Fire Arrow
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| Fire Arrow | ||
|---|---|---|
 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time artwork | ||
| General information | ||
| Effect | Strikes distant targets with fire Breath of the Wild Ignites flammable targets, causing extra damage Cooking roasted ingredients Melting Ice & Snowballs | |
| Found at |
| |
| Effective against | Ocarina of Time Anubis The Wind Waker Mothula Wizzrobe Breath of the Wild Blizzrobes Ice Wizzrobes Ice Keese White Chuchus Ice-Breathing Lizalfos Frost Pebblits | |
| Appearances | ||
| First appearance | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) | |
| Other appearances | Majora's Mask The Wind Waker Breath of the Wild | |
- “You got the Fire Arrow! Set it to (C) and your arrows will be powered up! If you hit your target, it will catch fire.”
- —In-game description
Fire Arrows (炎の矢 Honō no Ya) are recurring items in the Legend of Zelda series. As their name implies, Fire Arrows are arrows enchanted with fire that damages enemies and immolates certain objects. Makeshift Fire Arrows can be created by shooting an arrow through a torch, even in games that do not feature Fire Arrows as a item.
History
The Legend of Zelda series
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- “An arrow enchanted with magical fire. Sets targets ablaze on impact.”
- —Ocarina of Time 3D menu description
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Fire Arrows are one of three special arrow types Link can obtain for the Fairy Bow. Each Fire Arrow deducts a small amount of magic from Link's Magic Meter. When a Fire Arrow hits its target, it momentarily bathes the impact point in flames. This makes it quite useful for lighting torches and melting ice, as well as for dealing significant damage to enemies. Fire Arrows are particularly useful in areas where Din's Fire cannot reach, such as a far-off torch. While Fire Arrows make it easier for Link to progress in certain areas, they are not required to complete the game.
Fire Arrows are obtained by firing a regular arrow at the rising sun while standing atop a platform above the island housing the Water Temple in Lake Hylia. If done correctly, the Fire Arrow will appear on a distant landmass with two pillars. This process will yield a Magic Jar if repeated. The landmass may be reached by swimming to its location, though this can only be done once the Water Temple has been completed and water restored to the lake. As an alternative, Link can play the "Scarecrow's Song" in order to summon Pierre, who can then be used as a Longshot target as a means of transport.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Fire Arrows are similar both in appearance and function to those from Ocarina of Time. One of the special arrow types Link can obtain for the Hero's Bow, they are found in Snowhead Temple after the defeat of the mini-boss Wizzrobe, and are needed to begin the battle with the dungeon's boss, Goht.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
In The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, after Link learns the "Ballad of Gales" and Tetra's true identity is revealed, he can travel to the Mother & Child Isles on a cyclone and speak to the Queen of Fairies, who gifts him with both the Fire and Ice Arrows. Fire Arrows are used to gain access to Ice Ring Isle, where the Iron Boots are found. They can also be used to light torches and burn away wooden barriers, as well as to melt ice barricades or free enemies encased in ice. Additionally, they are powerful even against tougher enemies, notably winged Mothulas, which can be defeated with a single Fire Arrow. Enemies knocked back by a Fire Arrow will set other enemies on fire if they come into contact with them while falling backward.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- “An arrow imbued with the power of fire. It breaks apart on impact, igniting objects in the immediate area. It's incredibly effective against cold things.”
- —Hyrule Compendium
In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Fire Arrows are similar both in appearance and function to those from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, though like all elemental arrows are depicted as a separate type of arrow that can be obtained and purchased instead of an arrow empowered with Magic. As a result, Fire Arrows have their own ammo and do not require magic or stamina to use. Link can find a bundle of five Fire Arrows in several Treasure Chests of the Great Plateau. He can also purchase them at The Curious Quiver in Kakariko Village, Goron Gusto Shop in Goron City, and the Arrow Specialty Shop in Gerudo Town. The traveling arrow merchant Botrick who travels alone the roads near Outskirt Stable and Coliseum Ruins also sells Fire Arrows. The traveler Tye will occasionally give Fire Arrows to Link as a reward for rescuing him and his wife Sorelia from monsters. Rola crafts the handmade fire arrows she sells at The Curious Quiver.
