The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - All Overworld and Dungeon Enemies

The Anubis are somewhat irritating enemies that are exclusive to the Spirit Temple. Their main means of combating Link is through copying his every movement, including attacks. The creatures do have a weakness to fire, and players can make swift work of the Anubis by using Fire Arrows or Din’s Fire, as well as by moving so that the Anubis’ mirroring of Link’s steps leads them into a fire trap. Note that using Bombs against the Anubis causes it to split into two.

A recurring enemy from across The Legend of Zelda series, Armos are living statues that remain still until Link makes contact with them. After touching an Armos, it springs to life and starts to chaase Link before eventually returning to stasis. Players encounter Ocarina of Time‘s version of these iconic enemies in Dodongo’s Cavern and inside the Spirit Temple, and they’re vulnerable to Bombs or the Megaton Hammer. Note that defeating an Armos triggers its self-destruct mechanism, causing an explosion that can harm Link.

Baby Dodongos, as the name implies, are the tiny offspring of the adult Dodongo enemies. The Baby Dodongos lurk beneath the surface of the ground, waiting for Link to get close before they attack. Players can easily defeat Baby Dodongos with a single strike of their sword, and the ensuing blast that their demise causes can actually be strategically used to blow open cracks in walls in place of Bombs.

While previous Zelda titles feature more than one type of Bari (specifically, there are three kinds that Link encounters in A Link to the Past), there’s only one type of these aquatic enemies in Ocarina of Time. Players encounter the Bari as a regular foe while inside Jabu Jabu’s Belly, where they fall from the ceiling to try and attack Link. Striking these enemies with the sword results in Link receiving a shock, so its better to stun them first using Deku Nuts and then finish them off with the Boomerang.

Since their first appearance in A Link to the Past, these sentries continue to be a thorn in Link’s side wherever they happen to show up. The Beamos’ return in Ocarina of Time comes in several locations, including the Shadow Temple, Dodongo’s Cavern, Gerudo Training Ground, the Spirit Temple, and more. As in previous games, the Beamos shoots a laser at Link whenever he enters their line of sight, and unlike their appearance in A Link to the Past players can defeat them using any type of Bomb.

These larger versions of the common Deku Baba enemy are practically identical to the standard versions, with the one exception of having more attack power. Despite it packing more of a punch in terms of offensive capability, the Big Deku Baba carry over the exact same moveset as the standard Deku Baba and players can defeat them using the same reliable jump attack move. Players encounter the Big Deku Baba inside the Forest Temple as adult Link and throughout Kokiri Forest in both adult and child eras.

Players only come across the Big Poes at night while traveling across Hyrule, and like other “big” variants of common enemies they are more aggressive and more powerful than the standard Poe enemies. Big Poes will try to use their Lanterns to attack Link with fire, and the only weapons they are vulnerable to are the Fairy Bow, meaning players should try to attack them from the back of Epona. Finding and defeating all of the Big Poes will see Link receive one of Ocarina of Time‘s four Empty Bottles.

As the name implies, Big Skulltula are larger versions of the standard Skulltula. These larger Skulltula drop down from ceilings and suspend themselves from webs to spin and attack Link. While they are invulnerable from their skull carapace side, their spinning reveals the soft underbelly of their abdomen. Attacking the exposed abdomen three times will see the enemy suffer defeat. The Big Skulltula are also vulnerable to the Hookshot and Arrows, which players can use to attack them from range.

Like its cousin the Bari, players encounter Biri while inside Jabu Jabu’s Belly. These electric jellyfish-like creatures are invlunerable to attack before being stunned. Players should attack them using the Slingshot or by throwing a Deku Nut, then slash them with the sword in their stunned state. Alternatively, the Boomerang is capable of eliminating Biri in one fell swoop.

Players first encounter Blue Bubbles within the confines of the Forest Temple. Much like their earlier appearances in the series, the Blue Bubble is impervious to harm until players extinguish its flames. To do so, run into the Blue Bubble with Link’s shield ready or attack them with the Hookshot. Once players acquire the Fairy Bow and arrows it’s possible to defeat the Blue Bubbles in a single hit.

Players occasionally encounter a Business Scrub after attacking a Deku Scrub by deflecting Deku Nuts back at it with a shield. Instead of vanishing, the Business Scrub will get up out of the ground and run around until Link approaches it. After walking up to the Business Scrub, it will offer to sell Link items for slightly higher prices than in shops. Business Scrubs appear as early as inside the Great Deku Tree and can come in handy when Link needs an item mid-dungeon.

