Lightning is usually your worst enemy in the Thundra Plateau. If you've spent any time trekking through the Ridgeland region of Hyrule, you know the drill. The sky turns a sickly shade of green-grey. The music gets tense. Suddenly, your metal shield starts sparking like a malfunctioning toaster. But for those hunting the Toh Yahsa Shrine, that perpetual thunderstorm isn't just a nuisance; it’s the entire point of the puzzle.
Honestly, this is one of those shrines that catches people off guard because it’s hidden behind a "Shrine Quest" called Trial of Thunder. You don't just walk up to a glowing orange rock and hop inside. You have to earn it by playing a giant game of electric golf in the middle of a monsoon. It’s chaotic, frustrating, and incredibly satisfying once you finally hear that "puzzle solved" chime.
Most players stumble onto the Thundra Plateau while trying to map out the Ridgeland Tower area. It’s hard to miss. It’s that massive, flat-topped mesa surrounded by a moat, where it literally never stops raining until you finish the quest. If you're looking for the Toh Yahsa Shrine, you're looking for the four colored orbs scattered around this drenched arena.
Getting Into the Thundra Plateau
The plateau is elevated. Getting up there during a permanent thunderstorm is a nightmare if you don't have enough stamina or Revali's Gale. If you try to climb the sides, you're going to slip. Period. The rain in Breath of the Wild is famously unforgiving, and the Thundra Plateau is the capital of Slippery Slope City.
The easiest way in? Glide from the Ridgeland Tower or one of the nearby cliffs to the west.
Once you land, the Trial of Thunder begins automatically. You’ll see four statues with colored basins. Your job is to find the four matching spirit orbs—purple, green, red, and orange—and get them into their respective slots. This sounds easy on paper. In practice, it’s a mess of Stasis timing, Octo Balloons (if you're fancy), and praying you don't get struck by lightning while carrying a metal object.
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The Great Orb Hunt
Let's break down where these things actually are because the rain makes visibility terrible.
The Green Orb is the easiest. It’s sitting right on top of one of the statues. You just need to shoot it down with an arrow or climb up (carefully) and toss it. The Purple Orb is usually on the ground level, often tucked away near the base of the central structure. The Red Orb and Orange Orb, however, are the real troublemakers.
One of them is located on a high ridge just outside the main plateau area. You can't just carry it back because there’s a gap. This is where most players get stuck. You have two real options here. You can use Stasis to launch the orb across the gap onto the plateau. It takes a few hits with a heavy weapon. Just be careful with your aim; if you launch it into the abyss, it resets, and you have to start over.
Alternatively, you can use the "Stasis + Arrow" trick to nudge it. Or, if you're feeling like a genius, use an Octo Balloon to float it up and a Korok Leaf to blow it toward the center. It’s clunky. It’s weird. It’s pure Zelda.
The Orange Orb is tucked away on a high pillar. Most people use Stasis and a well-placed arrow to knock it down. Once all four orbs are in their holes, the ground shakes, the rain (finally) stops, and the Toh Yahsa Shrine rises from the earth like a glowing neon tombstone.
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Inside the Toh Yahsa Shrine: Buried Secrets
So, you’re inside. The trial is over, right? Wrong.
The Toh Yahsa Shrine itself is titled Buried Secrets. It’s a physics puzzle involving destructible blocks and large metal plates. When you first walk in, you’ll see a sea of cracked stone blocks under a raised platform.
- Use your Remote Bombs to clear the blocks. Don't be shy. Blow everything up.
- Hidden underneath these blocks are a heavy metal plate and a floor switch.
- You need to use Magnesis to move the metal plate.
The goal is to reach the monk, but there’s a sneaky chest here that most people miss because they’re in a hurry to get their Spirit Orb. Look for a chest tucked behind some of those breakable blocks near the entrance or under the main platform. It contains the Rubber Armor (or a small key depending on your version/progress), which is actually part of a set that makes you immune to lightning. Talk about irony.
To get to the end, place the metal plate across the gap to create a bridge, or use it to press down the giant floor switch that opens the final gate. It’s a relatively simple puzzle compared to the nightmare of getting the shrine to appear in the first place.
Why This Shrine Matters for Completionists
If you're going for a 100% run or just want the best gear, the Toh Yahsa Shrine is mandatory. Not just for the Spirit Orb, but because the Rubber Helm (found in the Trial of Thunder quest or the chest inside) is essential for dealing with late-game enemies like Thunderblight Ganon or just exploring the Faron region without dying every five minutes.
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The Rubber Set is one of the most practical outfits in the game. While the Zora Armor helps you swim and the Flamebreaker Armor keeps you from spontaneously combusting in Death Mountain, the Rubber Set allows you to literally hold a lightning rod in a storm and walk away with a tan.
Survival Tips for the Thundra Plateau
- Ditch the Metal: If you see sparks, unequip your Royal Broadsword and Knight's Shield immediately. Use wooden gear or go naked if you have to.
- Stasis is King: Don't try to throw the orbs over long distances. Freeze them, whack them three times with a wooden club, and let physics do the work.
- The "Cryonis" Cheat: If an orb falls into the water surrounding the plateau, you can use Cryonis pillars to lift it out and hop it back to dry land.
- Check the Weather: If you have the Thunder Helm from the Gerudo questline, this entire shrine becomes a joke. You can just stand there while the lightning strikes you, using the blast to move orbs if you're feeling particularly chaotic.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A lot of players think they need to bring orbs from outside the plateau. You don't. All four orbs are within the immediate vicinity of the statues. If you’re wandering off toward the Seres Scablands, you’ve gone too far.
Another big mistake is forgetting about the wind. The plateau is breezy. When you’re trying to line up a Stasis shot, the wind can subtly push your orb off-course. Always over-aim slightly into the wind.
Finally, don't forget to look under the stairs inside the shrine. Nintendo loves putting chests in the one place you aren't looking.
Final Steps for the Toh Yahsa Shrine
Once you've cleared the Buried Secrets and grabbed the Rubber Armor piece, head to the monk. Claim your Spirit Orb. The rain outside will have stopped for good, turning the Thundra Plateau into a peaceful (if a bit barren) grassy field.
Next Steps for Your Adventure:
- Head south to the Faron Woods to complete the rest of the Rubber Set if you haven't already.
- Take your new Spirit Orb to the Temple of Time or any Goddess Statue to trade for Stamina; you'll need it for the climbing ahead.
- If you enjoyed the orb-throwing mechanics, head to the Lomei Labyrinth Island in the far northeast for a much bigger version of this type of environmental puzzle.