Deku Baba

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In Other Languages[show]
Language Name
Japan 日本語 デクババ
France Française Baba Mojo
Spain Español Baba Deku
Germany Deutsch Dekuranha
Italy Italiana Deku Baba

Deku Babas are common carnivorous plant enemies that appear in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Spirit Tracks, and Skyward Sword. There are several types of Deku Babas as well as other enemies with very similar characteristics.


Ocarina of Time


Deku Baba
Hit it when it lunges at you, and
it will stand upright. Cut it
quickly to get a Deku Stick!

Deku Baba Artwork from Ocarina of Time

Deku Babas in Ocarina of Time can be found within the Kokiri Forest, Inside the Deku Tree, Forest Temple, and the Bottom of the Well. They have a large, bulbous head that is blue in color with purple speckles around the mouth. The inside of their mouth is a textured red and pink, and there are no noticeable teeth. Their body, in relation to their head, is very thin and green. They have little means of defense besides their lunging bite that they use to intimidate and attack with when provoked.

When Link approaches a Deku Baba, it reveals itself and lunges out with a fierce bite. The most effective forms of defense against a Deku Baba are to block with Link's shield or to simply back away. Since a Deku Baba is attached to the ground, it can only lunge out the length of its stem. Link can use projectile attacks such as a Deku Nut to stun a Deku Baba.

If a Deku Baba attacks Link as it lunges out, it traps him in its mouth and continues to deal small amounts of damage until it releases him. If it is stunned prior to detection, it stands stick straight. However, if left unharmed, it starts to rotate in a circular motion as it un-stuns itself. This movement can also hurt Link if he stands too close without attacking. If Link defeats a Deku Baba while it is lunging to attack him, it drops Deku Nuts. If Link defeats a Deku Baba while it is standing straight up, it drops a Deku Stick.

In addition to standard Deku Babas, there are two variations of the enemy in the form of a Big Deku Baba and a Withered Deku Baba.

Big Deku Baba

Main article: Big Deku Baba

A Big Deku Baba is a larger variation of the standard Deku Baba. While it is a bit stronger than a standard Deku Baba, it has the same primary attacks. Big Deku Babas are found in the Kokiri Forest and the Forest Temple when Link is an adult.

Withered Deku Baba

Main article: Withered Deku Baba

Withered Deku Babas are weaker versions of the standard Deku Baba. These fellows will not even attack Link and the only way to get hurt is for Link to walk directly into them. A single sword slash defeats them, and they always leave behind a Deku Stick. Withered Deku Baba can be found within the Kokiri Forest and Inside the Deku Tree. This variation of a Deku Baba can also be found within Majora's Mask.

Majora's Mask


Don't tell me you don't know about
the Deku Baba! Cut it down when
it has extended its body and Deku
Nuts or Sticks will come out.

Deku Babas in Majora's Mask appear in an identical fashion as they did within Ocarina of Time. Deku Babas remain forest enemies, and they can be found within Termina Field, Southern Swamp, Woodfall Temple, and Sakon's Hideout.

Withered Deku Babas also make a return in Majora's Mask and can be found in similar forest areas where standard Deku Babas can be found. Additionally, there are two new variations of a Deku Baba in the form of a Bio Deku Baba and a Mini Baba.

Bio Deku Baba

Main article: Bio Deku Baba
Bio Deku Baba

Bio Deku Babas are alternate forms of Deku Babas, found hanging upside down from the ceiling or underneath lily pads. Bio Deku Babas can be found in Termina Field, Great Bay Temple, and Stone Tower Temple. Link can split them from the ceiling or their lily pads to make them drop to the ground where they continue to walk around. If Link tries to land on top of the lily pad where a Bio Deku Baba is hiding, it flips around and harms him.

Mini Baba

Main article: Mini Baba

Mini Babas are tiny variations of Deku Babas that completely lack stems. Thus, these creatures cannot reach out and harm Link. They can only hurt Link if he walks right into them. They are found exclusively within Southern Swamp and within underground caverns of Termina Field.

The Wind Waker

Deku Babas do not actually make an appearance in The Wind Waker. However, a very similar enemy known as a Boko Baba does and it shares many of the same characteristics.

Boko Baba

Main article: Boko Baba

Boko Babas are carnivorous plant enemies that live in the Forest Haven and the Forbidden Woods. They share many similar physical features and attributes with Deku Babas.

Twilight Princess

Deku Baba Artwork from Twilight Princess

Deku Babas in Twilight Princess share many of the same characteristics as their Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask counterparts, but they also have new abilities. This time, its head actually grasps on to Link when it bites him and it holds Link between its jaws. Link has to move around quickly or perform a Spin Attack in order to free himself from the plant's grasp. Deku Babas can be taken out easily by stunning them with a projectile weapon, then slashing them with Link's sword. After defeating a Deku Baba, its head dries up into a small sphere. This can be broken up to find Pumpkin Seeds which serve as an ammunition for Link's Slingshot.

