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Lanayru Desert
─────── Lanayru Desert ───────
Early Temple of Time Statue
Discovered by gymnast86
Using Reverse BiTMagic, it is possible to set the flag that allows you to fly to the Temple of Time statue as soon as you land in Lanayru Mines. This skips the entirety of the first Lanayru Visit, including all of Lanayru Mining Facility.
The corresponding flag is 8x40. On Skyloft it is set at the end of the introductory Batreaux text; you can press A to clear his final textbox (which is the sixth after the dialogue option) and start your file at the same time. In order to access Batreaux in BiT, we use BiTMagic to unlock both the shed door leading to him and the door to Batreaux himself; this is most easily done by a file saved in Eldin after beating Earth Temple, which has talked to the Mogma right outside the Digging Mitts cave. More generally, you need scene flag 9x04 to unlock Batreaux's house, and optionnaly scene flag 5x02 to unlock the shed.
Note: Watching the Harp Cutscene changes the layer of the Lanayru Desert to layer 2. On layer 2, the cutscene of entering the Lanayru Mining Facility does not exist. Furthermore, the loading zone to enter the Lanayru Mining Facility only appears if you've watched the Entering LMF Cutscene. Thus, obtaining the Harp before entering LMF locks you out of ever entering LMF on that file.
Early Stone Cache Statue
Using Reverse BiTMagic, it is possible to gain access to the Stone Cache statue in Lanayru Desert early. For All Dungeons runs, this is the fastest way to reach Lanayru Desert, and preferable to the BiTWarp to Lanayru Caves, since Lanayru Gorge is completely skippable.
Video Forthcoming
The corresponding flag is 1x04. On Skyloft it is set when obtaining the Practice Sword; you need a file that can access the Sparring Hall in BiT. Open the Practice Sword chest in BiT, then start your target file right as the chest fully opens for the RBM. Do not start too late or you'll miss the flag!
Skip Mines/Early Gorge
Method 1 - Mine BiTWarp
Discovered by Abahbob
Save at the Mine Entry statue and activate BiT. Perform a BiTWarp using the Upper Academy statue. Link will land far OoB, so make your way back to the entrance to the Lanayru Caves. From here, you can go left to the Lanayru Gorge or right to the Western Desert.
More methods, generally slower, can be found in the unused techniques section.
Method 2 - Bush Teleport
Discovered by peppernicus
Early Nayru's Silent Realm
Using Reverse BiTMagic, it is possible to load the Trial Gate leading to Nayru's Silent Realm early, allowing for early Clawshots. Currently, this trick is only used in All Dungeons or 100% speedruns.
Video Forthcoming
This RBM requires a file saved after speaking with Zelda at the start of the game, but before winning the Wing Ceremony. The corresponding flag is Ax08. On Skyloft it is set at the end of the conversation with Owlan in the classroom on the ground floor of the Knight Academy. The trick is most easily performed by clearing Owlan's final textbox (which is the fifth one) at the same time as starting the target file for the RBM.
Technoblin Fight Strategies
It is possible to throw a bomb before hitting the timeshift stone, and have the bomb kill one of the two Technoblins during the cutscene right after they spawn. The last one can then be killed normally. This is the fastest fight, but the window is quite narrow. If you have trouble hitting the timeshift stone, try holding right and Z for a few frames before the spin attack.
An alternate strategy is dependent on where the Technoblins move during the cutscene when the timeshift stone activates. If the one pictured during the cutscene walks towards the boundary of the timeshift area, a Skyward Strike will knock him out of the area. You can then throw a bomb to the front-right corner of the cage to cause the second Technoblin to run back into the cage, but he will still be in range of the bomb blast. Combining these two strategies yields a very fast fight.
If the Technoblin walks towards you during the cutscene, you can place a bomb to the side of the cage and slash it with your sword. If done quickly enough, both Technoblins will blow up. This is the fastest way to handle this random occurence.
