Cave of Ordeals

The Cave of Ordeals is a mini-dungeon in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Found in Gerudo Desert where the bridge Link moved used to be, this large cave is made up of 50 rooms, most housing a set of enemies (every ten rooms there is a Great Fairy that will release healing fairies into one of the four springs). These enemies get progressively harder as Link progresses through the cave. Every 10 floors, fairies are released in the springs of the Light Spirits. The final prize is Great Fairy Tears and the releasing of Great Fairies to each spring, where Link could get a bottle of Great Fairy Tears whenever he wishes, considering he doesn't already have some. The Cave of Ordeals is very similar to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker's Savage Labyrinth and is incredibly difficult.

General Strategies
The Cave of Ordeals contains no puzzles but contains 45 hostile rooms containing hundreds of enemies, including most instances of some of the toughest enemies in Twilight Princess. None of the enemies within the cave will drop hearts or ammunition for any of Link's gadgets, leaving only green, blue, and yellow rupees. There is no way out of the cave without starting over. Other than a few buried hearts or taking very quick action to bottle Chu jelly of the right color (before the purple Chu assimilates them), the hero is forced to heal with only what he carries in from the start. In order to succeed, the wise hero will have to defeat all the enemies in the cave while conserving both hearts and resources.


 * Arrows are the most valuable limited resource.
 * Arrows, bombs, and hearts are interchangeable in that using them preserves hearts by keeping Link safer against many enemies than using a sword. Use your best judgement to decide whether to use bombs or arrows (or bomb-arrows) or to get close with the sword, bearing in mind the significantly more difficult enemies in the later rooms.
 * Always see if the Clawshot, Boomerang, or Ball and Chain can kill or retrieve enemies, or can otherwise make the fight easier, before jumping down to the next room.
 * Look before you leap.


 * The hero of the Gamecube version is slightly disadvantaged due to a less convenient spin strike.
 * The hero of the Wii version is slightly disadvantaged because it is easier to overswing near a ledge (causing Link to hang on for dear life) and, some argue, inferior aiming control with ranged weapons.

Required Items

 * The Spinner to progress beyond room 10.
 * The Ball and Chain to progress beyond room 20.
 * The Dominion Rod to progress beyond room 30.
 * The Double Clawshots to progress beyond room 40.

Highly Recommended Items

 * The 100-arrow Quiver may be the most important optional upgrade. Well placed arrows can translate to a lot of saved hearts.
 * The capacity to carry at least ninety bombs. This generally means all three bomb-bags.
 * At least three bottles; but few heroes have less than four by this point.
 * Hidden Skill: Back Slice
 * Hidden Skill: Jump Strike
 * At least fifteen or sixteen full hearts.

Useful Items

 * Bomb-bag upgrade.
 * The Hawk-eye.
 * Any other Hidden Skill.
 * More heart containers.

Supplies

 * As many arrows as you can hold; preferably 100.
 * At least 90 Bombs. Regular ones are preferred. However, if you have the upgraded bomb-bags, you can afford a sack of bomblings.
 * All bottles full of healing items.
 * Blue Potions and Blue Chu Jelly are worth nearly as many hearts as you have containers. The most efficient healing item. Conserve their use and remember to drink before dying.
 * A Fairy is worth eight hearts, but will save your life if you make a mistake. Having one or two is recommended; as few as the hero is confident taking.
 * Don't bother finding Great Fairy Tears or Rare Chu Jelly because you lose the extra attack power when you take damage, rendering it next to useless in the Cave.

Room 1
This stage is simple so there is no need for a strategy.
 * 1st time: Bokoblin
 * 2nd time: Red Bokoblin

Room 2
The Gale Boomerang can be used to scoop up Keese from the balcony. Targeting each individually can be difficult (especially with the Wiimote), but multitargeting the floor and walls will make the boomerang's tornado scoop up any Keese it runs into as it moves between them. This tactic is useful throughout the Cave of Ordeals against the various types of Keese.
 * Rats and Keese

Room 3
The ones lining the ceiling can be severed with the Gale Boomering at no expense.
 * 4 x Baba Serpent

There are hearts buried in the center of this chamber.

