Unlocking the Secrets of the Great Plateau: Your First Shrine Encounters
For any adventurer stepping into the vast, breathtaking world of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Great Plateau serves as your initial proving ground. It's here that Link awakens after a century of slumber and is introduced to the game's core mechanics. Integral to this early experience are the three mandatory shrines that serve as your first true challenges and rewards. These aren't just random dungeons; they are carefully crafted to teach you essential skills and provide you with crucial abilities. Let's dive deep into each of these introductory trials.
Shrine 1: The Sheikah Slate's Power - Oman Au Shrine
This is the very first shrine you'll encounter, guided by the mysterious Old Man. Its primary purpose is to introduce you to the fundamental tool of your adventure: the Sheikah Slate. Within the Oman Au Shrine, you'll learn about the Slate's initial Rune abilities, which are essential for interacting with the world.
Key Abilities Learned:
- Magnesis Rune: This allows you to manipulate metallic objects from a distance. You'll use it to move metal blocks, uncover hidden pathways, and even solve simple puzzles by levitating platforms. The game will guide you through picking up a metal crate and using it to bridge a gap.
- Stasis Rune: This rune temporarily freezes objects in time. When an object is frozen, you can hit it multiple times to build up kinetic energy. Once the effect wears off, the accumulated energy is released, sending the object flying. You'll use this to stop moving platforms or launch projectiles.
The puzzles in Oman Au are straightforward, designed to be intuitive. You'll be expected to use Magnesis to move a metal block to create a ramp and then employ the Stasis rune to stop a spinning platform, allowing you to cross safely. Upon completion, you'll receive your first Spirit Orb and a confirmation that your Sheikah Slate is now fully operational with these foundational Runes.
Shrine 2: Mastering the Elements - Ja. Baiji Shrine
After obtaining the Paraglider and descending from the Great Plateau, you'll likely encounter the Ja. Baiji Shrine next, often located near a rocky outcropping. This shrine focuses on introducing you to the concept of elemental interactions and environmental puzzles, primarily revolving around the use of fire and ice.
Key Abilities Learned (Implicitly):
- Fire Arrows: While you don't directly gain the ability to craft fire arrows here, the shrine's puzzles heavily involve using fire to your advantage. You'll learn how to ignite objects and create updrafts.
- Cryonis Rune (Hinted at): Though the Cryonis rune is obtained in a later shrine, the puzzles in Ja. Baiji sometimes involve water and how it can be manipulated or avoided. This shrine prepares you for understanding environmental manipulation.
The main challenge here involves using fire to melt ice and create pathways. You'll need to ignite flammable objects, such as wooden crates or dried grass, to burn through ice barriers. Later in the shrine, you'll encounter mechanisms that require heat. You might need to use a lit torch to activate them or strategically position flammable materials to burn. The puzzles are designed to encourage experimentation and observing how different elements interact with the environment. Successfully navigating these fire-based challenges will reward you with another Spirit Orb.
Shrine 3: The Power of Motion - Owa Daim Shrine
The third mandatory shrine, and often the last you'll tackle before leaving the Great Plateau, is the Owa Daim Shrine. This shrine is dedicated to teaching you the strategic use of momentum and kinetic energy, building upon the Stasis Rune you acquired earlier. It emphasizes understanding how to imbue objects with force and control their trajectory.
Key Abilities Learned (Advanced Application):
- Enhanced Stasis Usage: This shrine pushes the boundaries of your Stasis rune. You'll be using it in conjunction with other elements, like explosive barrels or your own attacks, to create powerful effects.
- Timing and Precision: The puzzles here require careful timing when activating and deactivating Stasis, as well as precise aiming when striking frozen objects.
The Owa Daim Shrine is famous for its puzzles involving moving platforms and the strategic use of Stasis on rotating gears or swinging pendulums. A key puzzle involves using Stasis on a large rolling boulder and then hitting it multiple times with your sword to build up enough momentum to break through a weak wall. Another might involve using Stasis on a moving platform to create a stable bridge or launch yourself across a chasm. This shrine truly tests your understanding of physics within the game's mechanics. Completing its challenges will grant you your third Spirit Orb.
Leaving the Plateau with Essential Skills
These three shrines – Oman Au, Ja. Baiji, and Owa Daim – are not just optional side quests; they are fundamental to your survival and progression in Breath of the Wild. They equip you with the core tools and understanding of Hyrule's intricate mechanics. Each shrine is a miniature lesson, subtly guiding you through the game's philosophy of exploration, experimentation, and environmental interaction. By mastering the puzzles within these initial trials, you'll be well-prepared for the vast and dangerous world that awaits you beyond the Great Plateau.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the shrines on the Great Plateau?
The first shrine, Oman Au, is directly pointed out to you by the Old Man. The other two, Ja. Baiji and Owa Daim, are generally visible from elevated points on the Plateau once you have the Paraglider. They are marked on your Sheikah Slate map as green circular icons. Exploring the Plateau thoroughly will reveal their locations.
Why are these three shrines important?
These three shrines are crucial because they teach you the fundamental abilities you'll need for the entire game. Oman Au introduces the essential Sheikah Slate Runes (Magnesis and Stasis). Ja. Baiji teaches you about environmental interactions, particularly with fire. Owa Daim demonstrates advanced applications of Stasis and the importance of momentum. Without these lessons, navigating the wider world of Hyrule would be significantly more challenging.
What are Spirit Orbs and what do I do with them?
Each shrine you complete rewards you with a Spirit Orb. You can then take these Spirit Orbs to Goddess Statues scattered throughout Hyrule. For every four Spirit Orbs you collect, you can exchange them at a Goddess Statue for either a Heart Container (increasing your maximum health) or a Stamina Vessel (increasing your maximum stamina). This is the primary way to upgrade Link's core stats.
