To beat Volvagia in the Ocarina of Time remake, hit the dragon with the Megaton Hammer when it pokes out of a hole in the arena floor, which breaks its armor, then follow up with your sword. Keep the Goron Tunic on, run to each hole fast, and when it takes to the air, shoot it as it flies low and run to the far side when it drops rocks.
Volvagia is the boss of the Fire Temple. Below is what to bring, how to reach the arena, the fight step by step, and what to do once you win.
Before the Fight
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Megaton Hammer | Breaks the armor, and it is the temple’s own treasure |
| Goron Tunic | Withstands the heat of the arena |
| Boss Key | Opens the door, and comes from the last trapped Goron |
| Master Sword | Does the damage once the armor is broken |
| Fairy Bow or Hookshot | Hits the dragon as it flies low |
Tunics only change from the pause menu, as our quick swap guide explains, so check yours before you go through the door.
How to Reach Volvagia
Two jobs stand between you and the boss, and both need the Hammer.
- Send the pillar down. Back in the fire maze room on the third floor, smash the rock wall to reach a room with a Time Block. Play the Song of Time to remove it, drop down, and hit the Hammer switch to free a Goron. At the end of his cell, hit the circular panel in the floor with the Hammer. You and the pillar below it drop into the lava in front of the boss door.
- Get the Boss Key. Go east to the very first room of the temple and down the steps. On the east side, hit the blocks guarding the locked door with the Hammer. Beat the Torch Slugs and the room with flying floor panels and a Like Like, then take on a second Flare Dancer. A ground slam with the Hammer does the job a bomb did last time. Go through the door and hit the Hammer switch to free the last Goron, who has the Boss Key.
- Walk to the boss room. It is to the west, and the fallen pillar now makes a way across.
The Buttons You Need
| Action | Button |
|---|---|
| Open the quick-select bar | Hold R |
| Swing the Hammer | ZR, once you pick it on the bar |
| Swing your sword | Y |
| Target Volvagia | ZL |
| Jump, or backflip while targeting | X |
Holding the roll button keeps Link running with no stamina meter, which is what you want here. Our sprint guide covers it.
How to Beat Volvagia, Step by Step
- Put the Hammer on ZR. Hold R, select it, and let go before you go in.
- Watch the holes in the floor. Volvagia partly comes out of one of them.
- Run in and hit it with the Hammer. That destroys the armor and leaves the dragon open.
- Follow up with your sword. Press Y while it is exposed.
- Back off when it dives. Then watch the air and the holes for what it does next.
- Repeat until it falls.
Speed matters more than anything else in this fight. If you take too long to reach a hole, Volvagia lashes out with its claws, so start running as soon as you see which hole it chose.
Volvagia’s Attacks
| Attack | What it looks like | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Claw swipe | It has come out of a hole and you are late | Get there faster, or back off and wait for the next one |
| Fire breath | It flies low across the arena | Lock on with ZL and fire the Bow or Hookshot to damage it |
| Falling rocks | It flies high and drops rocks | Run to the opposite side of the arena and keep moving |
| Fake-outs | It teases a hole or two before emerging elsewhere | It comes out of the third hole, so head there early |
The falling rocks hurt the most, so do not stand still looking up. Later in the fight, the fake-outs are where you lose time: it pokes at holes before it really appears. Count them, and you can be waiting at the third hole with your Hammer ready.
Link’s jump button gives you a quick side jump or backflip if you need one, and the camera settings guide helps you keep sight of a target that keeps flying off screen.
What You Get, and Where to Go Next
Collect the Heart Container, and the Sage of Fire gives you the Fire Medallion. You land back in Death Mountain Crater.
Two things are worth doing from there:
- Visit the Great Fairy. Cross back over the bridge toward Goron City, take the other bridge south next to the entrance, and smash the rocks with the Hammer. She doubles your magic meter. Our Great Fairy Fountain guide has the details.
- Head for the Water Temple. Clear the Ice Cavern first for the Iron Boots and the Zora Tunic. The prize in there is the Longshot, and our 1998 guide to what comes after the Fire Temple covers the road.
You can fight Volvagia again in the Hall of Fallen Foes. Our boss list, written for the 1998 game, has who else is coming, and every remake guide is on our Zelda hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Volvagia in the Ocarina of Time remake? At the end of the Fire Temple, in a lava arena reached by dropping a pillar with the Megaton Hammer.
How do you damage Volvagia? Hit it with the Megaton Hammer when it comes out of a hole to break its armor, then follow up with your sword. The Bow or Hookshot also work when it flies low.
Do you need the Megaton Hammer to beat Volvagia? Yes. The Hammer is what breaks the armor, and you also need it to reach the arena.
How do you avoid Volvagia’s falling rocks? Run to the opposite side of the arena from where it is dropping them, and keep moving.
How do you know which hole Volvagia will come from? Later in the fight, it teases a couple of holes first and comes out of the third. Head for that one early.
What do you get for beating Volvagia? A Heart Container and the Fire Medallion from the Sage of Fire.