You’ve spent dozens of hours in Breath of the Wild. You think you know Daruk. Big guy, loud voice, carries a rock-smashing sword, and has that impenetrable orange shield. He’s the "tough guy" of the group, right? Well, if you haven’t played through the Champions’ Ballad DLC and specifically finished the Ex Champion Daruk's Song quest, you’re basically missing the punchline to his entire character.
Honestly, the Eldin region is a pain to navigate. The heat, the constant lava, the rocks that want to crush you—it’s a lot. But tucked away in this volcanic mess is one of the most humanizing stories in the Zelda franchise. Most players rush through the trials just to get the shiny upgrade at the end, but they skip over the actual song that Kass sings. That’s a mistake.
Getting Started: The Pedestal and the Poet
To even start this, you have to have finished the four initial trials on the Great Plateau. Once that's done, the One-Hit Obliterator (that crazy weapon that leaves you with a quarter-heart) breaks apart. One of those shards lands right near the Golow River, overlooking Goron City.
When you get there, you’ll find Kass. He’s standing by a newly risen stone monument that looks like something straight out of a Sheikah fever dream. He’s working on his teacher’s "unfinished song," and he’s looking for inspiration. He gives you three specific clues in a verse that sounds cool but is actually just a glorified riddle:
- Stop a titan made of molten stone.
- Follow rings of light alone.
- Survive lava’s fiery fate.
Basically, go do some chores around the volcano.
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The Three Trials (And How to Not Die)
The game doesn't just hand you these locations. You have to look at the maps on the stone obelisks and match them to your Sheikah Slate. It's a bit of a scavenger hunt, but luckily, they're all in the Eldin area.
The Molten Titan at Lake Darman
This is probably the coolest part of the quest. You have to head to Lake Darman, which is north of Death Mountain. There’s an Igneo Talus Titan sitting in the middle of a lava lake. You can’t just walk up to it; you’ll literally melt. You have to use the updrafts and ice arrows. Hit it with an ice arrow to cool it down, then climb up and whack the ore deposit. If you don’t cool it off first, Link just does a little "I’m on fire" dance and falls off. Not ideal.
The Rings of Light
Teleport to Vah Rudania. Seriously, it's the fastest way. Look south and you'll see a blue ring glowing in the distance. This is a timed race. You glide, you run, you climb. It’s mostly just a test of your stamina management. If you have the climbing gear or Revali’s Gale, it’s a breeze. If not, well, have fun chugging stamina elixirs.
Surviving Lava’s Fiery Fate
This one is at Darb Pond. It’s south of the Bridge of Eldin. You’ll see a bunch of Gorons standing around a blue ring that’s just... floating over lava. You can’t touch the lava. You’ll die. The trick here is using Magnesis on the metal boxes nearby. You have to stack them or move them so you can stand on something while you pass through the ring. It’s a "the floor is lava" game where the stakes are actually your life.
The Memory: Daruk’s Greatest Weakness
Once you finish the three shrines (Kamia Omuna, Sharo Lun, and Rinu Honika), you have to go back to Vah Rudania. You don’t fight the real Fireblight Ganon again; instead, you enter an "Illusory Realm." It’s a mental projection where you fight him with a limited inventory: the Boulder Breaker, a Knight’s Bow, and some food.
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It’s tougher than the first time. But the real reward comes after.
Kass sings the completed version of Ex Champion Daruk's Song, and it triggers a memory from 100 years ago. Zelda is walking with Daruk along the mountain road. They’re talking about the Calamity and how Daruk is going to pilot Rudania. He’s being his usual boisterous self. Suddenly, some Bokoblins attack. Daruk absolutely destroys them in seconds. He’s a beast.
But then, Zelda notices what the monsters were attacking. It’s a Hylian Retriever. A dog.
The Great Daruk, the man who eats rocks for breakfast and fights giant lava monsters, starts shaking. He cowers behind his shield. Why? Because he was chased by dogs when he was a kid and he’s still terrified of them. He even asks Zelda if Calamity Ganon is "some kind of dog monster."
It’s a hilarious, weirdly touching moment. It shows that even the "strongest" of the Champions has a goofy, irrational fear. It makes him feel like a real person instead of just a trope.
Why You Actually Want the Reward
Besides the story, finishing this quest upgrades your ability. You get Daruk’s Protection +.
The cooldown time for the shield is reduced by two-thirds. In the base game, you have to wait ages for those three charges to come back. With the upgrade, you basically always have a shield ready. If you’re playing on Master Mode, this isn't just a "nice to have"—it’s a necessity for survival.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your quest log: Ensure you've completed all four Divine Beasts and the Great Plateau DLC trials.
- Stock up on Ice Arrows: You’ll need them for the Igneo Talus Titan. Don't show up with just regular arrows.
- Find the Goron Journal: If you want even more lore, go to Yunobo's house in Goron City. Daruk's training journal is there, and it adds a lot of context to his relationship with the dog in the memory.
- Pin the locations: Use your scope to mark the three locations shown on the monument so you don't have to keep opening your map.