Part enemy and part mini-boss, the Club Moblin is a variant of the standard Moblin. As one might expect, the biggest difference between the two is that the Club Moblin wields a large club. There’s only one Club Moblin in the game, which players can encounter in the Sacred Forest Meadow outside the Forest Temple. As long as players can carefully avoid the swings of its club, the enemy falls after three hits from the Master Sword.

Another returning enemy from A Link to the Past, Cucco’s are Hyrule’s resident fowl. While not enemies in the traditional sense, attacking a harmless Cucco will see it call for help. At this point, Link will be swarmed by a flock of angry Cuccos that attack him relentlessly until seeking shelter. Outside this one quirk, Cucco are generally useful for puzzle solving and as a means of crossing gaps.

The Deku Baba is the first enemy players encounter in Ocarina of Time. The first of these is on the path to see the Great Deku Tree, offering players a quick combat tutorial. Approaching a Deku Baba will see it lunge at Link, requiring strafing to avoid getting hit. After dodging its attack, a well-timed slash makes quick work of these enemies. Attacking its stem will reward a Deku Stick, while attacking its head gives Link Deku Nuts.

Deku Scrubs are bush-like enemies that Link encounters in Kokiri Forest, inside the Great Deku Tree, and in the Lost Woods. Once Link enters a room containing Deku Scrubs, they emerge from the ground and begin shooting Deku Nuts. Deflecting these Deku Nuts back at the Scrubs using the shield will see them get up out of the ground and start running in circles. Interacting with the Scrubs afterwards will reward Link with valuable information, or in the case of a Business Scrub, open up a mid-dungeon shop.

Making their first appearance in Ocarina of Time are the Dinalfos. They appear in only two locations in the game, with one of them being as regular enemies in the final assault on Ganon’s Castle. In addition to being vulnerable to sword or arrow attacks, players can stun the Dinalfos using Deku Nuts before going in for an easy kill. The main threat that Dinalfos pose is through their ability to attack Link en masse.

After being a boss in the original Legend of Zelda, Dodongos return in Ocarina of Time as regular enemies. They feature in Dodongo’s Cavern and will breathe fire at Link, stunning him in the process. The best way to defeat Dodongos is to get close and then strafe around their fire attack, then hit their tail with the sword. Also, like in the original game, players can carefully position bombs in their path to have them swallow the explosives, resulting in an instant death.

Common enemies that both child and adult Link will face, Fire Keese are the flame-engulfed versions of the standard bat-like enemies. Their primary attack is to dive bomb Link, engulfing him in flame an dealing damage in the process. The best way to defeat these dangerous nuisances is to hit them using the Slingshot before they can harm Link.

Although Link first encounters the Floormaster in the Forest Temple, these foes end up being recurring enemies throughout Ocarina of Time. Similar to the Wallmasters that drag Link to the beginning of a dungeon, the Floormasters are giant hands that push Link back great distances if they make contact with him. Additionally, these Floormasters separate into three smaller Floormasters if Link attacks them, requiring him to quickly dispatch the remnants before they reform.

Freezards are another recurring Legend of Zelda enemy type that make their first appearance as one of Ocarina of Time‘s enemies. Players first encounter Freezards during their trip to the Ice Cavern, and the enemies are occasionally invisible until Link gets close enough for them to attack. In addition to using Din’s Fire to quickly melt these enemies, players can attack using the Hookshot and then follow up with rapid sword slashes.

Gerudo Guards patrol Gerudo’s Fortress to protect it from intruders. These enemies are invulnerable and require Link to use stealth to sneak past them. Once Link frees the carpenters, a Gerudo Warrior will gift him with the Gerudo Token that makes all the Gerudo Guards allow Link to come and go. Other than being able to stun the Gerudo Guards with the Fairy Bow, Link must sneak past these enemies undetected.

Like the Gerudo Guards, Gerudo Thieves are the guardians of the prison cells within Gerudo Fortress. Link must defeat all of the Gerudo Thieves in order to free the carpenters and gain unrestricted access to Gerudo Fortress. These foes attack using their scimitars and are easily defeated using targeting, strafing, and sword strikes.

The Ghoma Larva only appear once in Ocarina of Time as additional enemies to eliminate during the Ghoma boss fight inside the Great Deku Tree. These diminutive foes perish after two sword strikes and their eggs are also vulnerable. Link can destroy the eggs before they hatch by attacking them with his Slingshot.

