Tears of the Kingdom in 2026: The NPCs I Still Avoid

In 2026, I am still playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and I have finally accepted a truth that my first playthrough tried to deny: Hyrule is full of helpful people, but it is also full of NPCs who make me sigh, roll my eyes, and walk in the opposite direction. My latest save file is a personal field report on the characters who interrupt the flow of an otherwise brilliant open-world game. Some are avoidable. Some are not. All of them have earned a spot on my very specific list. 🧭

I want to be fair before I complain. Tears of the Kingdom gives players a huge map, layered systems, and dozens of small stories. The NPCs are part of that charm. But charm has a limit when an animation, a toll, or a stubborn sign-holder keeps me from doing what I actually came to do. In 2026, with the game long past launch, these quirks stand out even more because I know every shortcut and every workaround. I still love the game. I just do not love waiting.

7. The Great Fairies Are Helpful, but Slow

I rely on the Great Fairies to upgrade my armor, so I cannot ignore them. That does not mean I enjoy the process. When I want to improve more than one piece of gear, I select an item, confirm the upgrade, watch an animation, and then repeat the whole routine. The fairies are wonderful, dramatic, and beautifully designed. They are also a test of patience. In 2026, I usually queue upgrades while I am doing something else, because staring at the same sequence for the fifth time is not my idea of adventure. 🧚

6. The Yiga Clan Keep Popping Up

The Yiga Clan have lore that could support a genuinely interesting side story. Instead, I mostly meet them as comedic ambushers who hold a grudge against Link and vanish before I can finish the fight. Their habit of teleporting and attacking from a new angle is more irritating than threatening. A couple of good hits usually ends the encounter, but the interruption lingers. I do not fear the Yiga. I just wish they would pick a lane and stay in it.

5. Juney and Her Toy Wagon

Juney returns in Tears of the Kingdom, and her side quest is far more annoying than I remembered. When I speak to her, she gets scared. Her fear scares her horse. The frightened horse shakes the wagon, and the toys scatter. Juney then wants me to retrieve the toys, but she also demands Rupees first for emotional damage. If I am not prepared, the time limit makes the whole task feel like a chore wrapped in a penalty. I want to help. I do not want to pay for the privilege of helping. 😤

4. Addison and the Sign That Will Not Stand

Addison is easy to avoid, but his side quests are a reliable source of Rupees, so I keep finding him. He is the NPC behind the Hudson construction sign puzzles, and his refusal to let go of the sign is the entire problem. If he would simply let the sign touch the ground for a moment, it could be upright and sturdy in no time. Instead, I have to build, balance, and fuss while he clings to his post. The puzzle is fine. The personality is the obstacle.

3. Hagie and the Tarrey Town Lift Toll

Hagie sits by the lift in Tarrey Town and charges everyone Rupees to use it. The annoying part is that nobody seems to have ordered him to do this, and the NPC on the other side lets people use the lift for free. Other Tarrey Town residents even complain about him. There is a side quest that lets me block Hagie's view so Mattison can use the lift without paying, and it is deeply satisfying. Still, I often think about how nice it would be to use Ultrahand on Hagie the way I use it on backpack Koroks. Tarrey Town would probably throw a festival. 🎉

2. Calip and the Ring Ruins

Calip is the NPC who keeps me away from the ring ruins around Kakariko Village. He says he is following Princess Zelda's orders, which is a reasonable excuse until I remember that I am Zelda's personal knight. I should be exempt. Instead, Calip yells at me as soon as I get too close, and he resets my location away from the flags that mark the ruins. I understand security. I do not understand why the hero of Hyrule cannot inspect a rock without being scolded.

1. Granteson and the House-Building Headache

Granteson is fine when he stays near his desk by the plot of land where I can build a house. The problem starts when I try to design that house. Somehow, he constantly ends up in the way as I place rooms. I move one piece, and there he is. I adjust another, and he is still there. If he would simply wait by his desk, the entire experience would improve. Instead, he turns a creative feature into a slow dance around an NPC who seems to have no sense of personal space. 🏠

My Field Ranking

NPC	Why I Avoid Them	Can I Avoid Them?
Great Fairies	Long upgrade animations	No, if I want better gear
Yiga Clan	Teleporting ambushes	Sometimes
Juney	Scared horse, scattered toys, Rupee fee	No, if I want the quest done
Addison	Stubborn sign puzzles	Mostly
Hagie	Unfair lift toll	Yes, but he is hard to forget
Calip	Resets my position near the ruins	No, if I explore Kakariko
Granteson	Blocks house-building space	No, during construction

In 2026, I still recommend Tears of the Kingdom to anyone who loves open-world exploration. The game is generous, strange, and full of life. But if Nintendo ever revisits this version of Hyrule, I have a short list of quality-of-life fixes. Let the Great Fairies speed up their animations. Give Granteson a chair and a strict boundary. Teach Hagie that free transportation should stay free. These changes would not make the game easier. They would simply make my adventure smoother. And I would finally stop sighing every time I hear a sign wobble. 😅",

"language": "en