Fire Arrows will instantly kill most ice-based enemies such as Blizzrobes, Ice Wizzrobes, Ice Keese, White Chuchus, Ice-Breathing Lizalfos, and Frost Pebblits. They can be used to burn off the wooden greaves that Blue Hinox wear to protect their legs. Fire Arrows can also be used to temporarily cool down Frost Talus allowing Link to climb up them to reach their Ore Deposit weak point. Bomb Arrows can be used to inflame dry grass, enemies, and wooden objects. They can also be used to lit Campfires, cooking pots, and stationary torches. Unlike makeshift fire arrows created by lighting normal arrows on fire, Fire Arrows do not burn up if drawn for too long and can still be used even while it is raining, though their ability to light things on fire dampened somewhat. Interestingly, Fire Arrows are not the only arrows that can inflict fire damage as Bomb Arrows are considered fire-based explosives and thus function like an explosive version of Fire Arrows in Breath of the Wild. Unlike Bomb Arrows, Fire Arrows can also be used in volcanic temperatures without any problem, though this is generally unnecessary as drawing a normal arrow in such temperatures will automatically turn it into a makeshift fire arrow as the wooden arrow is lit on fire by the volcanic heat just like other wooden equipment. Drawing a Fire Arrow in the Thyphlo Ruins will light up the darkness allowing Link to use the drawn fire arrow as a makeshift torch. If Link tries to burn one of Selmie's flammable shields on display at Selmie's Spot with a Fire Arrow, she will humorously tell him to knock it off before putting out the fire.
Link can also take a picture of a fire arrow with the Camera Rune to add it to the Hyrule Compendium where it appears as entry number 345 in the Compendium's equipment section. Under the Additional Effects section of its Hyrule Compendium entry, Fire Arrows are stated to "Ignites flammable targets, causing extra damage."
Burning Arrows
As with past games, Arrows are made of flammable wood which become makeshift fire arrows when exposed to fire or volcanic heat. However unlike past games, Link doesn't have to shoot them as he can simply set an arrow and have it pass through a nearby flame or Blue Flame while set or drawn. However Link must be careful as burning arrows eventually burn up. Link can however utilize them as makeshift torches to light objects on fire or carry a flame allowing him to conserve regular Fire Arrows. Volcanic heat automatically turns all wooden arrows into burning arrows forcing Link to use Shock Arrows to hunt Eldin Ostrich or Hotfeather Pigeons for their raw poultry as burning arrows roast meat like Fire Arrows. Burning Arrows however are put out by rainfall thus cannot be used as burning arrows while its raining.
Enemies
Enemies will occasionally wield Fire Arrows. If he is hit, Link will ignite and suffer fire damage. Fire Arrows will also set any wielded wooden equipment on fire, in particular a wooden shield used to block them.
Cooking
Fire Arrows can also be used to cook by roasting ingredients. This is especially useful for creating Campfire Eggs as Bird Eggs have a change of breaking when dropped into the ground. Link can automatically obtain roasted food by killing animals with Fire Arrows or burning arrows.
Super Smash Bros. series
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Young Link can shoot Fire Arrow if using his standard special move, Fire Bow.
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Toon Link utilizes Fire Arrows as an alternate customization moves for the Hero's Bow in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. They have less range than standard arrows but deal fire damage and continue to burn on the ground when fired.
Soulcalibur II
In the Nintendo GameCube version of Soulcalibur II, Link can briefly charge a ready arrow. When shot, fire appears to surround it. Opponents cannot block this shot.
Trivia
- During the development of Twilight Princess, Fire Arrows originally appeared as an item, presumably back when Twilight Princess still had a Magic system. However the removal of the magic system would of likely effected how Fire Arrows would be implemented in-game (basically requiring the developers to create an entirely new way for Fire Arrows to function without magic, which later occurred in Breath of the Wild) or it was decided to scrap them in favor of Bomb Arrows. However it still exists in the game's code and can be unlocked using a cheating device.
- Although Fire Arrows do not appear as items in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Link encounters Bulblins that shoot flaming arrows, which can burn the Ordon Shield or the Wooden Shield. Similarly, in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, there are encounters Bokoblin Archers who shoot flaming arrows, which will set fire to the Wooden Shield or any of its upgrades.
