As is the case in Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom allows Link to use his shield as an impromptu surfing device. It’s both fun and useful to get out of trouble if you know how. But TotK Add a little twist to this fun mechanic with the game’s new Fuse ability. If you previously thought surfing on shields was fun, then wait.
Kingdom Tears is rapidly gaining a reputation for how fun and intuitive its various crafting and physics systems are. Fuse and Ultrahand are fun ways to combine multiple objects, but combined with the game’s lifelike physics, players will discover all sorts of fun ways to go around the puzzle, fight, engage in suspicious activitiesAnd simply have fun. One such ability is Link’s ability to fuse random objects into its shield to either enhance its defensive properties or enhance the game’s shield gliding technique depending on the item you attach it to.
Shield Surfing 101: How to master the technique
You may have accidentally activated the shield glide technique if you ever tried jumping while holding a shield. To shield the surf, you’ll want to perform this button combination in the following order: X + ZL + A. (You can also swap the order of X and ZL for this combo). Note that only shields with smooth surfaces will work. So something like the Armor-Shard Shield with its spikes will make you fall.
At first, it is best to practice this while standing still. Once you get the hang of it, starting to run will keep you motivated. The steeper the slope you are going down, the further you will travel. Note: this doesn’t damage your shield. So save the cheap stuff for thrills or use this technique as a quick dodge move to minimize damage to your shield.
Also, when you’re paragliding while windsurfing, the shield will stick to your feet, so feel free to combine windsurfing with paragliding to get back to surfing. Also, hitting the shield-surf combo while paragliding puts you in shield-surf mode, so the next time you paraglider to the surface, you can now land in style.
Combine your shield with Zonai Trolley and Sled for more fun
Zonai devices can be found all over Hyrule. Two specials can be fused with your shield to increase its surf: strollers and snowmobiles. You can find the trolley from the Zonai Dispenser above the Upland Zorana Skyview Tower, which is also emphasized in this guide). Snowmobiles can be found at the East Gerudo Islands Sky Zonei Dispenser. Note that these are not the only places to find such items, but we were very lucky to have them here. You can hover over dispensers on the map to see what items are available.
Read more: This Kingdom Tears Paragliding tricks that basically let you fly forever
Once you get these items, drop them in front of you, then press L to activate your ability. Highlight the item you want to merge and then press ZL to bind it to your shield. Combining a stroller with your shield will essentially give you a skateboard to roam around on. This gives much greater range and control than just a shield. You can also ollie with stroller shields.
Merging a sled essentially gives you a snowboard (but you can use it on grass and other surfaces). You can surf with galloping horses—just as much fun as swimming with tigers (don’t ask).
This does not make your shield invincible. Surfing will still cause your shield to wear out, even if fused to something and it will break. So use it when it makes sense. It’s a pretty cool way to create distance with Gloom Hands.
Shield surfing is just one of many fun tricks Kingdom Tears offers, allowing for both fun and strategy. And fuses only raise the stakes you can get into. Only line up some proper music and watch those steep drops!
Enjoy Nintendo’s new open world game? Be sure to check tips we wish we knew before playingsome tips about Side quests you shouldn’t missthe Duplicate glitch breaks the game’s economyAnd all the latest news about Hyrule’s Korok murder crisis. Unless you are still stuck in the tutorial areaor lost paragliding you should choose The best shield of the game as soon as possible.
