Simosiwak Shrine — Proving Grounds: Combat

Location: Gerudo Highlands, high elevation zone Coordinates: (-2680, -1428, 0512) Type: Combat Trial Shrine Difficulty: Hard

Overview

Simosiwak Shrine is one of the Gerudo region's most demanding combat shrines — a Proving Grounds style trial where Link is stripped of all equipment upon entry and must defeat Shrine Constructs using only what he finds inside. The highland location makes the exterior approach challenging too: cold temperatures, steep terrain, and strong winds make reaching the shrine an adventure in itself. Inside, the stripped-equipment challenge tests whether players have truly internalized TotK's combat system rather than relying on overpowered gear. This shrine reveals who has mastered flurry rushes, parries, and environmental combat — and who has been coasting on weapon upgrades.

Preparation

• Accept that all equipment is stored upon entry — this is unavoidable and part of the design
• Mentally prepare your combat technique: Flurry Rush timing, shield parry, sneakstrike approach
• Eat a maximum-heart meal before entering — more health means more mistakes are survivable
• Stamina restoration food — stamina is available inside (you keep your stamina wheel) but extra reserves help
• The Gerudo Highlands exterior requires Snowquill Set or cold-resistance food for the approach

What You Keep

Upon entering a Proving Grounds shrine, Link retains:

• Hearts (total health pool)
• Stamina (wheel size)
• Abilities (Ultrahand, Fuse, Recall, Ascend, Rewind)
• Passive armor effects (set bonuses that aren't equipment-based)

What is stored away:

• All weapons, bows, shields, and arrows
• All armor pieces and associated defense values
• All food and elixirs in the inventory

Walkthrough

Stage 1: Scout and Arm

The shrine spawns four to six Zonai weapons and a shield on the floor. Grab the best available: prioritize a Construct Sword (highest base attack), a shield for parrying, and any arrows. Scan the room quickly — enemies don't spawn until Link picks up the first weapon. Use this brief window to plan your approach order.

Stage 2: First Wave — Basic Constructs

Two Tier-1 Constructs spawn after arming. They attack independently. Draw them apart: lure one to a corner with movement, eliminate it quickly, then address the second. Flurry Rush on the first attack of each Construct ends the duel in 3-4 hits. Don't let both engage simultaneously — two-front combat without armor is immediately dangerous.

Stage 3: Second Wave — Ranged Constructs

Two Ranged Constructs spawn behind barriers. Close distance aggressively to invalidate their bow advantage. Sprint to the first barrier, use it as cover, then burst around and engage in melee range. A headshot arrow (if available) stuns each before closing distance. Elite ranged Constructs fire triple-shot bursts — dodge sideways after the first shot, not straight back.

Stage 4: Elite Construct Duo

The final wave is two Elite Constructs simultaneously — the shrine's peak challenge. Use environmental separation: the room typically has pillars or barriers. Position one Elite between yourself and the other, preventing simultaneous engagement. Defeat the faster Construct first (usually the sword-user), then focus the second. Don't spend shields blocking — parry or dodge instead to preserve shield durability for the second fight.

Step 5: Completion and Gear Return

Defeating all waves causes the final gate to open. Your equipment is returned automatically. Proceed to the altar and collect your Light of Blessing. A chest accessible from the altar platform contains a Royal Claymore — a reward commensurate with the shrine's difficulty.

Tips

• Sneakstrike the first enemy of each wave before it activates — the spawn animation allows a brief approach window
• Flurry Rush is your best damage tool without gear — master the dodge-timing on Tier-1 enemies in Stage 2 to build confidence
• The Construct sword found inside typically has 25-30 attack — enough for 6-8 hits per Construct at this tier
• Parrying Elite Construct attacks returns projectiles with full power — use their own charged shots against them
• If your Construct Sword breaks, Fuse any monster horn from a defeated Construct onto the next weapon to extend its durability

Nearby Points of Interest

• Gerudo Highlands Skyview Tower — west, essential for Gerudo Highlands map activation
• Snowfield Stable — north, the closest rest and resupply point after completing the shrine
• Gerudo Town — south, full services including the Lightning Temple questline
• Gerudo Highlands Korok Seeds — multiple seeds scattered in the highland terrain surrounding the shrine

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Chest Summary

| # | Contents | Location | |---|----------|----------| | 1 | Royal Claymore | Altar platform after defeating all combat waves. |

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Part of the Gerudo Shrine Guide — Tears of the Kingdom shrine walkthroughs on Hyrule Archive.