Twilight Princess tips and tricks

Cave of Ordeals

Originally written by Thomas and translated by Peanpincoro

Index of Tips and Tricks • Complete Walkthrough

Here is the detailed walkthrough of this subsidiary quest.

Before starting...

Location

To go there, go to Gerudo Desert, to the south-east on the map. Here, use the blade sandbags to climb on all the levels. Three Shadow Beasts appear: Get rid of them to make the Gerudo Desert portal appear. Go near the pillar, a ghost will appear. Then Midna suggests warping the pillar. After sending it to Eldin Bridge portal, get back at this place and go downstairs, in the cave...

Principle

You must pass several ordeals to prove your courage to the Great Fairy. As a reward, she sends little fairies to the springs, and rewards you then with a Great Fairy's Tear!
It's actually a series of rounds in which you have to beat every enemy to advance to the next round (pure fighting!).

Required equipement

To fully complete this ordeal, you MUST own the following items:
- The Spinner
- The Ball and Chain
- The Dominion Rod
- The Double Clawshot

It would be better to also have:
- 4 bottles filled with fairies (or blue potion, rare chu jelly if possible); it's not required to have Lantern Oil.
- The Giant Quiver, containing 100 arrows (or at least the Big one, containing 60...)
- Around 30 bombs (or water bombs)
- The magic armor

=> In fact, there is NO WAY (or hardly) to recover life or arrows. On the other hand, rupees are abundant (which is why the Magic Armor is interesting...)

Notes:
- It's possible to do these ordeals at different times if you don't have the required equipment: For each ordeal (there are 5), the fairy sends little fairies to a spring and proposes warping you to this place. However I recommend doing everything in one go: indeed you have to start all over again if you give up along the way.
- On the other hand, given the length and difficulty of those ordeals, don't hesitate to take breaks (without turning off the console, of course!). Thus, you will be way more relaxed and efficient (I recommend a 10 minutes break each hour approximately).

Let's go!

Another small point: There's not only a single way to go through those ordeals, but this guide allows you to win each round while losing not too much life. As success is essentially based on stamina, it may be interesting to save half a heart on an easy round, knowing that it may lack around the end...

First ordeal

1 Purple Bokoblin with a club
Keeses(bats) + Rats: Avoid jumping in the middle not to be assaulted from behind.
3 Deku Babas on the ceiling + 1 on the ground: Before going down, take down the Deku Babas on the ceiling with the Clawshot to save arrows.
3 Skulltulas: From the platform, fire a Bomb Arrow at each Skulltula (one per enemy is enough)
3 Bulblin Archers: Start on one side to avoid taking arrows on your back.
Torch Slugs on the ceiling and on the ground: First, get rid of the Slugs on the ceiling with the Clawshot before jumping so they won't fall off on you. Besides you can also use the Clawshot on the ones on the floor, to take less risks.
Fire Keeses + Dodongos: Take care of all of them with your sword to save arrows.
With your wolf senses, dig to the east of the room to find 3 hearts!
Red and Blue Tektites: Stay on one side not to be overrun.
2 Lizalfos (with a small shield) + 2 Bulblin Archers: Be careful with the archers hidden under the platform! Clear them out first so they won't bother you later.
Go down and check the "fog" in the middle of the fountain: the Great Fairy sends little fairies to Ordon Spring and clears the way for the 2nd ordeal.

