Highlights

  • Fuse mechanics in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are not limited to weapons but can also be used creatively with shields, as recently demonstrated by one player who figured out a way to easily gain height by fusing an Octo Balloon to a shield.
  • This application of Octo Balloons makes them a more easily accessible alternative to Zonai Rockets, which can also be fused to shields to send Link skyward, but are more difficult to stockpile, especially in the early hours of Tears of the Kingdom.
  • Discoveries of this sort continue to surprise many players even six months after the game's release, highlighting the incredible depth of its gameplay mechanics.

After 190 hours of adventuring, one The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom player figured out a useful trick for easily gaining height by fusing an Octo Balloon to a shield. Their clever discovery serves as a reminder that the Tears of the Kingdom Fuse mechanic works just as well with shields as it does with weapons.

In terms of new features, the latest Zelda entry received the most praise for its Ultrahand ability, which allows players to build a wide assortment of structures and vehicles. However, its Fuse mechanics are just as conducive to creativity. The game's tutorial area primarily introduces Fuse as a way to put together powerful weapons from whatever is lying around, although that's far from its only application in Tears of the Kingdom.

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom TOTK logo with Link flying on Zonai Wing
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Reddit user knitknitterknit can attest to that fact, having recently figured out a clever trick for gaining height by sticking an Octo Balloon to a shield. This particular shield Fuse combination in Tears of the Kingdom produces what's essentially a pocket hot air balloon, which allows Link to float into the air the first time he pulls out the modified shield. A brief video demonstration of this trick that the player shared on social media shows them gaining approximately 20 meters (~65 feet) in height within seconds of activating their portable balloon, as confirmed by the change in the minimap coordinates seen in the bottom-right corner of the footage.

Octo Balloons Offer a Cheaper Way To Easily Gain Height in TOTK Than Zonai Rockets

Many players might be familiar with the concept of fusing a Zonai Rocket to a shield to produce an even more intense launch mechanism, as the game itself actually teaches that particular item combination. However, Octo Balloons tend to be much easier to procure, especially in the early game, as Octoroks are absolutely everywhere in Tears of the Kingdom.

Some of the players chiming in on knitknitterknit's discovery said that they also figured out this helpful Fuse combination on their own. However, seeing how their gameplay clip only took hours to reach the front page of the largest Tears of the Kingdom subreddit, it would appear that many players were still unaware of this trick more than half a year since the game's release.

Octo Balloons Aren't the Only Reason To Farm Octoroks in TOTK

Aside from dropping materials that can help Link easily gain height, Octoroks are also useful for their ability to repair the player's equipment and even reroll its stats in the process of doing so. In fact, tricking them into sucking up a weapon or shield by dropping it in front of them is the only way to reset equipment durability in the game. And while taking advantage of this method becomes second nature after a bit of practice, the occasional Tears of the Kingdom weapon repair attempt can still end in disaster.