The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom - How to Locate Darknut Lv. 3 Echo

One of the earliest monster-based Echoes you’ll come across in Echoes of Wisdom is the Darknut Echo, and naturally, you’ll want to upgrade it to Darknut Lv. 3. Unlike the regular and Lv. 2 Darknut, the Lv. 3 version can’t be found in any of the game’s dungeons.

Instead, you’ll need to explore a hidden cave in the eastern Faron Wetlands. This formidable foe is no pushover and can easily overpower your weaker Echoes—and even Zelda herself—if you’re not prepared. However, taking down the Darknut Lv. 3 comes with a valuable reward, making it worth your effort, even if you don’t plan on using it in battle.

Where to Find the Darknut Lv. 3 Echo

To begin, open your map and focus on the southeastern area where the Faron Wetlands are located. Your journey through the game will eventually take you to this region, so you may already have this part of the map uncovered. Locate Scrubton, positioned at the heart of the Faron Wetlands.

From Scrubton’s iconic Smoothie Shop, head east until you reach a set of ruins. Here, you’ll find an entrance leading into the cave where the Darknut Lv. 3 awaits. Before diving in, make sure you have some Lv. 2 Echoes or the Wizzrobe Echoes in your arsenal to stand a fighting chance.

Navigating the Cave to Face Darknut Lv. 3

Once inside, you’ll enter a room with five pathways guarded by Armos. Be cautious—if you get too close, all the Armos statues will spring to life. You can avoid triggering them by using Tri’s Bind Ability (X-button). Watch out for the broken floor blocks along the way; stepping on them will cause them to collapse. Carefully move the second Armos from the left to reveal a hidden ladder and toss the statue into the abyss to proceed.

If you don’t already have the Armos Echo, defeat an Armos to learn it. Its weakness lies on its back. Use Tri’s Bind Ability to pull the Armos toward Zelda, exposing the vulnerable spot on its bright blue back. Attack with your Echoes or in Swordfighter Mode to defeat it. If you’d rather skip this process, you can obtain the Armos Echo through the quest "A Rift in the Faron Wetlands."

Overcoming Beamos and Reaching Darknut Lv. 3

In the next room, you’ll encounter a towering rock wall that can be climbed, but Beamos guards are positioned nearby to target Zelda. These enemies fire beams from their single eye when they spot you. Unlike Armos, Beamos can be defeated by hitting their eye. Use an Echo like the Crow or Keese to quickly stun them, and once hit, they’ll turn to stone. To finish them off, use Bombfish or Bombs from Swordfighter Mode.

Climb the wall, ascend the red ladders, and navigate through the rock walls until you reach the final room. Here, you’ll face off against the Darknut Lv. 3. It will immediately charge at you once it spots you, so be ready for a fight.

Tips for Defeating Darknut Lv. 3

Though the Darknut Lv. 3 is slow, it has a powerful and extended spin attack. To take it down, you can either use two regular Darknut Echoes or, if you have them, a Lv. 3 Echo like the Sword Moblin. Swordfighter abilities such as the bow will also be useful in this battle. The key is to keep Zelda at a safe distance, as the Darknut Lv. 3 isn’t particularly fast, giving you plenty of opportunities to strike.

Defeating Darknut Lv. 3 will reward you with a chest containing the Spin Brace, a valuable item to add to your collection.

Power Requirements for Summoning Darknut Lv. 3

To summon Darknut Lv. 3, you’ll need 5 triangles of Tri’s power. This becomes possible when Tri reaches level 6. Once Tri reaches max level, the power cost reduces to just one triangle. While you can’t summon two Lv. 3 Darknuts at the same time, you’ll be able to summon one alongside a regular Darknut, which only costs 2 triangles once Tri reaches level 4.