Back Slice Guide: The Hidden Combat Technique

The back slice is one of the most underused combat techniques in Tears of the Kingdom. It deals bonus damage and positions you behind the enemy — ideal for setting up follow-up attacks or avoiding dangerous frontal counterattacks. This guide explains how to execute it reliably.

What Is the Back Slice?

A back slice occurs when you sprint past or around an enemy while locked on and then attack from behind. The attack animation has Link dash to the enemy's rear and deliver a powerful slash. Against many enemies, attacks from behind deal increased damage — particularly against armored enemies like Lizalfos (whose scales protect the front) and Moblins.

The back slice is not a single button input — it's a positional technique that emerges from the right movement combined with a standard attack.

How to Execute a Back Slice

1. Lock onto your target with ZL
2. Sprint toward one side of the enemy (left or right flank)
3. As you pass the enemy's hip, press Y to attack
4. Link will spin around and slash through the back

The key is committing to a direction and attacking mid-run. If you hesitate, you'll end up swinging at the side rather than the back. Practice at low-level Bokoblin camps.

When to Use the Back Slice

• Against heavily armored fronts (Lizalfos, Silver Moblins)
• Against any enemy that counterattacks after blocking — a back slice bypasses their guard entirely
• Against Black Lizalfos whose elemental counters punish frontal attacks
• To reposition yourself behind a Lynel after a failed dodge, triggering the mount opportunity

Back Slice vs. Flurry Rush

Back slices deal consistent reliable damage without requiring frame-perfect dodge timing. Flurry Rush deals more burst damage but demands precise input. Use back slices as a dependable alternative when you're unsure of the dodge timing, or when enemies telegraph attacks poorly.

Advanced Usage: Back Slice into Mount

Against Lynels specifically, landing attacks on the back while the Lynel is stunned or distracted allows you to mount them. Sprint from behind, attack, and if the angle is right the mount prompt appears. This is one of two ways to mount Lynels (the other is after a stunning blow to the head). Mounted attacks don't consume weapon durability and deal massive damage.

Enemy-Specific Back Slice Damage Bonuses

Some enemies have specific vulnerability multipliers for rear attacks:

| Enemy | Back Damage Bonus | Notes | |-------|-------------------|-------| | Lizalfos (all variants) | ~1.5× | Scales protect the front — always attack from behind | | Silver Moblin | ~1.5× | Front armor makes frontal attacks inefficient | | Bokoblin | 1× (no bonus) | Back slice is positional only, no damage multiplier | | Hinox | ~2× (eye back) | Technically a weakness exploit, not true back damage | | Lynel (back mount) | Mounted damage (no multiplier, but no retaliation) | Mounting is the back-attack reward against Lynels |

Back Slice vs. Sneakstrike

Sneakstrike is the crouched stealth attack — a completely different mechanic from back slice:

| Technique | How to Trigger | Damage Multiplier | Requires | |-----------|---------------|-------------------|---------| | Back Slice | Sprint past enemy in combat, attack from rear | 1.5× (enemy-dependent) | Active combat, sprint | | Sneakstrike | Crouch + approach undetected + attack | 8× (all enemies) | Stealth, undetected approach |

Key difference: Sneakstrike cannot be used in active combat. Back slice works mid-fight when stealth is impossible. Use sneakstrike to open an engagement; use back slice as a mid-combat repositioning tool.

The 8× sneakstrike multiplier is higher than any other damage bonus in the game — always open with a sneakstrike against isolated enemies before they detect Link.

Back Slice in the Full Combat Flow

A complete combat sequence against a difficult enemy:

1. Sneakstrike (8× damage, first hit only, from stealth)
2. Flurry Rush (if the sneakstrike triggers a recovery animation — fire arrows at their back during the stagger)
3. Back Slice (mid-combat repositioning, consistent rear damage)
4. Perfect Dodge → Flurry Rush (sustained DPS window)
5. Repeat back slice and dodge cycle until defeated

Against Silver Lynels specifically: Open with an arrow headshot to stagger, mount immediately, attack during mount (free damage, no weapon durability used), dismount, dodge the post-mount swipe, Flurry Rush, reposition behind, back slice, repeat.

Tips for Consistent Back Slices

• Keep sprint active — walk-speed back slices often miss the sweet spot
• Shorter weapons (swords, one-handers) execute back slices more reliably than long spears
• After a back slice, the enemy often turns to face you — immediately sprint past them in the opposite direction to set up the next back slice
• In groups, use back slices to keep a single target between you and other enemies — the target's body blocks projectiles from behind

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Combat — Technique — Advanced Melee