the most intimidating mask in Majora's Mask, but any true fan of the game knows the incredible advantage the Bunny Hood bestows upon its wearer. When equipped, it gives Link a speed boost that rivals Epona and the rolling as a Goron as an efficient means of transportation.
This becomes invaluable in a game where the core narrative mechanic is a race against time. The Bunny Hood was so impactful that it has been a core consumable in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. franchise since 2001, giving a speed boost to any character who dons these floppy ears.
Biggoron's Sword/Gilded Sword
Both Ocarina of Time and its sequel Majora's Mask, one of the strangest Zelda games of all time, feature a rare and powerful blade that players can obtain beyond the Master Sword or Kokiri Sword. This is represented by the Biggoron's Sword and the Gilded Sword respectively. Forged through minor side quests, these swords have better reach and damage output than Link's standard armament.
Majora's Mask also features the Great Fairy Sword, which deals even greater damage but must be assigned to and used through an item button, making it less than useful more often than not. For new players or franchise veterans, the increased damage output of these weapons makes them too good to pass up, even if they don't have the legendary lore of the Master Sword.
Climbing Set
Though one of Breath of the Wild's great contributions to The Legend of Zelda franchise was the implementation of a truly open world, this same quality can be frustrating to new players tasked with trekking the vast and dynamic plains of Hyrule. The Climbing Gear makes traversing Breath of the Wild's cliffs and hills significantly easier, giving an impressive buff to climbing speed and stamina consumption while climbing. Its constituent parts can be found in shrines at Dueling Peaks Tower, Tenoko Island, and Mount Lanayru, though players are warned that these are some of the game's most challenging trials.
The Hero's Bow
In fantasy adventure games like Skyrim and The Witcher, ranged combat with bows and arrows usually comes at the expense of a sharp decrease in damage output. Not so in The Legend of Zelda, where the Hero's Bow by any of its names consistently deals some of the highest damage of any weapon in the game.
It's also one of the most customizable methods of dealing damage in the series, with ice, fire, and light arrows regularly found in the games. The arrows can even be used to trigger switches in dungeons. 2019's Breath of the Wild took this iconic weapon a step further by creating over two dozen different bows for players to use in the game, each with unique designs and useful perks.
Empty Bottle
It's far from the snazziest item in the Zelda franchise, but there is no item with more raw utility than the Empty Bottle. This container is a catch-all capable of serving numerous functions depending upon the player's needs. Going up against a tough boss or horde of enemies? Capture a life-restoring fairy in a bottle for a free continue. Need to melt some ice? Fill the bottle with hot water. Short on bombs or arrows? Use bottle bugs to dig up some surplus items. First appearing in 1992's A Link to the Past, this staple item has appeared in every subsequent Zelda game, a testament to its unparalleled utility.