Gibdo, The Legend of Zelda‘s mummy-type enemies, make yet another appearance in Ocarina of Time. This time, however, Gibdo can stun Link, paralyzing him after he enters their line of sight and then moving in for attack. Playing the Sun’s Song around these enemies momentarily stuns them, allowing players to quickly dispatch them with some sword strikes, but they are also vulnerable to Deku Nuts.

These special Skulltulas are collectable enemies that Link must defeat 100 of to unlock several different prizes. Bringing the tokens these enemies drop to the windmill in Kakariko Village provides several worthwhile rewards, including a Piece of Heart. Players can easily tell the sound of a Skulltula when it’s nearby, and using items such as the Hookshot or Slingshot makes quick work of these arachnids.

Accordingly, Green Bubbles behave similarly to their other Bubble counterparts. Players must extinguish their flames before they are vulnerable, and Link can quickly extinguish them with his shield. However, the Green Bubbles also flicker their flames in and out, and players can rush in for the attack while they momentarily disappear. Like the other Bubbles, Green Bubbles will suffer defeat after one hit of the Fairy Bow.

Guay are yet another nighttime-specific enemy from Ocarina of Time, primarily appearing in Hyrule’s desert locations. These birds can prove to be quite bothersome for Link, often prevnting him from reaching the tops of tall ladders. Guay will swoop down to attack Link, and timing sword slashes to meet them at their dive will see them instantly defeated. That said, they infinitely respawn, meaning it’s best to eliminate those in Link’s way and move on. Like other flying creatures, they are vulnerable to the Hookshot, Slingshot, and Fair Bow.

Unlike regular and Fire Keese, the Ice Keese are exclusive to adult Link. They are exclusive to the Ice Cavern, where they fly around until Link comes within range. From here, they will dive down and try to freeze Link by attacking him, dealing two hearts’ worth of damage. Players can use the Hookshot or Fairy Bow to quickly take out single Ice Keese, while multiples should be dispatched using Din’s Fire.

The challenging Iron Knuckle makes its first series appearance since Zelda II in Ocarina of Time. These armor-clad knights wield massive battle-axes and players will encounter them toward the end of Ocarina of Time‘s adventure. Despite their imposing size and power, players have several means of disposal available. In addition to carefully dodging its attacks and striking in-between them, players can use Bombs to weaken them. Additionally, using Nayru’s Love makes Link invincible for a short time, negating the power of the Iron Knuckle’s attacks.

The Legend of Zelda‘s bat-like Keese appear once again in Ocarina of Time. These standard foes are typically an enemy type showing up in most dungeons and occasionally in the overworld map. As in other series games, players can wait for them to get close and then attack with the sword or quickly dispatch them from afar using the Hookshot, Bow, or Boomerang.

Leever appear in nearly every Zelda game up through Twilight Princess, emerging out from underground to spin and attack Link. Unlike in previous games, Ocarina of Time‘s version are hard to avoid and quite sturdy, proving hard to defeat as well. Defeating 10 of the smaller Leever causes a large purple Leever to appear, which drops plenty of Rupees after defeat.

As in other Zelda games, the Like-Like appears in Ocarina of Time hungry for Link’s shield and other items. Attacking and defeating the enemy before it gets ahold of Link is the best way to avoid losing items, as is avoiding it entirely. Once the Like-Like digests the items it eats off of Link, they are permanently lost and Link must purchase new ones.

Lizalfos first appear in Ocarina of Time as the mini-bosses of Dodongo’s Cavern. Despite their armor they are quite agile and continually leap around, making it hard to get a good lock on them. Successfully blocking their attacks using the shield will cause them to lose their footing and fall, at which point players can move in and get some strikes with the sword.

The Mad Scrub is similar to the Deku Scrub with just a few key differences. In addition to their different color, Mad Scrubs are also more aggressive and attack at greater frequency. They shoot 3 Deku Nuts at a time instead of 1, and after Link deflects one back at the Scrub using the shield, they remain in the ground. They fight Link to the death rather than divulge secrets or sell items like Deku or Business Scrubs.

Another enemy that makes regular series appearances since the original Legend of Zelda, Moblins appear in the Sacred Forest Meadow and are exclusive to adult Link. With the Hookshot in tow, Link can quickly defeat these foes with one strike. Otherwise, they tend to put up quite a fight using conventional weapons.

