Cave of Ordeals Walkthrough

Twilight Princess 100% Completion Walkthrough23 chapters

Walkthrough overview

• Hyrule Castle and the Ganondorf BattleEvery key and chest, then how to beat Puppet Zelda, Dark Beast Ganon, the horse chase and the final duel.
• Snowpeak Ruins (Dungeon 5)Every key, chest, Heart Piece and Poe Soul, the Ball and Chain, Darkhammer and the Blizzeta boss fight.
• Temple of Time (Dungeon 6)All keys and chests, the Dominion Rod, statue puzzles, Big Key, two Heart Pieces and Armogohma.
• City in the Sky (Dungeon 7)Every chest, Heart Piece and Poe, the Double Clawshots, Aeralfos, the Big Key and how to beat Argorok.
• Ordon VillageGoat herding, fishing rod, Sera’s bottle, slingshot, Wooden Sword, Faron Woods cave Heart Piece, Lantern.
• Enter the Twilight RealmEscape the cell as Wolf Link, meet Midna and Zelda, get the Ordon Sword and Shield, meet Ordona.
• Faron WoodsAll 12 Tears of Light, Faron Spring, Coro’s key and lantern oil bottle, and the Golden Wolf’s Ending Blow.
• Forest Temple (Dungeon 1)All 8 monkeys, 4 small keys, Map, Compass, Big Key, 2 Heart Pieces, Ook, Gale Boomerang and Diababa.
• Hyrule Field, Kakariko Gorge and Twilight Kakariko12 Tears of Light, Epona, Pill Bugs, Heart Pieces.
• Iron Boots, King Bulblin and Death MountainIron Boots from Mayor Bo, the King Bulblin bridge fight, Golden Bugs and Gor Coron’s sumo match.
• Goron Mines (Dungeon 2)Every chest, both Heart Pieces, the Hero’s Bow, three Key Shards, Dangoro and Fyrus boss tactics.
• Lanayru Province, Castle Town and Zora’s DomainKakariko extras, Bridge of Eldin bugs, Castle Town, Lake Hylia, thawing Zora’s Domain and all 12 Tears of Light.
• Telma Escort, Castle Town and Lake Hylia Side QuestsTelma escort, Zora Armor, Water Bombs, 9 Golden Bugs, Agitha, Charlo, fishing, Rapid Ride and the Lakebed entrance.
• Lakebed Temple (Dungeon 3)Small keys, map, compass, Big Key, two Heart Pieces, Clawshot, Deku Toad and Morpheel boss tactics.
• Midna, Zelda and the Master SwordTelma’s Bar to Zelda, the Sacred Grove, Skull Kid, the guardian puzzle, plus its Heart Piece, Poe and Golden Bug.
• Poe Soul Collection, Malo Mart and Heart PiecesThe first 29 Poe Souls, Jovani’s rewards, Malo Mart donations and Magic Armor, Miiverse stamps and five Heart Pieces.
• Gerudo Desert and the Bulblin CampOasis Flight, eight Poe Souls, both Dayflies, Mortal Draw, Bulblin Camp and King Bulblin.
• Arbiter’s Grounds (Dungeon 4)Four Poe Souls, Dungeon Map, Compass, Spinner, Big Key, two Heart Pieces and the Stallord boss fight.
• Mirror Chamber, Reekfish and Snowpeak MountainMirror Chamber, Spinner Heart Pieces, Reekfish bait, Jump Strike, Poe Souls and the climb to Yeto.
• Heart Pieces Hunt and Return to the Sacred GroveTwo Heart Pieces, Rusl, the Skull Kid rematch, the last Golden Bug and the Temple of Time door.
• Ilia’s Memory, Hidden Village and the SkyIlia’s memory, 20 Bulblins, 20 cats, six Sky characters, Great Spin and the Sky Cannon repair.
• Palace of Twilight (Dungeon 8)Both Sols, all seven small keys, map, compass, Big Key, 2 Heart Pieces and how to beat Zant.
• Cave of OrdealsAll 50 floors, the 3 Poe Souls, every Great Fairy, buried items, the Tears and Jovani.

The Cave of Ordeals is a 50-floor gauntlet beneath the Gerudo Desert. Each floor is one fight, every tenth floor is a Great Fairy rest stop, and floors 17, 33 and 44 each hide a Poe Soul. At the bottom a Great Fairy fills an empty bottle with Great Fairy’s Tears. After that, return to Jovani in Castle Town to finish his Poe quest. There are no new enemies here, only larger crowds of ones you have already met. Use this chapter in order, floor by floor, once you own the Double Clawshots; directions use the Normal Mode layout, and Hero Mode mirrors the world.

Before You Go: Gear and Tips

Four floors need a dungeon item to get out: the Spinner (floor 11), the Ball and Chain (floor 21), the Dominion Rod (floor 31) and the Double Clawshots (floor 41). Each Great Fairy on the floor before names the item you need next. By this point in the game you own them all, which is why this chapter comes after the City in the Sky. Aim for as many hearts as you have from the Heart Piece list.

