The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom brings back an iconic enemy with a rewarding twist – the rare chance to collect a Luminous Stone Talus Heart for major boosts. As a long-time Zelda enthusiast, I‘ve uncovered the secrets to acquiring and fusing these hearts for power.
A Rare But Mighty Drop
Luminous Stone Talus Hearts have their roots in the Talus enemies that have appeared in Zelda games since Ocarina of Time. These hulking rock monsters posed little threat, with no unique drops. That changed with Breath of the Wild‘s introduction of Stone Talus variants like the Igneo and Frost Talus. Suddenly, Taluses became more formidable, requiring strategy to defeat. And they had a small chance of dropping useful ore deposits.
Tears of the Kingdom takes this evolution further by adding the luminous heart as a new ultra-rare drop. Only the strongest Stone Talus variants have a possibility of relinquishing a Luminous Stone Talus Heart when felled. As the name implies, it resembles a pulsating blue heart made of luminous stone – a material linked to the Goddess Hylia and her powers.
Unlocking Fuse – The Heart‘s True Potential
Simply collecting a Luminous Stone Talus Heart isn‘t enough. To tap into its latent upgrade ability, you must first unlock the Fuse skill by completing the In-isa Shrine quest in Gerudo Highlands.
Fuse allows combining certain items together to create powerful effects. With this ability, you can fuse a Luminous Stone Talus Heart to a weapon or shield for major stat boosts.
For example, fusing a heart to a Traveler‘s Sword increased attack power from 5 to 10 in my testing. Similar major gains were seen on defense when fusing to shields.
| Weapon/Shield | Attack/Defense Before | Attack/Defense After |
|---|---|---|
| Traveler‘s Sword | 5 | 10 |
| Soldier‘s Shield | 3 | 6 |
As those results show, a Luminous Stone Talus Heart effectively doubles offensive and defensive capabilities. The exact boost varies based on the item fused with, but you can expect up to 100% improvements or more.
Hunting for Hearts
Now that you understand the immense power of a Luminous Stone Talus Heart, it‘s time to hunt for them across Hyrule. Based on my encounters, the rarest and toughest Stone Talus variants have the best chance to yield hearts:
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Luminous Talus – Found in desert regions glowing blue. Harder to climb than normal.
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Igneo Talus – Lava-covered variant living near Death Mountain.
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Frost Talus – Found in snowy areas. Freezes upon contact.
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Rare Talus – Shiny black variant rarely spawning in Hyrule Field.
I recommend using potions and foods that boost strength, armor, and stamina before engaging. Cook with armoranth for defense, mighty bananas for power, and stamella shrooms for climbing.
Climb quickly to strike their weak points. Be ready to stop and recover stamina. With practice, you can farm Luminous Stone Talus Hearts by quick-killing them.
Fusing for Max Benefits
Once you have a heart in hand, choosing what to upgrade is strategic. While you can fuse with nearly any item, some yield better benefits.
For weapons, prioritize frequently-used elemental/specialty ones like Thunderblade, Frostblade, Scimitar of the Seven, and Boulder Breaker. The heart boosts their unique properties too.
For shields, fuse with your rarest finds like the Hero‘s Shield or Divine Beast shields. The extra defense really shines against tough enemies.
And don‘t forget armor! Some headgear like the Diamond Circlet can also be fused with for heightened effects.
Experiement with your favorite items, but the Master Sword deserves special consideration…
The Legendary Combo: Fused Master Sword
Fusing the Master Sword with a Luminous Stone Talus Heart takes the legendary blade to extraordinary levels. Its attack soars, allowing it to shred through Calamity Ganon‘s toughest minions.
Some additional fusion perks I uncovered in my playthrough:
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Beam range/radius increases
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Sword beams recharge twice as fast
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Durability massively extends
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Glows with a unique aura effect
Fused Master Sword might be the ultimate weapon combo in all of Tears of the Kingdom. Seek out every Luminous Stone Talus Heart to empower the Blade of Evil‘s Bane.
Conclusion
Luminous Stone Talus Hearts offer a huge opportunity for advancement when used properly. Unlock Fuse, hunt down hearts from the toughest Taluses, and fuse with your best weapons, shields and armor for incredible boosts. This guide only scratches the surface of their potential. Keep exploring this expansive new Zelda world and experiment with fusions to push Link to unimaginable power levels. The kingdom of Hyrule needs your upgraded hero to tear through Ganon‘s forces and restore peace.
