Link will encounter many obstacles and challenges in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Link may face a variety of these obstacles and challenges. It may be in the form of enemy camps, the very hot or very cold climate, or the newly-introduced Gloom. Here, we will talk about an obstacle back from Breath of the Wild: thorns.
This guide will walk you through how to destroy thorns in Tears of the Kingdom. With that, you’ll learn to overcome these prickly obstacles and uncover the secrets that lie beyond. Let’s explore some simple and effective methods to destroy those thorns and keep the journey strong!
Thorns in Tears of the Kingdom
In some parts of the vast kingdom of Hyrule, Link will encounter thorns that block his path. These spiky bushes will damage Link if he gets even the slightest contact. Some areas where Link will find thorns are near the Rabella Wetlands Skyview Tower and the Turakawak Shrine.
How to Destroy Thorns in Tears of the Kingdom
The thing about thorns is that they are very flammable. With that in mind, Link can use the following to destroy thorns in Tears of the Kingdom:
1. Fire
Lighting them up on fire is the main way of destroying thorns in Tears of the Kingdom. Once they are set on fire and burning, it will not be long until it disappears into a puff of smoke. Also, what’s great about fire is that it will travel from thorn bush to thorn bush if they are connected. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to set the thorns on fire and destroy them:
A. Campfire
A simple campfire can destroy thorns. Link must set up the campfire directly next to the thorns.
Requirements
Link must have a bundle of wood, a piece of Flint, and a metal weapon to set up a campfire. Link can get wood from hitting logs after chopping them from trees. As for Flint, Link can obtain them from ore deposits.
How to Set Up Campfire
To create a campfire, Link must do the following:
- Press the + button to open the menu and use the L or R button to navigate the materials tab.
- Next, press the X button to start holding items.
- Then, look for the Flint and bundle of Wood in the Materials tab. Press the A button to add one of each to what Link holds.
- After that, press the B button to return to the game. Move Link so that the target is right next to a thorny bush. Once you are ready, press the A button to drop the bundle of Wood and a piece of Flint.
- Next, equip a metal weapon. Hold the right directional button and use the right stick to select a metal weapon. Once ready, let go of the right directional button to equip the selected weapon.
- Next, press the Y button to attack the Flint and bundle of Wood using the metal weapon. Ensure that the metal weapon will hit the Flint and bundle of Wood in the same swing.
- Finally, the spark from the metal weapon and Flint will ignite the bundle of Wood. Then, the fire from the newly created campfire will transfer to the thorny bush!
You might wonder: “Wait, the thorny bushes are also wood, so why not just drop a piece of Flint right next to it and attack with a metal weapon?”. Well, that will make it burn, but it is not recommended. You would not want to keep dropping Flint on the floor for every thorny bush if they are not connected.
The dropping of the Flint would make it time-consuming and also a waste of Flint. With a set-up campfire, Link will not have to keep making fire for the other thorny bushes. Instead, Link can use the next methods to transfer the fire. However, the option remains if you want to drop a Flint for every thorny bush.
B. Torches
Link can transfer the fire to the thorns using a simple Torch if a campfire or other fire source is nearby. To do that, this is what Link must do:
- First, equip the Torch. To quickly do that, hold the right directional button and use the right stick to navigate to the Torch. Let go of the right directional button to equip the Torch.
- After that, approach the campfire or fire source. Press the Y button next to the fire source to light up the Torch.
- Then, approach the thorny bushes with the lit Torch. Finally, press the Y button again to set the thorns on fire!
It’s important to mention that the player shouldn’t press the Y button while Link still goes to the thorns. Doing so will result in Link attacking using the lit Torch. The swing of the attack will cause the fire to go out.
C. Fire Arrows
Link can shoot fire arrows on thorny bushes to light them up on fire. With this, Link can destroy the thorns from a distance. Link can make fire arrows and destroy thorns using a couple of methods:
Fire Source
Link can turn normal arrows to fire arrows if a campfire or other fire source is nearby. With that, Link can burn these prickly obstacles! To do that, Link must do the following:
- First, approach a campfire or some fire source.
