How to dodge in Tears of the Kingdom

A timely Tears of the Kingdom dodge can make all the difference in a close fight. Not only is it a great way of avoiding damage in combat across Hyrule, but it can also open up the enemy to a barrage of attacks. That’s why dodging is such an important skill to learn in The Legend of Zelda TotK and the dodge mechanic carries over from Breath of the Wild intact.

If you’ve lost your shield and are taking too much damage fighting against the new Tears of the Kingdom enemies, dodging might be your best option, so you can get back to exploring the Tears of the Kingdom map stress-free.

How does dodging work in Tears of the Kingdom?

To dodge in Tears of the Kingdom, hold the left ZL button on the Nintendo Switch to target the enemy, move the left analog stick left, right, or down, and press X to jump (or B if you’re using alternative controls).

When dodging, it’s important to watch where the attack is coming from, so you can dodge in the right direction. If an enemy is attacking horizontally, jump backwards to flip over the enemy’s attack. Similarly, if an enemy attacks vertically, such as a jump attack, simply dodge left or right to completely avoid the hit.

If you manage to execute a perfect dodge, Link will enter a state known as flurry rush. In this state, time slows still, Link will perform a normal dodge, and then have the opportunity to deliver multiple hits with his weapon on the enemy without them blocking. Most monsters can be defeated with a couple of flurry rushes, so being able to dodge attacks consistently will help you offensively as well as defensively.

As well as working on average opponents, dodging can also work against bosses. This can be a huge help when it comes to taking down some of the more challenging bosses, especially if you’re struggling to avoid taking damage.

That’s all the ins and outs of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom dodging that you need to know. If you’re still having trouble with taking foes on, then maybe you should try out Tears of the Kingdom parrying. And if you want some tips for getting around, our Tears of the Kingdom horse guide should help you out with that.