Stock up before you enter. Fill your quiver and bomb bag, carry four bottles of Blue Potion or fairies, keep one empty bottle for the floor 50 reward, and carry a nearly full wallet if you want the Magic Armor in the hardest rooms. Learn the Mortal Draw and the Great Spin from the Hidden Skills page first, because Darknuts are far easier with them. Do not wear the Zora Armor on the ice floors, since ice attacks hurt more in it.

The Great Fairy on each tenth floor offers to return you to the surface, but the cave starts again at floor 1 on your next visit, so only leave after floor 50 unless you must. Floors 36, 39 and 49 add more enemies on a later run (Chilfos 4 to 8, Darknuts 2 to 3 and 3 to 4), and the Lizalfos count on floor 9 rises from two to four. Everything below is for the first attempt. Wolf Link’s senses find hearts and Rupees buried on some floors, listed with each group.

Entering the Cave on the Gerudo Mesa

Warp to the Gerudo Mesa. The cave entrance is right beside the warp point, down a flight of steps. It opens as soon as the Bridge of Eldin has been restored by warping it back into place, long before you have the dungeon items. Run forward and drop to the first floor. You can look into each floor from its ledge before dropping and shoot weaker enemies from above.

Floors 1 to 10 (Great Fairy of Ordon Spring)

• Floor 1: a single Bokoblin. Defeat it with a Helm Splitter or the Ball and Chain.
• Floor 2: three Keese and three rats. A spin attack covers all sides.
• Floor 3: four Baba Serpents, some hanging from the ceiling. Knock the high ones down with the Gale Boomerang, then fight them on the ground. One heart is buried here.
• Floor 4: three Skulltulas. The Ball and Chain stuns and kills them.
• Floor 5: three Bulblin Archers. Pick them off with arrows from the ledge, or roll in close and use your sword.
• Floor 6: nine Torch Slugs, some on the ceiling. Shoot the high ones first, then handle the rest on the floor.
• Floor 7: two Dodongos and five Fire Keese. Hit the Dodongos’ tails with a Back Slice or the Mortal Draw. Three hearts are buried here.
• Floor 8: four red and two blue Tektites. Stab the eye to kill them quickly, or lure them together and spin attack.
• Floor 9: two Bulblin Archers and Lizalfos (two on a first run, four later). Shoot the archers, then use the Helm Splitter on the Lizalfos.
• Floor 10: Great Fairy. She releases fairies into Ordon Spring and tells you the Spinner is needed for what follows. The Surprised Link Miiverse stamp is her special reward on the Wii U version.

Floors 11 to 20 (Great Fairy of Faron Spring)

• Floor 11: three Helmasaurs and a pack of rats. Spin attack the rats and Clawshot each Helmasaur’s mask off. The exit door is hidden: ride the Spinner along the grooves in the wall to reach it.
• Floor 12: one very large purple Chu. Hit it from a distance with the Ball and Chain, or use jump attacks as Wolf Link, because up close it takes several hearts.
• Floor 13: four Chu Worms. Clawshot them out of their bubbles and slash.
• Floor 14: fifteen Bubbles. Spin attacks clear them. An orange Rupee (100) is buried here.
• Floor 15: ten Bulblins. Bunch them together, then drop a Bomb Arrow into the group.
• Floor 16: dark room with six Keese and six rats. Light the Lantern first and spin attack.
• Floor 17: ten Stalhounds and an Imp Poe. As Wolf Link, use your senses to find the Poe and kill it for Poe Soul #58 (see the Poe Soul list). The Poe does not return once taken.
• Floor 18: eight Leevers. Let them gather, then spin attack. One heart is buried.
• Floor 19: a mass of purple Chus (with a few other colors mixed in) that merge together. Use the Ball and Chain, then spin attack the small ones.
• Floor 20: Great Fairy. She fills Faron Spring and tells you to bring the Ball and Chain. Her Miiverse reward is the Angry Zelda stamp.

Floors 21 to 30 (Great Fairy of Eldin Spring)

• Floor 21: five Bokoblins and five Ice Keese. Do not touch the Keese. Smash the ice wall over the door with the Ball and Chain.
• Floor 22: five Keese, rats and ten invisible Ghoul Rats that slow you down. Switch to Wolf Link, spin to shake them off and kill them. Three hearts are buried here.
• Floor 23: a swarm of about 25 Stalkin. The Ball and Chain handles them well.
• Floor 24: five Gibdos. Use Bomb Arrows from range and avoid their scream.
• Floor 25: eight Bulblins plus three Bulblin Archers. Shoot the archers from the ledge, then spin attack the rest.
• Floor 26: three Stalfos hidden as bone piles. Use Bomb Arrows or the Ball and Chain.
• Floor 27: six Bubbles and three Skulltulas. Spin attack the Bubbles, then knock the Skulltulas down with the Ball and Chain. One heart is buried.
• Floor 28: six Bokoblins and two Lizalfos. Spin attack or Helm Splitter.
• Floor 29: three Fire Bubbles, two Stalfos and a dozen Stalkin. Spin attack the Bubbles, use the Ball and Chain on the rest.
• Floor 30: Great Fairy. She fills Eldin Spring and asks for the Dominion Rod. Her Miiverse reward is the Happy Midna stamp.