Room 4
A shield attack followed by several slashes will destroy a Skulltula. If they are not facing Link, one Jump Attack will destroy them.
 * 3 x Skulltula

Room 5
Bulblin Archers are the only enemies besides Bubbles which can hurt Link while he is on a balcony. They can be sniped quickly from the ledge or dealt with at close range. If you do jump down, stay moving.
 * 3 x Bulblin Archer

Room 6
A single hit from the Clawshot will kill a Torch Slug. All the ones on the roof are within reach from the balcony. Then, drop down on the remaining Torch Slugs, targeting and clawshotting each in turn.
 * many x Torch Slug

Room 7
Keese can be a surprising nuisance when Link is forced to concentrate on larger enemies. Use the Gale Boomerang to first clear or thin out the flock of Fire Keese from the balcony, then jump down to deal with any stragglers. The Dodongo's are not hard to separate, and can be dealt with one at a time either with an arrow into the mouth, the Back Slice, or any combination of rolling that safely allows striking its tail. They can also be sniped from the balcony with three arrows each to the tail, but this is very early on to be wasting six arrows. If you have the bomb-bag upgrades however, and packed regular bombs in numbers, it may be possible to bomb arrow their tails.
 * Fire Keese
 * 2 x Dodongo

Room 8
You will have to deal with these enemies with your sword. Jump down, allow them to surround you, then Spin Attack. This is somewhat more difficult on the Gamecube due to inferior accessibility of the uncharged Spin Attack.
 * 4 x Red Tektite, 2 x Blue Tektite

Room 9
On the second time through the cave, it may be wise to snipe two of the easier to target archers from the balcony to avoid taking too much (or any) damage on the ground. However, never snipe if you cannot do it quickly and accurately enough to destroy each archer with a single arrow without taking damage.
 * 1st time: 2 x Bulblin Archer, 2 x Lizalfos
 * 2nd time: 4 x Bulblin Archer, 3 x Lizalfos

Jump down into the room and roll around, staying on the move and dealing with the Lizalfos first as quickly as possible. Spin Attack and Back Slice are very effective against Lizalfos, and will also deflect incoming arrows. Once the Lizalfos are dead, turn on any remaining archers.

10. Great Fairy
There is a Great Fairy here that will not heal you. You need the Spinner to continue from here.

11. Helmasaurs, Rats
Watch out for the swarm of rats. Try dropping a bomb off the edge of the center of the balcony before you go in the room.

12. Large Purple ChuChu
This level consists of a slow enemy with no defense, so it is easily killed with the clawshot. Large Chu Jellies will split with each hit; the smallest size will splatter. With any luck, you can do almost all of your killing from the balcony.

13. Chu Worms X4
This room can be a problem if you pull all of them at once. Try jumping down against the left or right wall and fight them one at a time. If they gang up on you, it can be much harder.

14. Bubbles
Jump into the middle of the room and do lots of Spin Attacks.

15. Bulbins
Too easy. Spin Attack/Jump Attack

16. Rats, Keese
Change to Wolf Link, Z-target something, and mash B (GameCube).

17. Wolfos, Poe
Kill the Poe first, the Wolfos easier.

18. Leevers
Jump into the middle of the room charge the Spin Attack (GameCube) or just time it right (Wii), and release when they're all in range.

19. Several ChuChu
In this room there is a blue chu. If you get it you will get a bottle of blue chu jelly.

20. Great Fairy
The ball and chain will be needed to continue.

21. Ice Keese, Bokoblins
Slay them all. Remember that the Bokoblins don't die the first time they do down. Make sure to Finish.

22. Keese, Rats, Ghoul Rats
Watch out for the Ghoul Rats. Become Wolf Link because of the ghoul rats and because there is a diggable spot with three hearts. It is one of the only healing opportunities in the whole Cave.

23. Stalkin
Spin Attack.

24. ReDead X5
The Charged Jump Attack kills these guys in one hit. Keep your distance, charge up and unleash the FURY!! Otherwise this room is a living hell. Or if your not interested in the jump attacks just use the ball and chain, aim well and keep a good distance then bring on the pain as one strike can bring em down.

