One of the biggest changes Breath of the Wild made to The Legend of Zelda’s formula was stripping away Link’s traditional equipment (save for his Sword, Shield, & Bow) only to replace it with the Sheikah Slate’s Runes. Bombs are now on a timer, Link can freeze objects with the Stasis Rune, or move around metal with Magnesis. The Sheikah Slate is a novel way of reinterpreting Link’s tool kit, but it comes with one underutilized addition: Cryonis.
Very few puzzles in Breath of the Wild actually use Cryonis in a meaningful capacity. Cryonis allows Link to create blocks of ice in water – which can admittedly be used to travel large bodies of water – but BotW itself doesn’t play around with the Rune as much as it does Stasis or Magnesis. That said, there is one standout dungeon that uses Cryonis in a creative manner.
Located in the Dueling Peaks region, Ha Dahamar Shrine is one of Breath of the Wild’s most thought provoking set pieces. Players need to carefully think about how Cryonis is used in conjunction with BotW’s unique physics engine. Ha Dahamar makes better use of Cryonis than any other Shrine in Breath of the Wild, making it one of the game’s standouts.
Finding Ha Dahamar Shrine
Ha Dahamar Shrine can be found in the Dueling Peaks region of Hyrule, approximately west of the Dueling Peaks Stable. Ha Dahamar Shrine is surrounded by a ring of thorns that Link won’t be able to bypass naturally. Any attempt to touch it will deal damage and the vines cannot be climbed up. Players will need to create a means of entering the Shrine.
Fire Arrows can be used to burn the thorns, Cryonis can be used to create an ice pillar Link can climb on top of, Revali’s Gale allows players to shoot straight up into the air to land safely onto the Shrine, and there’s a nearly rock Link can climb to gain a vantage point that’ll let him glide right down onto the Shrine. Whatever method players choose, activate the Shrine with the Sheikah Slate and take the elevator down into Ha Dahamar.
Up The Waterfalls
Once inside the Shrine, you’ll notice that the path up ahead is completely cut off. The waterfall to the right, however, can be manipulated with Cryonis to create a makeshift staircase. Create a pillar in the pool up ahead and climb up it to reach the next level. There’s no floor up ahead for Link to create an ice pillar on, but Cryonis can be used on the running water itself.
Make a pillar right in front of Link that can climb on top of and then create another one slightly ahead & above (but still in climbing reach) so Link can reach the next platform. After you’ve reached the next area, turn around and create another set of Cryonis staircases to reach a chest above the waterfall. Glide back down and run up the stairs.
Cryonis Waterfall Puzzle
At the very top of the staircase, you’ll notice a waterfall with several platforms on the wall right across from Link where a giant bowl keeps plummeting to its doom. At the bottom right of the waterfall is a bowl meant for the ball to find in and a locked gate that players need to pass through. The goal here is to use Cryonis to guide the ball into the bowl.
Use Cryonis so that the ball is cut off from the second slope and falls on the seesaw down below. Place an ice pillar right before the left side of the seesaw so the ball doesn’t weigh it down, and then place an ice pillar between both the seesaw’s right side and the bowl so the ball has something to roll over. If done correctly, the ball will seamlessly roll right into the bowl, unlocking the gate and allowing players to collect their Spirit Orb – completing Ha Dahamar Shrine.