Critical Point

A Critical Point is a narrow space of time or a small portion of a boss's body where Link has the opportunity to inflict damage on a dungeon boss with his sword, not always, but commonly using none other than the Master Sword at most of these events. Usually after required steps have been completed, the temple boss will become tired, expose a weak spot, or faint, giving Link a much needed chance to strike with his sword. In Twilight Princess, critical points in boss battles are denoted by a change of music, shifting from the common boss music to a more triumphant-sounding theme. It has been a facet of Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess to consistently incorporate three Critical Points in a boss battle before the boss is defeated, or changes technique, whereas the standard of three is repeated and so on.

Critical Points in Ocarina of Time

 * Queen Gohma: when Link stuns her with a Deku Nut, making her eye vulnerable
 * King Dodongo: after he swallows the Bomb he is left laying on the ground, vulnerable for attack
 * Barinade: after stunned with the boomerang
 * Phantom Ganon: once he has been hit by his own attack, he will land on the ground trying to catch his second wind
 * Volvagia: when stunned him with the Megaton Hammer after he pops out of his hole
 * Morpha: when the amoeba's nucleus is Hookshotted onto land and is flopping around
 * Bongo Bongo: after his hands have been shot with the Fairy Bow, and his eye has been revealed
 * Twinrova: in her second form, hit her with her own elemental attacks and she will come down to the ground
 * Ganondorf: like Phantom Ganon, you must hit him by deflecting his own attack at him, but you must also hit him with a Light Arrow immediately thereafter to make him vulnerable


 * Note: Twinrova does not have a critical point in the first round because only the Mirror Shield can be used to deflect oncoming blasts of fire and ice and direct them back at the witches, not the Master Sword.

Critical Points in Majora's Mask

 * Odolwa: When Link stuns him with either an arrow, sword strike, or popping out of a Deku Flower, Odolwa falls to his knees and is vulnerable.
 * Goht: After rolling into him with Goron Link, Goht will fall to his stomach and become vulnerable to attack. Another method is hitting him with an arrow.
 * Gyorg: Once Link shoots Gyorg in the eye with an arrow, Gyorg will sink to the bottom and be susceptible to attack. The only way to cause damage though, is to transform into Zora Link and sink to the bottom as well.
 * Majora's Mask: After hitting it's backside with an arrow, the mask will fall to the ground and be open for attack.
 * Majora's Incarnation: By attacking it while dancing, Majora's Incarnation will fall and be open for attack.
 * Majora's Wrath: Once Link finds an opportunity to attack, Majora's Wrath fill fall and be stunned.


 * Note: Twinmold does not have a critical point, because it has a constantly open weak point.


 * Another Note: All of the bosses critical points (excluding Twinmold) can be reached by shooting the sword beams out of Fierce Deity's sword. This method is much quicker and proves to be easier, too.

Critical Points in The Wind Waker

 * Gohma: use the Grappling Hook to bring her eye down to make her vulnerable
 * Kalle Demos: after detaching all its vines with the Boomerang, the plant in the center is vulnerable
 * Helmaroc King: when his beak is stuck in the ground, only after he sheds his broken facemask
 * Jalhalla: after he is thrown into a spiked pillar
 * Molgera: when its tongue has been hit with the Hookshot


 * ''Note: Gohdan does not have a critical point, because in order to subdue him, only bombs and arrows can be used - it is arguable if the Master Sword would even do any damage to Gohdan's hard outer surface

Critical Points in Twilight Princess

 * Diababa: when the largest mutated Baba plant falls, exposing its vulnerable eye
 * Fyrus: when he falls after Link had forced him to trip using the Iron Boots as leverage
 * Morpheel: in its second form, when Link grapples onto the eye of the serpent with the Clawshot
 * Stallord: in its head form, when Link strikes the skull with the Spinner, after getting close enough on the adjacent wall
 * Armogohma: using the Dominion Rod, when the statue crashes the spider after nailing it from the ceiling with the Hero's Bow
 * Argorok: in its second form, whenever Link is able to grapple to the dragon's back using the Double Clawshot - to deal damage with the Master Sword.


 * Note: Blizzeta in the Snowpeak Ruins does not give Link a chance at a critical point because in order to destroy the Twilit Ice Mass, only the Ball and Chain can be used, not the sword.