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If Zelda were playable in a mainline TLoZ title, would you want her to be have sword+shield (or other such weapons) as an option?
- Thread starter Spring-Loaded
- Start date
Yeah I'm not strictly against Zelda using a sword. She has used one in the past. I just want the characters to be specialized enough so that you don't play the exact same way with both. I don't want Zelda to just be a Link skin and have the same attack animations and stuff. I think your idea of having them possess similarity with basics but having strengths and unique abilities on opposite ends of the spectrum works well. When I have two playable characters in a game, I want them to be different enough that I have a reason to pick one over the other.
A model swap (and all that comes with it) is fine with me. Either that or a female Link model swap. Keep it simple.
Just like Twilight Princess Zelda
Not gonna lie I always preferred Twilight Princess Zelda compared to BOTW Zelda for some reason.
Probably because she looks cooler.
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Y'all Botw Zelda lost her lowers at the end of the game and I'm sure she won't fight with a sword or have ninja Sheik skills. It ain't in her development. Only thing I could see is her regaining her power through the game. But like I would take her as a partner first I think and have a real playable Zelda in another game. I just dont see Botw Zelda as a warrior even if she snapped at the end of the game. Age of calamity is silly and It works but In a main game....
Like ask for stuff but dont think about it sometimes. It's like asking for a hyrule field theme in botw while you would hear it for 100 hours and wouldn't fit the picture at all.
Like ask for stuff but dont think about it sometimes. It's like asking for a hyrule field theme in botw while you would hear it for 100 hours and wouldn't fit the picture at all.
But it's not boring when it's Link doing it game after game, because... reasons... 🤔
I said no only because if she played exactly like Link in BotW it would be boring, I'd be okay with her using a sword if her playstyle was completely different from Links. Hell, I found Link's playstyle in BotW to be a bit boring with the way he uses weapons, not a lot of variety between them. She definitely needs to have magic whether she has the option to use swords or not, I mean come on it's a no brainer. Bows for her with a variety of skills around them would be cool, the rapier gif from Hyrule Warriors would be great, her also using the Master Sword would be a fun change of pace.
Either way, I absolutely want her to be playable in BotW2 and if she plays exactly like Link in BotW1, sheikah slate and all, than so be it.
Either way, I absolutely want her to be playable in BotW2 and if she plays exactly like Link in BotW1, sheikah slate and all, than so be it.
Sword and shield should be an option but not the main, she should be familiar with it but opt for something else and not rely on it. My opinion is still that she should be a master of all including hand to hand and magic. I want to see Zelda suplex Ganon through a castle wall. Zelda herself should be the weapon and anything else is a tool for her. I'm sure some people think that is silly but I also remind that Sheik is doing all sorts of close quarter combat moves in Smash Bros. Link has a few kicks in the game too but his bread and butter doesn't include booting heavies right off the stage with kicks like this
Ultimately I see link as the simple swordsman who adapts a variety of gadgets and relics that enable him to courageously overcome challenges. I see Zelda to be more of a wise, studied warrior who would know many forms, techniques and continue to learn new ones. While she can still use relics I imagine she would find different ways to use them. Take for instance the bow, Zelda can take a bow and fire light arrows from it. I see no reason why Zelda can't take the Mirror Shield and fire her own beam of light off it. How useful would this be? That depends on the developers' imagination. What about a ray of light and a shiny reflective boomerang? She can probably do more than just light with magic too. She taught Link various songs in Ocarina and she already has plenty of tricks as disguised as Sheik. She has so much and it is time to bring it all together and also remind people that this is all her, you don't need to mask the princess for her to start her rushdown and ass kicking.
If Link gets relics and powers from different regions of Hyrule I think Zelda too should have studied various forms and techniques from each culture that she blends into an expansive kit.
Ultimately I see link as the simple swordsman who adapts a variety of gadgets and relics that enable him to courageously overcome challenges. I see Zelda to be more of a wise, studied warrior who would know many forms, techniques and continue to learn new ones. While she can still use relics I imagine she would find different ways to use them. Take for instance the bow, Zelda can take a bow and fire light arrows from it. I see no reason why Zelda can't take the Mirror Shield and fire her own beam of light off it. How useful would this be? That depends on the developers' imagination. What about a ray of light and a shiny reflective boomerang? She can probably do more than just light with magic too. She taught Link various songs in Ocarina and she already has plenty of tricks as disguised as Sheik. She has so much and it is time to bring it all together and also remind people that this is all her, you don't need to mask the princess for her to start her rushdown and ass kicking.