Second ordeal

3 Helmasaurs (enemies with a shell) and lots of rats: From the platform, shoot the Clawshot at the enemies' shells to remove them. Careful when you jump, an army of rats assault you: be ready to fight them right after landing on the ground. You can also use the Spinner (it's safer).
To access the next room, use the Spinner on the rail along the wall.
1 large Purple Chu: For more safety, destroy it from afar with the Clawshot.
Caution: the purple chu is not always edible! You should not tempt fate and rather wait to find hearts. (Or if you have enough life, try several times until it works!)
Chu Worms (lizards in a water bubble): Use the Clawshot to get them out from their protective bubble, then finish them with your sword.
Bubbles: Jump on a side not to be attacked from behind. You can also use the Spin Attack, rather than the Great Spin (which requires charging).
With your wolf senses, dig before the exit to find an orange rupee!
Lots of Bulblins: Jump on a side not to have some behind you. You can also use the Spin Attack here.
Keeses + rats: It may be interesting to do this room as a wolf, to benefit from the attack speed.
Stalhounds (skeleton dogs) + Poe: Turn into a wolf to get rid of the Poe first, then take care of the remaining foes (as a wolf or hylian). If the door doesn't open, walk around the room to make the Stalhounds you didn't take care of get out from the ground.
Leevers (green spinning plants): Use a Spin Attack to destroy them all in one shot, or use the Spinner for more safety.
Use your wolf senses south of the room to find a heart!
Chus: There are purple Chus, but also 2 Rare Chus and 2 (or more?) blue Chus! Try to corner those two before they fuse with the others to take some in a bottle. Reminder: Blue Chu jelly = Blue Potion (all hearts), Rare Chu jelly = Great Fairy's Tears (full life + strength bonus). To get rid of the purple chus in time, shoot the Clawshot from afar.
Go down and talk to the Great Fairy so she will send little fairies to Faron Spring and clear the way for the next ordeal.

Third ordeal

Bokoblins with a club + Ice Keeses: As always, watch your steps and make sure you don't have any enemy behind you. you can also do this room as a wolf to have a chain of fast attacks.
To pass to the next room, destroy the ice block with the Ball and Chain.
Keeses + Rats + Ghoul Rats: Use your enhanced senses to see and take care of those ones. If they are already clinged on to you, use Midna's attack to kill them.
Dig in the centre of the room to find 3 hearts!
Lots of Stalkins (tiny skeletons): You can use the Great Spin here (charged Spin Attack).
6 ReDead Knights: Jump on a side and get close to them, one at a time. As soon as they get up, use the Ball and Chain from afar. (We don't always think of it, but this long range weapon is really efficient, since it hits when you throw it and when it returns... So ReDead Knights are down in one shot and without taking risks!
Bulblins + Bulblin Archers: From the previous room, use the Hawkeye with your bow to hit the archer standing on a tower in the middle of the room (so at your level). You can also make the most of your position on the platform to get rid of the archers waiting down there. (It's also possible to finish them with your sword, at the same time as the others).
3 Stalfos: "Dismantle" them easily with a Helm Splitter attack. Try to get them at the same place so you can hit them simultaneously, with only one bomb for the three.
3 Skulltulas hanging on a thread + Bubbles: From the platform, fire a Bomb Arrow at each spider before going down. With your wolf senses, dig to the east of the room to find a heart!
6 Purple Bokoblins with a sword + 2 Skull-face Lizalfos: From the platform, fire a Bomb Arrow on one of the foes, the others will then come to see the body. At this moment, you just have to fire one Bomb Arrow to get them ALL in ONE shot and from afar!
Stalkins + Bubbles + Fire Bubbles + 2 Stalfos: Start by taking care of the first 3 enemies' groups, and finish by the Stalfos (1 bomb for 2).
Go talk to the Great Fairy, she sends little fairies to Eldin Spring and clear the way for the 4th ordeal.

