'Breath of the Wild' Vah Rudania Walkthrough Guide: How to beat the Death Mountain dungeon

Vah Rudania is the divine beast waiting for you in the foreboding volcano known as Death Mountain in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You'll need to get some flame-resistant armor to even get to it, but once you do, you're in for a disorienting challenge.

Here's how to successfully navigate Vah Rudania and advance in your quest to take down Calamity Ganon, courtesy of my own playthrough and VG247.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vah Rudania: Getting started

The first thing you need to do, as with the other dungeons, is unlock the map. As you may have noticed, it's pitch black in here save for a few blue flame lantern posts. Either bring a torch with you or find one on the floor near a lantern post. Your job is to use a torch (or arrows, if you're into that) to light each lantern post and open the doors to the map pedestal. It's very self-explanatory, and you can shoot the corrupted eyeballs for some bonus treasure chests along the way.

Once you have the map, the dungeon lights up and your goal becomes clear: Rotate the entire dungeon between a sideways position and its regular, upright position to activate five terminals and take control back from Ganon. It's worth noting that you need to keep the torch you used to light up the dungeon; you'll need it later.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vah Rudania: First terminal

Turn left out of the map room and shoot the eyeballs for some chests containing arrows. Stand in that alcove and take cover behind the outcropping. Across the way, you'll see the terminal, but it's on the wall. Rotate Rudania and paraglide over to the terminal. Easy.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vah Rudania: Second terminal

Drop out of this room and climb up the large ramp that is now accessible since Rudania is rotated. Once you clear the corruption and get to the top, rotate Rudania back to its upright position and climb up to its back. Ignore the lantern for now and climb to the other side of the "fence-like ring," as VG247 calls it. Rotate Rudania again so you'll be on the side of the spikes on its back. Grab its chest and rotate again so you're on top of the back spikes. Face Rudania's front and shoot the eyeball to take out the corruption and grab the next terminal.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vah Rudania: Third terminal

Go back down to the main room, the room that was originally pitch black. There are two huge metal doors that can be pulled open with Magnesis. You can't miss 'em. Unfortunately, they're behind some natural overgrowth that needs to be burned. Use a fire arrow or light your torch by going outside (it'll automatically catch fire) and burn it off. 

Open the doors with Magnesis to activate the third terminal.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vah Rudania: Fourth terminal

Equip your bow and stand near a lantern at the entrance to the dungeon, causing an arrow to catch blue fire. Facing the rear of the dungeon, take your blue flaming arrow to the door on the right and fire through the hole to light the other lantern. 

Look on the ceiling of this new room to find more leaves to burn. When you do this, make sure you don't stand directly underneath, as a giant metal box will fall on you. Use the box to block the flames and rotate Rudania so you can walk by the side instead of needing to climb it. Rotate once again to activate the terminal.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vah Rudania: Fifth terminal

If you remember the torch that was on the way to terminal two, your job now is to light it. Light a torch and make your way back onto Rudania's back. Keep in mind that you can't sprint with the torch and using it as a weapon will destroy it. Get back into position to rotate your way onto Rudania's spine and rotate it so its on its side. Carefully walk from one end of Rudania to the other.

Light the torch, which opens a small gate and frees a metal ball to roll through a small corridor. Rotate Rudania so the ball can roll all the way down to the bottom of its corridor and follow it. While Rudania is rotated to its side, use Magnesis to lift up the small metal block that's keeping the ball from falling out of the slot. The ball should fall into its hole and open the door containing the fifth terminal. 

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vah Rudania: Fireblight Ganon boss fight

The main terminal to activate the boss is glowing on your map. Head back up to Rudania's back and prepare to fight.

Fireblight Ganon is one of the easier bosses in Breath of the Wild. In the first phase, just attack it however you can. Its large blade is easy to avoid and it's fairly easy to get up close and hack away at it. One-handed weapons are recommended so you can block, though.

The second phase is tricky until you know what to do — and I'm going to tell you what to do. Fireblight Ganon will enter a huge, orange barrier that blocks all damage of any kind. He'll stay there for a while, gathering energy and pulling objects toward him before unleashing a powerful fireball attack. Throw a bomb near him and he will suck it in. Detonate it and get some hits in before the last phase.

In the last phase, he'll laser-target you like a guardian. Dodge the lasers and get in close to attack whenever you can. It's pretty simple, and he'll be dead shortly. Congratulations on liberating the Goron people from the tyranny of Vah Rudania.

More Zelda: Breath of the Wild tips, tricks and guides

Find out all there is to know about Zelda: Breath of the Wild, including what to expect from the Wii U version, how to preserve your items, how to beat bosses like the Stone Talus, Lynel, the Guardians  and the Hinox, the best recipes for Link and how to take on the game's shrines. You'll also want to find out where all the great fairies and available stables are in the game, how to use amiibo with your version of Zelda and how to increase your health, stamina and weapon slots.