If Link gets relics and powers from different regions of Hyrule I think Zelda too should have studied various forms and techniques from each culture that she blends into an expansive kit.
I'm pro-sword, but I think the important aspect of a playable Zelda is retaining the feeling you get starting LoZ games with Link that you're essentially a "nobody" who discovers their dormant potential, which is obviously tricky to pull off with a character who is literally royalty. I actually love Twilight Princess' tutorial despite complaints about its length because the game drives the point home more than any other in the series that you're really just some kid who lives in a village. You get such a complete sense of his daily routine as a ho-hum farmboy before the outer world crashes into his life and forces him to discover the extent of his ability. If Zelda were playable I would be way more concerned with retaining that sense of self-discovery and progression than which weapons she can use.
Interestingly, BotW kinda plays with that idea and subverts it by showing Zelda as a character who is supposedly destined for greatness by birthright but can't seem to actualize it.
Interestingly, BotW kinda plays with that idea and subverts it by showing Zelda as a character who is supposedly destined for greatness by birthright but can't seem to actualize it.
All that's said is she is weaker I don't recall anything officially stating "I'm unable to use magic forever now the end" I suspect she will mostly use technology if she is playable or a companion but the option for magic would be more fun IMO,
Also while I would love to an incarnation wield the master sword one day I'm fairly certain botw's Zelda won't be the one to do so, she's not interested in martial anything unless she has a secret past where she trained or that's the opening to botw2 :p.
magic melee characters are rarely done well but are my absolute favorite. Gimme a battle mage with self sustain buffs and close range aoe spells. Let her keep the sword or give her something else like an axe or spear just to switch it up.
As an option? Sure.
I'd prefer if her main weapons were more unique to her though. She doesn't need to become Link, she's her own person.
I'd prefer if her main weapons were more unique to her though. She doesn't need to become Link, she's her own person.
Another vote for something similar to Dragon's Dogma's Magick Archer, but replace the daggers with a rapier.
they should both be able to use everything but obviously link should excel with the close combat stuff while zelda should excel with long range magic stuff. just say that link taught her a few things before the start of botw2
I ...honestly dont care.
I would prefere a unique take, but if that take is that shes a bow person, a magic person, a different type of sword weilder than link... as long as it is distinct. (and a mix of the above would be nice, giver hear bow/rapier and a bunch of magic instead of the gadgets link has. Maybe lean hard into the aristocrat angle and give her a pet falkon for support in fights and help with puzzles)
I would prefere a unique take, but if that take is that shes a bow person, a magic person, a different type of sword weilder than link... as long as it is distinct. (and a mix of the above would be nice, giver hear bow/rapier and a bunch of magic instead of the gadgets link has. Maybe lean hard into the aristocrat angle and give her a pet falkon for support in fights and help with puzzles)
In (some) Mario games, the characters all have the same controls/actions/attacks, but feel different due to other small, yet significant differences. E.g. the Princess can float and Luigi jumps higher.
I would highly prefer if there were something unique about Zelda, but it is possible to have both Link and Zelda use the same weapons, and still play differently.
With that in mind, I think I might be leaning towards letting Zelda use the same weapons as Link, only because I prefer when games give you weapons that anyone can use instead of giving you weapons that only one character can use. I still would want her to feel different from Link in some other way, though.
I would highly prefer if there were something unique about Zelda, but it is possible to have both Link and Zelda use the same weapons, and still play differently.
With that in mind, I think I might be leaning towards letting Zelda use the same weapons as Link, only because I prefer when games give you weapons that anyone can use instead of giving you weapons that only one character can use. I still would want her to feel different from Link in some other way, though.
Generally not opposed to her using swords but it would depend on the type of game and what her role in said game is. If she's basically just a palette swap it would make absolutely no sense to limit her options compared to Link's. If you can, say, swap between the characters on the fly, I would need a good excuse for such a mechanic. Giving her a radically different moveset would be a good way to make her more unique.