As an added time save for all of these strategies, if you front-hop jumpslash into the cutscene trigger as the end-fight cutscene plays, you'll immediately trigger the Hook Beetle cutscene, skipping a small cutscene and running over to the rescued robot.
Skip Temple of Time area
It is possible to skip going through the Temple of Time area to reach the Northeastern desert area. There are two methods for doing so; the current method used in runs is the Brake Slide method. For the older Ampilus and BiTWarp methods, see Unused Strategies.
Method 1 - Brake Slide
Discovered by gymnast86
By using the Brake Sliding technique, Link can cross the giant sand pit which normally blocks him from reaching the northern part of the desert early.
Skip Ampilus in Fire Generator
It is possible to skip using the Ampilus shell to cross the sand in the Fire Generator room by using a Brake Slide to cross instead.
This is approximately the same speed as getting good luck with the Ampilus behavior, and saves time over bad luck with the Ampilus or its shell.
Skip Fi Text in Generators
It is possible to skip the Fi text that normally plays when you try to insert an Ampilus egg into the slot that opens the gates in the generator rooms. Hold Z to get right on the edge of the central platform so that it is pressed down, then release Z and stab. The egg will roll into the slot without the Fi text triggering.
Note that you must do this in both generator rooms; since the Fi text is fairly short, you must be fairly quick about setting it up or you won't end up saving time. This trick is much more worthwhile in non-Japanese speedruns due to the text speed.
Raise the Lanayru Mining Facility without activating the Nodes
Combining Faron BiT and Reverse BiTMagic, it is possible to raise the Lanayru Mining Facility early. The corresponding flag is 2x40. There are three ways to get this flag in BiT.
Method 1 - Faron BiT
For the Faron BiT method, the corresponding flag is the first time entering Skyview Temple cutscene. This cutscene can only play after opening the doors to Skyview Temple and only in Deep Woods layer 1. This means you need a file that is saved between landing in the Sealed Grounds for the first time and beating Skyview Temple, and that must not have obtained Farore's Courage either.
Method 2 - Sealed Grounds BiT
For the Sealed Grounds method, the corresponding flag is charging a skyward strike in front of the closed gate of time after beating the Fire Sanctuary. Since this requires raising the gate of time, you must obtain the harp early for this method, and you must delay raising LMF until after beating the Fire Sanctuary. The Back in Time itself however is faster by 1 minute 30 seconds, and thus it will be faster for some routes and slower for others.
This Reverse BiTMagic can also be combined with opening the Gate of Time, by doing it after obtaining the Master Sword and beating the Imprisoned 2, and is generally the preferred method. See the Faron Woods page.
Method 3 - Lake Floria BiT
This third method aims at setting a flag that is not normally possible in normal gameplay. The corresponding flag in Lake Floria is defeating 2 Craniocs. There is however only one Cranioc. It turns out this is because the game will set the flag only if all the enemies in the last room of Lake Floria are defeated, and it treats the Cranioc during his intro cutscene and the Cranioc after that cutscene as two different Craniocs.
Video forthcoming
To perform this RBM, you must have a file that has completed the Faron Silent Realm but not beaten Ancient Cistern yet. You also need the file to be saved in Lake Floria with scene flag 7x08. Use BiTMagic to set that flag, and then enter Lake Floria from the back. That scene flag corresponds to the Parella cutscene showing the Cranioc, and this makes you able to fight 2 craniocs. Defeat both craniocs then start the file of your choice to perform the RBM.
Skip Fi Text after Harp
After the cutscene where you obtain the Goddess Harp, it is possible to skip the Fi text by sidehopping or backflipping out of the trigger before it starts. Hold Z while selecting cancel at the save prompt, then mash or time the backflip. The window for this trick is only 2 frames, so it is easy to miss.
An amusing side effect of this trick is that your main quest dowsing option will remain as Zelda's face for the rest of the game. This does not affect the dowsing functionality.
