The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hearts and stamina are the two main “stats” you’ll take note of while playing the game, as these are integral to Link’s survivability. Thankfully, you won’t get stuck with any particular choice of an upgrade, as there’s a method that lets you change between the two. Here’s our guide to help you respec your hearts and stamina in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
How to respec in Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
To earn a heart or stamina segment in the game, you’ll need to give four Lights of Blessing to a Goddess Statue. Technically, that means completing four Shrines for each reward.
Now, as for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom heart and stamina respec method itself, this can be done via the Horned Statue in the Emergency Shelter in Lookout Landing. In the Emergency Shelter, you’ll meet an NPC who tells you about strange sounds coming from a part of the room. This will start the “Who Goes There?” side quest.
Go through the opening to reach the Royal Hidden Passage. There should be several rocks blocking the way, so destroy them and look for a small nook to your right. There, you’ll find the Horned Statue.
The Horned Statue will ask you for an Essence (i.e., either one heart or one stamina segment). If you give one of these, you’re rewarded with 100 Rupees. You can continue giving more, or you could choose the “I want one back” option.
By picking that option, you can decide whether you gain a heart or stamina segment, which is essentially the game’s respec mechanic. However, this action will cost 120 Rupees. So, technically, each time you respec will only cost you 20 Rupees.
Is there a reason to respec between hearts or stamina?
Ideally, you’ll want to have a lot of hearts to avoid needless deaths. Most attacks from tougher enemies will deplete a lot of your hearts, even with armor and defensive boosts considered. However, stamina is also highly important, as it’s what you use whenever you sprint, swim, glide, or do charged attacks. Having two full stamina meters (i.e., circles) a few hours into the game is a good idea. It’s also factored in for a special action a bit later in the campaign.
There are numerous mechanics and facets to learn in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. For more information, you can visit our guides hub.