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Swamp
─── Deku Palace ───
Skip the entrance guards
Methods discovered by MrGrunz and Kaztalek
There are several ways to skip talking to the guards blocking the entrance to Deku Palace, including a backflip off the fence, a recoil flip, a superslide, and a Zora fins clip. These options are shown in the video below.
East wing bomb boost
This bomb boost is lenient in position and timing. Pull a bomb around when Link enters the hall to avoid waiting on the bomb timer. Near the wooden platform, shield drop the bomb and backflip (inverted camera because of Deku Palace) near the end of the bomb's timer to get a bomb boost. From here, a backflip can reach the next platform to skip all the deku guards.
West wing bomb boost
This bomb boost is somewhat precise in both position and timing. To avoid waiting on the bomb, pull the bomb out shortly before the room loads and run to the corner of the soil as shown. Shield drop the bomb and backflip (inverted camera because of Deku Palace) near the end of the bomb's timer to get a bomb boost onto the fence. Make sure to release shield after shield dropping the bomb to avoid getting a recoil flip.
West wing hover to Sonata
Get ISG, then pull a bomb while entering the doorway to time the room load so it's possible to make the platform cycle. Line up to backflip into a hover off the bomb, then onto the fences, then onto the platform. Take the flowers to the final platform. With this method, the camera stays locked, so remember that all inputs are relative to the camera.
Doorframe jump
This is a way to get to Sonata without a hover. Backflip onto the doorframe by standing roughly where shown in the video. Align Link roughly with the thick black line and target the wall. Begin holding up-right, then roll once Link is near the edge of the doorframe. If done correctly, Link will grab the upper ledge. From here, use the flowers to get to Sonata.
Backflipping onto the doorframe also works on the other side of the door, but a guard can catch you there.
Back Palace hover to Sonata
From this entrance, you gain control of Link around the time the flower platform moves and he becomes visible again. All methods begin by getting ISG and hovering onto the fence. Getting a popup onto the rising flower platform requires a specific amount of height: too low and Link won't reach the bottom of the platform, but too high and he'll hit the side, and by the time he's moved downward enough to slide under the platform, he'll be moving downwards too quickly to get a popup. To get a popup onto the load zone platform, stand on the flower and target, then roll when the top of Link's head hits the bottom of the platform.
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After hovering onto the fence, pull another bomb, straighten your angle by targeting the taller fence, and backwalk. Hover off of the bomb late in its flashes in order to gain only a little bit of height. Hover with 2 chus, then sidehop to pop up onto the platform. Shield briefly to get rid of ISG, then get to the final platform as described above.
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Hover from HP
- Get ISG off the HP collection by targeting the wall, slashing and holding shield to stop Link's momentum, then crouch stabbing
- Wait a moment for the camera to reorient itself, then throw a bomb left and down-left (or see alternative below)
- Stand on the light patch of grass shown and turn Link to face up
- Backflip to hover off both bombs and get onto fence
- Gainer to next fence
- Get ISG with a bomb
- Shield drop the bomb while targeting to avoid losing ISG
- Sidehop left to the wall
- Backflip to hover off the deku scrub's deku nut (listen for shot)
- Sidehop left and hold up to grab the next fence segment
- Sidehop left four times
- Get ISG with a bomb
- Megaflip
- Hold shield and pull a bomb early enough in the megaflip that the first bomb's explosion causes the second bomb to explode, resulting in a hover (see frame data below)
- Backflip to final platform
Video of 2b staircase hover by Imbued showing alternative bomb throw positions (cues in video description)
See frame data for megaflip hover to the final platform.
Get deku nut from baba in shortcut grotto
─── Deku Shrine ───
The Butler has a maximum speed in the race, so you should beat the Butler with a clean race. If you are far enough ahead, then risky timesavers become pointless, as they just increase the time you'll need to spend waiting for the Butler to finish at the end. Avoid standing near where the Butler lands at the end of the race, as he can fall out of bounds if you do.
