Swordless Link

Swordless Link is the state of having a blank B button. There are multiple ways to explore the game in this state, and it has many oddities and side effects.

Skipping the Kokiri Sword

Link begins the game swordless; however, most notable effects of Swordless Link can't be seen at this point because you are confined to the Kokiri Forest area until you equip a sword. Luckily, several methods of Forest Escape can bypass the Kokiri Sword altogether, allowing you to leave the forest with a blank B button.

Notes:

• This method can only be done from a new file, and it only affects child Link's B button.
• This method allows you to remain swordless with the Swordless Flag set.
• Going back in time will always put the Kokiri Sword on B, even if you skipped it.

Fishing Pond Method

Due to the side effects of Stealing the Fishing Rod, it's possible to change the Fishing Rod into a blank item when you pause the game. Simply enter a building, enter a body of water, or climb a ladder to dim the B button, and then pause the game while the B button is still dimmed. If done correctly, you should be swordless. See Minigame Items on B for more info.

Notes:

• This method can be done as both Child and Adult.
• The highlighted sword may be deleted upon savewarping at this point (see Sword Oddities for more info).

Horse Method

Strangely, if the Swordless Flag is set you can become swordless simply by mounting and dismounting a horse. This works with either horse, however this will only work outside Ingo's Minigame. Because of this, the only way to become swordless from Ingo's Minigame game is to leave the game while still riding a horse. You can talk to Ingo, wait for the timer, or savewarp to leave the minigame. If you've rescued Epona, you can simply mount and dismount Epona to become swordless.

Notes:

• This method only works as Adult Link.
• The Swordless Flag must be set.
• There must be nothing in the Bow slot in the inventory.
• This method is the fastest way to become swordless as Adult Link.

Ganon Method

When you enter the Ganon fight, Ganon will knock your sword away during the cutscene. This leaves you swordless in the first half of the fight. There isn't much you can do as Swordless Link in the arena, however it's possible to escape the arena without getting your sword back. Although you can't use the Ocarina during the fight, you can use Ocarina Items to play a warp song and warp away. This lets you leave the battle while swordless.

You can also savewarp to escape the battle, but this will restore Master Sword to the B button if the following conditions are met:

1. You are adult Link.
2. You are playing on v1.1 or v1.2.
3. The Master Sword is not in the inventory during the fight.

It's possible to keep the Master Sword in the inventory during the fight due to a Sword Oddity with the Ganon battle. Entering the fight without the Master Sword in the inventory will place it in the inventory instead of deleting it. This allows you to savewarp out of the battle on any version as adult Link, and still remain swordless.

Notes:

• This method works as both Child and Adult, since you can Wrong Warp to reach Ganon as child Link.
• On v1.0, you can savewarp during the fight and remain swordless whether or not the Master Sword is in your inventory.
• Entering the initial cutscene for the fight will set the Swordless Flag.
• Using cutscene corruption, you can avoid becoming swordless at the start of the fight.

RCE Method

Discovered by Acryte

Using Remote Control Epona, it's possible to enter water while still in the "minigame" state from riding a horse. If you put on iron boots to sink in the water and begin drowning, you can still press A to mount Epona again. If you dismount Epona while the drown timer is still active, you will be swordless when you dismount. This is because dimming the B button overwrites Temp B with a value of 255, which is the value of the blank item. When you dismount a horse, this value is restored to the B button.

Notes:

• This method can only be done as Adult.
• Because this method requires the iron boots, it is generally only preferred over the horse method if the Swordless Flag is cleared, or you already have the Bow.

Death Method

If you already have a non-sword item on B, you can become swordless simply by dying under certain conditions.

If the Swordless Flag is set and Temp B is a value of 0, you can either die, fail an item timer, or get caught by guards without a sword item on B to become swordless.

If the Swordless Flag is cleared and there is a non-sword item on B, dying will make you swordless if Link respawns in water. You can set the spawn point by entering a loading zone that leads directly into water.

Notes:

• This method works as both Child and Adult.
• This method only works if there is a non-sword item on B. Sword items include Kokiri Sword, Master Sword, Biggoron's Sword, Giant's Knife, or Broken Giant's Knife.
• If the Swordless Flag is set, you can also savewarp without a sword item on B to become swordless, however the highlighted sword may be deleted from the inventory (see Sword Oddities for more info).

Applications

There are 3 main uses for Swordless Link:

• Entering Ingo's minigame while swordless will restore the value in Temp B to the B button. This can be used to get a Deku Stick on B as adult Link quickly. If you skip the Kokiri Sword, this is a way to get Bottle on B without a shield as Adult.
• If adult Link is swordless, going back and forth through time will activate Adult Reset. Both the pedestal of time and the Light Arrows cutscene can be used to activate Adult Reset. This is useful to make Bombs useable again after Bottle Duping over them.
• Being swordless also allows Unrestricted Items using either a horse, Down A, or Blank A.

Odditites

There are a few side effects that come with Swordless Link:

• If the Swordless Flag is cleared, a graphical glitch will occur with the HUD anytime Link is swordless.
• If you dim the B button while swordless, it will not undim unless you die. Because this also affects the dim state of the C buttons, it's possible to use Unrestricted Items with Down A or Blank A.
• If you start the fishing minigame while swordless, you cannot cast the rod. In fact, you cannot draw the Fishing Rod at all during the minigame, however it will still appear on the B button and it will still appear in Link's hand. Because of this, the only way to Steal the Fishing Rod while swordless is to Stop an Item Timer.
• Starting the Child Shooting Gallery, Adult Shooting Gallery, or Bombchu Bowling minigames while swordless will not update the B button during the minigame, and Temp B will not be updated when starting the minigame or ending it. The HUD will also be visible during the minigame. Although the item on B is not shown, pressing B during the game will still use the intended minigame item, and the game will still end when you run out of the ammo normally given for that minigame.
• Playing the Horseback Archery minigame or riding a horse while swordless will not update the B button or Temp B, and unlike other minigames, the Bow cannot be used. You can also use Unrestricted Items on a horse while swordless. If the Swordless Flag is set, dismounting a horse will create a graphical glitch with the HUD.