Molduga is a powerful boss creature in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This beast resides in the Gerudo Desert and can pose a significant challenge due to its high health and powerful attacks. It’s very easy to find a Molduga strike that will completely wipe your entire health bar and kill you in a single shot, so you need to understand how this guy works.
Where To Find A Molduga
Molduga can be found in a few different locations in the Gerudo Desert. The first can be found on the eastern side of the map next to the sinkholes and the giant statues. He will be circling the rock that the nearby shrine is on. There is also a second one that you will encounter when you are working toward the Missing Shop Owner side quest.
The first timer you encounter one of these guys it will likely kill you, so this guide will explain how the attack patterns work and provide you with a guide that you can use to guarantee you will be able to take out a Molduga easily.
Preparing for the Battle
- Equipment: Make sure you have a good stock of Bomb flowers that you can attach to arrows before you approach a Molduga. They can be bought in various shops or found throughout the world. They are common in the underworld or in caves. Also, equip a strong bow to maximize the damage you can deal with each shot.
- Armor and Food: Equip armor with high defense, like the Soldier’s Armor, to withstand the Molduga’s powerful attacks. Cook some meals or elixirs that increase your defense, speed, or attack power. Having some hearty meals on hand to fully recover your health is also recommended. Upgrading armor at the fairy fountain is also beneficial to minimize the amount of damage he can do in a single hit.
Molduga Battle Strategy
- Luring the Molduga: Moldugas are sensitive to vibrations in the sand and will be attracted to any movement. With this knowledge, you can press the left thumbstick to crouch and if you walk slowly, making sure not to make any noise, it will not notice you. Handy to help you reach a safe space to start the battle. Start walking on the sand to get its attention, then quickly move to a nearby rock or sand seal for safety.
- Using Bomb Arrows: Wait for the Molduga to leap out of the sand, then shoot it with a Bomb Arrow. If you watch it swimming around in the sand for a while, you will see the patterns it follows with the leaping out of the sand. When you hit it with a bomb, it will stun the Molduga for a few seconds, giving you the opportunity to deal some damage. Aim for its mouth for maximum effect. Remember to keep a safe distance to avoid the explosion from the Bomb Arrow.
- Striking With a Weapon: Once you have knocked the Molduga out of the sand and it is stunned, make it over as quickly as possible and deal as much damage as possible with the melee weapon. Once it starts to move again, quickly run back to the safety of the rock and wait for it to leap out of the sand again.
- Avoiding Damage: Moldugas can move surprisingly fast and their attacks can deal a LOT of damage. Always keep an eye on the Molduga and be ready to move at a moment’s notice. Stay on the rocks or on a sand seal whenever possible, as Moldugas can’t reach you there. If you’re caught on the sand when a Molduga attacks, quickly use your shield to block or use the paraglider to move away quickly.
- Repeat the Process: Continue to lure the Molduga out, hit it with Bomb Arrows, and attack it while it’s stunned. Be patient and cautious, as getting too greedy can lead to taking unnecessary damage.
Remember, the key to this battle is patience and timing. The Molduga is a powerful enemy that can easily kill you if you’re not careful, but with the right strategy and preparation, you can defeat it. Good luck!