botw molduking guide

BOTW Molduking Guide: You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Bow

The Breath of the Wild is an exceptional game with many well-deserved accolades. However, one of the things I’ve found most impressive about the game is its enemies.

Each new enemy feels unique, not only in appearance but also in their behavior and skill level needed to beat them. Breath of the Wild doesn’t break the mold of enemies in video games or even in a Zelda game; it does, however, further refine the formula to near perfection.

A perfect example is the Molduga and Muldking, two vicious predators that were stand-out enemies for me throughout the game.

Bottom Line Upfront

The Moduking is a fiercer version of the Molduga, a vicious sand shark that will hunt Link down and ram into him as hard as it can so that it can devour him. If you’re familiar with the Sandworms from the Dune series or the Grabboids from the film Tremors, then you have a good idea of what the Mulduking is. A vicious apex predator that lives beneath the sand and hunts by sensing its prey’s vibrations from above.

Because of its sensitive hearing, it can also be stunned by sudden loud sounds, such as from Link’s remote bombs and bomb arrows. After the creature has been stunned, Link can attack it.

Unlike the Molduga, only one Molduking is available in the second DLC pack: The Champions’ Ballad and it must be beaten before you can access the Keive Tala Shrine.

Molduking Lore

molduking lore botw

What’s more terrifying than a shark? A Shark that hunts on land with its superb hearing that can sense the slightest vibration on the surface of the sand. And being the apex predator that it is, it assumes any sound it hears is its prey and will chase after it, devouring it whole in one gulp.

Stronger, more durable, and bigger than its Molduga counterparts, its immense size and strength are due to it sleeping for hundreds of years underground, absorbing iron to make its armor-like skin. The creature is feared amongst the Gerudo, and it’s obvious to see why when you notice the various Gerudo weapons sticking out of the monster’s hide, signifying just how many have been devoured by the Molduking. 

The names Molduga and Molduking are derived from “molgura,” the Japanese word for “mole.” This is fitting for a creature that spends most of its life underground. But Molduga and Molduking may reference another legend of the Zelda monster, the Molgera.

The Molgera is a boss in the Wind Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. Instead of being a shark, however, it’s a giant worm that hides underground before attacking.

Both the Molduking and Molgera have enormous mouths for swallowing prey. However, the most significant difference is that the Molgera body is much more snake-like than fish-like, and the Molgera can fly.

I’m very thankful they didn’t make the Molduking fly. The Molduking has four stubby legs. Two in front and two by its back fin. Its legs seem too small to be of any use to the creature, but it does make it cute in a disturbing kind of way.

As it prepares to attack, it jumps out of the sand, and you can see its giant dorsal and tail fins comprised of boney spines connected by a blue membrane. When it goes in for the kill, it opens its large mouth with a nearly endless row of teeth and a boney protrusion sticking out of its chin, resembling a shovel, making it perfect for the creature to scoop its prey into its mouth as it swims across the sand.

Finding the Molduking

Battling the Molduking is the first step of the larger EX Champion Urbosa’s Song, which is part of the Champion’s Ballad DLC. To begin the quest, go to the stone monument to the East Gerudo Mesa to get clues. The monument will display three images that look somewhat like a google maps image. Kass, the bird that seemingly follows you everywhere, will sing a song explaining the clues.

The first clue is “Fight the Brute in the Sand.” This is the first step in finding the Molduking.

urbosa-momument

After getting the clues, head to Gerudo town (Remember that to get in, you have to dress as a woman) and speak to Captain Teake.

She doesn’t give that much information, you would think the captain of the guards would be more invested in a monster that’s eating her people, but instead, she tells you that Traysi, the author of the “Rumor Mill,” has been looking for the Molduking and to talk to her.

molduking botw

Traysi can be found skulking around one of the entrances to the city. If you speak to her, she’ll tell you that the Gerudo have been trying and failing to kill the Molduking. Later, if you defeat the Molduking and talk to Traysi, she will tell you she watched your fight and wants to interview you. Their conversation is funny, so I won’t spoil it. But go check it out.

gerudo desert botw

The Molduking can be found in the Gerudo Desert in East Barrens. The area the creature is hiding in is filled with old ruins. You’ll know you’re getting close because, being a boss, its HP bar pops up long before the beast is visible.

