Learning how to shield surf in BOTW is a skill that all players will inevitably end up doing, but the game doesn’t explicitly tell you how to do it. You have to figure it out for yourself.
Luckily, it’s not that hard at all. Read on to learn how to Shield Surf in Breath of the Wild.
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Shield surfing downhill will make you go faster
Learning how to shield surf in BOTW is very simple, just follow the proceeding steps and you’ll be surfing in no time.
The first step of shield surfing is to find a shield to surf on (could be a tongue twister in there somewhere?…).
The shield should not be your most expensive one as shield surfing damages, and can eventually break, the shield that you use. It’s best to use some of the cheaper, more disposable shields that you can find easily in the game such as Pot Lids, Wooden Shields, or Boku Shields.
Once you have an appropriate shield, find it in your inventory and equip it. Now, you’re ready to surf.
With the shield equipped, Hold Block, then Jump and Press A. This will cause Link to slam the shield down beneath him and engage the surf mode. That’s it, now you know how to shield surf in BOTW!
Now that you know how to surf, you can practice it anywhere to get a little better at it. The fields of Hyrule are a good place to start. Going down slopes will lead to a faster surf and, likewise, you’ll slow down when surfing uphill.
It is also possible to equip your bow and arrow whilst shield surfing, which can be a fun way to take out enemies as you zoom past them.
Different terrains can affect how fast you shield surf
Whilst I still recommend using the cheap, easily found shields to shield surf in BOTW, there are some shields that you can use once you get better at it and want to go faster (such as in the shield surfing minigame).
The Radiant Shield is the fastest shield for shield surfing as it has a low friction rate allowing you to zoom along the surface with little resistance. It is also very durable, so will not diminish in quality as fast as some of the other shields.
Another good option is the Ancient Shield. This shield has the best durability of all the shields in the game, so it will last for a long time when shield surfing. The only problem is that the Ancient Shield isn’t a common acquisition for players until later on in the game.
Link shield surfing through the grass
To shield surf faster, try starting at the top of a hill and you will pick up pace and accelerate as you surf downwards. Avoid going upwards on slopes as this will slow your shield surf down and eventually bring you to a halt.
The only other factor that will impact the speed you travel while surfing is the shield you use. Some shields, such as the Radiant Shield and the Ancient Shield, have less friction and allow you to move faster on the whatever surface you are travelling on.
Unfortunately, yes it does. Shield surfing will damage your shield over time, which is why we recommend using lower quality shields for the majority of your shields.
If you’re willing to dedicate one of your better shields with a higher durability to surfing, then it will certainly last for longer.
Now that you know how to shield surf in BOTW, what else do you want to learn how to do? Let us know in the comment section below!
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To learn more about the shield surf in BOTW and the different stats that affect how you move, check out the great YouTube video below by Croton.