Lanayru Desert Unused Strategies
Alternate Temple of Time area skips
Method 2 - Ampilus
Discovered by Aruki
By luring an Ampilus to the proper spot, it is possible to kill it so that its shell lands up against the metal wall. You can then climb on the shell and climb over the wall to the Stone Cache.
The setup is somewhat precise; after the second shield bash, the Ampilus should be next to the wall at about a 45 degree angle.
This is not used in runs because the Brake Slide version of this skip is about 9 seconds faster, and significantly easier.
Method 3 - BiTWarp
Discovered by Abahbob
After reaching the Lanayru Desert, save at the West Desert statue and activate BiT. Perform a BiTWarp with the Upper Academy statue. You will appear next to a chest in the Northern Desert, thereby skipping the Temple of Time area.
This is not used because the Brake Slide version of this skip is faster by about a minute.
Alternate Early Gorge methods
Method 3 - Desert BiTWarp
By performing the Sealed Grounds Spiral BiTWarp in the Lanayru Desert area, you can land on top of the cliff over the Water Node. From there you can run to the Gorge Entrance.
Video forthcoming
Method 4 - Rocket Shell Glitch
Discovered by peppernicus
Method 5 - Stale Entrance Warp
Using a Stale Entrance Warp, an application of Bed Trick, it is possible to enter the Gorge early, without clawshots. Go into the Lanayru Mines from the Desert. This is entrance 1 in room 1. Go through the mines backwards normally, and save at the Mine Entrance Statue, which is located in room 0. Now performing bed trick will load entrance 1 of room 0, which is the Lanayru Gorge Entrance.
Minecart Riding
Discovered by JadeMinibou
It is possible to ride minecarts while keeping control over Link by jumping on the sides of the cart, then spamming slashes. The game tries to force Link to get inside the minecart, but this is prevented by slashing constantly. This can allow you to move the minecart any desired distance, or get off the minecart early.
This is quite difficult to perform consistently and especially over long distances.
──────── Sand Sea ────────
Sand Sea Skip
Discovered by gymnast86
Upon reaching the Sand Sea, it is possible to use Reverse BiTMagic to allow you to access the dock where the Sandship is eventually moored. This allows you to sail directly to the Sandship after embarking in the Sand Sea, skipping Skipper's Retreat, the Shipyard, and the Pirate Stronghold. The corresponding flag is Cx40, and can be obtained in two ways.
Skyloft BiT
The corresponding flag on Skyloft is for collecting the gratitude crystal in the loftwing prison past the waterfall cave; in order to achieve this during BiT, an early game file must have the ability to collect crystals written onto it using Reverse BiTMagic.
Note that this back in time is the one known potential use for the Reverse Entrance Animation Transfer glitch, to skip the waterfall cave.
Sealed Grounds BiT
In the Sealed Grounds, the corresponding flag is for talking to the Goron behind the Temple after beating Skyview but before beating Earth Temple, and as such requires a file that is still at that point in the game. While this Back in Time is generally slower than its Skyloft BiT counterpart on its own, and requires a very specific file setup, it does not require meeting Batreaux on an early game file, and thus it is generally the fastest method. Furthermore, this method also becomes faster than the Skyloft method if you are using Fast Faron BiT.
Video forthcoming
Deku Baba Skip in Skipper's Retreat
In Skipper's Retreat, there is a Deku Baba guarding a clawshot target. If you clawshot to the left of the target, the Baba will be distracted long enough for you to clawshot the target and then clawshot away, saving using the slow Hook Beetle to kill the Baba.
Early Shipyard Statue
Using the Reverse BiTMagic technique, it is possible to set the Shipyard Statue to have been visited early. This allows for flying straight to it and skipping having to ger the Ancient Sea Chart in Skipper's Retreat. This RBM requires a file that has obtained the Harp.
