Phantom Ganon — The Demon King's Shadow

Phantom Ganon is a recurring boss encounter in Tears of the Kingdom — a corrupted echo of Ganondorf that appears as a tall, shadowy warrior in Ganondorf's likeness. Unlike Gloom Hands which ambush the player, Phantom Ganon is a direct combat encounter and tests your ability to read weapon attacks and counter with precise timing.

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What Is Phantom Ganon?

Phantom Ganon is a manifestation of Ganondorf's power, created by the Demon King to haunt key locations in Hyrule. It wields Gloom-infused weapons that permanently reduce Link's max hearts on hit (Gloom damage), making it one of the few overworld encounters that can meaningfully degrade your health pool.

Phantom Ganon appears after defeating Gloom Hands in certain locations. Killing Gloom Hands summons Phantom Ganon as the follow-up encounter.

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All Phantom Ganon Locations

| Location | How to Trigger | Notes | |----------|---------------|-------| | Hyrule Castle Depths entrance | Defeat Gloom Hands in Hyrule Castle | First scripted encounter | | Korok Forest | After defeating the Gloom Hands blocking the Lost Woods | Korok Forest main quest | | Depths — Abandoned Mines | Gloom Hands patrol areas in the Depths | Multiple potential spawns | | Gerudo Desert Chasm | Gloom Hands near the Gerudo region chasm | Southern Depths access | | Akkala region | Gloom Hands in the Eldin/Akkala highlands | Rare patrol spawn |

Note: Every Phantom Ganon encounter follows the same combat pattern — the fights are mechanically identical, only difficulty scales with the strength of the associated Gloom Hands.

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Quick Stats

| Stat | Value | |------|-------| | HP | ~2,500 | | Gloom Damage | Yes — hits reduce max hearts | | Phase Change | At ~50% HP | | Weakness | Light Arrows, holy weapons, dodge-counter | | Recommended Hearts | 14+ | | Difficulty | Intermediate |

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Recommended Gear

Armor

• Any high-defense set (30+ armor) — Phantom Ganon's Gloom attacks hurt
• Amber Earrings / Flamebreaker — for the fire variant fight if applicable
• Tights of the Wild / Armor of the Wild — bonus damage if you have shrine completion

Weapons

• Strong one-handed sword — Phantom Ganon fights in melee; a one-handed weapon with shield gives the most defensive options
• Strong shield — Perfect Guard is extremely effective in this fight
• Bow with 5+ arrows — for Phase 2 ranged window

Consumables

• Sundelion meals (restore Gloom-reduced hearts) — critical for this fight
• Fairies x3 — standard
• Attack-boosting elixir — shortens the fight, reducing Gloom exposure

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Combat Guide

Phase 1: Aggressive Melee

Phantom Ganon opens with aggressive combo attacks using its Gloom-infused greatsword or spear (weapon varies by encounter). All attacks deal Gloom damage — getting hit reduces your max heart count.

Attack Patterns:

Two-Hit Combo: A downward slash followed by a horizontal sweep. Dodge backward after the first hit to avoid the second, then counterattack.

Lunging Stab: A fast forward thrust. Sidehop left or right for a Flurry Rush window. This is the most reliable Flurry Rush opportunity in the fight.

Ground Slam: Phantom Ganon raises its weapon overhead and slams the ground with a shockwave. Jump at the moment of impact to avoid the shockwave, then attack.

Perfect Guard Window: Phantom Ganon's attacks have long, readable windup animations. Timing a Perfect Guard (Shield + A at impact) staggers Phantom Ganon and opens a free attack window. This is the safest consistent damage strategy.

Phase 1 Strategy:

1. Use Perfect Guard to block attacks and punish the stagger.
2. Dodge lunge attacks for Flurry Rush opportunities.
3. Don't get greedy — Phantom Ganon's combos extend if you interrupt them.
4. Sage abilities deal full damage — use Tulin's gust for ranged chip damage.

Phase Change (~50% HP)

Phantom Ganon becomes more aggressive and glows with intensified Gloom energy. Its movement speed increases and it adds new attacks.

New Attacks in Phase 2:

Gloom Barrage: Phantom Ganon launches multiple Gloom projectiles from its weapon. Sidestep each projectile or use a shield to block.

Teleport Strike: Phantom Ganon briefly vanishes and reappears behind or beside Link for a surprise attack. Watch for the shadow and dodge the moment it reappears.

Triple Combo: Adds a third hit to its standard combo. The timing shift requires resetting your dodge rhythm.

Phase 2 Strategy:

1. Switch to bow for the Gloom Barrage — shoot Phantom Ganon's face between barrages.
2. Listen for the teleport sound cue and prepare a dodge.
3. Continue Perfect Guard on the combo attacks — the timing is tighter but still manageable.

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Gloom Damage Recovery

Phantom Ganon's attacks reduce your maximum hearts (grayed out hearts that cannot be healed with food). To recover Gloom-reduced hearts:

| Method | Recovery | |--------|----------| | Sundelion meals | Restore Gloom damage to max hearts | | Touching a Lightroot (Depths) | Full Gloom restoration | | Returning to the surface | Clears active Gloom status | | Yellow heart elixirs | Add temporary max hearts |

Critical: Bring at least 3 Sundelion-based meals into Phantom Ganon fights. If Gloom reduces you below 6 hearts, the fight becomes extremely risky.

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Drops

| Drop | Notes | |------|-------| | Gloom Sword | Powerful Gloom-infused weapon, fuse-able | | Gloom Spear | High-damage polearm | | Demon King's Bow | High-power Gloom bow | | Gloom Reed | Fuse material — adds Gloom damage to weapons | | Phantom Ganon Skull | Rare drop — fuse for intimidation effect |

Gloom weapons deal Gloom damage to enemies (reduces their max HP), making them uniquely powerful against tough enemies. The downside is they also damage Link on use as they drain his own max hearts when wielded barehanded — fuse them to avoid the self-damage.

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Tips

• Defeat Gloom Hands first, then rest. Gloom Hands are often harder than Phantom Ganon. Use your resources on the Hands, then rest/cook before Phantom Ganon if possible (you can leave and come back after Gloom Hands are dead).
• Perfect Guard is the core skill. Master shield parrying before this fight — it makes Phantom Ganon manageable at any heart count.
• Sundelions are essential. The bright yellow flower found on Sky Islands is your Gloom cure. Sundelion + any fruit = Gloom-curing meals. Stock 5+ meals before major Phantom Ganon fights.
• Don't stand still. Phantom Ganon reads stationary Link and adjusts its attack targeting. Keep moving between dodges.