How do I start the Divine Beast Vah Ruta quest in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild?

To start the Divine Beast Vah Ruta quest in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you need to follow a series of steps that involve interacting with key NPCs, preparing for combat, and solving puzzles. This quest is one of the four main Divine Beast quests and is essential for progressing the story and gaining powerful abilities. Here is a detailed guide on how to begin and complete the quest.

First, you need to reach Zora's Domain, which is located in the Lanayru region. To get there, you can follow the path from Kakariko Village or travel directly from the Great Plateau if you are familiar with the map. The journey to Zora's Domain can be challenging due to the constant rain, which makes climbing difficult. To mitigate this, you can cook meals that provide stamina or use the Zora Armor set, which allows you to swim upstream more efficiently.

Once you arrive at Zora's Domain, you will meet Prince Sidon, who will explain the situation with Divine Beast Vah Ruta. The Divine Beast is causing trouble by creating endless rain, which is causing the water levels to rise and threatening to flood the surrounding areas. Sidon will ask for your help to calm Vah Ruta by shooting its four water spouts with Shock Arrows. These arrows are essential for the quest, so make sure you have at least 20 of them. You can find Shock Arrows by defeating enemies like Lizalfos or purchasing them from shops.

After speaking with Sidon, you will need to prepare for the journey to Vah Ruta. This involves gathering resources, such as food, weapons, and armor. It is recommended to have at least one weapon with high durability, as you will face tough enemies along the way. Additionally, cooking meals that provide extra hearts, stamina, or resistance to electricity can be very helpful. For example, cooking a dish with Hearty Radishes will give you extra hearts, while a dish with Voltfruit can provide resistance to electric attacks.

The next step is to travel to the East Reservoir Lake, where Vah Ruta is located. Sidon will accompany you and provide guidance. Once you reach the lake, you will need to use Shock Arrows to hit the four water spouts on Vah Ruta. This can be tricky, as the Divine Beast will move and try to attack you. To make this easier, you can use the Cryonis rune to create ice blocks that provide cover and a stable platform for shooting. Aim carefully and take your time to ensure you hit each spout.

After successfully hitting all four spouts, Vah Ruta will calm down, and you will gain access to its interior. Inside, you will need to solve a series of puzzles to activate the control terminals. These puzzles involve manipulating the Divine Beast's trunk and using the Cryonis rune to create ice blocks. Pay attention to the environment and look for clues that indicate where to use your abilities. For example, some terminals are hidden behind waterfalls, which can be frozen with Cryonis to reveal the path.

Once all the terminals are activated, you will face Waterblight Ganon, the boss of Vah Ruta. This boss has two phases. In the first phase, it will attack you with a spear and create ice blocks that you need to destroy with Cryonis. Use your bow to shoot its eye when it is exposed to deal significant damage. In the second phase, Waterblight Ganon will summon floating platforms and attack you with water orbs. Use the platforms to avoid the orbs and continue shooting its eye with arrows. Having a strong bow and plenty of arrows is crucial for this fight.

After defeating Waterblight Ganon, you will free Vah Ruta from Ganon's control and gain the ability Mipha's Grace. This ability allows you to resurrect with full health once per cooldown, making it a valuable asset for future battles. Additionally, you will receive a Heart Container and a cutscene that provides more insight into the story.

In summary, starting the Divine Beast Vah Ruta quest involves traveling to Zora's Domain, gathering Shock Arrows, and preparing for combat. The quest requires careful aim, puzzle-solving skills, and strategic use of abilities like Cryonis. By following these steps and preparing adequately, you can successfully complete the quest and gain a powerful ability to aid you in your journey.