25. Bulblin Archers, Bulblins
Use the Ball and Chain to take down the tower. You can also kill the archer on the tower with one slingshot shot.

26. Stalfos
Use Bomb Arrows for a one-hit kill. You can even snipe them from the balcony! This room is too easy.

27. Skulltulas, Bubbles
Just cut the spider web with the Slingshot (to save Arrows) and kill everything.

28. Lizalfos, Bokoblins
Hit each Lizalfos with a Bomb Arrow (from the balcony) for a one-hit kill, them jump down and slay the bokoblins.

29. Stalkin, Stalfos X2
Slash and make sure to use Bomb Arrows on the Stalfos.

30. Great Fairy
You need the Dominion Rod to continue from here.

31. Beamos X5, Keese
Use Arrows on the Beamos from above.

32. Torch slugs, Fire Keese, Fire Bubbles, Dodongo X2
Arrow the slugs on the cieling. Clawshot will get almost all of them to save arrows Jump down and target the Dodongos. Take them out with the standard Rolling Spin-Jump Attack and you should take out some Keese/Bubbles too.

33. ReDead, Poe
This level can go two ways:
 * 1) Jump down as Human Link and do the Charged Jump Attack on each ReDead. The risk here is the Poe interfering with the charging.
 * 2) Go Wolf and kill the Poe first. The risk here is that all the ReDead will be awake. Kill them individually or herd them together and use the Ball and Chain

34. Large Purple ChuChu, Ghoul Rats
If you stay Wolf Link the whole time, simply attack as normal.

35. Ice Keese, Freezard, Mini Freezards
Very important': You can kill the Freezard from the balcony. The trick is to aim down with the Ball and Chain.

36. Chilfos X3 (On the 2nd time there are twice as many)
This is a great room to practice your favorite way to kill one of the most frustrating enemies. Practice something, you will need practice for upcoming rooms. You can also use the helm splitter which works the best.
 * 1) Bomb Arrows: takes two to kill one Chilfos
 * 2) Ball and Chain: very potent but leaves you open to attacks while you're swinging/throwing/pulling. The only bonus here is that when you're holding the ball, the javelins cannot hurt you (from the front).
 * 3) Clawshot: It will make them recoil if you hit them once with it. Jump in for a quick kill. This is not very dependable thought
 * 4) Sword.

37. Ice Keese, Leevers
Use the spin attack constantly.

38. Mini Freezards, Ice Keese, Chilfos X3
This is the first of the hardest rooms in the Cave. There is no trick to this room.

Stay on the move. Try killing one of the Freezards first (it is hard) to give yourself one end of the room to work from (Make sure to take care of the Minis, though). Be prepared to be knocked over from the javelins. Just go for it, and good luck. One last piece of advice: Use the Magic Armor (sparingly) in this room if you need to. You'll recover the rupees by the time you need them again (800 rupees is the LEAST you want to have when you leave this room)

39. Darknuts X2 (On the 2nd time there are three)
This room isn't as bad as it looks (when there are 2). Jump down and target one. Try to get them shoulder-to-shoulder or single-file as they move toward you. Once they're positioned like you want them, do the Rolling Spin-Jump Attack over and over and over. And over. Try to keep the same one targeted and (if at all possible) avoid letting them lunge at you. If you feel daring, try a helm splitter but with 2 enemies it is tough. Just wear one down until he loses all his armor. Make sure to dodge the flung mace, then kill him with the Rolling Spin-Jump. Now there's only one left. Helm Splitter works really well, and make sure to dodge the flung mace.

40. Great Fairy
You need the Double Clawshot to continue from here.

41. Armos X9
Rolling Spin-Jump Attack, is the key to this room. The ball and chain is also quite effective. Hitting an Armos with it will stun it for a moment. If you keep the ball spinning you can keep several Armos stunned at once. Just put the ball and chain away, roll past them and use the ball and chain again to win this level.

42. Baba Serpents, Red Bokoblins
Use some Bomb Arrows if you want. This one is not that bad; just avoid being grabbed by the Babas.

