Forest Escape

It is possible, through various methods, to escape the forest before beating the Deku Tree.

Through Main Forest Exit

Method 1 - Crouch Stab Clip

Discovered by Pokey

Requirements: This method requires the Deku Shield and then either the Kokiri Sword or a deku stick.

This method is also commonly refered to as "Pokey Escape", and is by far the most common and simpliest method to escaping the forest. First, simply head over to the Kokiri that is guarding the exit. Cut the sign down by the Kokiri Guard. Crouch down parallel to the wall and aim your shield a tad bit to the left. You can also go into first person mode and aim a bit to the left. Typically the jewel of the sword is aligned to one of the green streaks on the wall. Now just simply crouch stab and then quickly press A. You will want to get an ISG. If all done correctly then you should have clipped through the guard.

Now you are inside of his circle, but he is still blocking your way. You can either kill him by slowing walking to the left side of the log. There he will just fall out of space and you can freely move on. Or your other option is to move to a spot in the circle where he no longer says "Speak" on the action icon, and do a well timed roll slightly to one side in order to roll underneath him and escape.

Method 2 - Water ESS

Discovered by MrGrunz

Requirements: Kokiri Sword or Deku Stick

At the small pond in Kokiri with the waterfall, jump onto the middle platform. Face torward where Mido should be and sidehop off torward the waterfall and jumpslash. If you time the jumpslash correctly you should ricochet off of the platform and splash into the water. Now when you ricochet hold your joystick slightly up and diagonal. If done correctly you should have activated an ESS. Make sure you keep your joystick in that position! Now ESS over to where the kokiri guy blocking your way to Hyrule Field and ESS into the corner that's closest to the kokiri sword area. If you have enough speed, when you talk to the Kokiri you should glitch through him. When you finish the text, you should now be a bit inside the tunnel. Now just follow the instruction above on getting out of his circle.

Method 3 - Hovering

Discovered by Cosmo

Requirements: This method requires the Deku Shield and then either the Kokiri Sword or a deku stick.

This was the original method of escaping the forest. First, head to the Business Scrub in the Lost Woods. Activate ISG off the Gossip Stone, and then align slightly to the left. The goal is to sidehop to the left and use the Business Scrub's deku nut attacks to hover in the air. You need to continue doing this along the left side of the wall. After gaining enough height and distance, you must then use the deku nut attack and Megaflip to the Lost Woods bridge.

Faster hovering

Discovered by Kazooie

It is possible to get the same height and distance as in method 1 with fewer nuts. This involves using 3 backflips along the wall, this time angled slightly to the right. After the 3 backflips, you now can Z target the Business Scrub and change your angle, just be careful not to get hit from his deku nuts, or shield them back, killing him. You can roll as they are approaching to usually just break them. You want to change your angle to the same as it was in method one, slightly to the left. At this point, you may need one or two sidehops to the left to gain the last bit of height or distance. Then just megaflip like before to land on the ropes.

Method 4 - Bridge Clip

Discovered by kirby8943

Requirements: This method requires the Deku Shield and then either the Kokiri Sword or a deku stick.

The fastest way to the Lost Woods bridge is by clipping through it. This means that the height and distance required are significantly lower. Unfortunately, it is a near pixel perfect trick, but is still possible on a console. You want to aim a little further to the left before starting this one. Only two or three sidehops to the left are needed in this case. Then, instead of doing a megaflip, you can do a mega sidehop. You want to aim slightly to the right of the tree. Link will actually clip the bridge from underneath. The position is absolutely key so watch the video and try and replicate it as much as possible.

Method 5 - Megaflip Clip

Discovered by Bloobiebla

Requirements: Shield and either the kokiri sword or a deku stick

Megaflip straight backwards after a sideroll rather than diagonally, then target the scrub and unsheathe a weapon at the right time to get a boost and clip from under the bridge. Because of the extreme percision necessary to preform this trick, it is considered TAS-Only.

Method 6 - Deku Nuts

Discovered by Runnerguy2489

Requirements: Deku Nuts

This is a bit different than the other methods. In order to do this trick, you must first do the Walking While Talking trick using the crawl space near the training area where you get the Kokiri Sword. The only item you can do this with is a deku nut, so make sure to buy them first. You can either wait until Navi wants to talk to you and then use her by pressing C-up, or quickly read the sign just outside the crawl space. After setting up the trick, you must now navigate Link over to where you would leave the forest normally. You should now have a free range of motion, but it's obviously still hard to move around. Find your way through the fence. You can either zig and zag out of the fenced area, or try and jump up on it and get outside of it from the side. Either way, you will want to navigate your way down to the exit. Joystick movements will depend on the angle you started with. Do what makes sense as though Link were targetting an object where you were originally standing. He will move in a circular fashion around this spot. It takes a little getting used to this but it's not too difficult. Once you find it, Link will simply leave, the Kokiri kid will not be there. Note that this method can be done without a sword or a shield. However, using this method will mean you have to receive the fairy ocarina and watch the cutscene with Saria, so it is actually slower than the other methods, but may be useful if the fairy ocarina is to be collected in a run.

Through Zora's River Exit

Method 7 - Navi Dive

Discovered by SwordlessLink

Requirements: Kokiri Sword or Deku Stick

Go through the Lost Woods to the small pond where you can enter Zora's River. Roll from the bank of the pond and grab the top of the gray box. Now weight for the Navi icon to appear. You can time this to correspond with the lost woods music like in the video. Now press B twice--once to pull Link back off the box, then a second time to jumpslash. Immediately talk to Navi in order to dive off the text as your jumpslash pulls you back off the ledge.

Method 8 - Jumpslash Clip

Discovered by Typhingblade

1. Align with the wall right before the bend as shown.
2. Backflip
3. Without letting touching the control stick, roll.
4. During the roll let go of Z and then press it again when the roll is over.
5. Sidehop to the right.
6. Do another neutral roll without touching the control stick.
7. Again, during the roll let go of Z and then press it again when the roll is over.
8. Sidehop to the left.
9. Roll without touching the control stick but don't let go of Z.
10. Press B to slash the wall.
11. Backflip
12. Now sidehop to the right and wait a second before jumpslashing to clip.