Dragon Roost Cavern

Welcome to Wind Waker's first true dungeon stage. The entrance to the main cave is hidden behind three guardian statues. Pull the left statue away from the wall, then get behind the statue and pull the second blue statue to the left. You can now enter the inner cave.

Get ready to fight two guards. Each one is armed with a burning stick, but if you lock on properly and attack relentlessly, you won't ever get hit. When the guards are gone, grab one of the sticks and light it on fire on the right burning torch, then run over and light the two extinguished ones that frame the empty platform. A treasure chest will appear. Open it to find a small key. The steaming cauldron in this room is a warp point, by the way.

Unlock the door and exit the room. You will be at the entrance to a large lava lake. The path before you is barricaded, but you can destroy the wooden boards with your sword. Make a left and hop over the broken walkway to a small platform. Pull the square block out of the wall to create a step, climb on top and jump to the other side of the walkway.

Cross the rope bridge. Pay attention that the bat doesn't knock you off. You will get to a pillar with two Bomb?Flowers and another one straight ahead with a large rock. Blow it up, then go through the door. You will get to a room with a lava pit in the middle. How to get across? The solution is in the pots. Literally.

Pick up a water-filled pot and throw it into the lava. The water causes the magma to harden and creates a stepping stone for you. Grab another pot and throw it to the left so that you can get over to the treasure chest. Inside, you will find the Dungeon Map. The platforms melt after a few seconds, so use the nearby pots to create another path over the lava to the left. Defeat the red ChuChu slime and open the rock gate by pressing A.

Walk over to the left barricade and a guard will come jumping out. Defeat him, then pick up his sword and use it to break the other barricade. Go through, then defeat two red slimes near the two torches and open up that small sideroom with your stolen sword. Open the chest to get another small key. Head to the north exit, defeat two more slimes and open the door.

You're back in the large cave with the lava lake. Turn left and notice the two Bomb Flowers growing on the wall.

Walk up the ledge close to the wall and perform a spin attack (hold B, then release) and you will set off the two Bombs, which will in turn blow up the large rock blocking the way. (You can also pick up a rock from this ledge and throw it at one of the Bomb Flowers to set it off.) Go straight, hop up on the walkway, and open up the locked doorway to the west with your small key.

Go straight (you can't go right yet), and fight the enemies waiting for you in the room. To open up the blocked corridor, grab the stick, light it on the torch, and set the wooden barricade on fire. Step on the switch to open the door and go through it.

You will now be outside. Walk to the middle of the rope bridge and the guard on the other side will come after you. Try to avoid fighting on the bridge as you may inadvertently cut a rope and fall off. Defeat the guard (he sometimes slips and you can knock him off the bridge), then move across. You can instead pick up a pot, walk across the bridge, and throw it at the guard.

Climb up the ladder, carefully avoiding the flames that shoot out of the rock. Shimmy along the wall to get past the gap (and another flame geyser), walk around the large rock and hang from the wooden ledge/rail (as shown in the left picture below).

Cross the gap and climb up the steps to the right, then use the Bomb from the Bomb Flower to blow up the rock. The way back into the mountain is now clear. Jump down and go through the door.

This is a block puzzle. But don't freak out, this one's simple. Do you need some money? Then pull the blocks out halfway as shown in the picture. There is a hidden passage underneath the middle block. Crawl inside and collect the Rupees, then emerge from the passage in the same room. If you want some more Rupees, there is actually a second secret passage on top of the next block one level higher. Pull the next block out as appropriate to reveal it and collect the Rupees. Ready to move on? Just pull the right block towards you, then the one in the middle. Climb up the steps and make a left. Watch out, there's a nasty rat here who likes to steal your money. Slash it with your sword if it gets close. But did you know that you can also get some valuable stuff from rats? Drop some fish food in front of the rat hole and you'll be offered your choice of potions (for a small fee, of course).

Pull the block out of the wall to climb up and open the treasure chest to the right. Inside, you will find the Compass.

This next bit is quite inspired. Grab one of the sticks from the pot, then light it on fire, stand at the edge of the level you're on, then throw the stick across the room at the wooden barricade. Behind it, you will find another treasure chest with a small key. Use it to open the door and go back outside.

You're now outside on Dragon Mountain.

Follow the steps up and attack the Kargorok to the left. Just lock on and start swiping your Hero's Sword?-- as soon as the Kargorok takes off, grab the small key from its nest. Defeat the Kargorok to get a golden feather. You can pick up a rock and throw it at the Kargorok before it takes off from its nest. You can collect these and trade them in for something good later. Use the key to unlock the door and go back inside.

You will find yourself in a very dark room. Grab one of the sticks from the pots and light it on fire to bring a little more light into the dark. Look at the map as you progress in this area, but also keep an eye out for bats. Take them down, then light the torch in the area to the right (shown below).

Find the treasure chest in the corner (you can see it on the map) and open it to get a Joy Pendant. Like golden feathers, you can collect these and trade them in. Work toward that magic 40 to get something truly special... But that's crazy future talk. Let's focus on finishing this dungeon first. Grab a stick and use it to burn the barricade in this room. Walk up the steps and light the two torches to unlock the door. Exit the room.

