The blood moon returns in Zelda Tears of the Kingdomand it’s just as menacing as in the previous game.
And while there’s certainly reason to dread every blood moon that occurs in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, there’s also a nice bonus you can take advantage of.
Here’s how often blood moons occur in Zelda Tears of the Kingdomwhether or not you can trigger them, what they do, and an overview of the Blood Moon cooking bonus.
On this page:
If you want to know more about Link’s adventure, go to our Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom walkthrough.
Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Blood Moon Timings
Blood moons happen every 168 minutes in real time in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. This is every three days in the game, with the blood moon always triggering at midnight. You will know when this is about to happen when, shortly after 11 p.m., you will see a glowing energy begin to build all around you. You can see it in the image below:
Once the clock strikes midnight, a cutscene will trigger, showing Princess Zelda gazing up at a bloodied sky. You’ll then see various monsters across Hyrule come back to life, before returning to play.
Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Blood Moon Effects
So what does the blood moon do in Tears of the Kingdom? Well, it basically respawns all enemies around the world, so you can attack them again for their resources. This does not include story bosses, such as those in temples.
Be careful when approaching midnight, especially if you find yourself in enemy encampments, because once the Blood Moon hits, enemies will spawn around you, even if you just killed them.
Can you force Blood Moons to occur in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom?
No, you cannot force a blood moon to occur in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. Skipping time at Campfires, for example, won’t advance your progress to the next Blood Moon. You will have to play three days of the game since the last one.
Because of this, there isn’t really an easy way to tell when a blood moon might arrive on any given day, so just be prepared when the game clock starts to approach 11pm and watch out for blood streaks. red energy appearing in the air around you.
Zelda Blood Moon cooking bonuses
There’s actually a good thing about Blood Moons, they give you a bonus on your cooking. Each time you cook a meal, there is a small critical chance to draw a good meal with boosted bonuses.
During a blood moon, between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., this chance increases to 100%. Healing effects, stat bonuses, duration of these bonuses gained from ingredients will be maximized in the resulting dish. Use it as a chance to increase your resources.
That’s all you need to know about Blood Moons in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. If you need more help on your adventure through Hyrule, check out our Shrine Locations Guide or our Skyview Towers Locations Guide to find your way.
Manage cookie settings
Table of Contents
