The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - All Enemies

As Link makes his way across all three of Tears of the Kingdom‘s open-world areas he’ll undoubtedly run across the natural flora and fauna of each biome. As one might expect, the wild animals inhabiting the various regions of Hyrule are not always friendly, occasionally challenging Link to combat. Canine animals such as Wolves and Coyotes appear in different forms depending on which region of Hyrule players find themselves in, while there are at least two different types of Bears that players will have to contend with in forest and mountain areas. Defeating these wild animals in combat typically rewards Link with meat that can be used in the game’s expansive crafting and cooking system.

Bokoblins are the standard enemy type that Link will encounter most often throughout his adventure. Their introduction to the Zelda series comes courtesy of The Wind Waker, and since that game they continue to be one of the more common enemies appearing throughout Hyrule. Just like in Breath of the Wild, these goblin-like creatures typically patrol in groups and will attack Link as a unit, wielding weapons and shields that Link can collect after defeating them. In addition to the standard Bokoblin, there are also Blue, Black, and the dangerous Silver Bokoblins to contend with. Further, Link can encounter skeletal Stalkoblins during Blood Moons or within the Depths.

As their name implies, Boss Bokoblins are the larger, more intimidating leader Bokoblins that Link will regularly encounter while trying to clear out an enemy encampment. Although they are much more rare to come across than standard Bokoblins and only appear individually rather than in a group, their size and strength makes them challenging foes. Boss Bokoblins are also able to organize and lead groups of standard Bokoblins, making taking them out first a priority. They usually wield giant clubs to swing and attack Link or throw giant boulders at him from a distance. Further, Boss Bokoblins come in a variety of colors, each of which indicate how strong they are. In addition to the standard Boss Bokoblin, there are Blue, Black, and the ultimate Silver Boss Bokoblins.

Constructs are the living machines created by the ancient Zonai, the former dominant race in Hyrule before the age of Hylia. Each of the various constructs have different strengths and attack patterns, though they all carry the valuable Zonai materials that Link can use in conjunction with his Ultrahand ability to craft mechanical marvels. The Captain Construct are the stronger of the two Construct enemies Link will first encounter, wielding a variety of Zonai weaponry to make dangerous thrusting attacks. These thrusts are easily avoided by using the quick-dodge and flurry combo available to Link, and players will fight plenty of them during Tears of the Kingdom‘s tutorial section to get familiar with the move. Captain Constructs come in a variety of forms, all the way up to the most deadly Captain Construct IV.

Chuchus make an appearance yet again in Tears of the Kingdom, providing Link with the valuable colors of Chuchu Jelly he can use in crafting and cooking elixirs. The color and behavior of Chuchus changes depending on which biome Link encounters them in, with Fire, Ice, and Electric Chuchus appearing naturally in locations featuring these elements. Additionally, Wizzrobes will occasionally summon Chuchus to be a distraction and nuisance to Link during battle. Link can use the Chuchu Jelly to apply corresponding elemental effects to his weapons or arrows, and the standard Chuchus are easily defeated with a single swing of most weapons.

The Flux Construct are the mini-boss Construct enemy types that Link encounters in areas with heavy Zonai influence, such as in the Sky Isles. The body of the Flux Construct consists of several individual glowing cubes, each of which come together to form the facsimile of a humanoid body. Fighting one of these Flux Constructs is a delicate balance in keeping the right distance, as being too close will see the enemy swat at Link with its massive arms and being too far away results in it sending individual cubes from its body toward Link at high speeds. The best way to approach fighting one of these mini-bosses is to deconstruct it using the Ultrahand ability or maneuver to be able to use Ascend to appear on its shoulders near the weak spot for a critical attack.

Frox are the intimidating and massive frog-like mini-boss enemies Link will encounter in the Depths. There are only three Frox in the entire game, each of them featuring a different color to indicate their increasing strength. In addition to the standard Frox, there’s also the Obsidian Frox and the most powerful type, the Blue-White Frox. To defeat one of these fearsome monstrosities, Link must first stun it by shooting arrows into its open eye or throwing bombs into its mouth. Once stunned, Link needs to climb on top of its back and attack the rocky formations growing out of its skin. Using a rock-crushing weapon makes this process much easier. After all the rock formations on the Frox’s back are gone, the creature dies and rewards Link with a plethora of items and treasure.

Gibdo are The Legend of Zelda series’ mummy-like enemies, appearing in nearly every game in the franchise since the NES original. The version in Tears of the Kingdom is mostly exclusive to the Gerudo Desert and Wasteland areas, waiting stationary for Link to come close before attacking. Once they do spot Link, they move much faster than previous versions of the enemy and are practically invulnerable to most attacks. As in previous series games, Link can use fire arrows or coat weapons in fire to make short work of the Gibdos. Tears of the Kingdom introduces a new variant of the Gibdo with wings, and the main boss of the Lightning Temple is the insect-like Queen Gibdo.

