TotK FAQ: 31 Beginner Questions Answered

Start at Lookout Landing, get the paraglider, and follow a regional quest when you want a clear next goal. These 31 questions cover the common sticking points in Tears of the Kingdom; the ending section contains route and post-game spoilers.

Starting out

1. What should I do after Great Sky Island?

Head to Lookout Landing and follow Purah’s opening quest before wandering far away. It leads to the paraglider and your first Skyview Tower. First steps.

2. Is the paraglider on Great Sky Island?

No; you leave the island before receiving it. Purah gives it to you during the early Lookout Landing part of Crisis at Hyrule Castle. Paraglider quest.

3. Which temple should I visit first?

The four regional temples can be tackled in any order. Wind Temple is a useful first choice because Tulin’s gust helps with later gliding. Main quest order.

4. Where do I learn Recall?

Recall comes from the Temple of Time after the first three Great Sky Island abilities. Nachoyah Shrine then teaches you how to use it. Great Sky Island walkthrough.

Combat and survival

5. Why does my weapon feel so weak?

Fuse a suitable monster material to your weapon instead of relying only on its base attack. Keep a separate rock-fused tool for breaking deposits so your combat weapons last longer. Fuse and durability.

6. How do I trigger a Flurry Rush?

Lock on, then dodge just before a melee attack lands. When the Flurry Rush prompt appears, press the displayed attack button to counter. Combat timing.

7. Why will ordinary food not fix my cracked hearts?

Gloom damage can temporarily lock heart containers, so ordinary healing is not enough. Sunny meals, a Lightroot’s light or returning to the surface restore those containers; some final-boss attacks have a separate effect. Gloom and the Depths.

8. Do I have to fight every monster camp?

No; ordinary camps are not a requirement for finishing the main story. Take fights when you need their materials or weapons, and bypass them when your supplies are low. Time-saving route.

Equipment and upgrades

9. How much stamina does the Master Sword need?

You need two full permanent stamina wheels to pull it from the Light Dragon. Yellow stamina added by meals does not satisfy that requirement. Master Sword requirements.

10. Does the Master Sword disappear when it breaks?

It runs out of energy instead of being permanently destroyed. Wait for its recharge before using it again, and carry spare weapons in the meantime. Master Sword recharge.

11. How do I get more weapon slots?

Give Korok Seeds to Hestu to expand the weapon, bow or shield pouch. Each type has its own upgrade cost, so start with the pouch you keep filling. Hestu and inventory upgrades.

12. How do I upgrade armor?

Open the Great Fairy fountains through their associated quests, then bring the requested materials and rupees. Check your chosen armor’s upgrade requirements before selling monster parts. Armor upgrade materials.

Exploration

13. What do Skyview Towers unlock?

A tower records the surrounding surface and sky map when you launch from it. Its height also gives you a starting point for gliding toward nearby objectives. Skyview Tower locations.

14. How do I reveal the Depths map?

Activate Lightroots to illuminate the area and add fast-travel points. There are 120, directly below the surface shrines, so the surface map helps you plan your search. Lightroot map.

15. Why does Ascend sometimes fail?

Ascend needs a suitable ceiling within reach, and the target indicator must turn green. Move under a flatter section instead of assuming every overhead surface works. Ability rules.

16. Where do I get Autobuild?

Find it at the Great Abandoned Central Mine in the Depths. It recreates Ultrahand builds using nearby parts, with Zonaite covering missing parts. Autobuild walkthrough.

17. How do I climb in the rain?

Sticky Elixirs and the Froggy set help with slippery surfaces. You can also look for an Ascend route or wait under cover instead of repeatedly slipping off the same cliff. Weather survival.

Collectibles

18. How many shrines are there?

There are 152 shrines: 120 on the surface and 32 in the sky. The Depths has Lightroots rather than another set of shrines. All shrine locations.

19. Do I need all 1,000 Korok Seeds?

No; buying every permanent inventory expansion uses 421 seeds. The full 1,000 is a separate completion goal, and carrying a Korok to its friend rewards two seeds. Korok Seeds and rewards.

20. Are wells part of the cave total?

No; the 58 wells are tracked separately from the 147 caves. Use their separate lists when checking what you have missed. Well checklist.

21. How do I unlock the last Dragon’s Tear?

See the tears in all eleven geoglyphs first. The twelfth tear then appears on Rist Peninsula and completes that collection. Dragon’s Tears route.

22. Does the map percentage measure every quest?

No; map completion and quest completion are different checklists. Finishing a side quest or upgrading armor does not mean the map percentage must rise. Completion checklist.

Ending and continued play

23. Can I skip the temples and go straight to the ending?

You can reach the final route early, but skipped temple bosses wait in the final sequence. You also lose the help of sages you have not awakened, making a direct attempt much harder. Final battle preparation.

24. Is the final boss inside the floating castle?

The final route goes below Hyrule Castle through Hyrule Castle Chasm. The floating castle visit during the main story is a different stage. Route beneath the castle.

25. Can I keep exploring after the credits?

Yes; load the save marked with a star to continue from before the final battle. The game does not leave you in a world where Ganondorf is permanently gone. Post-game saves.

26. Can I return later for the extra ending scene?

Yes; complete the remaining main-story objectives, including the Dragon’s Tears and fifth sage, then finish the final battle again. The additional scene comes after the credits. Extra ending scene.

Switch 2 Edition and DLC

27. What changes in Switch 2 Edition?

The edition adds smoother performance, improved visuals, faster loading, a second save slot and Zelda Notes. The upgrade does not replace the main quest route described above. Edition comparison.

28. Can I upgrade with my original cartridge?

Yes; the matching upgrade pack works with the original physical game on Switch 2. You still need to insert that cartridge when playing the upgraded edition. Upgrade requirements.

29. Can my second-slot save go back to the original Switch version?

No; a save created in the new second slot cannot be transferred back to the original Switch version. Existing original-version saves can be carried over to Switch 2 Edition. Save compatibility.

30. Does Zelda Notes require Nintendo Switch Online?

No membership is required for Zelda Notes itself. You need the compatible edition, a Nintendo Account, the Nintendo Switch App on a supported phone and an internet connection. Zelda Notes setup.

31. Does Tears of the Kingdom have DLC?

No. Tears of the Kingdom has no DLC or Expansion Pass, so there are no extra story chapters or areas to buy. The only paid add-on is the Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack, which improves performance and adds Zelda Notes; Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members can claim it at no extra cost. Edition comparison.