- Then, equip a bow. Hold the ZR button and the right directional button to do that. Use the right stick to select a bow to equip. Once ready, let go of the right directional button.
- After that, hold the ZR button to ready and aim the bow and an arrow. While aiming, let the arrow tip touch the campfire or fire source. Doing so will light the arrow on fire and make a fire arrow!
- While still aiming with the fire arrow, aim toward the thorns you want to destroy. Once ready, remove the ZR button to shoot the fire arrow.
- Finally, if the thorns are hit, they will burn and eventually be destroyed!
Fuse Ability
Fusing a material into an arrow is another way to make fire arrows. For this, Link must first learn the new Fuse ability. This power allows Link to combine objects and materials into weapons, shields, and arrows. Link can get this ability after entering the second Shrine up in the Great Sky Island, the In-isa Shrine.
Requirements
Now that Link has the Fuse ability, the only thing left is the material to fuse to the arrows. To make fire arrows using the Fuse ability, Link needs the following materials: Fire Fruits, Red Chuchu Jellies, or Rubies. Fire Fruits are the easiest to find out of all these possible materials. It is not recommended to use Rubies as these gems are too valuable to use only once.
How to Fuse to Make Fire Arrows
Once Link has the necessary materials, Link can now make fire arrows! To do that, Link must do the following:
- First, equip your desired bow. Hold the ZR button to do that, then the right directional button. Select the bow you want to use using the right stick. Stop pressing the right directional button to equip the bow.
- Next, continue holding the ZR button to aim the bow and arrow. Hold the up directional button and use the right stick to select a material to attach to the arrow. Select a Fire Fruit, Red Chuchu Jelly, or a Ruby if you want to. Once highlighted, let go of the up-directional button to attach the material to the readied arrow. Link is now aiming a fire arrow!
- Lastly, aim at the thorny bushes, then, once ready, let go of the ZR button to shoot the fire arrow. After that, the thorns will burn and will be destroyed!
D. Fire Weapons
Link can also use fire melee weapons to burn thorny bushes like arrows. There are two possible ways to destroy thorns using melee weapons: setting a wooden weapon on fire or weapons that shoot fire-based attacks.
Wooden Weapons
Wooden weapons work similarly to Torches that they burn if they touch fire. However, unlike Torches, wooden weapons will deplete their durability while it is burning. For this, Link should have a campfire or fire source nearby. Link can follow the steps for lighting up a Torch above, but replace the Torch with a wooden weapon.
Fire-Based Weapons
Link can also fuse certain materials to any weapons, like fire arrows, to create an elemental weapon. There are numerous materials in the game that, when fused to Link’s weapons, cause the weapon to unleash fire-based attacks. Out of all the possible materials, the recommended material that Link can use to burn thorns is Rubies.
If Link attacks using a weapon fused with a Ruby, the weapon will release fireballs. This will then cause the thorny bushes to burn. Other materials produce the same effect, but even with their valuable nature, Rubies are easier to find than other materials.
To create fire-based weapons and burn the thorny bushes, Link must do these:
- First, drop the Ruby (or similar material) on the ground. To quickly do that, hold the up directional button and use the right stick to navigate to the material. Once selected, press the X button to drop the Ruby on the ground.
- Next, equip the desired weapon to fuse the Ruby to. To do that, hold the right directional button and use the right stick to select the weapon. Once ready, let go of the right directional button to equip the item.
- After that, ready the Fuse ability. Hold the L button and use the right stick to select the Fuse ability in the bottom part of the wheel.
- Then, with the Fuse ability ready, approach the Ruby. Once it is highlighted, press the Y button to fuse it with Link’s melee weapon. Link now has a fire-based weapon!
- Finally, slightly from a thorny bush, press the Y button to attack using the fire-based weapon. The weapon will then release fireballs that will burn and destroy the thorns!
