Players familiar with Breath of the Wild will remember the myriad of precious stones that Link can collect along his adventures. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom offers a new use for these gems. Noted in the first game as harboring elemental powers, the Fuse mechanic allows Link to use these stones to their full potential. One such stone is the 
Opal - a gem that contains the power of water. Read on to find out how to use Tears of the Kingdom's unique mechanics to maximize the use of Opals, as well as where to find them when the time comes.
Where to Find Opals in Tears of the Kingdom
The best place to find Opals in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is through Ore Deposits that are scattered around Hyrule. They can not be found in Rare Ore Deposits, but luckily the standard ones are a lot more common anyway. They are especially abundant around the Goron Region and in Caves. Ore Deposits are not guaranteed to drop Opals, but hitting a few of them should net the player at least one or two.
Players can hit Ore Deposits with any weapon, but it is best to hit them with a bludgeoning weapon like a hammer or club to shatter them in one swing.
Using Sensor+
Upgrading to the Sensor+ can give players a major advantage in finding Ore Deposits. Head to the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab and speak to Robbie about upgrading to Sensor+, take five photos of items around Hyrule, and return to Robbie for the Sensor Upgrade. Now, once the player has added Ore Deposits to the Compendium, they can set the scanner to go off when Link is near one.
Defeating a Talus
Opals will also drop after defeating any Talus (aside from a Luminous Stone Talus). Players can also set their Sensor+ to a Talus for a fun challenge that will net them a lot more gems at once. Check out the full guide to defeating any Talus here. Like with Ore Deposits, an Opal is not guaranteed to drop, but with a much larger loot pool, there are more chances for it to appear.
What To Do With Opals in Tears of the Kingdom
The most effective way to use Opals in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is to fuse them with a weapon. The Magic Rod resonates with the elemental power the most, but any primary weapon will also function perfectly well. Drop an Opal, fuse it to a weapon, and give Link the power of water at any time. Simply swing the weapon normally to send orbs of water flying.
Selling Opals to Merchants
Opals retain their primary function from Breath of the Wild as solid money-makers. They are relatively common when compared to other precious gems, so it is easier for the player to gather them in bulk. They sell for 30 Rupees each, making them a great early-game Rupee farming strategy. Occasionally, Ramella in Goron City will purchase them for a larger profit in groups of ten, but her requests vary, and she may ask for other gems instead.
Neutralize Fire Enemies
Shooting water at a flame-based enemy will effectively neutralize the fire, making it safer for Link to get up close and attack. This is especially effective for Fire Pebblits (the small Talus'), as Link can now pick them up and throw them without getting burned. It can also turn Fire Chu-Chus (and their jellies) into regular Chu-Chus.
Create Paths in the Lava
A trick that is especially useful when completing the Fire Temple is to prepare an Opal fused weapon and have it equipped when traversing the lava. This saves having to use Splash Fruit and will last as long as the player has it equipped (provided it is not used in combat). This makes for easy path-making.
Upgrade Armor
Players will also need an abundance of Opals in order to fully upgrade a lot of the pieces of Armor in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Opals are needed to upgrade the following pieces of Armor:
- Cap of the Wind
- Armor of the Wind
- Trousers of the Wind
- Opal Earrings
- Zora Helm
- Zora Armor
- Zora Greaves
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available for the Nintendo Switch.