The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom harkens back to the classic Zelda formula in many ways. One method in which it does this is by returning the use of items, of which there are many to collect, learn about, and use in a vast number of scenarios.
While you can Fuse them to weapons and shields, and even attach them to the ends of arrows, sometimes you can't beat just absolutely chucking something with all of your might. Both in and out of combat, many items offer up various uses, and these are the best of the bunch. Make sure to keep stocked up on your adventures in Hyrule.
10 Splash Fruit
This one is a simple item, and has one major use only in a single particular questline. Other than that, it's essentially a water balloon you can throw at things. But who doesn't love a good water balloon? Unless you're the one being hit by it, of course.
Whether for the story, for putting out fires, or just being a menace to the folks in Kakariko Village, the Splash Fruit is a fun item to throw around. It can be found growing across Hyrule, so stock up on this one every time you see some.
9 Shock Fruit
If Splash Fruit splashes, it's not hard to guess what Shock Fruit does. Throwing this at your enemies will act as an electric bomb, stunning them for a moment and even causing them to drop their weapons.
Throw it into some water and the area of effect will be even greater, which is perfect for enemies like Lizalfos. Similarly, using it in the rain will also increase its effect - just make sure you don't shock yourself in the process.
8 Ice Fruit
Okay, there's a little bit of a pattern of fruits here. But hey, in the wild, you have to throw what you can find, and if you can find Ice Fruit - well, how are you going to say no to that? Like the fruits before it, Ice Fruit will inflict the freezing status on enemies, freezing them in place and dealing a bit of damage.
This can be excellent to keep an enemy out of battle for a few moments, or if you want to freeze them and hit them with a powerful attack, dealing critical damage as you smash the ice. Against larger enemies such as Moblins or Boss Bokoblins, this can be an excellent strategy.
7 Muddle Bud
Stepping away from the category of fruits, we're on to the Muddle Bud flower. This can be found plenty in the Depths, and is one item that you should definitely make a habit of using in the game, especially on tougher groups of enemies.
When thrown (or fired with an arrow), the Muddle Bud will release a small pink cloud. Any enemies caught in this radius will be confused for a period of time, attacking allies and other monsters in the vicinity. Be wary though, as they'll still attack you if you're the only thing they see.
6 Fire Fruit
And we're back on the fruits. Fire Fruit is actually not as useful for combat purposes in the ways the other fruits are. It can still be used to inflict some burning on enemies when thrown, but unless the enemy is a frost-based enemy or an Ice Wizzrobe, it will have better uses.
The Fire Fruit can be thrown to start fires in general. Throw it at grass to set it ablaze, throw it at wood to start a campfire, or even at blocks of ice to quickly melt them away. Functionally, it's a key item you'll want to keep stocked up on, as a quick way to start a fire is always going to be a desire for survival.
5 Puffshroom
Get ready for some covert operations in Hyrule, because the Puffshroom is basically a smoke bomb. Throw it on the ground or around enemies, and watch as they're engulfed by a huge cloud of smoke.
This can be excellent in many ways, as it impairs the visibility of the enemies around you. Use it to get some free hits in, or escape combat. Similarly, you could use it to sneak into a camp or ruin without the monsters seeing you walk right through the front door.
4 Dazzlefruit
All aboard the fruit train, because this is our last fruit on the list. The Dazzlefruit sounds quite gentle on paper - perhaps even a little tasty - but it's essentially a flash grenade for you to terrorize Hyrule with. Don't bite into that one.
Like the Shock Fruit, this is an excellent item for stunning enemies with, but works a little better. While the Shock Fruit can stun some enemies in a small radius, the Dazzlefruit will stun them, blind them, and has a much larger radius. Perfect for those camps of unsuspecting monsters.
3 Hylian Pine Cone
Back to an item of function more than infliction, the Hylian Pine Cone may be something you pick up when exploring the forests of Hyrule and think nothing more of it. However, this little thing is capable of some big things.
The Hylian Pine Cone, when thrown into flames, will burst in flammability and make the fire much bigger. This means you can have fires spread, increase their intensity, or even easily make an updraft that you can use to float upwards to reach something. Just don't throw one of these on your campfire, as you might overcook the food.
2 Brightbloom Seed
Now we're into the top two, and these items will constantly be at the very top of your regularly used items. The Brightbloom Seed - and its Giant Brightbloom Seed equivalent - can be thrown in order to create a radius of light wherever it lands. You can use arrows for this too, but to save that durability, you might as well chuck them.
Found all over caves, you'll quickly amass pockets full of these seeds. The biggest use for them is when exploring the Depths, as the pitch black between Lightroots can be a little difficult to navigate as it is. While the Giant version will create an even bigger radius of light, the standard Brightbloom Seeds will do the job most of the time, and are invaluable to avid explorers.
1 Bomb Flower
Finally, a returning fan-favorite. The Bomb Flower is a classic item in the Zelda series, and its return in Tears of the Kingdom is a sight fans have loved. Rather than the infinite, one-at-a-time remote bombs of Breath of the Wild, you can now stock up on as many bombs as you can pick up.
Found in caves and in the Depths, these little flowers are capable of dealing some explosive damage. Use them in the midst of combat, or use them to break down loose rocks blocking the path. Whatever it may be, there's always a use for the Bomb Flower, and it will be something you can never have enough of.