At first glance, Sundelions are a seemingly run-of-the-mill resource in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - but as it turns out, they're far more valuable than they appear, and Link should make a conscious effort not to waste them. Of course, being an open-world game just like its predecessor Breath of the Wild, players are free to tackle the game however they please, and that applies to how items are used. However, for those who want to walk the path of least resistance and beat TOTK as effortlessly as possible, Sundelions - and the recipes they're used for - should not be squandered.
[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Tears of the Kingdom.]
After all, Tears of the Kingdom is inherently much more difficult than BOTW. For one, enemies have more health, and they dish out far more powerful attacks. The Sky Islands and the Depths are both also incredibly dangerous regions in their own rights; one wrong step on the Sky Islands can send Link tumbling to his death if he doesn't have enough stamina, and the Depths are full of formidable monsters and Gloom, a substance which reduces Link's health on contact, preventing him from healing as he normally could. Luckily, Sundelions can help players traverse the difficulties of TOTK (and Gloom in particular).
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In Tears of the Kingdom, Sundelions are a type of Wild Green with a special, invaluable property - being able to combat the effects of Gloom. No other ingredient can achieve such an effect, which naturally makes them one of the game's most powerful resources. Since they cannot be eaten raw, the main use for Sundelions falls into cooking "Sunny" recipes, which can bring out the Gloom-healing effects of the shiny, golden flowers. In fact, the "Gloom-Borne Illness" side quest in TOTK is a strong testament to its restorative properties. The "Sunny Veggie Porridge" that Link creates for the bedridden resident of Kakariko village Nanna heals her instantly.
Unsurprisingly, players may wish to take advantage of the Sundelion's effects for their own in Tears of the Kingdom, but it's crucial that they remain careful about managing the resource. It's true that the flowers do respawn; however, if players wish to survive until the end of the game, they'll need to have a healthy supply of Sundelions, or Sundelion recipes, on hand.
After all, the final boss fights in the latest Zelda game are all chock-full of Gloom. The last few minutes of the main storyline will have Link traversing the underside of Hyrule Castle, which is absolutely teeming with the malicious red liquid. When he meets the Demon King's Army, Link does indeed have the help of Tears of the Kingdom's Sages for the battle, but the waves of Bokoblins are still incredibly difficult to defeat since they also ooze Gloom. Things certainly don't let up when the protagonist fights Ganondorf either, as both his human phases and even his Demon Dragon form each spew copious amounts of Gloom, too.
Sundelions are the only antidote to the substance, and so to give themselves a solid fighting chance, it's absolutely essential that players save their Sundelion recipes in Tears of the Kingdom. It's best to prepare a few Sunny meals before tackling any of the game's Gloom-based enemies, but also to keep a few extra flowers in Link's pockets alongside a Zonai Portable Pot device. This way, the Hero of Hyrule has a few restorative meals already on hand, but he also has an immediate way of cooking more, should he find himself requiring it.
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Fortunately, finding Sundelions in Tears of the Kingdom isn't nearly as difficult as something like collecting all the Korok seeds. The flowers can occasionally be found occupying Hyrule Field and the Eldin Region, but the best place to farm them is on the various Sky Islands. Thanks to their luminescent, golden appearance, they stick out like a sore thumb even against the Sky Islands' yellow terrain. To make things even more convenient, though, players can set out on their search during nighttime, during which they'll be met with even more visible and apparent Sundelions.
Once players have collected their fill of the ingredient, the next step is to prepare the best Sundelion recipes in Tears of the Kingdom. Because the free-form cooking system gives them the liberty to experiment with all sorts of ingredient combinations, there are plenty of options, especially considering that they can be used interchangeably with other plants. As long as Link takes care not to make recipes that waste ingredients in TOTK, any recipe containing a Sundelion will do the trick (to varying degrees). Some of the best Sundelion recipes in Tears of the Kingdom are as follows:
Sundelions can only be cooked over a traditional cooking pot or a Zonai Portable Pot. Roasting them over an open flame will cause them to burn, rendering them useless.
While Sundelions may not seem like anything special at first glance, the golden plants are actually vital to Link's own long-term survival in Tears of the Kingdom. Of course, in order to beat Ganondorf and all the enemies that come before him, players will need to prepare in all sorts of other ways, such as upgrading their heart containers and stamina wheel, upgrading their armor, and finding the best offensive Fuse and Ultrahand creations. However, for the best shot at saving Hyrule and finding Princess Zelda, players should strive to save their Sundelion recipes in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Source: IGN/YouTube