Some of the most fearsome monsters in Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, Moldugas can quickly kill those who roam the Gerudo Desert carelessly. They're vicious, powerful, and hard to defeat. Yet, those who do will receive some fantastic rewards, leading many players to seek out these dangerous battles.
Even late-game players, though, can easily suffer death in a Molduga's jaws. Preparation is key – players should know when and where they might come across these creatures, and what to do when they find one. Follow these tips, and emerge victorious with armfuls of shiny weapons and Molduga Guts.
Locations
There are only four Moldugas in the game, all of which respawn every Blood Moon. They reside in the Gerudo Desert, south of Gerudo Town. To find them, venture to the following locations:
- Toruma Dunes, near Tho Kaya shrine
- Arbiter's Grounds, east of the Great Fairy Fountain
- Southern Oasis, south of the Sand Seal Rally
- North of Dragon's Exile, west of the Sand Seal Rally
In addition to Moldugas, plenty of other monsters roam the desert. Be especially wary of Electric Lizalfos here. They can easily disarm Link with their attacks, and won't stop annoying him if a Molduga appears. Finish off any smaller enemies before taking on the big one.
Best Armor
Before setting out, though, it's important to gear up. In the Gerudo Desert, temperature ranges from freezing cold at night to blisteringly hot during the day. The Snowquill Armor is best for nighttime, while the Desert Voe armor will protect Link from the harsh sun.
- Snowquill set: Available for purchase in Rito Village
- Desert Voe armor: This is a little harder to come by. Players must either gain access to the Gerudo Secret Club, or convince Rhondson to move to Tarrey Town as part of From The Ground Up.
Alternatively, players can purchase items at Starlight Memories in Gerudo Town. These are a bit pricey, but easily available.
- Sapphire Circlet: Counteracts heat. Costs 800 rupees and 3 sapphires.
- Ruby Circlet: Counteracts cold. Costs 500 rupees and 3 rubies.
Jewelry does not offer as much protection as armor; however, they can be upgraded at a Great Fairy Fountain to increase their defensive potential. Be sure to pair them with more protective armor pieces when fighting Moldugas.
Best Weapons
Since players will have limited windows of time to damage the Molduga, it's best to use powerful weapons. Additionally, getting to close to the creature risks huge damage, so bows tend to be the best options.
By far the best offensive choice against a Molduga is the Savage Lynel Bow. This beast fires three shots while only consuming one arrow, and each shot does a base 32 damage. The Great Eagle Bow and Mighty Lynel Bow also fire three shots each, at 28 and 20 damage respectively. However, these can be hard to come by — Lynels aren't exactly easy to defeat either. More common, high-damage bows include:
- Ancient Bow, 44 damage. Obtained from the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab for 1000 Rupees, 15 Ancient Springs, 10 Ancient Gears, and one Giant Energy Core.
- Royal Bow, 38 damage. Dropped by high-level monsters.
- Steel Lizal Bow, 36 damage. Dropped by powerful Lizalfos.
Players should also consider the damage they can do with different types of ammunition. Bomb arrows are unparalleled in their damage potential, but are also the most expensive. Fire and shock arrows work well too.
Preparing Food
With the Gerudo Desert's extreme temperatures, some players might be tempted to cook temperature-resistant food for their Molduga hunts. However, this isn't the most efficient use of resources. With how long it can take to fight one of these creatures, buffs usually wear off before the fight is over.
Instead, players should use armor to counteract temperatures and cook food to buff other stats. Defense, attacking power, speed — all are essential against Moldugas. And don't forget to cook plenty of dishes that give Link a few bonus hearts, as he's going to need them.
Baiting The Moldugas
Like the sandworms in the Dune universe, Moldugas live under the sand, and will attack Link if they notice his footsteps near them. They cannot be damaged while buried under the sand, so players must bait them into leaping up to attack. There are a couple ways to go about this.
Thrown Objects Method
It is sometimes possible trick these creatures by standing on rocks, and throwing items such as barrels, unwanted shields, etc. onto the sand to catch their attention. Small items, though, won't make much of an impact, and there aren't always spare barrels lying around.
Revali's Gale Method
A riskier (but more effective)Â option is to stand on the sand and wait for the Molduga to charge Link. Players will see a question mark appear, marking the creature's location. It will change to an exclamation point once it has determined Link's location, at which point it will charge. Just before the creature reaches Link, use Revali's Gale to shoot up into the air and attack it from above with a bow and arrow as it leaps out of the sand.