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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Calamity Ganon Master Mode Tips

By
Vincent Lau

(1 of 2) As the final boss, Calamity Ganon is tough, alright.

As the final boss, Calamity Ganon is tough, alright. (left), Once Ganon’s HP goes below half of its initial value, he’ll be protected by a glowing red shield. (right)

In this page, we’ll explain the easiest way to defeat Calamity Ganon in Master Mode.

General Tips

Just in case, now’s probably the best time to apply a Level 3 Attack buff. This can be from eating a meal or donning the Phantom armor set, for instance. The quicker you can deal heavy damage, the less of an impact the health regeneration will have (and this will be very important).

We also suggest bringing the Master Sword with you. This sacred weapon deals 60 damage and has boosted durability against Ganon. By this point, you may have stronger weapons in your possession–if so, feel free to use those. But the Master Sword’s durability is unmatched.

Preparations

This is it: the final battle. Before beginning the fight, ensure all your Champion powers are ready and have the max number of uses. To be safe, disable Daruk’s Protection and maybe Urbosa’s Fury so you don’t accidentally use them during the first phase.

Strategy (Calamity Ganon)

In the first phase, Calamity Ganon is pretty straightforward. You can fairly easily trigger Flurry Rush when he attacks with his big flaming sword. However, if you’re not confident with the Flurry Rush timing, keep away from the attacks and use the updrafts from the flames to glide up and hit Ganon’s back to stun him.

Whenever it’s fairly safe–and to avoid Ganon from regenerating health, shoot an arrow or two at him. Bonus points if they’re Ancient Arrows. More bonus points if you have a bow that can shoot multiple arrows (like the Great Eagle Bow). Shooting arrows can also bring Ganon back to the ground when he’s hanging on the wall.

For the second phase, this is where things can get infuriating. Calamity Ganon will be protected by a red shield that disappears for a split-second whenever he attacks. The main way to damage him is to trigger a Flurry Rush or parry his slamming attack or Guardian laser.

(1 of 2) Keep Daruk’s Protection disabled until the red shield phase.

Keep Daruk’s Protection disabled until the red shield phase. (left), Then purposely get hit by Ganon’s telegraphed attacks to trigger Daruk’s Protection. (right)

If you don’t swiftly attack Ganon during those moments, he will soon regenerate health behind his shield and very easily return back to full health (50% health with all Divine Beasts under your control). Wasting your efforts and precious time.

To turn the tides, re-enable Daruk’s Protection (and Urbosa’s Fury). Between (or during) Flurry Rush opportunities, you can use ZL to guard against up to three of Ganon’s attacks, triggering Daruk’s Protection. Doing so will remove Ganon’s shield and stun him for a short while. The Guardian laser is a good candidate, if you’re not confident with the parry timing.

(1 of 2) When Calamity Ganon starts crawling away…

When Calamity Ganon starts crawling away… (left), Stun him with Urbosa’s Fury! (right)

When Ganon starts crawling away to climb up the wall, begin charging up a spin attack, then release when Urbosa’s ready. Urbosa’s Fury will disable Ganon’s shield and stun him, while also knocking him off the wall, providing a huge window for attacks.

With the combination of Daruk and Urbosa’s powers, you should have enough time to deal significant damage without Ganon regenerating health. Additionally, feel free to use Stasis+ on Ganon to maximize your uptime.

Strategy (Dark Beast Ganon)

(1 of 2) You may find it easier to slow down your horse while aiming at Ganon’s weak spots.

You may find it easier to slow down your horse while aiming at Ganon’s weak spots. (left), For the final hit, you need to glide up to Ganon’s face and shoot the newly revealed eye. (right)

After defeating Calamity Ganon, you’ll move onto the Dark Beast Ganon battle. This fight is largely scripted, so it’s much easier. Crucially, Dark Beast Ganon doesn’t regenerate health. So you won’t have to stress nearly as much.

As a reminder, you must shoot at the three glowing circles on both sides of Dark Beast Ganon (so 6 in total). Then a glowing circle underneath his belly. Finally, glide up using Revali’s gale or an updraft from Ganon’s massive laser attack and shoot the giant eye near the top of Ganon’s ugly mug to end the battle.

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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Nintendo
  • Platforms,
    Switch, Wii U
  • Genre
    Action Adventure
  • Guide Release
    6 April 2018
  • Last Updated
    27 June 2023
    Version History
  • Guide Author
    Cassie Sun

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You wake up in the mysterious Shrine of Resurrection and see a Hyrule you no longer recognize. All you have by your side is the equally mysterious Sheikah Slate and the voice of a stranger to guide you. Take up the mantle of the chosen hero Link and journey throughout the most expansive, open iteration of Hyrule yet in your quest to destroy the monstrous Calamity Ganon and recover your memories of what happened 100 years ago.

This guide will serve as your companion as you traverse the beautiful world of Hyrule. It currently covers the following content:

Version 1.1 (Updated October 2021)

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