Get around Hyrule in style by learning how to shield surf in the Legend of Zelda: BotW.
There’s nothing quite like the magic of taming your very first horse in the Legend of Zelda. But there are plenty of ways to get around that don’t involve mastering another creature. Aside from the very handy glider, Link can also utilize his shield to ‘surf’ down mountainous or hilly regions of Hyrule. It’s a technique that takes some time to master, but is well worth it.
How to Shield Surf in BotW
Shield surfing requires having a shield and a downward slope available nearby. To get started, take off at a run towards the slope you want to surf.
- Press the Jump Button (X), then tap the Shield Parry Button (A) in mid-air.
- Link will do a flip and place his shield below himself to slide down.
- While surfing, you can shoot your bow, or do a spinning attack with (Y).
Note: Shield surfing uses up the durability of a shield. If the shield breaks while Link is on it, he will stumble like a skateboarder doing a failed trick. He may also take damage from the fall. Shield Surfing on snow or sand is the exception, as they do not lower durability at all. Shield surfing on rocky terrain will eat up your shield much faster.
What’s the best shield to surf with in BotW?
There are many different styles of shields that you can obtain in Breath of the Wild. The bokoblin wooden shields are almost useless for surfing, since their durability is so low to begin with. The Kite Shield in the video above has been the choice of most players since it makes surfing a bit easier. But certain shields are faster than others.
The Radiant Shield seems to be the shield most capable of getting to top surfing speed and maintaining it, even through rocky ground. The Hylian Shield is another great option with high durability, but it can’t surf as well as the Radiant Shield through rocky terrain (like on Mount Hylia).
What Else?
Shield surfing is one of the most fun things you can do in Breath of the Wild. Get a few shields and practice sliding down Mount Hylia while doing tricks to see what I mean. Just be careful, because if you happen to take a tumble while traveling at high speeds, Link will go flying. You can seriously injure or even kill yourself while shield surfing, so be careful.
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