How to Defeat Ganondorf in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
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Zelda
How to Defeat Ganondorf in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
Phase 2 — Demon King
Phase 3 — Demon Dragon Chase
Phase 4 — Final Confrontation
Tips
The Ganondorf fight is one of the most epic boss encounters in the Zelda series — four distinct phases across land and sky make it a memorable finale. The gloom mechanic adds tension that standard hearts don’t, so always have Sundelion food and Fairies ready. With the Master Sword and fully upgraded armor, the humanoid phases become much more forgiving. Don’t skip the Regional Phenomena — the Sage abilities in Phase 4 are the difference between a smooth finish and a frustrating grind.
Frequently Asked Questions
⚡ Quick Answer
Phase 1 — Ganondorf Humanoid
Ganondorf is the final boss of Tears of the Kingdom and has four phases. Phase 1 and 2 are straightforward melee fights — dodge his attacks and strike after each combo. Phase 3 (Demon Dragon) is an aerial chase on the Light Dragon. Phase 4 is a one-on-one showdown on the Demon Dragon’s head — hit his gloom core when exposed. Bring full hearts, strong fused weapons, and plenty of fairies.
1
Ganondorf attacks with a gloom-infused scimitar. His attacks reduce your maximum hearts temporarily — don’t get hit repeatedly or your health ceiling drops dangerously. Dodge his sweeping slashes and counter with 2–3 hits during the recovery pause.
2
Watch for his gloom sphere projectile — he throws a slow-moving ball of gloom. Deflect it back with a timed sword swing (like a tennis return) or sidestep it. Deflecting it deals damage to him and is the fastest way to reduce his HP.
3
After enough damage, he summons phantom copies of himself. The real Ganondorf glows slightly differently from the fakes. Attack the real one — the phantoms disappear when he takes sufficient damage and the phase transitions.
1
Ganondorf transforms into a more powerful form with additional gloom attacks. The same core strategy applies — dodge his combos and punish the recovery. He gains a ground slam that creates gloom shockwaves; jump or dodge sideways when he raises his weapon high.
2
His grab attack is the most dangerous new move — he reaches forward with both hands. Roll backward immediately when you see his arms extend. Being grabbed deals huge gloom damage and reduces your max hearts severely.
3
Continue dealing damage until the cutscene triggers — the Sages arrive and Ganondorf transforms into the Demon Dragon, beginning Phase 3.
1
You’re riding the Light Dragon (Zelda’s dragon form) pursuing the Demon Dragon through the sky. Use the Paraglider to fly between the two dragons as they swoop past each other.
2
Land on the Demon Dragon’s back and attack the gloom tumors — the glowing orange growth clusters on its spine, wings, and head. Destroy all visible tumors on each pass to progress. Use your strongest fused weapons for maximum damage per tumor.
3
After clearing all tumors, a cutscene plays and Phase 4 begins. Return to the Light Dragon between passes to regenerate stamina and reposition.
1
Ganondorf returns in humanoid form on the Demon Dragon’s head. He exposes a large gloom core on his forehead when staggered — this is his weak point. Hit it with your strongest weapon for massive damage.
2
Stagger him by striking his body repeatedly until he’s briefly stunned — the core glows bright. Activate Sage powers (Tulin’s Wind, Riju’s Lightning, Sidon’s Water, Yunobo’s Fire) simultaneously with your attacks for the highest burst damage window.
3
Repeat until his HP reaches zero. The final cinematic plays — the battle is over.
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Bring fairies — keep 3–4 Fairies in your inventory before the fight. They auto-revive you with 5 hearts when you die, effectively giving you free extra lives through the multi-phase battle. They’re found near Fairy Fountains across Hyrule.
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Eat Sundelion dishes before entering — Sundelion restores gloom-reduced hearts permanently. Cook several Sundelion meals (Sundelion + any other ingredient) and eat them at the start of each phase to restore your max hearts after gloom hits.
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For Phase 3, use Bomb Flowers fused to arrows for quick tumor damage — a bomb arrow to each tumor cluster destroys it in one shot, making the aerial phase fast and efficient.
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Complete all four Regional Phenomena (Rito, Zora, Goron, Gerudo) before the final boss — the Sage powers from each region are essential tools in Phase 4 and the extra heart containers from dungeon completion significantly increase your survivability.
How many phases does Ganondorf have in TotK?
Four phases: humanoid Demon King Phase 1, empowered Demon King Phase 2, the aerial Demon Dragon chase Phase 3, and the final humanoid confrontation on the dragon’s head in Phase 4. Each phase transitions via cutscene.
Do I need to complete all dungeons before fighting Ganondorf?
No, but it’s strongly recommended. Completing the four Regional Phenomena gives you Sage companions whose powers are actively useful in the final boss fight. You can attempt Ganondorf with just 3 hearts, but the difficulty will be much higher without the Sages and their abilities.
What is the best weapon for Ganondorf?
The Master Sword is the optimal choice — it deals double damage against Ganondorf specifically and its energy doesn’t deplete against evil. Pair it with powerful fused materials for Phase 1/2, and use Bomb Flower arrows for Phase 3 tumor destruction.
What does gloom do and how do I heal it?
Gloom damage temporarily reduces your maximum heart containers — the affected hearts turn dark and cannot be restored by normal food or potions. Only Sundelion-based meals restore gloom-reduced hearts. Cook Sundelion with any ingredient for a simple restorative dish, and eat it between phases to recover your maximum hearts.