Also having origins in the NES original is the three-headed dragon, Gleeok. These fearsome mini-boss enemies are formidable foes that pose a significant challenge to Link in the early parts of Tears of the Kingdom if he happens to come across one. There are a total of four Gleeoks that players can encounter throughout the adventure, with three of them aligning with particular elements. The Flame, Frost, and Thunder Gleeok all use their elemental abilities to make the fight against them more challenging, while the powerful King Gleeok is the most dangerous and deadly of all with its ability to control all three elements. Fighting any one of the Gleeoks requires making use of their arenas’ natural cover and carefully aiming the bow and arrow to land shots as it takes to the skies.

Gloom Spawn, which most players refer to as “Gloom Hands”, are new enemy types to Tears of the Kingdom that appear wherever there are large concentrations of Gloom. They share some similarities to the Wallmaster and Floormaster enemy types from previous Zelda games, whose ability to remove Link from a dungeon or send him flying backward tends to see the hand-type enemies instilling a sense of dread when players encounter them. The Gloom Spawn can be some of the most deadly enemies in the game, suddenly materializing out of pools of Gloom to swarm Link and quickly overwhlem him if he’s not careful. Defeating the Gloom Spawn is no easy task, and to make matters worse a Phantom Gannon spawns on the site where the final Gloom Spawn dies.

Accordingly, the Hinox make a return in Tears of the Kingdom after their many appearances in Breath of the Wild. These cyclopic giants are overworld mini-boss enemies that Link will occasionally need to challenge throughout the adventure, and they behave identically to how players remember them from BotW. Link will most likely come across one as it’s sleeping in a large clearing, attacking Link if he wakes them up. Their single, large eye is their weak point, and shooting an arrow into it will stun them and open them up to further attacks using melee weapons. Hinox drop a variety of valuable treasures and equipment, including Hinox parts that are necessary for armor upgrades or elixir crafting and powerful weapons. Like many other enemy types, there are standard, Blue, Black, and skeletal Stalnox varieties.

Horriblins are the frightening-looking cave-dwelling enemies that Link encounters throughout Hyrule. These creatures will cling to the walls and ceilings of underground cave networks, sneaking up on Link and attacking him by throwing rocks. Hitting these creatures with an arrow will knock them down from their perch, allowing Link to rush in and attack using melee weapons. Once the Horriblin are on the ground, they typically wield spears in combat. In addition to the standard Horriblin, there are Blue, Black, and Silver varieties, each of which increase in strength accordingly.

Another classic Zelda enemy making a return in Tears of the Kingdom is the bat-like Keese. These small flying enemies are common throughout Hyrule but tend to hangout inside of the many caves dotting the landscape. Further, the Keese in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom can now appear in swarms to attack Link as a group rather than individually. Keese are weak and will typically fall after a single strike from a weapon or arrow, and they typically reward Link with monster parts like Keese Eyeballs or Keese Wings. Aside from the standard Keese, there are also elemental varieties harnessing the power of Fire, Electricity, or Ice.

The equipment-eating Like-Likes make a return in Tears of the Kingdom, appearing much more intimidating than they are in earlier series games. After not showing up in Breath of the Wild, these classic enemies come back as permanent fixtures on the walls and cielings of caves. As in previous games, they will lunge out and attempt to swallow Link if he gets too close, eating and digesting his equipment in the process. The only way to harm Tears of the Kingdom‘s version of the Like-Like is to wait for it to strike, watching for the moment during its attack animation where its weak spot is vulnerable. Hitting the weak spot will then stun and open up the creatures to further attack. In addition to the standard form, there are elemental varieties utilizing Fire and Ice as well as a Like-Like mini-boss in the Sludge Like.

Lizalfos are the Zelda series’ recurring lizard warriors, returning once again in Tears of the Kingdom as formidable melee combatants. Their ability to use chameleon-like stealth camouflage to blend in with the environment allows them to surprise-attack Link, and their use of powerful weapons and agility make them challenging in a fight. In addition to the standard Lizalfos, there are increasingly powerful color variants such as the Blue, Black, and Silver Lizalfos, as well as the skeletal Stalizalfos. Lizalfos horns are incredibly useful in conjunction with the Fuse mechanic, greatly enhancing weapon attack power and even adding elemental effects.

Outside of bosses, the Lynel are the most dangerous enemies that Link will encounter throughout Hyrule. The Lynels of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are far more intimidating and deadly than their counterparts from the NES original, entering battle aggressively and continually trying to get Link up against the ropes without giving any reprieve. In addition to skillfully wielding melee weapons, these fearsome foes also come equipped with a bow and arrows and can even ram Link with their Saber Horns. Fast and powerful, Lynels come in several different varieties, each of them being more deadly than the last. Aside from the standard Lynel, there are also White and Blue-Maned versions as well as an ultimate Silver Lynel. Note that Zonai devices will not work in the presence of a Lynel, as the beasts will emit a terrifying roar that powers them down.