How about dagger and rapier (a style I've seldom seen represented in videogames) and magic?
I think they'll go the route of having the game have you play as the two interchangeably. So I think they'll have the same moveset for the most part but with a few specific abilities each.
Zelda has been playable in a mainline Zelda before. She's also the best version of Zelda in the series.
I think they should do something like Spirit Tracks with Zelda. Link and Zelda are both playable. Link has traditional items like hookshot and stuff while Zelda has magic like magnesis etc. You switch between Link and Zelda to use their abilities to solve puzzles and perform combat.
Yep.Spirit Tracks Zelda still best Zelda.
I think they should do something like Spirit Tracks with Zelda. Link and Zelda are both playable. Link has traditional items like hookshot and stuff while Zelda has magic like magnesis etc. You switch between Link and Zelda to use their abilities to solve puzzles and perform combat.
You make a compelling argument, I think Zelda having a Sheik playstyle is the best thing we can hope for. Though I'm expecting a straight pallet swap so my disappointment is contained.Sword and shield should be an option but not the main, she should be familiar with it but opt for something else and not rely on it. My opinion is still that she should be a master of all including hand to hand and magic. I want to see Zelda suplex Ganon through a castle wall. Zelda herself should be the weapon and anything else is a tool for her. I'm sure some people think that is silly but I also remind that Sheik is doing all sorts of close quarter combat moves in Smash Bros. Link has a few kicks in the game too but his bread and butter doesn't include booting heavies right off the stage with kicks like this
Ultimately I see link as the simple swordsman who adapts a variety of gadgets and relics that enable him to courageously overcome challenges. I see Zelda to be more of a wise, studied warrior who would know many forms, techniques and continue to learn new ones. While she can still use relics I imagine she would find different ways to use them. Take for instance the bow, Zelda can take a bow and fire light arrows from it. I see no reason why Zelda can't take the Mirror Shield and fire her own beam of light off it. How useful would this be? That depends on the developers' imagination. What about a ray of light and a shiny reflective boomerang? She can probably do more than just light with magic too. She taught Link various songs in Ocarina and she already has plenty of tricks as disguised as Sheik. She has so much and it is time to bring it all together and also remind people that this is all her, you don't need to mask the princess for her to start her rushdown and ass kicking.
If Link gets relics and powers from different regions of Hyrule I think Zelda too should have studied various forms and techniques from each culture that she blends into an expansive kit.
I have no faith they will a Zelda lead I want but I'm a complete sucker and will be there day one for a Zelda lead game. >.<
Sadly, I'm not expecting it either, but it would be a breath of fresh air to get her to be playable in a mainline Zelda title. Someday Nintendo will do it, someday...
Rapier for close combat, Bow and Magic for ranged. She doesn't need a sheild, because I am assuming she's good at parrying with a sword.
If Sheikh was introduced, Zelda could switch to physical combat and throwing knives/shurikens. I'd love a Sheikh centred game one day, his origins are left in the dark.
If Sheikh was introduced, Zelda could switch to physical combat and throwing knives/shurikens. I'd love a Sheikh centred game one day, his origins are left in the dark.
Speaking of magic. Fuck the glider thingy. Let Zelda fly. Give her a skell from Xenoblade X if you have to... And you know what. As I think about this dumb point of magic and Zelda's abilities... You could literally take Kat, hand her to Nintendo and say "This is the Gravity Queen. Put her in a Zelda skin and then into a Zelda game as lead" and I would play the living shit out of it.
I'm sure Nintendo will do it some day but I'm secretly hoping for a quality 3rd party game to hit all of the sweet spots for this and be my Zelda game in everything but name.
I feel plot restrictions like this are worth very little because all of these rules are at the whim of the one who writes them. We're literally talking about breaking out of a Zelda mold and I just don't think these plot restrictions are big barriers or really a barrier at all.
She lost her powers but a hot meal will help restore it faster and boom, a new rule that encourages cooking and allows her to grow her powers.
