An observant player realized Breath of the Wild’s Master Sword can be used to help solve Ancient Shrines, a clever tactic many might have missed. The Legend of Zelda’s main protagonist Link is often remembered for his mighty weapon, the Master Sword, a reforged version of the Goddess Sword that has appeared in most of the franchise’s many installments. In each iteration, Link is tasked with completing a grand quest or performing a major feat to earn the powerful weapon, and obtaining the Master Sword in BOTW is no different. Once Link gets 13 heart containers, he can pull the sacred sword free from its stone prison, thus giving Link access to its divine powers.

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The Master Sword, also known as the Blade of Evil’s Bane, has had its powers manifest in a variety of ways across the series. In many franchise installments, the blade is capable of repelling evil itself and is often the only weapon that can defeat Ganon. There are some games that imbue the sword with different powers, such as its use as a catalyst to travel through time in Ocarina of Time or its usefulness against twilit creatures in Twilight Princess. The Master Sword has a plethora of uses in Breath of the Wild, from its 30 base damage to its ability to do extra damage against corrupted Guardians. The game’s iteration of the Master Sword has other uses as well, as demonstrated by one clever Reddit user.

Reddit user Wasserhead posted a video proving that Breath of the Wild’s Master Sword can help players solve shrines. Demonstrated in the gameplay footage, Link can use the Master Sword’s beam attack to hit some buttons. Wasserhead guided Link towards the edge of a platform before launching the sword beam at the colorful red and orange button. Upon impact, the button activated, turning blue and dropping the wall to reveal another puzzle button.

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A ubiquitous mechanic, Breath of the Wild’s Ancient Shrines are an important part of the game, offering Spirit Orbs as rewards that improve Link’s stats. That said, many Ancient Shrine puzzles are tricky, and can delay a player’s quest in Nintendo’s open world. Ancient Shrines often house frustrating puzzles, from tests of strength to the manipulation of electric currents to operate bridges. While there are certain known tips and tricks to solving the Ancient Shrines’ more difficult puzzles, there always seems to be new ways to make conquering Breath of the Wild’s challenges a lot easier. Wasserhead’s discovery is one such offering. Usually, players will have to launch consumables at shrine buttons, such as a bomb arrow, though that can take up valuable resources. Instead, utilizing the Master Sword’s beam attack is quicker, more accurate, and doesn’t require any consumables.

There are many strategies players employ to pass shrine puzzles, such as one player who stripped Link naked to make Ancient Shrines easier. The only issue with Wasserman’s plan is that the Master Sword’s beam attack requires Link to be at full hearts, which means those who have taken damage in an Ancient Shrine have to heal with food or potions before being able to launch the ranged attack. Still, the sword beam strategy is a solid alternative to completing many Ancient Shrine puzzles.

Source: Wasserhead/Reddit

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Alden Etra
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Alden is a freelance gaming news writer for Screen Rant. He has a love for video games and tabletop board games, and is an avid fan of all things sci-fi/fantasy.

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