Floors 31 to 40 (Great Fairy of Lanayru Spring)

• Floor 31: five Beamos statues and eight Keese. Shoot each Beamos eye, then kill the Keese. Use the Dominion Rod on the two bird statues to lift them off the floor switches and open the gate.
• Floor 32: Torch Slugs on the ceiling, two Dodongos, six Fire Keese and six Fire Bubbles. Shoot the slugs first.
• Floor 33: four Gibdos and an Imp Poe. Shoot some Gibdos from the ledge with Bomb Arrows, then kill the Poe as Wolf Link for Poe Soul #59.
• Floor 34: ten Ghoul Rats and a group of Chus that merge. Wolf Link’s attacks work best against the rats. One heart is buried.
• Floor 35: six Ice Keese and a large Freezard. Smash the Freezard with the Ball and Chain, then the small ones it splits into.
• Floor 36: four Chilfos on a first run (eight later). Take them out from a distance with Bomb Arrows or the Ball and Chain.
• Floor 37: eight Leevers, four Bubbles and four Ice Bubbles. Spin attack.
• Floor 38: four Chilfos, three Ice Keese, three Ice Bubbles and two Freezards. Wear the Magic Armor, snipe the Chilfos first, then fight the rest.
• Floor 39: two Darknuts (three later). Use the Mortal Draw after a sidestep, then Back Slice once their armor breaks. A Silver Rupee (200) is buried here.
• Floor 40: Great Fairy. She fills Lanayru Spring and asks for the Double Clawshots. Her Miiverse reward is the Heart Container stamp.

Floors 41 to 50 (Great Fairy’s Tears)

• Floor 41: nine Armos Knights. Wake them one at a time and strike the weak spot on the back. Use the Double Clawshots on the wall grates to reach the exit.
• Floor 42: six Bokoblins and six Baba Serpents. Spin attack and Helm Splitter.
• Floor 43: three Lizalfos and six Bulblin Archers. Shoot the archers from the ledge.
• Floor 44: four Dynalfos and an Imp Poe. Kill the Poe first as Wolf Link for Poe Soul #60, then fight the Dynalfos together with spin attacks and Back Slices.
• Floor 45: five Gibdos, two Bulblin Archers and a group of Chus. Shoot the archers, then use Bomb Arrows on the Gibdos. Three hearts are buried.
• Floor 46: three Chilfos, two Freezards and ten Ghoul Rats. Wear the Magic Armor, snipe the Chilfos, hunt the rats as Wolf Link and smash the Freezards.
• Floor 47: a Bokoblin, rats and many Stalkin. Spin attack, then the Ball and Chain.
• Floor 48: a Darknut and two Aeralfos. Clawshot an Aeralfos when it raises its shield, then deal with the Darknut.
• Floor 49: three Darknuts (four later), the hardest fight. Use the Magic Armor, the Mortal Draw and Bomb Arrows, and fight one Darknut at a time. The Fairy Miiverse stamp is the special reward here.
• Floor 50: the last Great Fairy.

Floor 50: Great Fairy’s Tears

Talk to the Great Fairy on floor 50 with an empty bottle in your inventory. She fills it with Great Fairy’s Tears, a powerful healing medicine, and then warps you out to Lanayru Spring, where you can catch fairies in other bottles. From then on you can refill the Tears at any of the four springs whenever you hold none. The full list of fountains is on the Great Fairies page.

Soul of Jovani

The three cave Poes bring your count to 60 if you have found the other 57 elsewhere. Warp to Castle Town, switch to Wolf Link and go to Jovani‘s house in the south of town, digging in through the hole in the ground. With all 60 Poe Souls Jovani returns to normal and rewards you with a Silver Rupee, worth 200 Rupees. He then wanders to Telma’s bar, where he sits crying about his girlfriend; talk to him there. Back in his house, Gengle gives you another Silver Rupee and the Rupee Miiverse stamp, and pays 200 Rupees every time you talk to him, once per visit to Castle Town. The full Poe list is on the Poe Souls page, and the Cave of Ordeals reference has the floor table.

Walk to the north end of Castle Town afterwards and a cutscene shows Midna using the Fused Shadows to shatter the barrier around Hyrule Castle. The rain begins and the way into the castle stands open.

Chapter Checklist

With the Cave of Ordeals done, nothing stands between you and Hyrule Castle.