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InThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, there are several ways that you can travel around the map, ranging from simply walking to constructing an amazing flying device. One method to use while navigating is shield surfing. With this, you will essentially ride your shield like a surfboard.
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There is more to shield surfing than meets the eye though. In this guide, we are going to take a look at how you can shield surf, as well as some helpful tips and shields that are the best for surfing on. First, let’s take a look at the basics of shield surfing.
How To Shield Surf
To get into a shield surfing position, you will need toequip your shield, which is done by holding ZL.With this button held down, jump with X.While you are in mid-air, you will then need topress A.Together, these three buttons will cause you totake out your shield, jump, and place your shield on your feet.
From here, you will remain on your shield as long as you are on a downward slope. If not, thenyou will lose balance and hop off your shield.
Pressing X again while shield surfing willcause you to jump up.This won’t stop the surfing.
Your shield will stay attached to your feetuntil you lose balance or press B, which ends the action.This means thatif you jump off a cliff face while shield surfing,your shield will stay attached to your feet. When you eventually land, you will be able to continue shield surfing.
While surfing,you can also use your bow (ZR).It may be difficult to aim if you are moving quite fast, but it’s possible.
Shield Surfing Trick
There is one trick that you may do while shield surfing. By pressing Y,you will do a little spin.This does not boost your surfing; it’s just a little trick that you can do while surfing across longer stretches of land.
Shield Durability
Shield surfingdoes not drain your Stamina,but it willdecrease the durability of your shield.This also means that shields can break while you are mid-surf. When this happens,you will be flung forward and may take some damage.
The terrain is an important factor when looking at how quickly your shield loses its durability. Softer surfaces likesnow or sand will not damage your shield that much,while rocky surfaces can quickly destroy it.
There is no way to increase durability once it’s down. If you have a nearly broken shield,we suggest not surfing with it, especially if you are in a steep situation;you don’t want to fall down and take damage!
Surfing On A Fused Shield
Some fusion combinations are compatible with shield surfing, enhancing how far or fast you go. For example, if you fuse a Rocket to your shield and then surf, you will have a quick burst of speed.Once the rocket has been used, it will disappear, and you will be back to normal shield surfing.
Not all items that you fuse to your shield will allow for surfing. For example, if you are using aFlame Emittershield, you will just fall off if you try to surf.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with shield fusions! If you decide that you don’t like the fused item, you can remove it from your inventory menu.Try fusing different Zonai devices to your shieldto see the results.
Mine-Cart Shield
By fusing your shield with a mine cart,you will basically make a skateboard.This allows you to zip around can cross rough terrain. To fuse a shield and mine cart, you will first need to find this vehicle.
Fortunately,you may find a few just north of Marakuguc Shrine,located in Goron City.Here, there are two mine carts that are ready to be fused.
Best Shields To Surf With
As expected,the best shields to use are those with higher base durability.When looking at your shields, the little number in the bottom-right corner will display their defense; this is usually associated with durability unless the item description states otherwise.
A good option to use would be theRoyal Shield, as it has29 durability.Some, like theSpiked Boko Shield, only have a durability of seven, soit would break quite quickly.
TheHylian Shieldhas the highest durability in the game,making it the best choice.This shield can befused with other shieldsto make s super-shield, with even higher durability.
Shield Surfing Tips
Lastly, let’s look at some tips for shield surfing. Overall,try to avoid surfing on rocky ground.This will cause you to slow down in addition to grinding down your shield’s durability; it’s quicker to just walk across the ground.
You are also able to shield surf on rails,which comes in handy if you are trying to navigate through sky islands. By starting the shield surf maneuver near a mine cart rail, you will hop on and move across the rail. While doing so,you won’t need to keep steady; the shield stays on the rail until you hop off or reach the end.
Our final bit of advice may go without saying, but shield surfing isonly truly efficient if you are on a downhill slope.Unless you are using a Rocket, your shield will not be able to push you up a hill. If you feel yourself drastically slowing down,hop off and run for a bit until the hill starts to slope down again.
Next:The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom - How To Find And Beat Every Molduga