Butler race demonstration
Deku Shrine map
taken from zeldadungeon.net
Butler race tips
See map above for labels A-G
- A: Be careful around the water if you're ahead of the Butler, as he can push you in.
- B: It is possible to roll across both shallow water gaps here, but it depends on what part of the rolling animation Link is in, which is hard to control consistently. The best way to approach it is to try to start rolling around the same place every time.
- B: For notes on rolling over the deep water gap, see video below.
- D: This section can also be done as Zora by swimming under the platforms; whether you should use Zora or Deku just depends on which one you already have equipped.
- E: It is worth taking a moment to line up before the hallway preceding the flame wall room in order to get spikes to skip the flame wall maze.
- F: Running/standing very close to the wall will make the rolling boulder miss.
- G: Skipping the crystal switch saves a small amount of time but is very risky, as touching the flame circles almost invariably leads to voiding out.
Water skip
Rolling across the deep water gap is risky but can be done consistently and saves a small amount of time over transforming to Deku and back to Goron.
- Target the wall in a spot that aligns with the narrow path (video shows bounds)
- Turn or shield turn 180 degrees without moving away from the wall; if you do move away from the wall while turning, backwalk back against it before proceeding
- Press A to curl and begin holding up on the control stick within a 9f window, beginning 1f before the A press and ending 7f after it
Goron roll in stump room
This is very risky and may not save time if you are far ahead of the Butler already.
Goron roll over water platforms
─── Path to Southern Swamp ───
Climb to bad bat HP during Tingle cutscene
Shoot an arrow at Tingle's balloon and begin climbing the vines before the cutscene begins. Continue holding up on the control stick during the cutscene to continue climbing.
Tingle pictograph
Include the tip of Tingle's hat in the pictograph to be able to get the heart piece.
─── Southern Swamp ───
Big octo skip
Most ways to skip the big octo involve getting onto the wall next to it as Deku, then voiding out. Link will then respawn on the wall and have enough i-frames to get past the octo before it nabs him. There are multiple ways to get onto the wall, as shown below. If you get onto the wall as human and fail to transform to Deku before getting sucked by the big octo, climb onto a lily pad, transform Deku, and drown to respawn on the wall.
Long jump method
Slashing to the edge of the flower may help with this method, but be sure to put the sword away before the long jump, as it improves consistency in putting on the Deku mask before getting sucked.
First person method
This method does not rely on getting onto the wall and voiding out, instead abusing the octo's reduced ability to attack Link while he moves in first person. Link can do any movement technique while in first person, but jumping/falling by reaching the edge of a platform will return to third person.
- Get onto the lily pad in any place where the big octo won't attack
- Transform human to start the lily pad sinking, then transform back to Deku
- C-up before Link reaches the water to begin moving in first person
- Aim the camera at the center of the flower and hold target and up to hop to the flower once Link reaches the water
- Sidehop left to the next flower to respawn the lily pad (continue targeting)
- Sidehop right to return to the first flower (continue targeting)
- Aim the camera a bit left of the green texture (see video) and sidehop right to the lily pad (continue targeting)
- Aim the camera a little left of this and sidehop right to the next lily pad (release target so lily pad is visible)
- Spin off lily pad to other octo
Octorok recoil method
Discovered by GlitchesAndStuff
This method also does not get onto the wall, but it is not RTA-friendly because of the difficult timing involved. Getting hit by the octorok's rock shortly after respawning allows Link to recoil past the big octo.
