The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — How to recover Vah Rudania

One of the Divine Beasts of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild resides on the fiery Death Mountain, which means it’s time to go mountaineering.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild requires you to go through four very different climates in order to reach and rescue the Divine Beasts. For Vah Rudania, the Divine Beast for the Gorons, you’ll need to go somewhere where the air alone will burn you: Death Mountain. Let’s start by getting Link up to Goron City.

Scaling Death Mountain

Around the time you reach the Sheikah Tower for the region, you’ll start getting notifications that the air is simply burning you. Regular heat resistance items won’t work, but Goron City is still further up the mountain. How do you progress? You’ll find the Foothill Stable at the base of Death Mountain. There, speak to a woman who will sell you three Fireproof Elixirs, which will do exactly what they say they will. (I admit this one had me stumped, but GameFAQs boards came through. This is what I get for not talking to people in the game.) That gives you approximately 18 minutes to reach Goron City. You can probably do it in 10 or less.

Once you arrive at Goron City, stop off in the shop there to buy at least two pieces of fireproof armor. You don’t need the whole set, but it’s easier than constantly having to manage elixir time. Now, your next goal is to talk to Bludo, the Goron boss, who’s at the far end of the city.

Fetching Medicine via Cannons

Bludo is pretty elderly for a Goron, so he has back problems. He’s sent the young Yunobo off to the Abandoned North Mine to recover some painkillers, but since you’re right there, he’ll ask you to go see what’s going on. Follow the path up past the local shrine and you’ll reach the mine quite quickly. Talk to the Goron there, who will tell you that Yunobo is over in the vault.

There are many paths you can take to avoid all of the Lizalfos with bows and fire arrows around here, but here’s your main goal: there’s a cannon directly in front of the vault. When you reach it, hit the switch to aim it at a huge pile of rocks to the left of the vault island. Put in a Remote Bomb and detonate it to destroy said rocks, which will open up an air current. Ride that current to another cannon. Put the Remote Bomb in and hit the lever. While the cannon is still moving, fire it at the entrance to the vault. The cannon doesn’t move quickly, so it’s not a tough shot.

Then, you can fly over and talk to Yunobo. Raid the inside of the vault for some weapons and treasure, then return to Goron City. Bludo will give you more Fireproof Elixirs, you’ll get another memory, and then it’s off to the Bridge of Eldin, north of the Goron Hot Springs, to follow Yunobo.

Subduing Vah Rudania

Up at the bridge, you’ll find Yunobo being tormented by two Moblins. Your goal is to kill them both using whatever you have on hand to do so. Be warned that their drops can and will burn in the heat, so you’ll need to be quick in picking them up. That done, Yunobo will explain that by using Daruk’s Protection; he can become a living cannonball. Hop on the nearby cannon and aim it at the structure across the lava river to lower the bridge.

Cross it and you’ll watch a cutscene of Vah Rudania releasing some sentries. Since Yunobo is slow, he’ll ask you to give him a signal when to start and stop. You’ll want to choose the whistling option since you can actually do that. (It’s the down arrow button on the Switch.) Ahead of you, there’s a long path with cannons strategically placed. Now, you can do it all in sections, or just clear the entire path and then use the cannons. I did the latter.

Your first sentry goes back and forth in a straight line, and you can actually just sneak past it by using the overhangs and stopping and starting Yunobo. Otherwise, hit it with the cannon. The second is stationary, so stop Yunobo, climb up the cliff above the sentry, and push a boulder onto the sentry. There are some boulders on the path as well.

The third sentry goes back and forth, but there’s a nearby cannon. While moving the cannon, you can hit it and take it down. Head back onto the main path and stop Yunobo as soon as you see the fourth and fifth sentries. The former moves, the latter doesn’t. To the left, there will be an opening in the cliff, giving you a boost up. Climb up to find metal boxes. With the help of Magnesis, you can whack the sentries with the boxes — no dropping needed.

Follow the path up again (it’s dark, so you can see it even through the fire in the air), and you’ll find Moblins guarding another cannon. Clear them out and proceed forward to find the sixth and seventh sentries — one is stationary, but the other is moving in a circle. Use the cannon you just cleared out to hit the motionless one while moving the cannon. The explosion will also open up an updraft that you can use to destroy the other sentry. Stop Yunobo and go forward yourself. Sneak into the updraft, place a Remote Bomb down, and when it floats up in the wind, explode it to destroy the other sentry.

The last three sentries all move in circular patterns, but there are metal boxes on the cliffs to the left, so there’s no need to time Remote Bomb drops in the updrafts on the path. After they’re all taken care of, you’ll find more Moblins guarding the last cannon. Now, with the path clear, you can head all the way back to the first cannon and fire it at Vah Rudania. It’ll move along the path with you, stopping near each cannon and requiring another hit. At the last cannon, it will give up the ghost and you’ll enter in a cutscene.

Inside Vah Rudania

As always, the first order of business is to activate the warp point. Daruk will give you a pep talk. Before you go inside, though, turn around and proceed along the tail for a chest. Since you’ll be outside for a good portion of the dungeon, I recommend leaving fireproof armor on the entire time. Now it’s time to actually go into the dark Vah Rudania.

