Sword Beams,[1][name references needed] also known as Skyward Strikes,(SSSkyward Sword)[2][3] are a recurring Sword skill in The Legend of Zelda series. It is often utilized by Link wherein, when he is at full health, an attack with his Sword will result in a beam of light streaking out and striking anything in its path. It is useful for when one does not wish to engage in close quarters combat or use ammunition like Arrows. Depending on the game, it can be utilized with any blade; at others, only special blades like the Master Sword will create a Sword Beam when swung.
If Link has the Noble Sword or the Master Sword, he can fire a Sword-shaped Sword Beam from his Sword while his health is full. If the Light Ring is transferred to Oracle of Seasons in a Linked Game from Oracle of Ages, Link is capable of using it. While wearing the Light Ring, Link can use Sword Beams from the Noble Sword and Master Sword even with up to two Hearts of damage. The Light Ring L-2 increases this limit to a maximum of three Hearts of damage.
Oracle of Ages
If Link has the Noble Sword or the Master Sword, he can fire a Sword-shaped Sword Beam from his Sword while his health is full. While wearing the Light Ring, Link can use Sword Beams from the Noble Sword and Master Sword even with up to two Hearts of damage. The Light Ring L-2 increases this limit to a maximum of three Hearts of damage.
Four Swords
In A Link to the Past & Four Swords, circular Sword Beam swirls can be fired from the Four Sword once Link has obtained the Master Sword in A Link to the Past on the same save file, provided that the Links have full health. In Four Swords Anniversary Edition, Sword Beams can be executed after the Links have full health and have obtained Master Sword by completing the Realm of Memories.
Four Swords Adventures
The Four Sword can be empowered to use Sword-shaped Sword Beams in Four Swords Adventures, once the Links have obtained 2,000 Force Gems. Unlike in prior games, the Sword Beam is not affected by the Links' health.
The Minish Cap
Link can learn to perform a standard blade-shaped Sword Beam from Grimblade in the Hyrule Castle Garden in The Minish Cap. Like other titles, the Sword Beam can only be executed while Link has full health. A similar technique that only works while Link has one Heart or less remaining, known as the Peril Beam, can be learned from Waveblade in Lake Hylia.
After Link infuses the Four Sword with all Four Elements, his Sword will shoot a circular Sword Beam swirl after performing a Spin Attack. This circular version of the Sword Beam is capable of breaking Vaati's curse on the inhabitants of Hyrule Castle. This circular sword beam does no damage to enemies.
Phantom Hourglass
Regardless of Link's health, he can execute Sword-shaped Sword Beams after collecting at least 10 Courage Gems having Ciela equipped as his active Fairy in Phantom Hourglass. If Link obtains 20 Courage Gems and has Ciela equipped as his Fairy, the Sword Beams shot from his Sword will become wider.
Link can execute a crescent-shaped Sword Beam from the Master Sword if his health is full in A Link Between Worlds.
Tri Force Heroes
The Links can shoot Sword Beams while their collective health is full in Tri Force Heroes by wearing the Sword Suit or the Sword Master Suit. The Fierce Deity Armor also allows any Link wearing the Outfit to shoot Sword Beams in four directions at once with full health. Alternatively, Sword Beams can be shot with the Fierce Deity Armor after executing a Spin Attack, regardless of health.
Although Sword Beams can only be shot while wearing Outfits that strengthen the Links' Swords, the Sword Beams themselves only deal the damage of a regular Sword strike.
Breath of the Wild
Disc-shaped Sword Beams can be fired from the Master Sword if Link has full health in Breath of the Wild. To execute a Sword Beam, Link must "throw" the Master Sword in the direction that he wants the Sword Beam to go. The use of Sword Beams slowly deteriorates the Master Sword and will contribute to its loss of energy. The beams are capable of damaging Dark Beast Ganon.
The following section is not part of the Zelda canon and should not be taken as such.
The Crissword shooting a zap
In The Legend of Zelda TV series, the Sword Beam, referred to as zaps, is the only attack which Link performs with his Crissword, other than using it to parry. The Sword Beams seen in the cartoon are pink, and Link is able to shoot them from his Sword at any time, no matter his health. Any monster that receives a zap from the Crissword is sent to Ganon's Evil Jar, including Ganon himself.[4] However, Link cannot use its zaps to hurt anyone who is not a monster, as shown in "Sing for the Unicorn" when the hero is unable to damage Sing with it.[5]
The zaps emitted from the Crissword are powerful enough to knock back the person holding the Sword. As such, the Sword must be held with two hands by beginners until they are able to master it completely.[6]
The following section is not part of the Zelda canon and should not be taken as such.
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When wielding the Hylian Sword, Link can fire a Sword Beam using his Strength III combo. The Master Sword adds Sword Beams to all of Link's combo attacks as long as Link is at full health. The Great Fairy's Strength II combo has the Great Fairy borrow Link's Hylian Sword and fire Sword Beams at Link, damaging enemies as he dodges out of the way.
The Strength III combo for Young Link's Mask results in a Sword Beam being fired from Kokiri Sword. When in Focus Spirit, Sword Beams are added to every one of Young Link's attacks.
An early screenshot of Ocarina of Time, showing Link shooting a Beam Attack
In a Q&A page in 1998, Dan Owsen of Nintendo confirmed that Sword Beams were present in Ocarina of Time,[7] though they were inexplicably removed before release. The code for the Sword Beam can still be found in the game's debug ROM.
↑You learned the secret Sword Beam fighting technique! Fire beams from the tip of your blade! You can only do this when your life energy is full. — N/A (The Minish Cap)
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