Best Zonai Builds

Ultrahand and Fuse let you build almost anything from Zonai Devices. After two years of players experimenting, some builds have emerged as clearly dominant — and some are genuinely game-changing. This guide covers the best builds for travel, combat, and exploration.

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Essential Materials

Zonai Devices are the building blocks. They're obtained from:

• Zonai Dispensers — circular machines on sky islands and in some surface locations. Insert Zonai Capsules (drop from Construct bosses) for random device drops.
• Treasure chests throughout sky islands and Zonai ruins
• Crafted using Zonaite at Forge Constructs in the Depths

Key devices for building: | Device | Function | |--------|----------| | Fan | Propulsion — horizontal or vertical thrust | | Steering Stick | Rideable control point — activates attached devices when sat on | | Wing | Glider surface — provides lift when moving fast | | Rocket | Instant burst of vertical thrust | | Big Wheel | Ground vehicle rolling | | Balloon | Hot-air lift (fire-powered) | | Flame Emitter | Fire — combat, cooking, lift for balloons | | Beam Emitter | Ranged laser attack | | Zonai Sled | Flat platform base — good for building on |

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Build 1 — The Hoverbike (Meta Travel Build)

The most important build in TotK. The hoverbike is the fastest and most battery-efficient way to travel across Hyrule and the Depths.

Materials needed:

• 2× Fan
• 1× Steering Stick

Construction:

1. Place one Fan flat on the ground (horizontal, blowing downward)
2. Attach the Steering Stick vertically in the center of the Fan
3. Attach the second Fan on the other side of the Steering Stick (also horizontal, also blowing downward)
4. Sit on the Steering Stick

How it works: Both fans push down simultaneously, lifting the bike. The Steering Stick provides directional control — tilt to steer.

Performance:

• Speed: Fastest land and air transport
• Ceiling: Can fly to any altitude (above clouds, above most sky islands)
• Battery: Drains 2 segments per ~25 seconds at base battery; longer with Zonaite Armor
• Range: Can cross Hyrule in 2–3 minutes

Tips:

• Save the hoverbike blueprint with Autobuild — one of the first things to do once you unlock Autobuild
• The Zonaite Armor set reduces battery drain by ~30% — significant for long flights
• Build near a Zonai Dispenser to quickly get fans if you don't have them stored

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Build 2 — The Rocket Shield (Combat Build)

Instant vertical escape and aerial combat.

Materials:

• 1× Shield (any)
• 1× Rocket (Fuse to shield)

How to use:

1. Fuse a Rocket to your shield using the Fuse ability
2. In combat or exploration, raise your shield (ZL) and jump simultaneously
3. The rocket fires, launching Link 20–30 meters into the air
4. Deploy Paraglider at the apex — glide or perform aerial attacks

Uses:

• Escape Gloom Hands instantly (they cannot reach you at altitude)
• Reach high ledges and cliffs without climbing stamina
• Aerial attack positioning — rain arrows down on enemies from above
• Emergency escape from any ground-level threat

Limitation: One use per rocket. You'll need to re-fuse after each use. Keep a stock of rockets.

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Build 3 — The Sled Bomb Launcher (Combat Contraption)

A ranged bomb delivery system for clearing enemy camps.

Materials:

• 1× Board (plank) or Zonai Sled
• 2× Fan
• 1× Wing (optional, improves accuracy)

Construction:

1. Place the board/sled flat
2. Attach 2 fans behind it (for forward propulsion)
3. Attach a Wing on top for lift and stability
4. Fuse a Bomb Flower to the front or use the Bomb Ability charge

How to use: Aim the sled toward an enemy camp. Activate it and it flies forward, delivering the bomb payload. Works well against stationary groups like Bokoblin camps and Moblin towers.

Alternative: Skip the vehicle entirely — just Fuse a Bomb Flower directly to an arrow. This is faster, requires no construction, and is the preferred method for most combat.

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Build 4 — Floating Platform (Exploration Build)

A stable aerial platform for reaching sky islands and hard-to-access areas.