Octoroks are common enemies that appear throughout Hyrule in aquatic regions. As in their previous series appearances, these enemies shoot rocks at Link in Ocarina of Time. Getting too close to an Octorok will cause it to retreat, making use of ranged weapons a necessity. In addition to appearing at Lake Hylia, Inside Jabu Jabu’s Belly, and along Zora’s River, the Octorok appears inside the Forest Temple. Deflecting the rocks they shoot with a Mirror Shield will destroy them rather than bounce them back to deal damage.

Another enemy exclusive to aquatic areas is the Parasitic Tentacle. Link will come across three different Parasitic Tentacles inside Jabu Jabu’s Belly, which he must destroy in order to progress. Like most other enemies inside the whale, the Parasitic Tentacle is invlunerable and will shock Link if he slashes with his sword, meaning use of the Boomerang is necessary to reveal its weak spot.

Returning to the series for the second time since the original Legend of Zelda, the Peahat lies dormant until Link approaches it, at which point it uproots itself and begins to chase the player. When the Peahat is airborne, its roots are vulnerable to attack from the sword or Slingshot. Keep in mind that attacking a Peahat’s roots will cause it to spawn Peahat Larva.

Peahats will spawn smaller Peahat Larva after attacking their roots. Thankfully, these Peahat Larva are much weaker than the adult Peahats. Link can simply hold out his shield to quickly destroy the Peahat Larva after attacking a full-grown Peahat’s roots.

Like their Big Poe cousins, Link will encounter Poes while wandering around Kakariko Graveyard at night and occasionally during the day. They frequently phase in and out of reality, making attacking them somewhat difficult. The best strategy is to wait for them to phase out, draw the shield, and then strafe around them while targeting to slash every time they become corporeal. Like Big Poes, players can collect Poes for rewards.

Red Flames rely on heat for their protective coating, jumping out of lava to attack Link and then quickly bouncing around before returning to the molten lakes they emerge from. The best means to dispatch these foes is to target them and draw them in for a missed attack, then quickly strike them with the Hookshot. After missing an attack, the Red Bubble’s skull will bounce around before returning to the lava for another attempt.

Out of all Ocarina of Time enemies, perhaps none is more frightful than the ReDead. Link will first encounter these zombie-like foes in the graveyard just outside the Temple of Time after drawing the Master Sword. Getting within eyesight of a ReDead causes it to let out a horrifying scream that paralyzes Link with fear, allowing them to jump on his back and begin inflicting massive damage. Playing the Sun’s Song will stun these enemies, giving Link an opportunity to rush in and attack with the Master Sword.

The Shabom are interesting bubble-like creatures that only appear inside Jabu-Jabu’s Belly. While its just as easy to avoid them as it is to kill them, if players need Recovery Hearts defeating them can come in handy. Since they float along unpredicatble paths, the best strategy is to target them and attack using the Slingshot.

Link encounters the clam-like Shell Blade enemies within the Water Temple. These foes are only vulnerable after opening their shells, exposing the weak parts of their body underneath. Strikes with the Hookshot or sword will see the Shell Blade quickly succumb to defeat, though players can also use the Megaton Hammer or Din’s Fire to make quick work of these aquatic enemies.

A recurring Legend of Zelda character and inhabitant of the Lost Woods, Skull Kids are not initially enemies in Ocarina of Time. When Link meets the three Skull Kids in the Lost Woods as a child, one helps him learn Saria’s Song, and the other two lead Link on quests that provide two Pieces of Heart. If Link returns to the Lost Woods as an adult, the Skull Kids’ distrust of adults causes them to attack him. Defeating a Skull Kid nets Link a Large Rupee.

Skulltulas are bigger than Skullwalltulas but smaller than the Big Skulltula. They are also much more manageable than the Big Skulltulas despite sharing the same exact behaviors in combat. Link must wait for the Skulltula to spin around and expose its abdomen while suspending itself from its web, at which point he can get one sword slash in. Three sword slashes will eliminate the Skulltula.

Skullwalltulas are instantly recognizable by the sound they make crawling on nearby walls, much like the Gold Skulltula. In fact, the main difference between the two is that Skullwalltulas don’t drop Skulltula Tokens. The best thing to do is have Link attack them using the Slingshot or Hookshot before attempting to climb the walls their on, otherwise they’ll rush toward Link to knock him down.

Spikes only appear in Ocarina of Time‘s Water Temple, where players need to use the Hookshot as the main means of defeating them. If the Spike has its spikes visible, it is invulnerable and players need to find a way to make them retract. The best strategy is to have Link ram the Spike with his shield, causing the spikes to retract, then attacking with the Hookshot.