Fourth ordeal

Beamos (spinning statues shooting a fire laser) + Keeses: From the platform, shoot at the red dot on each Beamos using the Hawkeye before going down. Then take care of the Keeses.
Use the Dominion Rod to move the two statues on to the switches and open the gate.
Torch Slugs on the ceiling + Bubbles + Fire Bubbles + Dodongos: Again watch and protect your back.
ReDead Knights + Poe: Like you did before, take care of one enemy at a time, using your Ball and Chain, then clear out the Poe (or lure the Poe before, to be able to destroy it afar from the ReDead Knights).
Rats + Ghoul Rats + purple and rare Chus: First attack the rats as a wolf as fast you can, aiming to preserve your full mobility to collect the Rare Chu Jelly (like before). Get rid of the rats hanging onto you using Midna's attack, with your senses on (once there's no other foe).
With your wolf senses, dig to the east of the room to find a heart!
A Freezard in the center + Ice Keeses: Take care of the bats first, then attack the Freezard with the Ball and Chain (twice). Also throw the Ball and Chain at the ice cubes that forms.
Chilfos: Try not to stay too far from them (because of their spear) or to be stuck between two of them. Keep moving, and fight them at short range, either in wolf form (don't let them breath), or in human form (the Helm Splitter skill is fatal...).
Bubbles + Ice Bubbles + Leevers: Attack and quickly finish the Bubbles as a wolf, then use the Spinner to get rid of the Leevers without taking any risk.
2 Freezards + Chilfos + Ice Keeses: As a wolf, clear out most of the Chilfos in the centre, as well as the Ice Keeses. Stay on the move not to be hit by the freezing breath and the spears. Then use the Ball and Chain to destroy the Freezards and Chilfos who stand next to them (it's risky to attack those as a wolf).
2 Darknuts: Stay out of reach and stand in a way you always have one Darknut, always the same (use the colour to recognize him) standing in front of the other one. Methodically destroy his armour with a Mortal Draw chain (try not to come near him to avoid his "friend"'s attacks). Once his armour has been fully destroyed, avoid the sledgehammer he throws at you and wait for his blow: he is now cornered! Make him lose his balance with a Back Slice and go on striking him. If they keep together, always use the Back Slice between them (to prevent the second one from striking) and take the advantage of the confusion to make a Spin Attack: Use now your Magic Armor to avoid heart loss. Once the first Darknut is down, the fight becomes a piece of cake! Destroy his armour (the chain "Mortal Draw + regular slices + Helm Splitter + Spin Attack + Jump Strike + regular slices" is lethal in one or two go), then finish him with Back Slices to throw him off balance and hit him repeatedly.
With your wolf senses, dig in the middle to find a silver rupee (200)! (so don't hesitate to use the Magic Armor in this round!).
Go see the Great Fairy, she sends little fairies to Lanayru Spring for you, then she opens the door to the last ordeal.

