The Water Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the game’s main dungeons. If you’re not sure how to progress, we’re here to help. This Water Temple Tears of the Kingdom walkthrough guide will explain how to solve all the puzzles and defeat the boss.
Check out the rest of our Tears of the Kingdom Temple guides below.
Tears of the Kingdom: Starting the Water Temple
Once you’ve reached the Water Temple in Tears of the Kingdom, you’ll immediately notice a giant pile of sludge in the middle. Your objective is to activate four valves and get enough water flowing to cleanse this sludge. Interact with the switch in front of the sludge pile to start the temple.
But before we get started, you’ll benefit a lot from obtaining certain things in the game.
- Splash Fruit – You can attach these to your arrows to clear sludge.
- Good melee weapons – You’ll have to do a lot of fighting in this temple.
These items will make your life a lot easier in the Water Temple. You can also use King’s Scales and Bomb Flowers to great effect.
- Here’s how to increase weapon durability in Tears of the Kingdom.
Water Temple: Valve 1
For the first valve, we’re heading to the southwest platform. Climb up the floating stones to reach a higher platform with some Soldier Constructs. Defeat them, then grab the ball out of the water.
Before moving on, you can cleanse water from a clogged waterfall near the ball’s initial location for a free chest. Afterwards, once you have the ball, look around on the platform for muck clogging up the side of a large stone, pictured below.
Clear it and it will spawn water bubbles you can use to transport the ball and yourself up the next platform.
On this platform, place the ball in the water above where it’s supposed to slot in. Next to it is what looks like a guillotine, but this is actually a large stone slab you can pull up with Ultrahand. Pull it up all the way and attach it to an active Hover Stone to keep it raised. Luckily, there are plenty of Hover Stones nearby.
This will drain the water and allow the ball to slot perfectly into its place. A door will open, and you can use Sidon’s power on the valve inside. Simply interact with Sidon then attack it.
Water Temple: Valve 2
For valve 2, we’re heading directly below the Water Temple. There’s a platform underneath that you can stand on, then use Ascend to go up to a higher floor.
Inside, you’ll find a pit of spikes, more Hover Stones and a small ball you need to transport. The solution is quite simple – cross the pit of spikes by placing active Hover Stones over the pit and using them as platforms. Grab the ball and navigate back across the Hover Stone bridge you just made – you can attach the ball to the stones to make sure it doesn’t fall.
Where to place another Hover Stone
Bring the ball up to the higher platform and place it in the hole in the wall. You’ll need to place another Hover Stone below the ball so it doesn’t fall out.
The door opposite will open. Use Sidon’s power to get the valve moving, then place an inactive Hover Stone on the large button next to the firewall to create a way out. As you’re leaving, be sure to check the nearby lilypad pond for a chest hidden underwater.
Water Temple: Valve 3
For the third valve, look to the northeast platform. Up high you’ll see a clogged waterfall that you can shoot with Splash Fruit arrows to create a path for you to climb up with the Zora armour.
Up there you’ll encounter a Fire Like for you to kill, and doing so grants you another chest. After that’s dealt with, head over to the water bubble among the broken stones. Use Recall on it and climb in to slowly ascend to the higher platform.
Up here you’ll see a static water wheel and two stone plates in a pit below it. Attach one to each end of the water wheel with Ultrahand and move it below the waterfall to get it spinning.
This will power up part of a circuit, but you need to find a way to connect it fully. Look around for a water bubble. Then, drag the water bubble in between the two parts of the circuit using Ultrahand.
This will power the door and give you access to the third valve. Now, use Sidon’s power to get the valve moving and head back to the previous platform.
Water Temple: Valve 4
Go back to where the Fire Like-Like was, and use Ascend to reach the platform above. Kill all the enemies here and watch out for their ice arrows if you’re in the water, as this can do huge damage.
You’ll probably notice something spinning rapidly out of control above you. Use an arrow with Splash Fruit attached to cleanse the sludge inside it, then fire another arrow at the glowing column inside to open the door and drain the water.
This is much easier if you shoot arrows from the air, as time slows down around you. To get into the air easily, simply climb one of the stone pillars nearby and jump off the top to get some height for your shot.
Activate the fourth and final valve with Sidon and head back to the middle of the temple. There are a couple more chests to grab in the area with the fourth valve if you want them, but otherwise, it’s time to start the boss encounter.
- Check out our Tears of the Kingdom cooking guide!
Water Temple Boss: Mucktorok
That’s right, the reason for the Zora’s domain being covered in sludge is a disgusting muck-covered Octorok. You’ll have to defeat it if you want to complete the Water Temple in Tears of the Kingdom.
This little cephalopod will summon a sludge shark to use as cover, so it’s time to pull out all the water-based attacks you can. Luckily you have Sidon beside you, so you’re good to go even if you don’t have any Splash Fruit arrows. You can also use King’s Scales if you still have any from King Dorephan.
How to beat Mucktorok in the Water Temple
Mucktorok is weak to water, so use Sidon’s ability to fire ranged water attacks at the sludge shark to unveil the little monster hiding inside. If you hit it with water, the shark will disappear and Mucktorok will be vulnerable to all attacks.
When in shark mode, Mucktorok will attack you in various ways. He’ll charge at you, which can be dodged by stepping to the side. He’ll fire a mucky beam at you, which you should be able to jump over. The most dangerous move is the mud slam which sends waves of mud out towards you, but you can also dodge this by jumping if you have good timing.
Strong melee weapons are recommended, and Splash Fruit arrows come in handy when you don’t have Sidon’s attack ready. You can also opt for bombs attached to arrows for the second phase.
At around half health, Mucktorok will summon pools of sludge all around the arena. These can be cleansed with water, so use Sidon whenever he’s available.
When you make Mucktorok vulnerable in this phase he’ll start jumping through the sludge, making him much harder to hit. You can hit him out of the air with an arrow, making him vulnerable to melee attacks. You can also use Sidon’s water attacks again to cleanse the sludge and go in for the kill.
Do this enough times and Mucktorok will be defeated. You’ll be rewarded with a Heart Container and a cutscene to wrap up this part of the story.
For more Tears of the Kingdom guides, keep reading The Games Cabin.