You’re standing on top of the Dueling Peaks. It’s freezing. Your stamina bar is probably flashing red because you decided to climb the cliff face instead of taking the path, and now you’re staring at a glowing blue pedestal. Welcome to the Shee Venath Shrine. If you’ve played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you know this place is half of a twin set that basically acts as a massive "co-op" puzzle for a single player. It’s clever. It’s also incredibly annoying if you don't have a camera or a pen and paper handy.
Honestly, the Shee Venath Shrine Breath of the Wild experience is one of the coolest examples of environmental storytelling and puzzle design Nintendo has ever pulled off. It’s located on the northern peak of the Dueling Peaks, directly across from its brother, the Shee Vaneer Shrine. Most people find one, spend twenty minutes moving orbs around like a confused intern, and then realize they’re missing half the information.
The game tells you the solution is "retained in the mind" of the other. Basically, the floor pattern in Shee Venath is the solution for Shee Vaneer, and vice versa. It’s a literal mirror puzzle.
The Secret to the Twin Memories
The biggest mistake people make? Trying to guess. You can’t guess this. Well, you could, but the mathematical odds of landing the orbs in the right 5x5 grid are slim enough to ruin your afternoon.
When you enter the Shee Venath Shrine Breath of the Wild, the first thing you see is a grid of holes and a few glowing orbs already placed in them. Stop. Don't touch anything yet. This initial configuration—the way the orbs are sitting when you first walk through the door—is actually the solution for the other shrine across the canyon.
To solve the puzzle inside Shee Venath itself, you need the layout from Shee Vaneer.
👉 See also: Why 4 in a row online 2 player Games Still Hook Us After 50 Years
If you haven't been over there yet, you're wasting your time here. Glide across the gap. It's a short trip. Once you’re in Shee Vaneer, look at the floor. Write it down. Take a screenshot with your Switch. Do whatever you have to do to remember which orb goes in which column.
The Layout You Actually Need
Let's get specific. The grid is five-by-five. Think of it like a coordinate plane where the entrance is at the bottom.
For the Shee Venath Shrine Breath of the Wild puzzle, the correct placement of the orbs (counting from the top row near the elevators down to the entrance) looks like this:
- On the far-top row, the orb goes in the second slot from the right.
- The next row down, you want it in the far-right slot.
- The middle row needs the orb in the second slot from the left.
- The fourth row down? Put that orb in the far-left slot.
- Finally, the row closest to the entrance requires the orb in the middle slot.
It sounds simple when you read it, but the perspective from the ground is garbage. You have to use the elevator. Ride that platform up to the top ledge so you can look down at the grid. It’s the only way to make sure you aren’t accidentally placing an orb one row off. One single mistake and the door stays shut. No Spirit Orb for you.
Why Dueling Peaks is a Masterclass in Design
The developers at Nintendo, led by Hidemaro Fujibayashi, wanted players to look at the world as a cohesive unit. The Shee Venath Shrine Breath of the Wild isn't just a room with a puzzle; it’s a landmark.
✨ Don't miss: Lust Academy Season 1: Why This Visual Novel Actually Works
Think about the geography. The Dueling Peaks were supposedly split apart by a dragon or a god, depending on which NPC you talk to in Kakariko Village. By placing two shrines that require mutual knowledge to solve, the game forces you to acknowledge that split. You have to physically cross the divide that defines the landscape.
It’s also a subtle tutorial on the Switch’s "Capture" button. This was one of the first times a Zelda game basically looked at the player and said, "Hey, you have a literal camera in your hand, use it." Before the Sheikah Slate’s camera rune is even fully utilized for things like the Compendium, these shrines teach you that visual data is a resource.
Common Frustrations and How to Fix Them
Sometimes the elevators glitch. Or, more likely, you fall off the peak while trying to paraglide between them because a stray Yiga Clan member spawned at the worst possible moment.
If you arrive at Shee Venath Shrine Breath of the Wild and the orbs are already moved because you "experimented" earlier, don't panic. Leaving the shrine and re-entering resets the puzzle to its default state. This is crucial because the "default" state is the answer key for the other side. If you mess it up before recording it, you're essentially locking yourself out of the other shrine's solution until you reset.
Also, watch the weather. The Dueling Peaks are notorious for sudden thunderstorms. If you’re wearing metal gear while trying to reach these shrines, you’re going to get struck by lightning. Switch to the Rubber Set if you have it, or just strip down to your Hylian Tunic.
🔗 Read more: OG John Wick Skin: Why Everyone Still Calls The Reaper by the Wrong Name
What You Get for Your Trouble
Beyond the Spirit Orb—which you obviously need for more hearts or stamina—there is a chest. Don't leave without it. In Shee Venath, if you use the elevator to reach the high platform and then paraglide around the wall, you'll find a chest containing a Serpentine Spear. It’s a decent mid-game weapon, though mostly it’s just satisfying to 100% the room.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
To handle this efficiently next time, follow this specific workflow:
- Climb the South Peak first. Enter Shee Vaneer.
- Screenshot the floor. Use the Switch's capture button immediately upon entering. This is the solution for the North peak.
- Glide North. Go straight to Shee Venath Shrine Breath of the Wild.
- Screenshot that floor too. Now you have the solution for the South peak saved in your gallery.
- Solve and move on. Use your first screenshot to move the orbs in Shee Venath. Exit, glide back to Shee Vaneer, and use the second screenshot.
By doing it this way, you avoid the "back-and-forth" fatigue that hits most players. You're treating the shrines like a data exchange.
The Dueling Peaks shrines remain a highlight of Breath of the Wild because they don't hold your hand. They expect you to be observant. They expect you to realize that the world is mirrored. Once you understand that the solution isn't in the room, but across the sky, the whole game starts to feel a bit more interconnected. Get your screenshots, line up those orbs, and get back to exploring the rest of Necluda.