Boss Rush Mode - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Guide - IGN (2024)

After reviving the Thunder Dragon in Lanayru Gorge, he'll provide Skyward Sword's version of Boss Rush Mode: The Thunder Dragon's Lightning Round. You can only fight the bosses you've already fought, so the final boss is off limits until you get all the way back to the Thunder Dragon through Hero Mode. You are able to choose the first boss and then the Thunder Dragon chooses for you. You can also go through the Silent Realms you have finished.

Boss Rush Rewards

The best rewards you can get from Boss Rush Mode are the Hylian Shield and a Heart Piece. The Rupee rewards aren't too shabby either. After each battle you are given the option to quit or continue. If you decide to quit, you'll get the prize listed below, depending on how many cumulative battles you fought:

1. 20 Rupees
2. Small Treasure
3. 100 Rupees
4. Heart Piece / 200 Rupees the second time
5. 300 Rupees
6. Rare Treasure
7. 500 Rupees
8. Absurdly Sturdy Shield (Hylian Shield) / 1,000 Rupees the second time
9. 2,000 Rupees
10. 3 Rare Treasures
11. 3,000 Rupees
12. 9,900 Rupees (You'll need the Tycoon Wallet as well as all the wallet expansionsto carry them all.)

The first time you beat a boss and every time you break your personal time record on any given boss you get 50 Rupees.

Bosses

Here are the 12 Bosses you can fight. You can only fight Demise after unlocking Hero Mode and getting all the way back to Lanayru Gorge.

• Ghirahim fights 1, 2 and 3
• Scaldera
• Moldarach
• The Imprisoned 1, 2 and 3
• Koloktos
• Tentalus
• Demise
• Bokoblin Horde fight in the Sealed Grounds (The End)

Boss Rush Strategies

Using Potions During Boss Rush Mode

You cannot use your Adventure Pouch, including bottled fairies,during Boss Rush Mode, but if you take a Guard Potion Plus and/or Stamina Potion Plus before talking to the Thunder Dragon, their effects will last 3 minutes into the battle. This is 3 minutes of actual fighting time; time speaking to the Thunder Dragon does not count toward this time. You can increase the time to 9 minutes if you have the Potion Medal in your Adventure Pouch when you talk to the Thunder Dragon. After using these potions, select a boss you have trouble with at the start and beat him easily.

Load out

An ideal load out for hero mode will consist of the following:

• The Goddess Shield - best self repairing shield available (remember to use the shield thrust)
• Potion Medal - to extend potion effects
• Guardian Potion/Potion + - protect against damage/invincibility
• Life Medal (x2) - maximize your hearts to 20

Using the Large Quiver or Large Bomb Bag will not help, since they are pouch items.

Unfortunately, you cannot use potions twice, or "stack" them, to double up the time length of the effect, if you take a time sensitive potion before the effect has worn off from the last potion consumed it simply restarts the clock.

Miscellaneous

• Use your bow or bombs when possible to deal extra damage while keeping your distance.
• The Skyward Strike is a very useful ranged attack. Use it when possible.
• Use your shield. Not only is it there for your protection but using a properly timed shield thrust can send an enemy reeling giving you an opportunity to go on the offensive.
• Take your time. Swinging your sword wildly and fast works sometimes but with some bosses especially this can be an invite for them to attack you.
• ANSWER THUNDER DRAGON CAREFULLY!! in between battles, don't rush through, Thunder Dragon asks if you want to quit and there is no "are you sure" option if you select quit.
• If trying boss rush multiple times use the stool near the mine cart to restore missing hearts between tries.
• Before each boss, watch online videos of the boss battles to familiarize yourself with their attacks and patterns.

Replenish Your Health

While trying to beat bosses as quickly as possible is a great way to earn money, remember to take special care to keep your health bar as full as possible. Not all boss fights offer an easy way to recover lost hearts, but some provide easy ways to heal yourself outside the course of regular battle. For example, slashing the Imprisoned's toes will sometimes yield hearts as you fight it, but you can also abandon the fight while he's down to cut grass to get some hearts.

• Ghirahim: Break pots that line the arena with your sword.
• The Imprisoned: Cut grass along the path
• Scaldera: Look for heart plants at the very top of the battle arena.
• Koloktos: You can lure Koloktos into destroying the pillars that line the arena or, once you can grab his sword, do it yourself.
• Bokoblin Horde: This is the single-best way to replenish your hearts. Simply keep on battling Bokoblins and only advance when you run out of enemies or until your heart meter is full.

Note: Because your pouch is "off limits" even with heart medals, hearts will not appear in Hero Mode.