A modder of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has shared an in-depth look at the game's poison water, a mechanic which was scrapped from the final release but is still a part of the game's code. This isn't the first time that the poison water has been found in Breath of the Wild, but it's the first time fans have gotten a look at exactly how it would have worked.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most successful games on Nintendo Switch, and is still wowing players even four years after its release. Despite the game's age, lots of its secrets are still being discovered to this day. The open-world Zelda title features an expansive map filled with Easter eggs, quests, and collectibles, and its size means many fans are still in the dark about some of the game's features and additions. Players are still discovering new Breath of the Wild tricks, and will likely still be doing so in the future thanks to the size of the game world.
Modder and YouTuber Waikuteru's video gives Zelda: Breath of the Wild fans a full look into what the poison water mechanic could have brought to the game if it hadn't been scrapped by Nintendo. Poison water was originally intended to be used in the normal overworld and the Trial of the Sword world, but Waikuteru has made it compatible with shrines and Divine Beasts to allow for its use in custom dungeons. Using modding tools to flood Hyrule with the water, the modder highlights just how dangerous the purple liquid is. The water does considerable damage to not just Link but his enemies as well, though Ganon and his Blights are not affected by it. According to the modder, Link will suffer half a heart of damage every 0.5 seconds that he's in contact with the poison, while Red Bokoblins lose 1.25 hearts every two seconds. Cryonis doesn't work with poison water, meaning blocks of ice can't be forged from it. Rafts still work on poisoned water, and the water can still drown enemies if it's too deep for them.
Watch the Zelda BOTW Poison Water video on YouTube here.
While it's not known why Nintendo chose to abandon the idea of poison water, it's possible that the idea was scrapped quite late into Zelda: Breath of the Wild's development. The water is fully colored and textured, and the fact that the Rune ability Cryonis doesn't work with it suggests it's mechanically different to normal water found in the game. This likely means the poison water was close to being fully developed before the idea was removed.
Poison water could make a comeback in the future with the release of the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2. Trailers for the highly-anticipated sequel have teased a darker adventure for Link and Zelda, and poison water seems like it would be right at home in the next game. Breath of the Wild 2 is targeting a 2022 release, though an exact date has yet to be revealed.
Source: Waikuteru/YouTube