E. Flamethrowers
A Zonai Device also releases fire and, therefore, can destroy thorns. This Zonai Device is the Zonai Flame Emitter. Link can activate the Zonai Flame Emitter to well, emit flames. It is worth mentioning that the duration that it releases flame depends on Link’s Energy Wells. If they run out, the Zonai Device will deactivate.
A few methods exist to use the Zonai Flame Emitter to destroy thorns. Link can simply hit it to activate it and grab it using the Ultrahand ability to let the fire hit the thorns. Alternatively, Link can fuse the Zonai Flame Emitter with Link’s weapons and shields.
Attacking using the weapon fused with the Flame Emitter will shoot out fire. As for shields, Link can fuse it to a shield and then press the ZL to ready the shield. While doing so, the Flame Emitter will activate.
Link can find Zonai Flame Emitters in some parts of Hyrule’s overworld. However, Link can get capsules for the Zonai Flame Emitters in the following Zonai Device Dispensers:
| Device Dispenser | Region | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Gutanbac Shrine Device Dispenser | Great Sky Island | 0073, -1265, 1579 |
| Nachoyah Shrine Device Dispenser | Great Sky Island | 0440, -1680, 1443 |
| Yansamin Shrine Device Dispenser | East Necluda Sky | 2326, -1726, 1485 |
| Simosiwak Shrine Device Dispenser | Great Hyrule Forest Sky | 0212, 1988, 0755 |
| Ijo-o Shrine Device Dispenser | Hebra Mountains Sky | -3807, 2760, 0702 |
2. Bombs
Another way to destroy thorns is to blow them up literally! For this method, the best material to use is Bomb Flowers. Link can just throw the Bomb Flowers toward the thorny bushes. However, this is not recommended because it is also risky. This is because Link may also take huge damage if the Bomb Flower is thrown quite near. Because of that, it is recommended to use the Bomb Flower as a material for fusing.
Out of all the base weapon possibilities, it is recommended to fuse the Bomb Flower to Link’s Arrow. Doing so will allow Link to blow up the thorns from a distance.
To fuse a Bomb Flower to an arrow and destroy thorns, Link must do the following:
- First, hold the ZR button and use the right stick to select a bow to equip. After you have selected, let go of the right directional button to equip it, but keep holding the ZR button. Holding the ZR button will enable Link to aim an arrow using the equipped bow.
- While aiming, hold the up directional button to select an item to fuse to the arrow. Use the right stick to navigate and select the Bomb Flower. Once it is highlighted, let go of the up-directional button to create a Bomb Arrow!
- Next, while holding the ZR button to aim the Bomb Arrow, aim at the thorns you want to destroy. To be safe from the blast, ensure sufficient distance between Link and the thorns. Once ready, let go of the ZR button to shoot the Bomb Arrow, and it will explode upon impact.
- Finally, the hit thorns will burn and eventually disappear into a puff of smoke!
One Thing to Note About Thorns in Tears of the Kingdom
All the methods mentioned are easy enough that Link can do them even early on in the game. However, one more obstacle may hinder Link from destroying thorns: rain. Any attempt to light up the bushes on fire will be in vain if it rains. Rain will always turn off the fire. To overcome this, the simplest thing to do is simply wait for the rain to stop.
This will only take a few minutes unless Link is in areas where it is more likely to rain than not. If you can’t wait for the rain to stop, Link can cover the top of the thorny bushes with various materials and set them on fire. For this, Link can use the wooden platforms from the various Hyrule Restoration Materials scattered around Hyrule.
Conclusion
All you need to think of to eliminate thorns in Tears of the Kingdom is fire. As you can see above, the game has myriad ways to create fire and burn these prickly traps. Use the least wasteful method possible, and Link will overcome this obstacle. You can triumph over these challenges and pave the way to your goals by harnessing the power of your tools and abilities.
Remember that destroying thorns is just one tiny accomplishment on your epic journey as Link continues to explore the rich landscapes of Hyrule. Embrace the lessons you’ve learned and let your determination propel you forward. In overcoming these challenges, you embody the spirit of a renowned hero. With the thorns destroyed, it’s time to continue saving Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom!
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