How do you use Sheikah Slate runes?

The Sheikah Slate is a versatile and essential tool in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, granting Link access to a variety of unique abilities known as Runes. These Runes are fundamental for combat, puzzle-solving, traversal, and exploration across Hyrule.

Accessing Sheikah Slate Runes

To use Sheikah Slate Runes, you simply:

1. Open your Sheikah Slate: Press the L button on your Nintendo Switch controller.
2. Select a Rune: Use the left joystick to highlight the desired Rune from the circular menu that appears on-screen.
3. Confirm Selection: Press the A button to select the Rune.
4. Activate the Rune: Once selected, the Rune's icon will appear in the bottom-left corner of your screen. Press the L button again to activate its ability. Some Runes require aiming with ZR and placing a target with A.

Essential Sheikah Slate Runes and Their Uses

Each Rune offers distinct capabilities that are crucial for Link's journey. Here's a breakdown of the primary Runes and how they can be effectively utilized:

1. Remote Bombs

Remote Bombs allow Link to generate explosive devices that can be detonated remotely.

• Types: You acquire both Square Bombs and Spherical Bombs.
  • Square Bombs are stationary and won't roll.
  • Spherical Bombs can roll, making them useful for reaching targets on slopes or in specific puzzle scenarios.
• Key Uses:
  • Combat: Dealing damage to enemies, especially those clustered together or vulnerable to explosives.
  • Environmental Destruction: Breaking destructible rocks and walls to uncover hidden passages, treasure chests, or ore deposits.
  • Puzzle Solving: Activating switches, creating updrafts, or moving objects in Shrines and the overworld.
  • Resource Gathering: Felling trees for wood or creating shortcuts by destroying obstacles.

2. Magnesis

Magnesis grants Link the power to telekinetically manipulate metal objects, regardless of their size or weight.

• Key Uses:
  • Puzzle Solving: Moving metal platforms, bridges, or blocks to clear paths or solve Shrine puzzles.
  • Finding Hidden Items: Lifting metal crates or chests from underwater or out of reach.
  • Combat: Using metal objects as weapons to strike enemies or as shields to block projectiles.
  • Environmental Manipulation: Creating makeshift bridges, pushing boulders, or even disarming metal-armed enemies.

3. Stasis

Stasis allows Link to temporarily freeze an object in time, making it impervious to external forces. While an object is frozen, Link can hit it to store kinetic energy, which will be released once Stasis wears off, sending the object flying.

• Key Uses:
  • Puzzle Solving: Launching objects across gaps, activating distant switches, or solving physics-based challenges.
  • Combat: Freezing powerful enemies to get free hits, disarm them, or create an escape route.
  • Traversal: Stopping rolling boulders or rotating platforms to cross safely.
  • Exploration: Stopping time on logs to use them as temporary bridges.

4. Cryonis

Cryonis enables Link to create pillars of ice on water surfaces, which can be climbed or used to interact with the environment.

• Key Uses:
  • Crossing Water: Forming a path across rivers, lakes, or oceans.
  • Raising Objects: Creating ice pillars underneath submerged objects, such as treasure chests, to bring them to the surface.
  • Puzzle Solving: Blocking water flow, creating temporary platforms, or interacting with water-based mechanisms in Shrines.
  • Defense: Using ice pillars as shields against enemy attacks.

5. Camera

The Camera Rune is a powerful tool for documentation and discovery, allowing Link to take pictures of animals, monsters, and items you find in the game.

• Key Uses:
  • Hyrule Compendium: Once you take a picture, it will be added to the Hyrule Compendium, an in-game encyclopedia. Here, you can:
    • See the picture you've taken.
    • View a detailed description of the subject.
    • Set the subject on the Sheikah Sensor to easily locate more of that item, creature, or enemy in the world.
  • Quest Completion: Many side quests require photographing specific objects or creatures.
  • Memory Album: Pictures are also saved to your album, serving as a personal record of your journey.

6. Sheikah Sensor

The Sheikah Sensor is initially configured to detect Shrines but can be upgraded to detect any item or enemy recorded in your Hyrule Compendium.

• Key Uses:
  • Shrine Hunting: The default setting helps you locate nearby Shrines.
  • Material Farming: Set it to detect specific ingredients like a "Hearty Radish" or "Armored Porgy" to streamline gathering.
  • Enemy Tracking: Locate specific monster types for quest objectives or farming monster parts.
  • Treasure Finding: If you photograph a treasure chest, the sensor can guide you to others.

7. Amiibo

The Amiibo Rune allows you to scan compatible Amiibo figures to receive various in-game items and rewards.

• Key Uses:
  • Spawning Items: Summoning chests with unique weapons, armor, or crafting materials.
  • Resource Drops: Receiving valuable food items, arrows, or rupees.
  • Companions: Certain Amiibo can summon a companion, such as Wolf Link.

Maximizing Your Rune Usage

• Practice: Experiment with each Rune's capabilities in different situations.
• Combinations: Many puzzles require combining Runes, such as using Magnesis to position a metal object and then Stasis to launch it.
• Strategic Upgrades: Prioritize upgrading Runes like Remote Bombs (for faster cooldown) at the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab.

By mastering the Sheikah Slate Runes, Link can overcome any challenge Hyrule throws his way, making them indispensable tools for the legendary hero.