Although Moblins can chart their history back to the original Legend of Zelda, the form they take in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is quite different from their former bulldog-like appearance. Moblins are common enemies that Link will encounter throughout hyrule, often appearing at enemy encampments alongside Bokoblins and Boss Bokoblins. They wield large clubs that they attempt to swing in wide arcs, making keeping distance from them a priority. Like many other Tears of the Kingdom enemies, Moblins have a standard variety alongside Blue, Black, and Silver versions that each increase in power over the other.

The Molduga is another of the overworld mini-boss enemies that Link encounters in a limited capacity while traversing Hyrule. There are four of these giant sand monsters that Link can fight in Tears of the Kingdom, each of them appearing somewhere within the desert biomes inhabited by the Gerudo. Molduga lurk beneath the dunes of the desert until prey get close enough, at which point they quickly attempt to torpedo into their target. The best strategy to use when fighting a Molduga is to take advantage of its sensitivity to sound, denoating bombs or shooting bomb arrows at its location to see it leap to the surface and land in a stunned state. After stunning the Molduga, Link can then rush in for quick melee attacks before it regains consciousness.

Octoroks are classic Legend of Zelda enemies that appear once again in Tears of the Kingdom, largely identical to their appearance and behavior in Breath of the Wild. There are four varieties of Octorok — Water, Forest, Rock, and Treasure — and each of them generally wait until Link gets close before quickly popping out of the ground to spit rocks at him. In addition to using arrows and melee strikes, Link can defeat Octoroks by deflecting the rocks they spit right back at them with a shield. Using the Perfect Guard ability and timing the deflection just right sends the projectiles back at the Octorok at high speed, removing their ability to dodge or retreat under the surface.

Pebblit are the living rock enemies that Link commonly encounters across Hyrule. Smaller than a Talus and much less formidable, the Pebblit typically lie dormant camouflaging themselves in nearby rock clusters until Link gets near, at which point they animate and begin to attack. Normal weapons aren’t really effective against Pebblit thanks to their stone exterior, requiring heavier, rock-crushing weapons or bombs to get the job done. In addition to the standard Stone Pebblit, Tears of the Kingdom features both Frost (Ice) and Igneo (Fire) varieties that inhabit biomes featuring those elements.

Soldier Constructs are the standard Zonai Construct enemy type that Link commonly encounters, appearing most often in the Sky Isles and in Temples/Dungeons and Shrines. Like the Captain Constructs, Soldier Constructs have a standard variety as well as levels II, III, and IV, with IV being the strongest and most formidable. Most Soldier Construct enemies will fall after just a few strikes of a melee weapon, leaving behind valuable Zonai equipment and Zonai Charges that power Ultrahand contraptions.

Talus are the larger and more dangerous versions of Pebblit, massive rock-like mini-boss enemies that Link encounters a handful of times throughout his adventure. There are 4 different Stone Talus that Link can fight in various locations across Hyrule, as well as a Battle Talus equipped with armor, a Frost Talus imbued with the elemental power of ice, and an Igneo Talus englufed in flame. Just like in Breath of the Wild, Link can stun the Talus, granting him just enough time to climb up on its back and attack the vulnerable ore deposit sticking out that is its weak spot. In order to defeat the Igneo and Frost versions, Link must have the proper equipment or bonus effects from meals to ensure the respective elements don’t harm him.

Wizzrobes are just as much a nuisance in Tears of the Kingdom as they are in their previous incarnations across the Zelda series, utilizing the power of various elements to shoot Link with projectiles and fly around taunting him. The evasive maneuvers and agility of the Wizzrobes makes them hard to accurately attack while airborne, requiring Link to figure out a way to ground them and stun them. The best way to stun and open up a Wizzrobe to attack is to hit it with an element that counteracts its affinity, such as attacking a Fire Wizzrobe with an ice weapon, etc. There are Fire, Meteo, Frost, Blizz, Electric, and Thunder Wizzrobe varieties across Hyrule, and each of them behave the same except for their differing elemental affinities.

The Yiga Clan are the mysterious and hostile ninja-like tribe inhabiting Hyrule. The Yiga are former Sheikah that have chosen to align themselves with Ganon, turning their backs on Hyrule and Princess Zelda. There are two different kind of Yiga Clan enemies Link will encounter, Footsoldiers and Blademasters, and both of them are capable of wielding powerful weapons and can even utilize Zonai devices to place them on somewhat equal footing with Link. Defeating Yiga Clan enemies rewards plenty of Rupees and rare items, but it’s just as easy to sneak past them or blend-in with them using the Yiga Armor set.