There are a handful of new abilities that Tears of the Kingdom gives players to mess around with. Four of them are direct abilities that influence the world around the player or offer new navigational skills, like Ascend, Fuse, Recall, and Ultrahand. There is also a camera that players can unlock via Robbie's Tears of the Kingdom questline. The sixth and final power of the Purah Pad is Autobuild, an extension of Ultrahand.
Autobuild does what it says on the tin – when used, Link can recall any vehicles he has built with Ultrahand and construct them instantly, as long as the required materials are lying around. It's an invaluable skill that many players don't discover until much later in the game, but it's actually very easy to get early as long as players can brave the Depths. Dealing with the boss who "guards" it will prove the toughest part for early-game Tears of the Kingdom players.
What Does Autobuild Do?
Autobuild is the last Zonai ability that most players find, as it is deep in the Depths and not directly hinted at very often. With it, Link whips out his arm as if to use Ultrahand, then a menu pops up that lists the most recent builds the player has completed. It can also store schematics for other default vehicles that don't require any involvement from the player, but these tend to be relatively simple.
When used, Autobuild sees Link create a large purple aura on the ground while an ethereal representation of the vehicle floats in mid-air. As Link moves the circle over the required parts for the selected build, they automatically jump into place and attach to each other as if Link spent much longer putting it together.
This system is invaluable to avid Tears of the Kingdom vehicle and building lovers, and it's worth hunting down as soon as possible to make the rest of the game more streamlined. After acquiring it, though, players face off against a familiar Zelda foe who ended up in the Depths because of Link's actions in Breath of the Wild.
How To Unlock Autobuild in Tears of the Kingdom
The Autobuild Zonai ability can only be acquired in the Depths, in the Great Abandoned Central Mine. To get here, it's highly recommended that players first complete the quest "Camera Work In The Depths." This quest, offered by Robbie and Josha after players finish repairing the Skytower in Lookout Landing, serves as an intro to the Depths and sets them up with a few points of interest underground.
At the conclusion of "Camera Work in the Depths," players find the Isayusus Lightroot, which serves as both a spot for Link to warp to in the Depths and a way to restore hearts temporarily removed by Gloom. Warp here, then start heading south towards the Nihcayam Lightroot.
The Nihcayam Lightroot is found at the coordinates (-0705, -0867, 00481) in the Depths, practically directly south of the Isayusus Lightroot.
From here, the journey gets a little more treacherous, so it's a good idea to come prepared with Gloom-resistant food, plenty of Arrows and Brightbloom Seeds, and patience to take things slow. This is especially important earlier in the game when players can easily get one-hit-KOed by many of the threats of the darkness. From the Nihcayam Lightroot, head directly south again, and use Ascend on the mushroom-like growths to get a higher vantage point.
After a few minutes of mob packs and pitch-black darkness, players will see a light in the distance and what looks like a temple ruin. After passing through the Grove of Time, Link will end up at the Great Abandoned Central Mine.
Speak to the Construct Steward here to receive the Autobuild ability, but be prepared for a fight – after learning the basics of how it works, a surprise boss encounter against Master Kohga appears out of absolutely nowhere that's more like a boss fight from Twisted Metal than anything in the history of Zelda.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.