You've found the second cauldron (pictured below). Use the Bomb to blast the rock on top and you've created a quick shortcut that can warp you back to the entrance. Cross the rope bridge and get ready for more battling.

The door will lock after you enter and you will have to find all enemies in this room to unlock it again. There are three of them, two of which are hidden in pots. Smash the pots to the left and roll into the wall to make the pots on the shelves drop.

Video Walkthrough: Dragon Roost Cavern Part 1

When you've defeated all the enemies, grab the stick that one of them dropped (or go upstairs and grab one from a pot) and light the torch in the west corner of the room. A treasure chest will appear that contains a Treasure Chart #39. Don't forget to smash the pots upstairs to find another pendant. Go through the door and enter the southernmost room on this level.

Again, use the water in the pots to make yourself a path in the lava -- but there's just one catch: a nasty bug intent on roasting you. The easiest way to defeat this fiery creature is to grab a second pot with water and throw it at the bug. This will cause it to roll up in a ball. Slash at it until it's a goner, then go back for more water (don't worry, you can jump across). The idea is to create a platform in the bubbling area of the molten rock. This platform will carry you up out of this room, so jump on it as soon as you've created it.

Jump off the platform when you reach a wooden walkway on the third floor. Go through the door and you'll get to a large chamber with the door to the boss room in the north. But you can't get across yet. Grab the Bomb from the Bomb Flower next to the door you came in through and blow up the large rock straight ahead. Underneath, you will find another cauldron with yellow smoke billowing out from the opening.

Blow up the second rock to reveal an exit. You will once again be outside. Run up the stairway to the right and don't look back. The steps will give way under your feet and fall, so run as fast as you can. You will get to a gate. Go through to battle two guards. After you've defeated them, a Kargorok will drop off a fat Moblin.

Try out the "A" special move when the Moblin attacks or defeat him the old- fashioned way. If you need health, smash one of the pots in the arena. When you have defeated the Moblin, destroy the orb he leaves behind to get your first Skull Necklace (another collectible). Talk to Medli and find out about the dragon's problem. You will also receive the Grappling Hook, which allows you to swing across chasms and steal items from enemies.

Climb on top of the rock platform on the east side of the arena and equip your Hook. Aim at the pipe Medli is standing on and use the Grappling Hook to swing across.

Repeat the same for the next gap and smash the barricade with your sword. Jump down and look to the left. There are more targets for your Hook straight ahead, so swing across until you get to a door. Enter the cave and you'll find yourself in an area that looks like the inside of a mouth, with a rope bridge attached. Try your Grappling Hook on the incoming guard, then follow up with your sword to clear the way. Go to the other side and defeat a second guard (remember to steal another necklace with your hook). A treasure chest will appear on the bottom floor.

How do you get down without hurting yourself? Light up a stick and set all the ropes on fire that are holding the bridge in place (you can also use your own or an enemy's sword, but this way is easier). When there are no ropes holding the bridge in place, just walk into the middle and it'll break, and drop you onto the bottom floor. (If you need to get back up, create yourself a solid magma platform in the corner with the bubbling lava). Open the chest to get a pendant, then exit through the door to the west. You will see a cage with a platform underneath.

Step inside and stand in the middle on the spiral mark. Power up your spin attack and cut the ropes. Make sure you're standing in the center or you may inadvertently cut only a few of the ropes -- and fall off the platform.

The platform will fall down to the first floor. Make your way across the suspended platforms and climb up the ladder. You will get to a locked gate with no enemies or keyhole in sight. What is in plain sight, however, is this metal hook. Use your Grappling Hook to pull on it and the door will open. Swing back onto the platform and go through the door.

Use your Grappling Hook on the hook above you, then steady yourself and change directions, swinging to the east instead. Hop across the platforms and swing across the final gap with your grappling hook. Exit through the door to get to a cave in the northeast of the first floor. There's a switch here and a bunch of bugs. What to do?

That's right. Slash at the Magtail bug when its mandibles are open and it'll roll into a ball. Then grab it and drop it on the switch to switch off the flames that engulf the chest. Quickly open it to get the Big Key. But what's this? Look on your Map! You're missing a treasure chest! No problem... You can either use the cauldron to warp back to the entrance on the first floor, or make your way back the old-fashioned way, taking out the bats with your Grappling Hook -- not the sword. Go down the ladder to the lava platform and move up to the upper floor. From the upper floor, jump down to the rope bridge below and make your way over the walkway to the west portion of the first floor. You will get to this branch in the road (left):

Stand at the edge and use your Grappling Hook to swing across the gap. Smash the damaged barricade with your sword to find another treasure chest. Inside: Treasure Chart #11! It's time to go to the boss door now. You can go the long way, or you can hop into the nearby cauldron and warp. The choice is yours. Just get your butt to the large room with the skull on the third floor.

Swing across to get to the upper portion of the room, then open the chest on the left (10 Rupees) and the one on the right (Knight's Crest). Smash the pot above it for another pendant, then the other two for fairies. If your bottle is empty, equip it and catch one of the fairies in it. It will automatically revive you when slain in battle. Unlock the boss door and enter.

Video Walkthrough: Dragon Roost Cavern Part 2