Is there weapon durability in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom fans will be wondering if the controversial weapon durability system has made a return in the BOTW sequel. Here’s everything you need to know.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a drastic departure for Nintendo’s iconic series and has since gone down as one of the best games of all time. It’s no surprise then that the long-awaited sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, is already one of the biggest releases of 2023.

One of the most divisive features in BOTW was weapon durability, causing swords and axes to break if they were used too often, aside from valuable items like the Master Sword. It’s a system that many players took issue with, so does Tears of the Kingdom include a similar feature?

Here’s everything we know about weapon durability in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Will weapons break in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?

Yes, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will feature a weapon durability system, meaning items can break after multiple uses. This was first revealed in the first extended gameplay demo shared on March 28.

Each use of a weapon, whether it be attacking an enemy, hitting objects in the environment, or even solving a puzzle, takes away some of its durability. So, you’ll have to constantly update your inventory with new weaponry.

Just like in Breath of the Wild, all Tears of the Kingdom weapons come with different levels of durability. Lower-tier options break after a handful of fights, while some of the game’s best options last for hours without breaking.

Luckily, however, the Fuse system makes the breaking weapons easier to manage. Link’s new ability allows him to attach virtually any item to his weapons, to create swords, axes, and shields with unique effects.

If players are still having trouble balancing the status of their weapons from fight to fight, we recommend tracking down the Master Sword, as this works on a cool down rather than a durability meter, meaning it will never permanently break.

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For more on TOTK, check out some of our other guides:

Who is Ganondorf in The Legend of Zelda | How long is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? Expected time to beat  | Will there be DLC for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | What are “tears” in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? | The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom amiibo rewards & unlocks | How to unlock the Paraglider in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom |

Image credit: Nintendo