Tears of the Kingdom: Your Guide to Item Duplication

The vast world of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is filled with countless secrets, challenges, and, as many players have discovered, a few unexpected quirks. Among these, a widely discussed item duplication glitch has emerged, allowing adventurers to multiply valuable resources, powerful weapons, and essential crafting components. While the ethical implications for gameplay balance are debated among fans, the allure of unlimited diamonds, star fragments, or powerful monster parts is undeniable for those looking to accelerate their journey or simply experiment with Hyrule’s economy. This guide will walk you through the current methods for exploiting this phenomenon, helping you gather an abundance of items for Link.

As of the 1.1.1 Patch Release, the Glitch is Still Kicking

When Nintendo rolled out its initial update for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, many players braced themselves for potential changes, particularly concerning various exploits that had been discovered. The official notes mentioned a general aim to “improve the gameplay experience” and, more specifically, addressed a progression-blocking bug in “The Closed Door” quest. This fix was welcome news for those stuck, finally allowing them to continue their adventures. However, amidst these improvements, one significant oversight delighted many in the community: the notorious item duplication glitch remained fully functional.

Despite the developers’ efforts to fine-tune the game, the precise mechanism behind the duplication exploit seems to have eluded the initial patch. This means that players can still generate an endless supply of valuable materials like Diamonds, Sapphires, or even rare monster parts without any apparent consequences within the game’s code. For a limited time, adventurers have a golden opportunity to fill their inventory with riches and resources, bypassing the usual grind. This unexpected longevity of the glitch underscores the complex nature of game development and the persistent ingenuity of player communities in uncovering these loopholes.

How to Do the Tears of the Kingdom Glitch for Materials

Duplicating materials in Tears of the Kingdom is surprisingly straightforward, requiring only the item you wish to copy and at least two bows. This method capitalizes on a quick menu manipulation that confuses the game’s item tracking system. If performed correctly, you can instantly double your desired material. Don’t worry if you don’t get it right on the first try; failure simply means you won’t duplicate the item, but you won’t lose it either.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

• Prepare Your Bow: Equip a bow, then hold down the ‘R’ button to ready an arrow. While holding ‘R’ and the Up D-Pad for materials, select the material you wish to duplicate and fuse it to your arrow. Make sure the item is visibly attached.
• Initiate the Drop Sequence: With the fused item on your arrow, pause the game (press ‘+’). Navigate to your inventory’s Bows section. Select your currently equipped bow and choose the “Drop” option.
• The Quick Swap: Crucially, while still in the pause menu and after dropping your first bow, immediately select a different bow from your inventory to equip it.
• The Critical Timing: This is the trickiest part. With your second bow now equipped, you need to quickly press the ‘+’ button twice in rapid succession. The goal is to close the menu and reopen it almost instantly.
• Final Drop and Collection: Once the menu reopens, drop the second bow you just equipped. Then, exit the pause menu entirely. You will see both bows on the ground. Pick them up, and if done correctly, the material originally fused to your first arrow will now be duplicated in your inventory! This works by making the game think both bows had the same item attached during the rapid menu state change.

How to Get More Weapons Using the Glitch

While the previous method is excellent for materials, duplicating weapons, shields, or even bows themselves follows a slightly different, yet equally effective, process involving a strategic save and reload. This approach is invaluable for acquiring multiple copies of unique weapons with powerful stats or special abilities, ensuring you always have the best gear for any combat scenario. The key difference here is leveraging the game’s save state to your advantage.

Follow these instructions to duplicate your armaments:

• Open the Pause Menu: Begin by pressing the ‘+’ button to bring up Link’s main menu.
• Equip Your Target Item: Go to the inventory section (Weapons, Bows, or Shields) and equip the specific item you intend to duplicate. This item should be actively held by Link.
• Create a Manual Save: Navigate to the “System” tab within the pause menu and select “Save.” Create a new manual save file at this point. This save acts as your checkpoint.
• Drop the Item: Return to your inventory screen. While the target item is still equipped, select it again and choose the “Drop” option. It will fall to the ground in the game world.
• Equip a Different Item: Immediately equip any other item of the same category. For example, if you dropped a sword, equip a different sword from your inventory.
• Perform the Pause-Unpause Trick: Quickly hit the ‘+’ button twice (close and reopen the menu). This brief menu flicker is crucial.
• Drop the Second Item: While the menu is open again, drop the *second* item you just equipped.
• Reload Your Save: Go back to the “System” tab and select “Load.” Choose the manual save file you created earlier.
• Claim Your Duplicate: Upon loading, you will find the original weapon you dropped (the one from step 4) lying on the ground. Simultaneously, the item will also be present in your inventory because the game reloaded the state *before* you dropped it. Congratulations, you now have two!

Reap the Benefits of the Glitch While You Still Can

Mastering these duplication glitches opens up a world of possibilities within Tears of the Kingdom. Imagine never running out of potent ingredients for elixirs, vital construction materials for Ultrahand builds, or high-value gems to sell. For instance, duplicating Diamonds, which command a high price of 500 Rupees each, can quickly amass you a fortune, allowing you to purchase expensive armor sets, homes, or critical upgrades without endless grinding. Beyond wealth, you can clone rare monster parts like Lynel Horns or Gleeok Flames, significantly enhancing your weapon’s attack power through fusion or crafting powerful armor upgrades.

Furthermore, access to an unlimited supply of Zonai devices can transform your gameplay, enabling you to construct elaborate contraptions for exploration, combat, or puzzle-solving without concern for resource scarcity. This newfound abundance can dramatically alter your approach to challenges, offering creative solutions and a sense of boundless experimentation. However, it’s important to remember that these exploits, while powerful, are often short-lived. Nintendo has a history of promptly addressing such glitches in their titles to maintain game balance and integrity. Therefore, if you intend to leverage this advantage, it’s best to do so sooner rather than later, as future patches are highly likely to remove these methods. Enjoy your bounty and reshape your Hyrulean adventure while the opportunity lasts!