In Twilight Princess, there are many variations of Deku Babas. The standard Deku Baba retains its forest habitat, being found within the Faron Woods, Forest Temple, Hyrule Field, Kakariko Gorge Cavern, and strangely enough within the City in the Sky. However, there are now several new variations including a Baba Serpent, Big Baba, Shadow Deku Baba, and even a full-out temple boss Diababa. All members of the Deku Baba family can be found within the same forest areas, while Shadow Deku Baba naturally can be only be found within the Twilight.

Baba Serpent

Main article: Baba Serpent

Baba Serpents are a special type of Deku Baba that does not die when its head has been separated from its stem; but instead, it slithers along the ground, chomping its teeth and occasionally lunging towards Link. It slithers on the ground much like a snake would, hence the name Baba Serpent. Once it has been detached from its stem, Link must attack it, or it grabs a hold of Link. The only way to get out of its grip is to perform a Spin Attack. Baba Serpents can also be found hanging from the ceiling. Again, using projectile weapons to stun them can be very helpful. If left alone, these Baba Serpent can re-attach to their base to form Deku Babas.

Big Baba

Main article: Big Baba

A Big Baba is a much larger version of a Deku Baba found within the Forest Temple and the City in the Sky. These creatures have much larger range due to their long stems. Once one has been defeated, it turns into a Deku Like. Throw a bomb into it to finish it off.

Diababa Artwork from Twilight Princess


Main article: Diababa

Twilit Parasite: Diababa is a large, three-headed version of a Deku Baba. It serves as the boss of the Forest Temple. Link can use the dungeon item, the Gale Boomerang, to whirl a bomb into its mouth, knocking its head to the ground and temporarily stunning it. From here, Link can use the sword to attack the hidden eye inside the monster's mouth.

Shadow Deku Baba

Main article: Shadow Deku Baba

A Shadow Deku Baba serves as the Twilit version of the standard Deku Baba. They have a slightly different appearance, but all of their attacks are the same. However, Shadow Deku Babas cause more damage to Link than standard Deku Babas. When defeated, two purple lines fall down and sometimes they leave behind hearts.

Shadow Deku Babas can be found in the Palace of Twilight as well as the Twilight-covered Faron Woods, Kakariko Gorge, and Hyrule Field.

Spirit Tracks

Deku Babas do not actually make an appearance in Spirit Tracks. However, a very similar enemy known as a Fire Baba does and it shares many of the same characteristics.

Fire Baba

Main article: Fire Baba

Fire Babas are very similar to Deku Babas in that they are plant-like creatures sprung from the ground. Unlike standard Deku Babas, these creatures do not initially attack Link by biting him. Instead, they shoot fireballs toward him. If Link can separate its head from its stem using the Whip, the Fire Baba tries to bite Link. They are found in the Goron Village and the Fire Sanctuary.

Skyward Sword

Deku Baba with a vertical mouth

Deku Babas in Skyward Sword resemble their earlier counterparts, but the method to defeat them has changed quite a bit. No longer can Link just use the sword to cut off the head of Deku Babas, but instead, he needs to make precision sword slashes in the proper direction in order to harm them. There are two variations of Deku Baba within Skyward Sword, a standard blue one, as well as a more powerful golden variation.

Deku Babas come out from underground and try to bite Link if he gets too close. They open up their mouths horizontally or vertically and Link must use a proper sword slash to separate their mouths into two. Alternatively, Link can toss or roll a bomb towards a Deku Baba and it gobbles it up, causing the bomb to explode within its mouth.

Some Deku Babas can be seen hanging from walls or the ceiling, and they are out of reach from Link's sword. In order to defeat these fellows, Link must use the Beetle. After sending out the Beetle, Link can track its direction so that it cuts down the Deku Babas from their stems. Unlike in Twilight Princess, once a Deku Baba is cut from its stem, it will be defeated. Link can also use the Bow and Arrows to cut these Deku Babas from their stems.

Link can find Deku Babas in the Faron Woods, the Skyview Temple, certain time-shifted areas of the Lanayru Desert, and Sky Keep.

Quadro Baba

Main article: Quadro Baba
Quadro Baba

The Quadro Baba is a stronger variation of the standard Deku Baba. It attacks Link in all the same ways that a standard Deku Baba does by lunging towards Link and attempting to bite him. Its mouth is divided into quarters, rather than the two halves of a standard Deku Baba. The Quadro Baba changes how its mouth opens mid-battle, sometimes opening horizontally and other times opening vertically. Link needs to read which way the mouth opens and quickly deliver a sword slash in the proper direction. Quadro Babas are also a bit stronger and takes multiple hits to defeat. They can also dodge attacks by moving sideways, leaving Link open to attack. Much like standard Deku Babas, Link can toss or roll a bomb towards the Quadro Baba to defeat it. The fastest way to defeat these is to shield bash when the Quadro Baba attacks, and slash its stem while it is stunned.

Non-Canon Appearances

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

A Deku Baba is featured as a sticker within Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The sticker gives a bonus of +4 to arm and leg attacks and can be applied to anyone.


  • Deku is a common nomenclature in The Legend of Zelda series, usually relating to enemies or characters found within forest regions.
  • The word Deku in Japanese means wooden doll.
  • Deku Babas share many physical attributes with Piranha Plants from the Super Mario Bros. franchise.