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Lanayru Desert
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