Reverse big octo skip
JP setup
- Backwalk towards the ledge shown and shield drop a bomb shortly before grabbing the ledge
- Continue holding a control stick direction so Link climbs immediately
- Once he begins climbing, let go of the control stick and release and re-press target
- After Link gets up and the camera takes a moment to settle, transform Deku
- Hold shield and right on the control stick out of the transformation to direct the recoil
- When Link is about halfway to the water, switch to holding up-right to steer past the octo and avoid getting stuck on the wall or landing on the lilypad
English setup
- Backwalk towards the ledge shown and shield drop a bomb shortly before grabbing the ledge
- Continue holding a control stick direction so Link climbs immediately
- After he finishes climbing, transform Deku
- Hold shield and left out of the transformation
- After regaining control, begin holding target
- Continue holding target and left during the recoil until Link's fourth bounce, then land on the lilypad
Big octo skip from Swamp Tourist Center
From the roof or the lower platform, Goron roll to the side of the big octo to get past it.
Song of Soaring ledge popup
Discovered by Petrie911
Instead of having to go out the cave by Deku Palace and navigate past the dragonflies, transform Deku and get onto the lily pad nearest to the rocky outcrop. Aim yourself towards the downward slope and turn into a human. Quickly roll, and hold forward on the control stick to grab the ledge and get a ledge popup, then use the flower to fly to the song stone.
Swim in shallow water as Zora
Get into the water as a human and dive. Transform Zora within an 18f window starting 3f after pressing A to dive (basically anytime while Link is still moving downwards). Zora Link's B button now says "dive" rather than "punch." Press B to sink, and you can now swim as if in normal depth water. This can easily transition into a ZESS.
Goron boat roll
Link can roll onto the swamp tour boat as Goron to quickly get from the water to the ladder.
Woods of Mystery map
─── Swamp Spider House ───
Gold room pillar skulltula
Slashing with the sword and collecting the token with a sidehop jumpslash is about 1s faster than using the hookshot.
─── Woodfall ───
Woodfall Temple cutscene skip
After playing Sonata of Awakening to raise Woodfall Temple, there is one frame where inputs are accepted before the cutscene begins. While it is not possible to pull the ocarina on this frame directly, it is possible to pause and then pull the ocarina during unpause lag. Soaring away at this point will skip the cutscene. This is only useful if you need to soar somewhere else at this point, as soaring back to the Woodfall owl is slower than watching the cutscene. The video below soars to Woodfall just to show that the dungeon is there.
It can also be fast to use this frame for other inputs, as their actions will overlap with the dungeon cutscene. The video below demonstrates this with drinking red potion to empty a bottle.
Get back to Southern Swamp from Woodfall Temple
From the dungeon exit, sidehop left twice and backflip three times to quickly get on top of the dungeon. Pull a bomb and get ready for the recoil by transforming Deku, getting to the edge of the roof, facing the bomb, and holding shield and down.
Deku Princess cutscene skip
Timestop method
This is a pause buffer cutscene skip. Two bombs are used because bomb timestop is only possible with a bomb Link has not put down or picked up.
- Slash so that ISG will have damage stored
- Get ISG off a bomb
- While targeting, shield drop the bomb and pull another one
- Get bomb timestop with the second bomb (explodes early because of the first bomb); make sure to continue holding target when getting timestop so Link doesn't crouch and lose ISG
- Touch the grass wall so it will break as soon as timestop is over
- Stand right next to the line in the doorway
- Buffer c-up (listen for camera sound; this is 2f after pressing c-up)
- Buffer B to cancel first person
- Buffer running into the load zone
Goron clip method
Tutorial video on English
─── Misc. ───
Big Octo Strategy
Discovered by MasterluigiSW
You will notice after using swimming in shallow water, you cannot pull out your zora fins to kill the Big Octo. Instead of taking off the zora mask and putting it back on, you can get close to a wall or tree, and press A to swim. You will run into the wall and store a ground jump. From here, you can simply attempt to backflip, then pull out your fins and kill the Big Octo.
Pictobox Without Riding the Boat
Discovered by Zero
Normally when you go to get the pictobox from the witch at the swamp tour shop, you have to take a trip on the boat to the deku palace. However, you can skip riding the boat by mashing the ocarina button as soon as you recieve the pictobox. If you have trouble with this, you can instead mash the pause button, then unpause and pull out the ocarina. From here, play the Song of Soaring.