Seeing Link suffer a fatal wound again triggers another awakening of magic. This time she realises it won't last as long, she has only 3 days to save the world. Knowing the futility of her progress with only 3 days she comes up with a way to gain an advantage, she obtains/creates the Song of Time. Boom, off we go again. Now she has infinite 3 days to learn all the things.
Some new shrines appeared, triggered by Calamity Ganon's defeat. One of them could literally be a hyperbolic time chamber for training with the condition of opening and entry only to a power drained princess with an intent to kick serious ass.
If I can throw dumb ideas at a wall so easily surely the developers can work something out that is better than my low effort fan fic stuff. The question is if they want to do that or they do their vision of Zelda push her in different direction? I think we all know answer here sadly.
I'm sure Nintendo will do it some day but I'm secretly hoping for a quality 3rd party game to hit all of the sweet spots for this and be my Zelda game in everything but name.
I feel plot restrictions like this are worth very little because all of these rules are at the whim of the one who writes them. We're literally talking about breaking out of a Zelda mold and I just don't think these plot restrictions are big barriers or really a barrier at all.
She lost her powers but a hot meal will help restore it faster and boom, a new rule that encourages cooking and allows her to grow her powers.
Seeing Link suffer a fatal wound again triggers another awakening of magic. This time she realises it won't last as long, she has only 3 days to save the world. Knowing the futility of her progress with only 3 days she comes up with a way to gain an advantage, she obtains/creates the Song of Time. Boom, off we go again. Now she has infinite 3 days to learn all the things.
Some new shrines appeared, triggered by Calamity Ganon's defeat. One of them could literally be a hyperbolic time chamber for training with the condition of opening and entry only to a power drained princess with an intent to kick serious ass.
If I can throw dumb ideas at a wall so easily surely the developers can work something out that is better than my low effort fan fic stuff. The question is if they want to do that or they do their vision of Zelda push her in different direction? I think we all know answer here sadly.
It's a really good question, and I'm not really sure where I land on it. Branching away from sword + shield would be a pretty big departure for the game, and there have been precedents for Zelda using sword and shield in the past - but on the other hand, sticking with sword + shield does run the risk of making her not distinct enough from playing as Link, if you're going to make the move to changing the main character, making it feel identical to the previous incarnation does feel a bit like not committing fully to the change.
I think I'd plump for she should use sword and shield, but there needs to be some significant *extra* built into that to separate her from Link. Magical enhancements? Maybe something stance-based, or an ability to swap to dual-wielding?
I think part of the issue is that, quite often, Zelda games don't really leverage all that much on the protagonist's personality. So maybe the 'distinguishing feature' might need to be not in terms of the character, but in terms of how that character is presented to the player? That's a fair consideration.
I think I'd plump for she should use sword and shield, but there needs to be some significant *extra* built into that to separate her from Link. Magical enhancements? Maybe something stance-based, or an ability to swap to dual-wielding?
I think part of the issue is that, quite often, Zelda games don't really leverage all that much on the protagonist's personality. So maybe the 'distinguishing feature' might need to be not in terms of the character, but in terms of how that character is presented to the player? That's a fair consideration.
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For a weapon they should just give her a bow that splits apart into two swords like Pit or have the bow double as a staff.
I want her to play differently mainly to effectively double my gameplay. I want either 2 campaigns that play differently (use different abilities to solve the same puzzles with different solutions) or 1 campaign where you play as both switching between them to combine their abilities to solve puzzles, or a mixture of the two where sometimes they're together and sometimes they have their own segments.
I don't want them to design the game around arbitrary decisions like what avatar people want to use. Link, Zelda and Ganon are important characters that they shouldn't dispense with in order to provide customisation options. Immortals Fenyx Rising must have taken a lot of work in terms of providing those sorts of options, and having tinkered with my look a few times - I'm not sure it really mattered. For me, the cosmetic armor and inventory options would have been enough, and I'd have been happy with the default model for the entire game. I wouldn't want EPD wasting time on things that could be more devoted to making the core gameplay better. Story can be important - Links Awakening and LTTP are still my favourites in terms of scenario - but its not as important as the time I have with the game and that I have fun with it. I don't care if I play Link, Zelda, Sheik, a Korok - whatever - as long as the core game idea is good and true to what makes the series LoZ, it's LoZ.