Stalchild, or Stalchildren, rise up from beneath the ground at night to attack Link as he makes his way across Hyrule field. While they are weak individually, Link will more often face a group of these enemies, making dispatching them more of a nuisance. They only appear when Link is a child and players can negate their appearance entirely if wearing the Bunny Hood. Defeating multiple Stalchildren causes successively larger and more dangerous Stalchildren to appear.

Stalfos are skeletal warriors that appear throughout the Legend of Zelda series, most often being found in dungeons. Ocarina of Time features several of these enemies, with each of them serving as somewhat of a mini-boss in the dungeons they appear in. Strafing around the Stalfos while targeting it and slashing it in the back is the best and most reliable way to survive an encounter with one.

Stingers are one of the exclusive Ocarina of Time enemies, never appearing again in the series. Link encounters them in the game’s two water dungeons — Inside Jabu-Jabu’s Belly and the Water Temple, and they’re easy to spot from their fins. A Stinger, or a group of Stingers, will swim around with their fins visible, only emerging once Link gets close. After they emerge, the best way to quickly eliminate them is by using the Hookshot, Slingshot, or Bow.

Like many other enemies Inside Jabu-Jabu’s Belly, Tailpasaran are electric aquatic creatures that are invulnerable to normal attacks. Instead, Link must aim at their electrified bodies using the Boomerang and attack them from afar. If a Tailpasaran comes into contact with Link it will electrocute and stun him, and avoiding them is just as easy as defeating them in battle.

These arachnid-like creatures appear yet again in Ocarina of Time and exhibit their typical bouncing behavior as in previous Zelda games. Players will find Red Tektites in hot regions such as Death Mountain, and the Blue Tektites appear in aquatic regions, including the Water Temple. While both variants of the Tektite are vulnerable to sword strikes and the Hookshot, the Blue Tektites have more health than the Red Tektites.

Torch Slugs are exclusive to Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess and only appear in volcanic areas. Ocarina of Time‘s version of the Torch Slug is only found in the Fire Temple, where it will continually follow Link until he is out of range. Once Link acquires the Megaton Hammer in the Fire Temple he can strike the ground to flip the Torch Slug, landing them on their backs and exposing their bellies to make them helpless.

Wallmasters are giant hands that lurk in the shadows only to launch surprise attacks on Link by dropping down from the ceiling. They appear throughout most Legend of Zelda games and are in many of the Temples in Ocarina of Time. While they do not return Link to the entrance of the dungeon like in other games, they still can deal significant damage and need to be defeated before retreating back to the ceiling.

White Bubbles are exclusive to the Spirit Temple and are one of the only enemy types that will not attack Link outright. They fly around in a set path, occasionally stopping and starting up again. Unless Link attacks them they will leave him be, and the best way to eliminate them is through use of a ranged weapon such as the Hookshot or Bow.

White Wolfos are one of the rarest of the Ocarina of Time enemies, with only three appearing throughout the entire game. One of the White Wolfos guards the Iron Boots within the Ice Cavern, while the other two are within the Gerudo Training Grounds. Like the normal Wolfos, Link can easily defeat these creatures by readying his shield and strafing around them to strike their backs.

The Withered Deku Baba is exactly the same as its normal Deku Baba cousin only weaker. It has the exact same moveset and attacks but is susceptible to defeat after only one sword strike.

Wolfos appear in the Forest Temple, the Sacred Forest Meadow, and in the Gerudo Training Grounds. Like the Stalfos, players need to have their shield continually raised while targeting the Wolfos, strafing around its back to sneak in an occasional sword strike.

Anubis

Armos

Baby Dodongo

Bari

Beamos

Big Deku Baba

Big Poe

Big Skulltula

Biri

Blue Bubble

Business Scrub

Club Moblin

Cucco

Deku Baba

Deku Scrub

Dinalfos

Dodongo

Fire Keese

Floormaster

Freezard

Gerudo Guard

Gerudo Thief

Ghoma Larva

Gibdo

Gold Skulltula

Green Bubble

Guay

Ice Keese

Iron Knuckle

Keese

Leever

Like-Like

Lizalfos

Mad Scrub

Moblin

Octorok

Parasitic Tentacle

Peahat

Peahat Larva

Poe

Red Bubble

ReDead

Shabom

Shell Blade

Skull Kid

Skulltula

Skullwalltula

Spike

Stalchild

Stalfos

Stinger

Tailpasaran

Tektite

Torch Slug

Wallmaster

White Bubble

White Wolfos

Withered Deku Baba

Wolfos