43. Lizalfos X3, Bulblin Archers
You can try bomb arrows if you want, or even the Ball and Chain.

44. Dynalfos, Poe
Become a wolf, destroy the Poe, then use the jump bite to kill one of the Dynalfos. From there you can repeat on the other, or you can try to Mortal Draw the last one.

45. Bulblin Archers, ReDeads, Large Purple Chuchu
This is another hard room. The key is to do everything in your power to take out the archers on the towers before you jump down. Use the clawshot, arrows, or anything else. Just make sure they are dead (or at least on the ground) before you jump in. Stay on the opposite side of the room from the Large Chu and work your way through the ReDeads using the Charged Jump Attack. Chances are, there will be a group of ReDeads and the ChuChu all gathered in one place. Use the Ball and Chain. Alternativly you can kill the archers with arrows then snipe the redeads. After you do this things will be calm enough for you to while on the ledge if you look straight across the room you will see what looks like a shinny thing on the wall. Equip an empty bottle, and shoot the shinny spot. Now immediately run down. You will notice that when you shot the shinny thing a blob of Rare Chu Jelly fell. Quickly bottle it before it disapears. Deal with the purple chu however you like.

46. Freezards X2, Chilfos, Ghoul Rats
The Ghost Rats pose a minor problem in this room. Repeat the strategy of "winning" one end of the room by killing a Freezard then work from there.

47. Bokoblin, Rats, Stalkin
Simply destroy them all. It is best to have 1000 rupees by the end of this room.

48. Aeralfos X2, Darknut
If you take too long in this room, things get quite difficult. Jump to the left and destroy the Aeralfos with the basic strategy: arrow, clawshot, slash. Keep an eye on the advancing darknut, though. After weakening Aeralfos (not killing it, yet) move to the other one while it recovers. You are much faster than the knight so you can grab/slash the Aeralfos easily as long as you don't get hurt by its dive attack. Two repetitions of an arrow, clawshot, sword will take out the Aeralfos, just make sure to go back and forth while the other gets back in the air. After they are dead, the knight is not as bad: Rolling Spin-Jump Attack and Helm Splitter will do him in.

49. Darknuts X3 (On 2nd time there are four)
By this time, you are probably out of healing items, but you have the magic armor. But do not use it yet. The Darknuts have a secret weakness that is difficult to exploit but is absolutely necessary to defeat this room: bombs. If you can land a blast (from a bomb or a Bomb Arrow) at their feet it will blow off a chunk of their armor. The trick is hitting the weak spot between too far where it does not hurt them, and too close where they block it with their shield. Just aim right near their feet and you should get it. Knowing is half the battle.

You will only get two or three shots from the balcony, but you can easily use the Bomb Arrows from the ground if you put some distance between you. Shoot until one of them sheds all his armor. However should you ever run out of arrows at this point or have problems with the bombs, just be resourceful and use your bomblings. These bugs just home in on them so just just let lose all of them and with a little luck watch their armor fall. This is the part where you can put on that magic armor if you want. Do not move in just yet, though. Keep bombing until all three don't have armor on (you can go with 2 if you want but it is hard) then change your strategy. Now you will definitely want to put on your Magic Armor. The unarmored knights will dodge anything you use or shoot them with other than your sword. Move in and target one. In this case, the Rolling Spin-Jump works, but the Charged Jump Attack works a lot better. As they advance, target the middle one. Charge up, release, and (while they are all recoiling) get in a few hits. Repeat this. If you are taking more damage than you want to at this point, it is a good idea to deal fewer hits and retreat faster after each assault. The two you aren't attacking recover a lot faster from your Charged Jump Attack.

50. Great Fairy
Congratulations! You just beat the Cave of Ordeals!! Take you Fairy Tears and get out. Remember that the Tears can be replenished for free at any Spirit Fountain, but you can only have one on you at any time. On a side note, if you beat it a second time, the Postman will appear at the bottom, looking for the Great Fairy to give a letter to.

Glitch
On the GameCube version of Twilight Princess, when one is in the Cave of Ordeals, by standing on any balcony between the torches, the torches can be extinguished with the Gale Boomerang and the next door will open. This has also been confirmed for the Wii version.