Weaponminor

Torch

The Torch is a one-handed utility weapon in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, primarily used to light campfires and illuminate dark areas while remaining usable in combat.

Importance

minor

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom · weapon

Key Takeaways

The Torch is a utility-focused one-handed weapon whose flame matters more than its combat role.

Utility first

Its main uses are lighting campfires and illuminating dark areas, though it can also be used in combat.

Persistent flame

Once lit, the Torch stays burning while Link moves, but putting it away or touching water extinguishes it.

One-handed handling

Because it is one-handed, the Torch can be wielded alongside a shield and is quicker to swing than heavier two-handed weapons.

Easy to find

Torches commonly appear at stables, kitchens, and near cooking pots, making them practical utility items rather than rare rewards.

Limited combat identity

Its defining advantage is access to fire and light, not a specialized combat effect or a dedicated damage-focused role.

Distinct encounter example

A specific Torch associated with Princess Zelda appears during the game's opening sequence, separate from the ordinary torches found throughout Hyrule.

Overview

In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the Torch is a standard one-handed weapon whose main value is utility rather than combat power.

A Torch can be carried with a shield and used to light campfires, cooking fires, and dark areas. Once lit, its flame remains active while Link moves, but putting it away, unequipping it, or touching water extinguishes the fire.

Torches commonly appear around stables, kitchens, and cooking pots, making them accessible throughout normal exploration. They are useful when a flame source is needed without spending another weapon slot on a stronger combat option; their combat role is secondary, and they are not a DLC-exclusive or unique weapon.

Statistics

Attack and durability are the game’s own published values, not a 0–100 scale. Taken from the project’s verified weapons database, not from generated text.

Attack
2
Durability
8
Class
One-Handed
Condition
Untouched
Compendium
#331

Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

Compared to similar melee weapons

Weapon	Attack	Durability	Class
Torch	2	8	One-Handed
Long Stick	2	18	Spear
Tree Branch	2	4	One-Handed
Throwing Spear	3	20	Spear
Rusty Halberd	3	12	Spear

Attack and durability are the game’s own published values. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

How to Obtain

01Search the cooking area at a stable or another kitchen with a cooking pot. Torches are ordinary overworld pickups placed near these facilities, so collect one directly rather than seeking a quest reward or vendor.
02If the first stable has none, check another stable, kitchen, or cooking-pot area elsewhere in Hyrule. No story, DLC, NG+, currency, or special equipment prerequisite is required; the opening-sequence torch is not needed.

Mechanics and Handling

Ignition and utility

The Torch is a one-handed melee weapon, so Link can swing it while carrying a shield. Its combat use is secondary: its defining mechanic is that it can be ignited to light campfires and illuminate dark areas. Once lit, the flame remains active while Link moves, making the Torch useful during short exploration or environmental tasks rather than only when standing beside an object. The flame is extinguished when the Torch is put away or unequipped, and touching water also puts it out. Treat ignition as a temporary handling state, not a permanent weapon effect. In practice, the Torch is best kept for lighting and illumination; using it in ordinary fights gives up the stronger damage or special properties available from more combat-focused weapons. Its one-handed classification does let the player retain shield access while making those swings, but the Torch's main value is environmental utility rather than a distinctive attack sequence or combat skill.

Upgrades and Variants

Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses

Strengths

One-handed handling leaves the shield slot available and avoids the commitment of a two-handed weapon.
When ignited, it stays lit while Link moves, making it useful for carrying fire between nearby points and illuminating dark areas.
It serves a practical utility role as well as a melee option, including lighting campfires and cooking pots.

Weaknesses

Its flame is extinguished when the Torch is put away, unequipped, or brought into contact with water.
Combat is a secondary use: choosing it for a fight trades away the opportunity to carry a more combat-focused weapon in the same slot.
Its fire utility is situational and offers little benefit when the area is already lit or the task does not require an open flame.

Best uses

Carry it through dark areas when maintaining a lit flame while moving is more useful than maximizing combat specialization.
Use it near stables, kitchens, and cooking pots to light fires without needing a separate fire-making setup.
Keep it as a utility weapon for campfires and other fire-dependent tasks, switching away before entering water or storing it.

Compared With Similar Weapons

Compared With Similar Weapons
Weapon	Handling	Primary role	Key distinction
Torch	Lighting fires and illuminating dark areas	Remains lit while carried, but its flame goes out when unequipped or exposed to water	—
Boko Club	Basic close-range combat	A more straightforward combat choice, without the Torch's lighting utility	—
Traveler's Sword	General close-range combat	Better suited to routine fighting than utility tasks such as lighting campfires	—

Lore and Design

The Torch is presented primarily as a practical fire-lighting tool rather than a weapon designed for sustained combat. Its utility extends to lighting campfires and helping Link navigate dark areas, while its one-handed form allows it to be carried with a shield. The weapon also has a small story association: Princess Zelda is shown carrying a torch during the opening sequence. Beyond that appearance and its utility-focused item identity, no documented lore, developer commentary, or specific design inspiration is established here.

Trivia

A Torch appears as the specific torch carried by Princess Zelda during the game's opening sequence, giving this otherwise ordinary utility weapon a direct visual association with the opening chapter.