One particularly proficient The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom player has recently taken to social media to demonstrate an insanely clever way to mount a Lynel. Their convoluted method of combating this deadly creature emerged online just as Zelda fans started speculating that Tears of the Kingdom DLC will be announced soon.
While the new Zelda game expanded on its predecessor's enemy roster with some half a dozen new creatures, almost none of its additions are as vicious as Lynels. So, as was the case with Breath of the Wild, Lynels are some of the most dangerous Tears of the Kingdom enemies outside of bosses.
And while some Tears of the Kingdom players have already regretted overthinking Lynel fights to the point of disaster, others are taking online to flaunt their combat skills during clashes with these menacing foes. The latest such gameplay footage comes from Reddit user FilthmasterRich, who recently demonstrated an insanely clever way to mount a Lynel by leveraging Link's Ascend ability. The newly viral clip starts with them maneuvering beneath a frenzied White-Maned Lynel in a crouched position, then picking up a nearby rock as the creature jumps back in preparation for a charge attack. But just before its strike connects, the player drops the rock and ascends through it, only to jump on the Lynel's back for some free hits.
Many fans reacting to the video expressed their awe at the achievement, whereas its author described the feat as the "wildest way" they have ever managed to mount a Lynel. The footage was made all the more impressive by the fact that Link spent that entire section of the fight clinging to life with only one heart's worth of health remaining. "I was just messing around with him," the poster explained.
While this particular application of Tears of the Kingdom's Ascend ability is novel, its underlying technique has actually already seen some use among the fandom. Namely, many players have previously leveraged the rock-ascending trick to trigger archery bullet time.
Fans interested in less nerve-wracking combat applications of Ascend should look toward other mini-bosses in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, as a number of giant enemies like Flux Constructs and Taluses offer opportunities to ascend through them in order to deal some free damage to their weak spots. The trick even works on Frost and Igneo Taluses, so long as the players remember to first negate their elemental effects by hitting them with Fire and Ice Fruit, respectively.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available on Nintendo Switch.