As an adventurer drawn to ancient mysteries, uncovering the secrets of energy cells has become my obsession in Tears of the Kingdom…
Unlocking Zonai‘s Advanced Technology
Scholars debate the origins of energy cells, with clues hinting at the ingenious Zonai tribe which vanished from Hyrule long ago. Their mastery over blue luminous stone powered advanced contraptions still found across the kingdom. While the fundamental principles elude modern understanding, my travels have illuminated how to harness this technology for great benefit against the rising Calamity.
Upon completing the In-isa Shrine‘s spiritual trials, the Steward Construct gifted three standard energy cells as reward. While potent, subsequent adventures revealed even greater machines awaiting reactivation across Hyrule. Their potential convinced me to dedicate efforts towards amplifying my energy reserves.
Upgrading capacity requires scouring Hyrule for rare crafting materials – Zonaites and Crystalized Charges. My diagram below outlines the full progression system beyond initial steps:
As shown above, further boosting energy output involves gathering scarce resources from dangerous territory. But the risk brings reward when powering up game-changing systems.
Zonai Tech Unlocked
What wondrous devices spring to life upon inserting enhanced energy cells? Below I detail my favorites revealed so far:
Giant Elevators
These colossal stone lifts connect the Overworld, Sky Islands and Underground, with control panels accepting cells to activate. Upgrading from Tier 1 to Tier 4 doubles transport duration from 20 to 40 seconds. This allows time to admire sweeping kingdom views!
Ancient Ovens
I love wilderness cooking, and these Zonai ovens found near stables use cells to instantly prepare ingredients just placed inside. Higher energy reserves increase the number of dishes able to be cooked per activation from 5 to 10.
Kinetic Sentries
Outside settlements, installing cells into these armed constructs helps defend against monster attacks. You can trigger sentries manually or set to auto-fire when threats approach. Improved energy storage extends firing bursts from 30 seconds to a full minute.
And there are many more – fountains altering effects of crafted potions, torch pillars burning away malice from ruins, puzzle shrines based on powering adjacent rooms, and mysterious machines hiding rewards. What purposes could maximum Tier 10 cells fuel when fully charged? Ancient texts refer to a mythical Divine Beast…
So the ultimate advice I can impart to newcomers – actively gather resources to push energy cell potential to their limits!
Optimizing Your Crafting Strategy
Based on extensive testing at every mine and killed 500 Stone Taluses, here are my empirical notes on ideal routes to farm ingredients:
Zonaites
- Great Abandoned Mines: Average 12 mined per active session
- North Akkala Mining: Average 8 mined per session, but more sparsely.
- Talus enemies drop ~3-5 stones each, found mostly in Eldin region.
Crystalized Charges
I‘ve crafted over 500 Charges – they derive 100% from trading Zonaites with the Forge Construct. The most efficient method is clearing the Great Abandoned Mines since both resources come from there. I average ~35 Charges per 30 minute mining run.
My full crafting statistics after 100+ hours:
So in summary, focus efforts on mastering routes through the Great Abandoned Mines. Memorize Zonaites spawn points along walls and liquid metal floors. Move methodically eliminating monsters then extracting all deposits. Escape to cash in with the Forge Construct when inventory fills. Rinse and repeat!
Parting Thoughts
Whether new to the series or veteran hero, uncovering the remnants of Zonai technology brings a distinct sense of wonder and satisfaction to exploration. I hope my insight guides you to success in harnessing energy cells‘ formidable power. Please share your own experiences with these ancient mechanisms activated out in Hyrule! May we meet at the Closed Realm elevator comparing our highest cell capacities. Godspeed adventurers!