Materials:

• 1× Flat Board or Plank
• 2× Balloon
• 1× Flame Emitter

Construction:

1. Lay the board flat
2. Attach 2 Balloons to the top of the board
3. Attach the Flame Emitter below the board pointing up (heats the balloons)
4. Stand on the board

How it works: The Flame Emitter heats the balloons, causing them to rise slowly. Unlike fans, this uses minimal battery (flame emitter uses battery) and provides a stable, slow ascent.

Best use: Reaching low-altitude sky islands that are above Skyview Tower range but below the hoverbike's ideal altitude. More stable than the hoverbike for precise positioning.

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Build 5 — Cart Minecart (Depths Speed Build)

Fast ground transport through flat Depths corridors.

Materials:

• 1× Cart (Zonai mine cart)
• 2× Fan

Construction:

1. Place the Cart on a flat surface (or Depths rail)
2. Attach fans to the back of the cart pointing backward
3. Sit in the cart

How it works: Fans push the cart forward at high speed. Extremely fast on flat surfaces and Depths rail systems.

Best use: The Depths has many long flat corridors between Lightroots. A fan-cart traverses these in seconds instead of the minutes they'd take on foot.

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Build 6 — Autobuild Fan Glider (Sky Island Exploration)

A simple glider for extended sky island exploration.

Materials:

• 1× Wing
• 2× Fan (attached to rear)
• 1× Steering Stick (center)

Construction:

1. Place Wing flat
2. Attach Steering Stick to center of Wing
3. Attach 2 Fans to rear of Wing, pointing backward
4. Sit on Steering Stick

How it works: Fans push the glider forward; the Wing generates lift. Steering controls direction. Very battery-efficient at moderate speeds.

Best use: Sky island chain hopping. The hoverbike is faster but the glider uses less battery per unit of distance traveled — good for long sky island chains in the Akkala or Lanayru sky regions.

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Autobuild — Saving Your Best Builds

Autobuild is an ability obtained in the Depths (Great Abandoned Central Mine area) that lets you rebuild previously constructed objects from Zonai materials.

How to use Autobuild:

1. Press L to open the Autobuild menu
2. Select a recently built creation or saved blueprint
3. Autobuild reconstructs it using nearby materials (costs Zonaite if materials aren't available)

Priority saves:

1. Hoverbike — first thing to save. Never build it manually again.
2. Rocket Shield — saves time fusing each combat session
3. Your preferred fan cart configuration

Autobuild Tip: Once you unlock Autobuild, go to a Zonai Dispenser, build the hoverbike, then immediately open Autobuild and save it as a favorite. That blueprint is now available forever.

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Battery and Build Efficiency

| Build | Battery Drain | Best For | |-------|---------------|---------| | Hoverbike | High | Speed travel, any terrain | | Balloon Platform | Low | Precise vertical ascent | | Fan Glider | Medium | Efficient sky island travel | | Fan Cart | Medium | Flat Depths corridors | | Rocket Shield | Single burst | Combat, vertical escapes |

Upgrade battery before complex builds. Most builds are only sustainable with 2+ full batteries. See the Battery Upgrades Guide for efficient upgrade paths.

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Creative Builds (Honorable Mentions)

Ultrahand Combat Trick: Grab a large rock or enemy weapon with Ultrahand and swing it into enemies. Large rocks kill most regular enemies instantly and deal enormous damage to minibosses.

Mine Cart on Rail Cannons: Some Depths areas have inclined rails — drop a mine cart on them for a free roller coaster ride to the bottom.

Boulder Sling: Attach a long plank to a stake with Ultrahand, place a boulder on one end, and jump on the other end. Launches the boulder forward like a catapult.

Vertical Rocket Tower: Stack multiple rockets vertically using Ultrahand to create a multi-stage rocket that reaches extreme altitude. Useful for the Light Dragon approach without full battery.

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See also: Battery Upgrades Guide | Depths Survival | Tips & Strategies