Once you get closer, the Molduking will jump out of the sand like a whale, thus signaling the start of the battle.

botw molduking

Recommended Weapons

  • Remote Bombs
  • Bomb Arrows
  • Shock Arrow
  • Savage Lynel Bow
  • Revali’s Gale
  • Glider
  • A Claymore or Mighty Lynel Crusher

How to Beat the Molduking

The battle can be difficult or easy depending on your strategy, so grab the items that fit your play style. Once you arrive at the East Barrens and see the Molduking jump out of the sand, head to the nearest stone pillar and climb to the top. Remember that being on the ground is dangerous for this boss to fight.

When the Molduking crawls under the sand, throw a remote bomb in his path from atop the column. Do not detonate it yet. The Molduking will hear the sound of the bomb hitting the ground and jump out of the sand to swallow it whole. When it jumps out to swallow the bomb, quickly detonate it to stun the Molduking and jump off the column using your glider. Then, quickly take out your bow and shoot it with arrows.

Though you can use bomb arrows, shock arrows do much more damage. Use your bow immediately after you jump off the column with your glider. Using your bow in mid-air will slow down time, allowing you to get multiple shots on the beast.

beat the molduking botw

Method 1: A Shocking Solutions

If you use shock arrows with the Savage Lynel Bow, you’ll shoot three arrows at a time, taking huge chunks of the monster’s health. Once The Molduking is on the ground, you can either continue to hit it with arrows or use Urbosa’s Fury to finish it off.

This is the easiest way to take down the Molduking, as the creature is highly vulnerable to electricity. If this were a Pokemon game, the Molduking would be a water type.

Method 2: Bombs Away

If you don’t have shock arrows, you’ll have to use bomb arrows and then hit the beast with a melee weapon. If you use bomb arrows, follow the steps above, but once the creature falls to the ground, attack it near its head with a claymore or the mighty Lynel Crusher using your spin attack.

You will probably use about two stamina wheels to get the most effective damage. Again, Urbosa’s fury would be great here instead of just using your melee weapon. The reason for attacking near its head is that when the Molduking lifts its head, it’s a tell that it will flip over.

Before it flips over, head back to your column, rinse, and repeat until you defeat the beast. It can be challenging to get your flow down, so have Revali’s Gale ready if you make a mistake and must return to your column quickly.

After its defeat, the Molduking will respawn after each blood moon.

Rewards for Beating the Molduking

  • Golden Claymore
  • Gerudo Spear
  • Rusty Broadsword
  • Rusty Halberd
  • Throwing Spear
  • Three chests with Royal weapons in them
  • Access to the Keive Tala Shrine

After Beating the Molduking

beating the molduking botw

After you beat the Molduking, you’ll gain access to the Keive Tala shrine. After you beat the shrine, solve the other two clues from Kass.

The clues are:

  • Chase rings upon the land
  • Throw the orb underground.

“Chase rings on the land” requires you to do shield surfing while holding onto a sand seal, while “Throw the orb underground” will require you to infiltrate the Yiga Clan Hideout.

Once complete, you’ll do a reprisal of the Thunderblight Ganon boss fight and end the Urbosa Song quest.

The next step is completing the shrine of Resurrection.

FAQs

Question: What is the Difference between a Molduga and a Molduking?

Answer: The Molduking is larger than the Molduga and has much more health. And instead of charging at its prey and ramming it, the Molduking will jump up and attempt to swallow it whole. The color and markings on the Molduking are also different.

Question: Is Molduking only in DLC?

Answer: Yes, only in the second DLC pack, the Champions Ballad.

Question: How Do I Beat Molduking?

Answer: The best strategy is to lure the beast out by throwing bombs on the ground and detonating them when it goes to eat it. Then, use this moment to fire shock arrows at the creature before attacking it with your sword.

BOTW Molduking Guide: Conclusion

The Molduking is big, scary, and challenging to beat, and I love it. It’s a fun enemy that provides a decent challenge; however, if you follow the steps in this guide, you will make relatively quick work of it. I think the strategy you choose depends on your combat style. If you’re like me and want to savor the battle and challenge yourself, you can use bomb arrows.

However, if you want to make it as easy as possible, use shock arrows and Urbosa’s Fury to take it down quickly and easily. And there’s no shame in going the easy route; it’s just about preference, especially since defeating it the more complex way requires a bit of finger gymnastics.

There’s no definitive right way to fight the Molduking. However, these are the ways that I find to be the most effective. The best part of Breath of the Wild is exploring and finding new ways of tackling the game’s many obstacles. This creature is so fascinating because it perfectly combines two real fears—being attacked by a shark and being attacked by some subterranean monster we can’t see.

The Molduking is grand and bombastic and can proudly sit alongside monsters like the Sandworm from Dune.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top