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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

How to Break Rocks and Ore in Tears of the Kingdom

By
Nathan Garvin

Link is considerably stronger than he looks, being capable of lifting sizable boulders above his head. He might not be quite as comically strong as he could get in some earlier The Legend of Zelda games, but his newfound abilities (like "Ultrahand" iconUltrahand) handily make up for it. Sometimes, however, neither Link’s deceptive might nor Ultrahand are sufficient to clear certain obstacles out of your way, and other means must be sought. This page will cover how to destroy rock formations, ore deposits and more in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

(1 of 3) !Fuse stones and rocks with weapons to create heftier weapons,

How to Destroy Rocks and Mine Ore in Tears of the Kingdom

Despite being able to toss large stones about like they’re toys, sometimes Link requires a tool with more weight and heft to clear some obstacles. Fortunately, with the "Fuse" iconFuse power such an implement isn’t hard to acquire, all you need is any weapon (particularly a two-handed one - a "Thick Stick" iconThick Stick works as a fine base) and a boulder (the bigger the better!). Equip the base weapon and use the Fuse power (hold Joy-Con-L and press the Joy-Con-ButtonY button) on a rock or stone to attach the two in order to create a rock/stone variant of that weapon.

With such a tool at your disposal you should be able to smash through some rock barriers - you won’t be moving mountains, but you can smash through less structurally sound obstructions, at least. Weapons fused with rocks and stones should also have sufficient power to smash apart ore deposits, allowing you to harvest the minerals stored therein.

While useful enough for exploring, heavy weapons can also be used to smash through enemy defenses, including armor, hardpoints and shields.

How to Break Blue and Black Rocks in Tears of the Kingdom

However, when you get further into Hyrule you’ll come across blue or black variations of rocks and these are typically blocking off sections of a cave which lead to useful loot. Unfortunately, it’ll require many more hits from your average stone hammer to break them, so you’ll want to use a two handed weapon, such as a Two-Handed Axe, but this will still require a fair few hits. Alternatively, you can just shoot two "Bomb Flower" iconBomb Flowers at it.

Using Heavy Weapons in Combat

Heavy weapons aren’t just useful for battering down obstructions and coaxing useful minerals from ore deposits, they’re useful in combat, too. Enemies with armor or vulnerable hardpoints can also have their defenses battered away, revealing weak points and allowing other weapons to find purchase, when they previously bounced off now sundered armor. The weight of these fused weapons is also useful for knocking enemy shields out of the way, making them essential for combat - always keep some handy.

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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Nintendo
  • Platforms,
    Switch
  • Genre
    Action Adventure
  • Guide Release
    12 May 2023
  • Last Updated
    30 August 2023
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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Embark on a quest to find the missing princess, uncover the truth behind a cataclysm, and explore Hyrule’s landscapes and floating islands. This guide for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the sequel to Breath of the Wild, includes:

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