Link can build up his HP by collecting Heart Containers, or he can increase his Stamina with Stamina Vessels. Unlike previousLegend of Zeldagames,Breath of the Wilddoes not have Heart Pieces. Instead, players will need to collect special items called Spirit Orbs.
While Link can get a total of four Heart Containers per Divine Beast inBreath of the Wild, Stamina Vessels can only be expanded via Spirit Orbs. Once Link has four Spirit Orbs, he can trade them for a Heart Container or a Stamina Vessel at any of the Goddess Statues. Link can have a total of 30 hearts, but he’ll be unable to obtain three Stamina Wheels. If Link has three Stamina Wheels, he can only have a 27 Hearts. Players may be wondering which of the two is the better option.
RELATED:Breath Of The Wild: How to Get Sand Boots & Snow Boots
Where to Get Spirit Orbs
If players have already left the Great Plateau, then they should know that Spirit Orbs are only obtained by completing Shrines. There are a total of120 ShrinesinBreath of the Wild. The majority of them have trials, but some arelocked behind Shrine Questswhile others allow Link to walk right in and get a Spirit Orb.
If players have the Champions' Ballad DLC, a different type of Shrine will appear after Link has liberated all four of the Divine Beasts. The monks in these Shrines will reward Link with a Divine Beast Emblem, three per beast.Emblems can’t be traded for Heart Containers or Stamina Vessels. The Emblems are needed for the EX Champion sidequests and are separate from the 120 Shrines around Hyrule.
Heart Container or Stamina Vessel?
Once Link hasfour Spirit Orbs, pray to any of the Goddess Statues in any of the villages/cities. Stables and Divine Beasts donothave Goddess Statues.If Link has enough Orbs, the Goddess Statue will make Link choose between a Stamina Vessel or a Heart Container.
Should Link have30 Heartsor3 Stamina Wheels, then the Statue will tell Link that he can no longer pray for more HP or Stamina respectively. If this happens, any Orbs obtained from the remaining Shrines will need to go to Heart Containers or Stamina Wheels depending on how much HP/Stamina the player already has.
Some meals and elixirs will have Yellow Hearts/Yellow Stamina Wheels (Temporary Hearts/Temporary Stamina) as their labeled effects. These can stackup to 10 Heartsorup to 2 Stamina Wheels. Temporary Hearts and Stamina can’t be recoveredvia regular meals or elixirs.
Again, it’snotpossible to have 30 Hearts and 3 Stamina Wheels. Link can either have 27 Hearts and 3 Stamina Wheels, or he can have 30 Hearts and 2 and a half Stamina Wheels. Thus, the decision will come down to the player: Is it better to have more HP or Stamina?
Here are the pros and cons for each:
BecauseBreath of the Wildis open-world, the Stamina Vessels are the better option. Players will spend the majority of their gameplay climbing and paragliding. It’s also much easier to activate Sheikah Towers with more Stamina Wheels than it is with more Hearts.
RELATED:Breath of the Wild: Where to Find Fang and Bone (Kilton’s Shop)
Can You Exchange Heart Containers and Stamina Vessels?
If by some chance players regret their decision, they can exchange a Heart Container for a Stamina Vessel and vice versa. To do this, they’ll need to speak to theHorned StatueinHateno Village. The Statue is on the northern sideFirly Pond, which ispast the bridge from Link’s houseto Hateno Village.
When players first speak to the Horned Statue, it willtake one of their Heart Containers. This will unlock the sidequest “The Statue’s Bargain.” Don’t panic when it takes a Heart. Simply speak to the Statue again and select “Give it back.” The Horned Statue will return the Heart, but it will then offer to trade a Stamina Wheel for one of Link’s Heart Containers. Players have the option of declining if they’re satisfied with what they have. After the first trade with the Horned Statue, future exchangeswill cost 100 rupees.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis available for Nintendo Switch.
