Best Weapons to Defeat Lynels in Tears of the Kingdom (TOTK)

Fighting Lynels isn’t an easy feat in Tears of the Kingdom, and once you start exploring you’ll feel like everywhere you turn there are hundreds of them. In reality, there are only about six on the surface, so you’ve got a lot of breathing room if you’re prepared to take one in battle. But, that doesn’t make the process any easier. You need to go into a fight with a Lynel prepared, and the strength of your weapons is one of the most important factors to consider in Tears of the Kingdom.

What are the Best Ways to Defeat Lynels in Tears of the Kingdom?

As we mentioned in our guide on how to defeat Lynels, it’s best to try and keep your distance for as long as possible due to the power behind their melee attacks. Because of this, we’d suggest having something like a Great Eagle Bow since you can fire three arrows at once without rinsing through your resources. Of course, you can also use a savage Lynel bow which shoots three arrows too, but if this is your first time facing a Lynel you may not have one yet. 

In addition to a strong bow, you’ll want to be fusing damage-dealing items like Bomb Flowers and red Chuchu jelly to your arrows for that extra bit of damage. Once again, using a three-shot bow will help you chip away at the health of the beast without needing to get too close, leaving more space for you to rush in with a melee attack when needed. Having Aerocuda and Kleese eyes can also help to temporarily blind the Lynel and let you rush in with a strong melee weapon to cause some damage. 

As for the best melee weapons to use, you’ll want something you can run in with and land a few quick attacks with before trying to get the distance between you and the Lynel again. Obviously, the Master Sword is ideal for vanquishing any sort of enemy, but you might not have access to it yet, so before you panic – there are several other weapons you’ll be able to use instead. I constantly fall back on weapons such as the Scimitar of the Seven or at a push, the Fierce Deity Sword if I desperately need to rush in and land a few devastating blows. Generally, the stronger the better, but power also comes at a cost in Tears of the Kingdom.

Personally, I think any two-handed weapon like a Claymore or a Hammer wastes too much time preparing for the attack, and despite their base power, you’ll only be able to land a handful of hits before needing to turn and run in the opposite direction. Even reliable tools like the Fierce Deity Sword feel too risky with Lynels, especially with how quickly they can get up and immediately prepare for attack. But, as long as you’re utilizing weapons like your Great Eagle Bow and Bomb Flowers and remembering our best techniques for taking Lynels down, you should be good to go!

Related: How to Get Stronger Weapons in Tears of the Kingdom

Now you’ve conquered your fear of fighting one of the many enemies Tears of the Kingdom, you might feel ready to take on something more challenging. Fortunately, we’ve got a guide on the best weapons to use against Gleeoks, alongside a guide on how to defeat Gloom Hands if you’re bored of your exploration being interrupted by eldritch horrors, too.