Okenoay Shrine — Depths Gauntlet

Location: The Depths, East Depths Ability Required: Combat — high level Difficulty: Hard (Extreme) — Gloom Hands + Phantom Ganon sequence

Overview

Okenoay Shrine is one of the most dangerous shrines in the game. It's unlocked by defeating a Gloom Hands encounter near the shrine entrance, after which Phantom Ganon spawns. Only after defeating both enemies does the shrine activate. This is the Depths at its most hostile — maximum preparation required.

Pre-Shrine: Defeating Gloom Hands

Gloom Hands spawn outside the shrine on the Depths floor. This is not optional — they must be defeated to unlock the shrine.

Gloom Hands Preparation

• Flamebreaker or fire arrows deal bonus damage to Gloom Hands
• Bright Bloom Seeds (throw one immediately to illuminate the area)
• 10+ meals — Gloom Hands inflict Gloom on contact, and the encounter is long
• Strong weapons (30+ attack) — each Hand has substantial HP

Gloom Hands Strategy

1. Throw a Giant Brightbloom Seed immediately to light the area and prevent ambush from additional hands.
2. The Gloom Hands are a cluster of 5 individual hands that rise from the ground. Target the largest hand first (it has an eye) — deal enough damage to make it reel back.
3. Fire arrows are excellent: Each fire arrow staggers a hand. Rapid-fire fire arrows at each hand in sequence to knock them back.
4. Don't let them pile on: If three or more hands surround Link, they grab and start Gloom-draining rapidly. Sprint away and re-engage from range.
5. Once all hands are heavily damaged, a killing blow to the eye-hand triggers a group defeat — all five hands die simultaneously.

Post-Gloom Hands: Phantom Ganon

After the Gloom Hands die, Phantom Ganon immediately spawns.

Phantom Ganon Strategy

1. Phantom Ganon uses Gloom-infused weapons mirroring your own loadout. If you use swords, it uses swords. Bring weapons with ranged options.
2. Don't block — Gloom weapons inflict gloom on contact through blocking. Dodge and Flurry Rush only.
3. Phantom Ganon telegraphs a charged attack by glowing red. This is your window — dodge the charged attack, then Flurry Rush.
4. After ~4 Flurry Rush cycles, Phantom Ganon is defeated. The shrine activates.
5. Eat a Sunny meal before entering the shrine to restore any Gloom-eaten hearts.

Shrine Interior — Blessing Shrine

Okenoay Shrine is a blessing shrine — no puzzle. Walk to the altar.

Altar

Collect your Light of Blessing.

Tips

• Prepare specifically for this encounter — don't stumble into it. Bring fire arrows (20+), 5+ Sunny meals, and your strongest weapons.
• Brightbloom Seeds are essential: The Depths are pitch black. Throw one immediately upon spotting Gloom Hands — you cannot effectively fight them without light.
• Retreat is valid: If the Gloom Hands overwhelm you mid-fight, sprint away. They have limited chase range. Rest, eat, and re-engage.
• Phantom Ganon's weapon mirrors yours: If you equip a flame weapon before the fight, Phantom Ganon uses a flame weapon — which can light the arena on fire and be a hazard. Consider using neutral weapons to avoid elemental complications.
• The shrine reward is worth it: The effort to unlock Okenoay Shrine is massive, but the Light of Blessing goes toward heart container / stamina vessel upgrades — same as every other shrine. The real reward is Phantom Ganon's loot drop.

Chest Summary

| # | Contents | Location | |---|----------|----------| | 1 | Gloom Sword | Blessing shrine interior — single chest near the altar. |

Nearby Points of Interest

• Great Abandoned Central Mine — west, central Depths hub with Autobuild access
• East Depths Lightroot — nearby, illuminates surrounding Depths
• Akkala Chasm — northeast, return route to the surface
• Phantom Ganon Loot — Phantom Ganon drops a Gloom weapon and Demon King's Bow on defeat (outside shrine)

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Part of the Depths Shrine Guide — Tears of the Kingdom shrine walkthroughs on Hyrule Archive.