Ganon's Tower

Techniques

Grapple Skip

This is a trick used to skip the first grappling hook post on the way to Ganondorf. It primarily comprises of getting onto the chain underneath the Ganondorf fight entryway after climbing the rope, and clipping up through the ceiling onto the floor at the top.

Backwards Crawling

Discovered by gymnast86^[1], modified for randomizer by DeanMachine42, made more consistent by PK_Slam

This method involves clipping up when standing after crawling backwards underneath the ceiling. First target against the chain to get an angle even with it, and jumpslash to get up. Once up, turn around completely. If you don't turn around perfectly, you most likely won't end up in the right spot after the next step. If you're having issues getting a perfect turn around, you can use the Wind Waker to do so.

Once you have turned around, do 3 backflips to get into position, then crawl backwards 4 times. During the fourth crawl, release R to stand up, and if done correctly, you will stand up on the floor above the chain. This is generally inconsistent, but can be made more consistent with a slightly different set of crawling movements. First crawl backwards 3 times instead of 4, then crawl forwards and back again 3 times, then crawling backwards one last time and standing up after the crawl instead of during. Here's a summary of the full crawling movements for it: Back, Back, Back, Forward, Back, Forward, Back, Forward, Back, Back, Stand.

Shield Backflip

Discovered by TrogWW, modified for hammer and weaponless by Melonzy8 and JarheadHME

This method utilizes a strange quirk in the game's behavior which prevents you from being crushed by a ceiling while backflipping as long as you are shielding. If you are within a small range of about 2 units near the top of the chain, you can backflip while holding shield and you will pop up onto the floor above.

When getting into position, you need to be very careful that you don't move too much, or at all between steps of the setups. Since the working range is quite small, it is very easy to overstep a slight amount and end up out of range. If you clip straight through without popping up top or voiding, then you were between 3 to 5 units too close to the ceiling. If you just void out, you were either more than 5 units too close, or too far away.

Below are the current best setups to get into position using specific items.

Sword

This method is the most common, as you usually have a sword, which is always equipped. The setup goes as follows:

1. Target the front of the chain
2. Jumpslash onto it
3. Turn around
4. Backflip 3 times
5. Slash your sword once.

Hammer

This method is useful for if you're playing swordless mode, and have a hammer. The setup goes as follows:

1. Target the front of the chain
2. Jump attack onto it
3. Roll forward
4. Jump attack
5. Roll forward
6. Turn around

There are two important things to note about this setup. First is to make sure you don't do the jump attack too soon after the first roll. Second is to make sure that if you are doing shield rolls to roll with the hammer in your hand ensure you are not holding shield when the roll ends, else you won't move far enough. However, if you do hold R until the end of both rolls, you can instead put away the hammer, start a crawl, and stand back up without moving before turning around. This should leave you in the right position.

Neither

This method is a bit less likely to be relevant to any specific run, but still has its uses.

The start of the setup is a bit more complicated since you can't just jumpslash up. You need to climb up onto it, but this isn't as straightforward as any other ledge. You can only climb up facing diagonally against the chain, which can be somewhat finicky. A way to do it consistently is to target against the chain, stand off to one side, then pause-buffer an up-diagonal analog stick input towards the other end of the chain. This should make you grab the ledge of the chain consistently.

The steps for getting into shield-backflip position are as follows:

1. Roll forward
2. Turn Around
3. Backflip 1 time
4. Roll forward
5. Backflip 2 times

There's one extra thing to keep in mind with this setup, and that is just to not roll too soon after climbing up.

Once in position

Once you have done whichever of the above setups to get into position, all you need to do is target, hold shield, and do a backflip. Do not release shield until after you have already landed. This should clip you through the ceiling onto the floor above.

Checks

Maze Chest

The route through the maze

From the starting position, go:

1. Back
2. Left
3. Forward
4. Left
5. Right
6. Forward

A common mnemonic that runners use to remember this is "D LUL RU" (Down, Left, Up, Left, Right, Up), where "Down" is behind Link's starting position and camera, and "Up" is in front of him.