Wallmaster


 * Also see: Floormaster

Wallmasters, or Wall Masters, appear in many Zelda titles, however, their claim to fame as one of the most horrifying and frustrating enemies in the series stems from their inclusion in Ocarina of Time.

Characteristics
Wallmasters are monstrous hands that hang from the walls and ceilings of dank areas and dungeons, attempting to grab Link. If they grab him, he is taken back to the beginning of the dungeon or the specific room, making them one of the most infuriating, not to mention creepy, enemies in the series.

In its debut, the original The Legend of Zelda, the Wallmaster would come out of the walls to ambush Link on-screen, a trait that the foe has kept throughout the series. Furthermore, these enemies, in certain circumstances, were required to be defeated in order to progress in a dungeon. Beginning in A Link to the Past and continued in later titles such as Oracle of Seasons and The Minish Cap, a warning sound accompanies the presence of the Wallmaster, and they are able to rapidly regenerate themselves after defeat.

Ocarina of Time is the game in which Wallmasters meet their greatest acclaim - the growing shadow they create upon dropping, the rushing, eerie sound before the ambush, and their extended vitality makes this enemy one of the most fearsome in the series, after just one title. Navi even warns Link upon entering an area with Wallmasters, stating "watch for the shadows of monsters hanging from the ceiling". In Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, no more than one Wallmaster is fought at anytime.

Weaknesses
The best strategy is to stun them with an item, like the Boomerang as in The Minish Cap, and then slash them to their doom while they can't fight back. In Ocarina of Time, four slashes from the Kokiri Sword, two from the Master Sword, or one slash from the Biggoron's Sword will slay the monster; however, a fully charged spin attack from any sword is usually the easiest way to dispatch them. Din's Fire is also a fast, safe way to vaporize these creatures. In the Oracle titles, they can be defeated with three hits from the standard sword, and one hit with Master Sword or Biggoron's Sword.

The Legend of Zelda comic
Wallmasters also make an appearance in the Legend of Zelda comic. They are first shown in The Power, where Link pushes Princess Zelda into a Wallmaster to let her escape from a dungeon while the young hero goes off to fight Ganon. They later appear in both stories of Issue #5. In Choices, when Ganon tells Link that Princess Zelda has died, an angry Miff charges at Ganon while at the same time, Link throws his sword at him and warns the fairy that it's a trap. Upon striking Ganon with the sword, a Wallmaster is revealed, which crushes Link's weapon in two and makes Link realize that Ganon was lying  and Zelda is still alive. In their last depiction in Choices, a Wallmaster grabs Link by surprise after he successfully defeats a four-headed Gleeok.

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
Wallmasters actually serve a helpful purpose in this game. If Tingle brews the Hand Potion, he can use it on flaming hand statues deep inside dungeons, and a Wallmaster will do what it does best, grabbing a hold of Tingle and tossing him outside the dungeon. This is actually helpful to him, as the game can only be saved at Tingle's house, Tingle cannot use his balloon to return home unless he is outside the cavern.

Trivia

 * In every game after The Legend of Zelda, Wallmasters are known as "Fallmasters" in Japanese.
 * A glitch in the Game Boy Advance version of A Link to the Past occurs if Link leaves a room while a Wallmaster is dropping. It will continue to drop into the previous room, then return to the roof, crossing the screen again.
 * Wallmasters in The Minish Cap behave like the Floormasters of The Wind Waker