The Legend of Zelda has a somewhat complicated history when it comes to putting magic in the player’s hands, but Breath of the Wild may be the right time to take a new step in this direction. Past Zelda precedent offers plenty of inspiration for a magic system in BotW, and the current version of Hyrule already hides so many magical secrets that it wouldn’t be all that hard for Link to learn new arcane skills. What’s more, BotW2’s plot seems to hint at a particularly magic-heavy depiction of Link. Breath of the Wild 2 seems like the ideal time to put spellcasting in the hands of Zelda fans once again.
RELATED: Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2’s Official Title Needs to Be Revealed Soon
The State of Spellcasting in Zelda
Even though the Zelda franchise takes place in a high fantasy world, fans usually have limited access to magical powers. One of the few games in which Link has spellcasting abilities was Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, where players can learn magic that does everything from increase their defense to turn Link into a fairy temporarily. Ocarina of Time also features a few spells that Link can learn from the Great Fairies of Magic. However, beyond these titles, most Zelda games only put magic in Link’s hands through items like elemental arrows that sometimes drain a Magic Meter.
Breath of the Wild 2 features plenty of magical abilities, but it doesn’t have a strict spellcasting system in the style of Zelda 2 or even Ocarina of Time. Link can mainly access supernatural abilities by using the Runes in his Sheikah Slate, picking up Wands from defeated Wizzrobes, or gaining boons from the ghostly Champions. While all of these abilities are compelling, they’re not quite the same as a proper spellcasting system, since many of them are either passive effects that players can hardly control or functionally just items that Link uses.
Upgrading Magic in Breath of the Wild 2
A more regimented spellcasting system would be a valuable addition to Breath of the Wild 2 because it could simultaneously spice up combat, exploration, and much more. Nintendo could streamline Runes and activated abilities like Revali’s Gale by compiling them into a single magic system that shares a resource pool, rather than asking players to keep track of various separate resources and cooldown timers. At the same time, Nintendo could introduce new targeting systems and button inputs that make using special abilities easier than ever. Using an ability by quickly pressing a certain button input while locked onto a target could be much more exciting and practical than switching over to a Rune and trying to line it up with a target.
Adding more concrete spellcasting to Breath of the Wild 2 would definitely make combat more interesting. Not only could Link learn all kinds of aggressive spells that help him pulverize his enemies, but he could learn a variety of defensive spells that impair his enemies or shield him from damage, all of which would be interesting to weave together with Breath of the Wild’s existing combat. Magic would also give players something new to find while exploring. Link might occasionally uncover new spells in Ancient Shrines or similar ruins, giving fans one more thing to seek out and collect. Spirit Orbs could become all the more valuable if Link has a magic meter to increase. Aside from these features, Nintendo could add magic-related benefits to Breath of the Wild’s food, create new puzzles driven by new spells, and so on.
RELATED: Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2’s Ganondorf Could Be a Red Herring
Why Spellcasting Has a Place in Breath of the Wild 2
Breath of the Wild 2 is the perfect game for reintroducing spellcasting in a big way because Link seems to be inherently magical in this game. The trailers have strongly implied that the mysterious green arm that once held the apparent corpse of Ganondorf will fuse with Link after he’s attacked by Malice. That arm certainly seems to possess special abilities of some kind, based on the way it has glowed in certain trailers. Whether the arm represents a new companion character that’ll join Link in Breath of the Wild 2 or it’s simply a mystical force that fuses with him, this arm seems to open the door to bold new spellcasting powers in Breath of the Wild 2.
The broader state of Hyrule also encourages the introduction of a new magic system. Breath of the Wild 2 seems even more focused on ancient secrets coming to light than the first game, and the rise of buried evil forces gives Link an opportunity to tap into his own lost magical potential. What’s more, the Master Sword is heavily damaged, meaning Link may need to seek out alternate ways to battle and defeat Breath of the Wild 2’s antagonist. The arcane arts might offer Link the power necessary to save Hyrule a second time.
Breath of the Wild 2 is Growing and Innovating
Regardless of if Nintendo reintroduces the Magic Meter in BotW2 or not, the new game has already shown off a fair few innovations when it comes to Link’s supernatural abilities. The second Breath of the Wild sequel trailer showed Link using a seemingly upgraded form of the Stasis Rune, immediately launching a spiked ball back at some monsters. The trailer also showed Link shooting up into the air and passing through solid stone to access a sky island. Link will clearly gain new abilities, but whether they’re part of a Zelda magic overhaul remains to be seen.
Breath of the Wild 2 already promises to upgrade on the first game’s concepts in a variety of ways, but that doesn’t mean an upgraded magic system should be pushed to the side. Upgrades to BotW2’s magic could improve gameplay in virtually all departments, and it has a lot of narrative benefits too. Aside from using magic to battle Hyrule’s enemies, it would be interesting to watch Link study the arcane while Zelda continues learning to use the goddess Hylia’s divine powers. Innovation is the name of the game for Breath of the Wild 2, and a spellcasting overhaul would undoubtedly provide fertile soil for innovation.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases in early 2023 for Nintendo Switch.
MORE: Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 Would Benefit From Encouraging Unique Builds
