In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, players are given a game-changing ability, Fuse, which fundamentally changes how Link acquires new weapons and offensive gear. By using Fuse on one of the weak weapons found early in Tears of the Kingdom, players can turn a pitiful stick into a proper melee armament.
There are a lot of weapons early in Tears of the Kingdom, but not all of them are equal. Not all of them require being Fused to become powerful, though, like Bows, which can't be directly modified (though Arrows can). These five weapons, or weapon types, are the ones players should keep a particular eye out for as they either serve as a powerful base for Fuse or grant some additional bonus that Link can take advantage of early.
Fragile, But Strong, Bokoblin Arms
Skeletal Bokoblin Arms are one of the easiest weapons to farm early in Tears of the Kingdom, but their abundance comes at a cost: Skeleton Arm weapons are among the most fragile in the game. It only takes a few hits with one of these things to completely destroy it, perhaps because it hits for so much damage.
A Bokoblin Arm comes with a staggering 20 base damage, which is a big jump from many early-game options. Plus, players can Fuse other items to it to increase its power or add other bonuses.
To get a Skeletal Bokoblin Arm, just walk around the normal world at night, not the Sky Islands or the Depths. Eventually, Skeletal Bokoblins will spawn around Link in an event that can be encountered several times at night. Knock these monsters' heads off by depleting their health, hit the head on the ground to destroy the Skeletal Bokoblin entirely, and loot the Skeletal Bokoblin Arm from the pile of goodies that drop.
Fused Zonaite Weapons
Zonaite weapons are a unique class of weapon that enhance the power of Zonai Devices that have been Fused to them. The bonus is small but noticeable and comes particularly in handy with offensive Zonai Devices like the laser, cannon, or fire emitter.
Zonaite weapons can be found early in Tears of the Kingdom in Sky Islands, which can be reached easily by using Recall on anything that has fallen from the sky. Keep an eye out for these glowing meteorites and head towards them after seeing where they land. Then, use Recall to hoist it back into the sky – if Link is lucky, he'll end up right at a Sky Island. If not, look around at the apex of the Recall and glide to one nearby. They can also be found in some Shrines and near areas with lots of Zonai Devices.
Construct Bows, From Construct Foes
Bows are extremely versatile in Tears of the Kingdom, but players are not actually able to Fuse items to them to increase their power, not directly, anyway. Instead, Link has to attach items to his arrows, which grant a huge variety of effects on hit depending on what item was used.
Early in the game, good bows with decent base damage can be hard to find, which is where Construct Bows enter. Construct Bows give a base 5 damage and don't catch on fire, plus they have pretty good durability compared to the many eroded weapons of Tears of the Kingdom. They're more common than one might think, too.
To get a Construct Bow early in Tears of the Kingdom, players need to find a way to get back to the Sky Islands or face off against Construct enemies on the surface. The method is essentially the same as finding Zonaite weapons, though Construct Bows will almost always drop from the Constructs that wield them and are thus easier to locate.
The Ever-Present Traveller's and Soldier's Swords
The Soldier's Broadsword and Traveller's Sword being present on this list as one of the best early game Tears of the Kingdom weapons may surprise some. These can be found almost anywhere in the game and only deals a paltry amount of damage on hit. However, this is also these swords' greatest strength -- they are indeed some of the most common weapons in Tears of the Kingdom.
They swing fast and serve as a great base for a Fused weapon when a sturdy stick or other handle isn't available. This happens a lot, and in cases where a Fused weapon is needed to break through a wall or deal with a unique enemy, these simple swords do the trick every time.
The Traveller's Sword and Soldier's Broadsword are incredibly common throughout the game, so players won't have a hard time finding one naturally, no matter where they go. They drop from enemies and can be found everywhere in the world. Specifically, though, a few can be found in the emergency shelter in Lookout Landing almost immediately upon landing in Hyrule.
Any Shield Fused To A Flame Emitter
Though technically not a weapon, Shields can also be Fused with items in Tears of the Kingdom for various effects. A Shield fused to a bomb, for example, is a great way to boost into the air with a Shield Surf-triggered explosion, while a Shield fused to a Minecart becomes a functional skateboard on rails.
Zonai Devices can also be added to Shields, after which they activate when Link blocks with the LT button. One of the best pairings to use with a Shield is the Flame Emitter device, which shoots out a line of flame when activated. Attach this to a Shield, block facing an enemy, and watch them dance around in panic as their health slowly ticks down from the Burning status.
Flame Emitters can be found in a lot of locations throughout the world, but the portable, deployable-on-demand version can be acquired from Dispensers. The earliest Dispenser players can find, on the Great Sky Island tutorial area, grants these Zonai Devices in exchange for Zonai Charges.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.