Gloom Hands Extended Guide — Every Spawn & Phantom Ganon

Gloom Hands are TotK's most terrifying optional encounters — five grasping hands emerge from Gloom-covered ground, grab Link simultaneously, and summon Phantom Ganon if all five hit. This guide covers every known spawn location, the fastest escape techniques, and how to fight Phantom Ganon when the encounter triggers.

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What Are Gloom Hands

Spawn condition: Gloom Hands appear at specific fixed locations — they're not random. Walking into their trigger zone causes all five hands to emerge simultaneously.

Grab mechanic:

• Each hand attempts to grab Link independently
• If one hand grabs: Link takes Gloom damage and loses max hearts
• If all five grab simultaneously: Link is held in place → Phantom Ganon cutscene triggers
• The grab animation can be broken by: perfect dodge, paraglider ascent, or fast teleportation

Despawn condition: Move far enough from their trigger zone → they retreat into the ground. The encounter can be abandoned but not avoided permanently (they respawn on Blood Moon).

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Escape Techniques

Paraglider Ascent

The most reliable escape:

1. When hands emerge → immediately activate Paraglider
2. Ascend vertically — hands cannot follow upward
3. Once at sufficient height, they retreat
4. Land away from the trigger zone

Why it works: Gloom Hands are ground-bound. They cannot grab Link while he's airborne.

Fast Travel

If you have a fast travel point nearby:

1. Open map immediately when hands emerge
2. Fast travel anywhere → teleports Link out of the encounter
3. Hands despawn at their location

Risk: Opening the map takes 2–3 seconds. A fast hand can grab during that window.

Running

Standard running works if you have enough distance:

• Sprint away as soon as hands emerge
• They chase at moderate speed
• 50+ meters of clear terrain between you and the zone = safe

Not recommended in enclosed spaces (Depths corridors, tight caves) — nowhere to run.

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Known Spawn Locations

Surface Locations

| Location | Region | Notes | |----------|--------|-------| | Hyrule Castle dungeon | Central Hyrule | Multiple groups on lower floors | | Akkala Citadel exterior | Akkala | East wall approach | | Lanayru Wetlands | Lanayru | Near the main trail | | Faron region (Dracozu River) | Faron | Two separate trigger zones | | Eldin lower canyon | Eldin | Cave area near lava border |

Depths Locations

Gloom Hands are more common in the Depths:

• Near inactive Lightroots (areas not yet lit)
• Along main travel corridors between Lightroot clusters
• Near Abandoned Mines (most major mines have one encounter)

Depths trigger caution: In the Depths, the Gloom ground makes it harder to see the pre-spawn visual (the Gloom ground pulses slightly before hands emerge). Move carefully in unexplored areas.

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Fighting Gloom Hands (Optional)

Fighting them is optional but rewards Gloom weapons (very strong Fuse materials).

Strategy:

1. Stay mobile — never stand still
2. Target one hand at a time with arrows (Fire Arrows are most effective)
3. Each hand has independent HP — destroy each one
4. When a hand is destroyed → it's permanently gone from that encounter
5. After all five hands destroyed → Phantom Ganon spawns automatically

Fire Arrow effectiveness: Gloom Hands are vulnerable to fire. Fire Arrows from range kill individual hands quickly. Stock 20–30 before attempting.

Bomb Arrow alternative: Higher damage per shot but more expensive. Reserve for the final 1–2 hands.

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Phantom Ganon

Triggers: After all five Gloom Hands are destroyed. Cannot be summoned without first killing all five hands.

Type: Dark mirror of Ganondorf's phantom — fights with a phantom sword and dark energy.

Combat pattern:

• Fast sword swings (wide arc)
• Dark energy projectile (medium range)
• Phase 2 (below 50% HP): becomes faster, adds combo extensions

Strategy:

1. Perfect dodge the sword combo → Flurry Rush (most effective offense)
2. Parry the dark projectile → deflect back
3. Keep moving — Phantom Ganon repositions aggressively

Rewards: After killing Phantom Ganon:

• Gloom Sword or Gloom Spear drop (random)
• Additional Gloom material drops

Gloom Sword / Gloom Spear properties:

• Extremely high base attack (70+ for the sword)
• Inflicts Gloom damage on enemies (causes their max HP to reduce)
• Durability: standard — they break like regular weapons
• Critical: The Gloom effect also applies to Link if the weapon breaks in his hand (rare edge case — don't let it get to 1 durability)

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Farming Phantom Ganon Weapons

Best farm location: Hyrule Castle dungeon (multiple Gloom Hands groups, fastest Phantom Ganon spawns)

Cycle:

1. Defeat all 5 Gloom Hands at Hyrule Castle → Phantom Ganon → collect weapon
2. Save / fast travel out
3. Blood Moon reset → return → repeat

Gloom weapons as Fuse material:

• Don't equip Gloom weapons directly (Gloom risk)
• Instead: use them as Fuse materials on strong weapons
• Fusing a Gloom Sword to a 2H claymore adds 30+ attack AND the Gloom effect to enemies
• The Fused weapon doesn't have the Gloom-on-break risk — the Fuse is purely offensive

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Quick Tips

• Paraglide = instant escape — whenever you see the ground pulse (Gloom Hands pre-spawn), jump and paraglide immediately. You'll be above grab range before they fully emerge.
• Don't run into trigger zones at night — Gloom Hands are harder to see at night. The ground Gloom texture is visually similar to the environment. Be cautious in known spawn areas at night.
• Fire Arrows for hand combat — if you choose to fight, Fire Arrows are the most cost-effective counter. They deal bonus damage to the hands and are much cheaper than Bomb Arrows.
• Gloom Sword as Fuse only — the Phantom Ganon weapon drop is most valuable as a Fuse material, not as an equipped weapon. Fuse it to your best 1H or 2H for an immediate 30+ attack jump.
• Depths awareness is critical — Gloom Hands in the Depths can appear suddenly with no visual warning in dark areas. Never sprint blindly through unexplored Depths corridors.

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See also: Gloom Guide | Depths Exploration Guide | Combat Basics Guide