Spells

Zelda II has eight magic spells. Each one is taught by an Old Man, usually in a basement, after you finish a short errand in a town. Shield comes first in Rauru Town and Thunder comes last in Old Kasuto. The table below lists the town, the task you must complete and the requirement, then the sections give the steps for each spell.

Quick reference

Magic Point costs by level

Magic costs fall as your Magic level rises, so a spell that is too expensive at level 1 can become practical by level 5 or 6. Raising Magic is covered in Experience and Levels.

The spells in order

Shield

Shield is the first spell and it halves the damage Link takes while it is active. Enter Rauru Town and find the woman in the purple dress standing outside a house on the screen to the left of the entrance. Talk to her with your sword button and follow her inside. The Old Man waits at the end of the basement. Shield costs 32 MP at level 1. The route is covered in Starting the Adventure: North Castle and Rauru.

Jump

Jump makes Link jump higher and wider, which opens up places you cannot otherwise reach. To learn it, get the Trophy from the cave in the Tantari Desert, north of North Palace. The cave is full of Octoroks, and a red Goriya guards the trophy. You can only enter the cave after you clear Parapa Palace. Bring the Trophy to the woman in the red dress on the second screen of Ruto Town, and she will let you into her house. The Old Man in the basement teaches you Jump. See Ruto, the Trophy and the Jump Spell.

Life

Life restores a portion of your Life meter, but it costs a lot of magic. You learn it in Saria Town. Find the Mirror, which lies under a table in an empty house on the second screen of the town. Return the Mirror to the woman in the purple dress near her house on the first screen. She lets you in, and the Old Man in her basement teaches you Life. The town and the bridge are covered in Saria and the Life Spell.

Fairy

Fairy turns Link into a small fairy that can fly over pits of water and lava, and slip through small gaps. While you are a fairy you cannot attack, so land before an enemy reaches you. Locked doors in palaces can be flown through as well; if you carry a key, it is used on the door first. To learn it, you need the Water of Life. The jar sits in a boulder-blocked cave in the swamp north-west of Bagu’s cabin, guarded by three Dairas. The cave is blocked by a boulder that only the Hammer can break. Take the Water of Life to the old woman in the purple dress on the third screen of Mido Town. She lets you into her house, and the Old Man downstairs teaches you Fairy. See Mido Town, the Water of Life and the Fairy Spell.

Fire

Fire lets Link shoot fireballs from his sword at a distance. Tektites and Basilisks are very hard to hurt without this spell (a Skettlar, the scorpion-like enemy, can only be hit while its eye is open). In Nabooru Town, go to the fountain left of the house of the thirsty woman in the red dress. Take a drink of water from the fountain, then bring it to her. She lets you in, and the Old Man in her basement teaches you Fire once your magic meter has at least 5 blocks, which one Magic Container gives you. See Nabooru and the Fire Spell.

Reflect

Reflect strengthens your shield so it can bounce magic attacks back at enemies. It also blocks attacks that a plain shield cannot, such as fireballs, axes and clubs. You need Reflect to reach and defeat Carock in Maze Island Palace. To learn it, rescue the child from Maze Island and take him back to the old woman in Darunia. She rewards you by letting you into her house, where the Old Man at the end of the basement teaches you Reflect once your magic meter has at least 6 blocks. If he will not teach it, find the Magic Container you are missing and try again. The route is covered in Darunia, the Kidnapped Child and the Reflect Spell.

Spell

Cast at the edge of New Kasuto, Spell raises a small hidden building that holds the Magical Key, and it can turn several enemies into Bots. Visit the second screen of New Kasuto. Enter the house with the open door, then go into the fireplace. The Old Man waiting there teaches you Spell once your magic meter has at least 7 blocks. The town is covered in New Kasuto, Old Kasuto and the Thunder Spell.

Thunder

Thunder is the strongest spell in the game. It destroys every non-boss enemy on the screen and is the spell that makes Thunderbird’s face visible in the Great Palace. You learn it from the Old Man in the first house of Old Kasuto, and he will teach it only after you have collected all four hidden Magic Containers, which brings your magic meter to its full 8 blocks. Thunder costs 120 MP at level 1 and 64 MP at level 8.

Sword techniques

Two sword moves are taught by townsfolk. You need Jump to reach each teacher.

Downward Thrust

Downward Thrust is taught by a swordsman in the church of Mido Town. Use Jump to reach the roof of the church, then press down while you are in the air to strike downward. The town is covered in Mido Town, the Water of Life and the Fairy Spell.

Upward Thrust

Upward Thrust is taught by a soldier in the house with the chimney in Darunia. Jump from roof to roof to reach the chimney and drop down into the house. Press Up while you jump to strike upward. The route is covered in Darunia, the Kidnapped Child and the Reflect Spell.