Video forthcoming
The corresponding flag is Bx20. On Skyloft, it is set by talking to the Potion Lady when the Stamina Potion is available. First, save anywhere in the Sand Sea and activate Back in Time. In BiT, enter the Bazaar with a file that has obtained the Harp, then talk to the Potion Lady and start your file on her last textbox. Then commit your RBM and you will be able to fly to the Shipyard Statue.
Skip the Pirate Stronghold Interior
Open the Shark Head with RBM
Using the Reverse BiTMagic technique, it is possible to open the Shark Head in the Pirate Stronghold without entering it. This allows for getting the Ship Dowsing immediately, skipping the entire sequence with the timeshift orb. In 100%, this is useful in order to get to the pirate stronghold goddess cube, which normally can't be accessed before opening the Shark Head.
The corresponding flag is 8x10. In the Sealed Grounds it is set when defeating the bokoblin closest to the vine wall when they are harrassing Gorko the Goron the first time behind the temple. The bokoblins appear anytime after having the Hero's Tunic as well as entering the Sealed Temple from the Sealed Grounds. They disappear after entering Faron Woods for the first time.
Other Methods
There are several other methods for skipping the Pirate Strongold Interior in 100%: BiTWarping with the Top of the Great Tree Statue, using Reverse BiTMagic with Pipit scolding his mom on Skyloft (requires a file that has beaten Sky Keep), or go to Lanayru in Back in Time and BiTMagic the Shark Head to open, then start the file after skyward striking the goddess cube to set the story flag RBM for the goddess cube to have been hit.
Pirate Stronghold Timesavers
Avoid the first Beamos
By running to the left edge of the first Beamos that spawns, you can fit through the gap between the door frame and the beamos and thus avoid fighting it.
Avoiding Deku Babas
In the short hallway with several Deku Babas, you can easily avoid them by pausing briefly before continuing.
Short Cutscene Skip
In the last section of the stronghold, you can skip a short cutscene that looks at a whip lever by jumpslashing over the trigger as you go through the doorway.
Sand Sea Unused Strategies
Activate the timeshift stone on Skipper's boat with Lanayru BiT
If you unlock the ability to go to Lanayru in Back in Time before ever going to the Sand Sea, you will encounter an issue: the timeshift stone on Skipper's boat was never activated, and thus trying to go to the Sand Sea softlocks in a boat that cannot move. However, there is a solution to this problem. Perform a Reverse BiTWarp into the Sand Sea using coordinates from the middle Earth Temple statue (other statues might also work). This puts the boat halfway inside collision, allowing Link to move. You can then activate the timeshift stone in the Sand Sea.
─────── Lanayru Gorge ───────
Minecart Escort Skip
Discovered by azer67 and peppernicus
Using the Reverse BiTMagic technique, it is possible to set the minecart to start remotely. Normally, trying to start the minecart and leaving the area makes that flag unset on the way outside, but by activating it with Reverse BiTMagic, this allows for going anywhere in the Gorge while the minecart escort is still ongoing.
This RBM requires going to Faron Woods in BiT. The corresponding flag in Faron Woods is set after the first Machi textbox after defeating the bokoblins harrassing Machi, during the first trip to Faron. Note that this flag is temporary flag 1x01.
After setting that flag, commit it by blowing up a rock then save and activate BiT again. This time, perform a BiTWarp using either the Lower Academy or the Upper Academy Statue (see Lanayru Gorge BiTWarp below). This will put you on top of the cliff. Go east and perform a precise jump to grab the cliff. Then jump down where the last part of the minecart escort takes place and drown in the sand near the doorway (using brakesliding to make it easier). This will warp the minecart to the last part of the escort, skipping almost all of it.
This trick can be done as soon as the first trip to Lanayru using the Early Gorge BiTWarp. This can also be done without the hook beetle using the Hook Beetle Skip in Escort technique, and even without any item using a RBM to Blow Up the Escort Rock. If done before meeting Levias, there won't be a cutscene when the minecart reaches the stairs due to the gorge layer being wrong. This is still fine though, as all the necessary flags will still be set when the minecart will lock at the end of the track. The Thunder Dragon however won't appear before meeting Levias, so a returning trip will be necessary.
