Thunderblight Ganon, with his exasperating speed and brutal lightning-based attacks, is one of the most difficult bosses Link will face in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This two-stage battle will be a challenge no matter what, but if you know what to expect and have a strategy going in, you’ll be better prepared to send Thunderblight Ganon packing.
Thunderblight Ganon Battle – Phase One
The boss will rely on two attacks while his HP is still above 50 percent. One’s no big deal, but the other can really knock Link for a loop. Our approach is to basically play defense until it’s possible to parry and score some damage. We recommend equipping a one-handed sword and a shield.
One attack will send three lightning balls toward Link, which move slowly and are relatively easy to avoid without too much fuss. Be aware, though, that these lightning balls can bounce off walls and damage Link, so don’t be caught off guard and lose heart containers unnecessarily.
The move you need to worry about sees Thunderblight Ganon warping toward you several times at rapid speed, moving in a zigzag pattern from side and finally letting it rip with a powerful blow to Link. This might seem like something you just want to run the hell away from, but what you actually need to do here is let him approach you, while keeping your shield raised at all times, in order to set up a combo.
Eventually, you’ll get a feel for the timing. Once you do, combo the shield block into a perfect dodge backflip, after which you should see the on-screen prompt to launch a full flurry attack. He’ll fall to the ground, possibly presenting a chance to quickly whack him with another combo (sometimes he’ll get up before you get a chance, if you’re not near enough). Repeat until you get his HP below 50 percent.
Thunderblight Ganon Battle – Phase Two
Things get even tougher in the battle’s second half. Thunderblight Ganon will charge up, soar above and drop a number of round metal spikes around where Link is standing. Get away from the area encompassed by the spikes before you get zapped.
Once you’re some distance away from the spikes, use your magnet to grab one of the spikes, and move it overhead and toward Thunderblight Ganon, eventually zapping him with his own lightning. He’ll tumble to the ground, so run over and give him a good thrashing with your sword.
After this, he’ll go back to his earlier attack pattern (three lightning balls or zigzag strike). Keep an eye out for when he infuses his weapon with lightning, as blocking with a metal shield will no longer be effective. If you get hit with a lightning-charged attack during this phase of the battle, you’ll drop your weapon or shield, but you can pick them back up again. Either use a wooden shield or keep your distance until the effect dissipates, then go back to your earlier approach of guarding with a shield, then doing a perfect dodge backflip into a full flurry.
Thunderblight Ganon also busts out another deadly move, targeting you with a red laser beam. It’s possible, but tricky to use perfect guard to reflect the beam for damage, and hiding behind a wall or dodging perpendicular to the beam’s direction might be easier. Keep chipping away at his HP until he finally goes down for good.
If visual references might be more helpful, check out this video about the Thunderblight Ganon battle from YouTuber BeardBear, which takes a similar approach to ours. (Please be sure to like, share or subscribe if you find it useful!)
Once he’s done and dusted, collect the heart container and any treasures you may have missed. You won’t be able to return to the Divine Beast Vah Naboris after you activate the main control unit and return outside. Once you leave, you’ll receive a new skill called Urbosa’s Fury, which summons a powerful lightning strike after a charged attack.
Did this approach to fighting Thunderblight Ganon work for you? Did you manage to defeat him using a totally different strategy? Let us know what worked for you below in the comments!
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