Fifth ordeal

Lots of Armos with an axe: Don't go down right away! This round is easy if you proceed methodically, but can become hell if you fight like crazy... Use the three Clawshot targets on the right. You are now behind the Armos. Get an arrow ready and SLOWLY get near the closest Armos to you, from behind (you ABSOLUTELY MUST NOT walk in front of one!). Move towards the side of the statue so it notices you. As soon as it gets blue, move so you can fire three arrows (very quickly) on the crystal in its back while its colour changes. If you miss your 3rd shot, move towards an edge (at a Clawshot target level) to move the battle area afar from the other Armos. Wait for that Armos to try to stab you and end up hitting the ground with its axe to make a side jump and shoot an arrow at it (keep one ready). Take care of the others one by one the same way. If you do it wrong and have them all chasing you, use the Clawshot targets to go up again and return to the previous room (for them to respawn at their default locations). Be very careful not to waste your arrows: you need a lot of them to destroy them and if you run out, you will be forced to give up! (I don't think that the Back Slice works...)
Morgane's note: You can also destroy the Armos with the Ball and Chain without taking risks. When behind a statue, slowly get near it until having the lock on, then throw the Ball and Chain once (it becomes blue) and a second time (it explodes).
Use the Double Clawshot again to go ahead.
Bokoblins with a sword + Baba Serpents: Stay out of reach from the Baba Serpents to first take care of the Bokoblins.
6 Bulblins Archers + Axe-tail Lizalfos: From the platform, get rid of the archers with some arrows (to attract those standing below you, hang on the edge for them to see you). Then you can go down to take care of the Lizalfos.
Dynalfos + Poe: From the platform, fire a Bomb Arrow at one of the enemies, the others will then come to see the body. At this moment, you just have to fire a Bomb Arrow to get them all in one blow. Then jump, turn into a wolf and attack the Poe.
2 Bulblins on a tower + ReDead Knights + purple, blue and rare Chus:
From the previous room, lock on the two archers standing on a tower and get rid of them (below the flames) (if you ran out of arrows, dodge the arrows they are shooting at you and walk on them to collect some of them). Then go down into the room and fight the ReDead Knights with the Ball and Chain. When the Chus fall off from the ceiling, try to corner and collect some Rare Chu Jelly.
With your wolf senses, dig to the east to find 3 hearts!
2 Freezards + Chilfos + Ghoul Rats: Jump in the middle as a wolf, with your enhanced senses on. Take care of the Ghoul Rats as fast as possible (before they hang onto you) and of the Chilfos within your range while keeping moving, to avoid the spears and freezing breathes (actually, try to only use forward jump attacks, so that the rats already hanging onto you won't slow you down that much). Then stand in a "cleared" area, out of the monsters freezing breathes, and finish those ones and the warriors placed next to them using the Ball and Chain.
Purple Bokoblin with a club + rats + Stalkins: Take care of the Bokoblin with arrows, then use the Spinner and go down. This way, you don't have to fear the rats horde assaulting you, as well as the Stalkin army. Go through the crowd several times (don't forget to activate the Spinner attack) to clear them all out and strike the last lone enemies with your sword.
One Darknut + 2 Aeralfos: Go down into the arena and stay out of the Darknut attack range. Lock on one of the Aeralfos, get your Clawshot ready and wait for it to prepare an attack (it raises its shield). Bring it to you with your Clawshot and repeatedly hit it. Watch out for its comrad attacks (dodge). Wait for it to fly again and use the same technique to defeat it. Then take care of the other one (you can also take care of both Aeralfos at the same time), and finally fight the Darknut (the chain "Mortal Draw + regular slices to break his armor + Helm Splitter + Spin Attack + Jump Strike + regular slices").
It's the last round of this ordeal! Don't hesitate to use all your resources, potion, rupees to win! In this battle you will have to face 3 Darknuts: 2 are in front of you, the 3rd one is under the platform. Go down and attack this one: you just have time to break his armour before the other two arrive. Draw him far from them and take care of him: throw him off balance with a Back Slice and keep on striking him. There are now two Darknuts remaining: stay out of reach and stand so you always have the same Darknut (refer to the color) standing in front of the other one. Destroy his armour with a Mortal Draw chain (try not to come near him to avoid his "friend"'s attacks). Once his armour is fully destroyed, avoid the greatsword he throws at you and wait for his blow: he is now cornered! Throw him off balance with a Back Slice and go on striking him. If they keep together, always use the Back Slice between them (to prevent the second one from attacking you) and take advantage of the confusion to make a Spin Attack: then use your Magic Armor to avoid heart loss. Once this Darknut is down, the rest becomes a piece of cake! Destroy his armour (the chain "Mortal Draw + regular slices + Helm Splitter + Spin Attack + Jump Strike + regular slices" is lethal in one or two go), then finish him with Back Slices to throw him off balance and strike him without stopping.
Then the stone door opens!

The 50th room

Here, the Great Fairy congratulates you on your bravery and courage, and offers you a wonderful present: the Great Fairy's Tears! This "potion" refills all your hearts and gives you a strength bonus! However the most interesting thing is that you can now find little fairies in these four springs: Ordon, Faron, Eldin and Lanayru!

Congratulations! You victoriously won this series of ordeals! You have now become a proud warrior, worthy of the title of "Legendary Hero"!

Kévin's note: The Chilfos (ice warriors with a spear) can be cleared out safely. Stay on the platform and fire two Bomb Arrows at them (or fire arrows using a torch) but be quick because after the first shot, they lose their javelin but take another one if we don't quickly hit them a second time.

Note: During your second visit, there are 3 Darknuts in the 39th room and 4 in the 49th.

A big thank you to Thomas, Noé d.P. and Salem for this section!