There is a continuation to this trick, where using an extra Back in Time it is possible to heal the Thunder Dragon before Levias.
Lanayru Gorge BiTWarp
Discovered by Abahbob
Save at the Lanayru Gorge statue and activate BiT. Perform a BiTWarp using the Upper or Lower Academy statue. This will put you on top of the cliff. From here, you can make your way over to several places.
- After Performing the Minecart Escort Skip RBM, go East and perform the Cliff Jump. You can go near the end of the Minecart Escort and drown to spawn the Minecart. This is the 2nd part of the Minecart Escort Skip
- After obtaining the Gust Bellows, make your way over to the Tree of Life and activate the Timeshift Stone to get the seedling. You can get back across the gap by deathwarping. This is not used in runs because the BiTMagic version of this trick is faster.
- Go West and jump around the minecart locked door to access the minecart escort without using a key. This is useful if you skipped the key from Golo the Goron by skipping Nayru's silent realm and obtaining the clawshots from Bokoblin Base, and are not performing Minecart Escort Skip, as you can then use the gorge small key on the sand sea door.
Skip Hook Beetle in Escort
In the final section of the minecart escort, there are some rocks on a pillar that must be exploded, usually using the Hook Beetle. However, it is possible to use a precise bomb throw to land a bomb on the pillar next to the rocks and blow them up that way.
The main use of this is to skip the hook beetle in categories that obtain bombs and that need to beat the minecart escort.
Blow up the Escort Rock Itemless
Using Reverse BiTMagic, it is possible to blow up the rock on the minecart tracks at the end of the Minecart Escort early. Combined with Minecart Escort Skip, this allows completing the Minecart Escort without bombs and thus also itemless.
Video forthcoming
The corresponding flag is 2x08. In the Sealed Grounds, it is set at Behind the Temple during the Statue Activation Cutscene. This requires loading Behind the Temple on layer 1, which requires a file that has the Hero's Tunic but has not watched the Faron Woods Introductory Cutscene or obtained the harp. To do this, you normally need to defeat the bokoblins that harrass the Goron. In order for the bokoblins to load, you need to enter the Sealed Temple from the Spiral at least once before. The bokoblins can however be skipped by setting scene flag 0x40 or scene flag 1x08 with BiTMagic, which will both trigger the Statue Activation cutscene, either immediately or after a short textbox.
Minecart Escort Voiding
There are three places during the minecart escort where you can intentionally void to move the minecart forward.
First void
After the first main room with the Technoblins and the Deku Babas, running off the edge right after you hit the switch will respawn the minecart slightly forward. This void saves at most 2 seconds.
Second void
In the long room with the giant vine wall, when you reach the end of the vines there are two platforms that appear. Wait for the second platform to appear and then jump over the wall next to it. When you respawn you'll be on a platform above next to a switch. This void saves about 10-15 seconds.
Third void
After opening the gate with the whip, the passage way turns twice and then has a pit. If you jump into that pit, the minecart will warp forward when you respawn there. This void saves about 6-8 seconds.
Lanayru Gorge Unused Strategies
Beetle-Bomb trick
At the end of the escort, there is a section where you are supposed to use the beetle to grab a bomb and blow up some rocks. It is possible to use your own bomb, back up and quickly use the Beetle to carry your bomb to the rocks.
This is not (or should not) be used in runs, as it is slower than doing the intended method. It is only mentioned here because unknowing speedrunners have been known to do this in the past.
Precise arrow shot after seedling
After obtaining the Life Tree Seedling, run back to where the bridge was and use the bow to shoot the timeshift stone. The hitbox for the stone is strange; you need to aim higher and more to the right than it seems.
This is only used in No Back in Time categories, and even then, deathwarping is slightly faster if you take damage in the escort.
