Highlights

  • Tulin, the Sage of Wind, is the most useful and versatile ally in Tears of the Kingdom, providing essential movement upgrades and strong combat abilities.
  • Mineru, the Sage of Spirit, rewards resourcefulness and offers a unique mech that can Fuse with Zonai devices, stun enemies, and be used for mining and exploration.
  • Riju, the Sage of Lightning, has ranged magic attacks that can stun enemies and illuminate dark areas, but her usefulness in combat requires strategic positioning and coordination with Link.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been out for a while now, and many players have thoroughly explored the most recent iteration of Hyrule. Using the many tools Tears of the Kingdom provides, Breath of the Wild's Link can take any route he pleases through the monster-infested landscape, stopping to visit sky islands and plumb the Depths along the way.

Link's arm powers are a huge part of this, even more than Runes were with Breath of the Wild. Ultrahand has become this Zelda entry's signature, but Fuse, Ascend, and Stasis all proved useful as well. Meanwhile, BotW's four Champions have been upstaged by a new group of Sages who can fight alongside Link while lending him their powers. After clearing their associated dungeon, they also reward Link with a Vow to keep their functions around. Every Sage is a useful ally, but players will quickly find themselves using some over others.

RELATED: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Sages Are a Big Step Towards a Possible Future Feature

S Tier

Tulin in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Tulin, Sage of Wind - The first Sage that players will likely meet is Tulin, and they won't regret it. Much like Revali's Gale in BotW, Tulin's wind power is the only upgrade concerned with movement. After some time with it, this paragliding boost starts feeling more like a core game mechanic than any other Sage power, and players will feel its absence in Shrines and towns. Tulin himself is also the best combat partner, able to hit enemy weak spots with rapid-fire arrows for massive damage. No other Sage comes close to Tulin, but resourceful players can find uses for them too.

A Tier

Mineru’s Construct in in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Mineru, Sage of Spirit - And resourcefulness is what Mineru rewards most. This ghostly Zonai needs to be found in a later Tears of the Kingdom quest, but the mech she inhabits is worth the wait. Safely walking on Gloom puddles is only its first use, as it can Fuse any Zonai device to several places on it. Its damage is low, but equipping Mineru with elemental devices lets her stun enemies left and right, and she offers a quick way to use rockets as jetpacks. Combined with jumping off the mech for bullet time and its uses in mining, Mineru's machine is worth investing in.

B Tier

Riju in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Riju, Sage of Lightning - The current Gerudo chieftain Riju plays a strange role in Link's growing party. She fights up close, but Link needs to be next to her to prompt her ranged magic. Catching Riju and waiting for her charge-up typically annoys players, even though her aimed lightning is strong, the only Sage power with a stun effect, and its targeting can illuminate dark areas. Riju and her Vow are useful in combat, but only if players can whistle them into an advantageous position.

C Tier

Sidon, Sage of Water - Sidon is an interesting ally, as he holds the only defensive Sage power. Interacting with Sidon surrounds Link with a water barrier for ten seconds, acting as a single free hit. Some players will find this immensely useful against some of TotK's best bosses like the Gleeoks, but that also means it's only good at mitigating mistakes. Players can also spend the shield on a water projectile instead, but it isn't nearly strong enough to justify it. Sidon's Vow is unfortunately only good at keeping the popular Zora on the screen.

Yunobo, Sage of Fire - At first, Yunobo's portable cannonball seems like a useful ranged attack, especially while driving vehicles. Unfortunately, its damage falls off quickly, and even as an NPC Yunobo can barely hit TotK's roster of mobile enemies. After TotK's Fire Temple dungeon, fights are better resolved with a bomb arrow than one of Yunobo's explosions. Being best for ore mining isn't a terrible fate for a Goron, but Tears of the Kingdom should've given Yunobo a more versatile power.