Alexis Kestler
So you‘re playing the massive new Zelda game Tears of the Kingdom and have gotten stuck behind a flooded stone gate on the Great Plateau with no way forward. Don‘t stress, brave adventurer! In this epic walkthrough, I‘ll explain everything you need to know to solve the "I am trapped under the water" puzzle and continue your open-world odyssey.
Draining the Flooded Canyon
Let‘s start at the beginning – how do you actually access this flooded area initially? From the Great Plateau Tower, glide southwest to reach a rocky cliffside path. Follow this path south, using your Crossbow to grapple across gaps. After fighting some dormant Guardians, you‘ll come to a river flowing through a tall stone gate, completely flooded.
Clearly you can‘t just swim or cryonis block your way through deep water. So it‘s time to drain this canyon. Turn around and climb the cliffs back north until you discover a stone tunnel. Smash the obvious breakable boulders here with a Hammer or Bombs.
Opening the tunnel lets the water drain out of the canyon below. With the path cleared, glide back down and stroll through the now-dry gate.
Pro Tip: Equip Magnesis before smashing boulders to spot any hidden breakable rocks for secrets!
Examining the Mysterious Voice Rock
Past the drained gate you‘ll notice a weird rock formation with glowing orange cracks. Examine it to trigger a cutscene and hear a mysterious voice:
"As a result of you draining the water from the gate, a part of me has been freed. You have earned my gratitude.”
This kicks off the next main story quest, though you still have another step…
Praying to the Statue in the Forest of Time
After chatting with the suspicious rock, head east back to the Forest of Time. Find the statue in the central ruins and interact to pray, triggering another cutscene.
"I speak to you now from the Depths below in guise of this statue," says the voice again. Very ominous!
Anyway, praying completes the flooded gate puzzle, letting you move on. But let‘s take a closer look at what‘s really going on here.
Analyzing this Early Game Puzzle
This flooded gate conundrum is more than just a random roadblock – it‘s expertly crafted to teach players core skills. Draining the water requires observation, exploration, and manipulating the environment. Smashing boulders or bombing cracks is a skill you‘ll use constantly.
The voice from "the Depths" hints at deeper mysteries. And the Forest of Time connects to iconic Zelda lore. This adds intriguing narrative depth to a simple puzzle.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, this gate teaches:
- Environmental manipulation
- Using items like hammers and bombs
- Listening for audio cues
- Revisiting previous locations
You‘re also forced to explore the Great Plateau more thoroughly, finding new paths and secrets. Early obstacles in Zelda games are all about breadcrumbing core skills that set you up for success. Now let‘s examine some tips for simplified solving.
Streamlined Solving Strategies
While the flooded gate puzzle has great design, sometimes you just want to get past it quickly in repeat playthroughs. Here are some power gamer tips:
- Skip climbing back up the canyon. Teleport directly to Shrine of Resurrection and glide down.
- Use Bombs instead of Hammer to break boulders faster.
- Equip Zora armor to swim up waterfalls.
- Obtain the Raft Relic from Kilton for faster water crossing.
- Cook Stamina meals to limit grappling and swimming.
No need to pray at the statue again either – the quest will auto-complete once you speak to the rock. Clever sequencing skips!
Expanding Your Inventory
Gear up properly before tackling flooded gates or other challenging areas. Here are some must-have items:
Weapons
- Hammer (break boulders)
- Bombs (blow up cracks)
- Bow (hit faraway switches)
Clothing
- Zora Armor (swim waterfalls)
- Climbing Gear (scale cliffs)
- Warm Doublet (resist cold)
Food
- Stamina Meals (swim/climb longer)
- Defense Meals (reduce damage)
- Attacks Meals (boost damage)
| Item | Effects | Recipes |
|---|---|---|
| Stamina Meal | Temporarily increases maximum stamina | Raw Meat + Stamshroom |
| Defense Meal | Temporarily increases defense | Fortified Pumpkin + Armoranth |
| Attack Meal | Temporarily increases attack power | Raw Meat + Mighty Thistle |
With the right preparation, no puzzle or enemy can stop you!
Additional Challenges to Seek Out
Once you‘ve mastered the flooded gate, try seeking out other early game puzzles and challenges across the Great Plateau:
- Decoding the Ancient Text: Find the three missing letters by completing Shrines.
- Magnesis Golf: Use Magnesis to guide a metal ball into a hole.
- Forest Maze: Navigate the foggy Lost Woods while avoiding Skull Kids.
- Shield Surfing: Ride a shield down a snowy slope.
- Oman Au Shrine: Use the Stasis Rune in creative ways.
- Cryonis Break: Smash Cryonis blocks into a formation.
These optional activities offer valuable rewards and practice. Zelda veterans know it pays to fully explore starting areas!
Hopefully this mega guide has equipped you to easily solve the flooded gate puzzle and push forward into Tears of Kingdom‘s mysterious world. Let me know if you have any other troublesome obstacles pop up in your adventure! I‘m always happy to help a fellow hero master the intricacies of Hyrule. Stay curious and courageous!