However, you can see Calamity Eyes glowing in the darkness. Shoot them for chests. One of them had a torch in it for me, and you’ll need something that burns, preferably a torch. Light it with the blue fire at the entrance and proceed to a gate with a torch by it. Lighting the torch opens the way to a mini Scout and more Calamity Eyes, so put your torch away, take care of the scout and the Eyes to the left (opening a path for later and getting a chest in the process).

Then, take more blue flame to the gate ahead and on the left side of the room. That opens the path to your Guidance Stone. Once you have the map downloaded, Rudania will open its shutters, and light the place up. You’ll also get the ability to tilt Rudania 90 degrees, so it will either be right side up or sideways.

Your first order of business is taking care of the two terminals on the main floor with Rudania right side up. Facing the entrance, there’s a set of metallic doors to the left, but there are vines and a log. If you have fire arrows, one will do the trick. Otherwise, you can light a wooden arrow on fire in the blue flame torches and do the same. Open the doors with Magnesis for your first terminal, and shoot the Calamity Eye in the room for another chest.

Head back into the main room. Now, on either side of the entrance ramp, you can see into a room, and there’s a door on the right (facing the entrance) with an opening in it. Remember how you can light arrows on fire? Light a wooden one with blue flames and shoot it through the opening to light a torch and get inside the room. There are flame jets blocking your way forward, but over on the left (facing entrance) side, you’ll see vines on the ceiling. With a fire arrow or lit arrow, burn them to drop a metal box. Use Magnesis to maneuver it onto the right three jets.

Tilt Rudania sideways to then proceed past them into the other part of the room, then move it back to right side up position to activate your second terminal, which will turn the jets off and let you proceed without the whole tilting business again.

Now it’s time to get to the higher levels of this Divine Beast. In the section directly prior to the Guidance Stone, you’ll find two Calamity Eyes in the alcove to the right (facing the front now). Shoot them both. One gives you two chests. The other opens a path you’re going to need shortly. That done, turn and face the left side. You’ll see a terminal. Line yourself up with it, then tilt Vah Rudania sideways. To avoid fall damage, use your paraglider. You’ll land on the platform and activate your third terminal.

With Rudania still tilted, jump to the right and light your torch with blue flames again. Carry it over to the ramp heading up and out of the interior. You can then slide down the head to a torch, which you’ll light with the blue flames. It’ll open a gate and let a ball start rolling. Tilt Rudania upright to get it down to the opening back to the interior, then sideways again to let it roll down the ramp. As you head down the ramp, shoot the Calamity Eye on the right for another chest. At the bottom of the ramp, you’ll find a metal cube blocking the ball’s way. Use Magnesis to lift it up, and the ball will roll into a switch that unlocks your fourth terminal.

Get back up to the ramp again, and this time, stand on the left side of the ramp before tilting Rudania upright. That will allow you to access another chest. You can then head up and back out to Rudania’s back via the same opening that led you to the ball’s starting point before.

The last terminal is actually on one of Rudania’s spines. As you head towards the tail, look up to find a Calamity Eye. Shoot it. Now, head to the base of Rudania’s spine and go up the slight rise on the right (facing front) side. Tilt Rudania sideways, and you’ll open a new path up. Follow along the path, grabbing the chest on one of the spines, and also shooting the Calamity Eye at the end of the path.

The terminal is actually on the second spine from the front, but with Rudania sideways, you can’t access it. Carefully jump onto the spine itself — you don’t have a lot of landing space, but you can do it. Then, tilt Rudania upright to slide down and access your fifth and final terminal. The main control unit is right on Rudania’s back, so you can drop down and activate it for your boss fight.

Fireblight Ganon

In the first round, Fireblight Ganon will shoot mini fireballs at you, but they’re easily blocked and dodged. It also has a sword, though, and during its sword attacks, you have a chance for Flurry Strikes and regular melee attacks. It’ll slam its sword down. Dodge, and you’ll have a lot of opportunities to really take it down. While it’s in the air, you can also shoot it with your bow. Ice arrows, in particular, seemed effective.

Once you’ve knocked down its HP bar, it’ll go into its second phase, surrounding itself with a fire sphere. It’ll continue to use its regular attacks but add in one where it will suck in air and then fire at you. Here’s the thing: if you throw a Remote Bomb during the windy phase, then detonate it, you’ll destroy the spherical shield and move into the third round.

Fireblight Ganon’s sword now has a fire effect to it, making dodging paramount. However, those flames will create updrafts, meaning you can continue to float bombs up or go in close for melee attacks or keep shooting with ice arrows. Either way, it’ll go down.

Next: Breath of the Wild: Vah Medoh guide

Take your Heart Container and activate the main control unit once you’re sure you’re done with this dungeon. After the usual dose of cutscenes, you’ll receive Daruk’s Protection. With your shield up, you’ll take three hits with no damage, no questions asked. Then, you’ll head back to Goron City. Speak to Yunobo, then Bludo. Inside his house, you’ll find the Boulder Breaker in a chest.

That wraps up Vah Rudania for Breath of the Wild.