Players must make the difficult choice of increasing their Hearts or Stamina whenever they visit a Goddess Statue in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
However, newcomers and even veteran players may not know which is worth prioritizing early on. Fortunately, we’re here to help by breaking down the pros and cons and which you should pick.
Should You Choose Heart Containers or Stamina Vessels Early On in TOTK?
Players should prioritize getting at least five Stamina Vessels early on in TOTK and not choose Heart Containers. This is because a moment in the story requires two full wheels of Stamina to complete.
However, if you are not pursuing the story immediately, then we recommend getting an additional three to four Heart Containers before choosing Stamina Vessels.
Because combat is substantially harder now, even with the changes that the Fuse mechanic brings, having more Hearts will help you survive the challenges of Hyrule.
Additionally, the Ultrahand mechanic allows you to create all types of transport that can get you across great distances, mitigating the need for Stamina a lot of the time.
Why Upgrading Your Stamina Is Necessary in TOTK
After either completing The Dragon’s Tears main quest or cleansing Korok Forest and unlocking the Recovering the Hero’s Sword quest, players will be instructed to go to the Light Dragon.
When the player lands on its head, they’ll find the Master Sword. However, you will need two full Stamina wheels to pull it out and unlock it.
Getting an additional Stamina wheel will require five Stamina Vessels at the cost of 20 Lights of Blessing. This is why upgrading your Stamina early is important in Tears of the Kingdom.
However, don’t worry if you’ve already spent your Lights of Blessings on Heart Containers. You can actually swap your Hearts for Stamina using a hidden mechanic.
Regardless, while there are plenty of Shrines to complete in TOTK, you may want to consider making the most of early-game Shrines and save up your Lights of Blessing to upgrade your Stamina and get the Master Sword.
