Hidden Skills
Link can learn seven Hidden Skills from the Hero's Shade, a ghostly swordsman who appears in the form of a golden wolf. Only the first one, the Ending Blow, is required to finish the game; the other six are optional, but they make combat much easier.
How it works: as Wolf Link, find a Howling Stone (a large stone that whistles in the wind) and howl the tune it plays. A golden wolf then appears somewhere in Hyrule, and its location is marked on your map. Go there in human form, and the golden wolf takes you to the Hero's Shade, who teaches you the next skill.
The skills are always learned in the same order, whichever Howling Stone you visit first.
1. Ending Blow
Where: you meet the golden wolf on the path through Faron Woods on your way to the Forest Temple. No Howling Stone is needed for this one.
How to use it: when an enemy has been knocked to the ground, press the attack button to leap onto it and finish it off.
2. Shield Attack
Howling Stone: Death Mountain, in the area with the steam geysers, partway up the trail.
Golden wolf: Ordon Spring, near Ordon Village.
How to use it: lock on to an enemy and thrust your shield forward to knock it off balance or deflect its attacks.
3. Back Slice
Howling Stone: on a cliff overlooking Zora's River, near Iza's house and Hena's Fishing Hole.
Golden wolf: Hyrule Field, outside Castle Town's east entrance.
How to use it: lock on, roll around behind the enemy, and attack its unprotected back.
4. Helm Splitter
Howling Stone: North Faron Woods, on the way to the Sacred Grove.
Golden wolf: Hyrule Field, outside Castle Town's south entrance.
How to use it: after a successful Shield Attack staggers an enemy, press the attack button again to jump over it and strike it from above, splitting its helmet.
5. Mortal Draw
Howling Stone: Lake Hylia, on the cliff near the stone watchtower where you meet Auru.
Golden wolf: Gerudo Desert, near the entrance to Arbiter's Grounds. You'll only reach it once you've made your way into the desert.
How to use it: keep your sword sheathed, lock on to an enemy, and press the attack button the moment it comes within reach for a lightning-fast strike that can defeat most enemies in one hit.
6. Jump Strike
Howling Stone: Snowpeak, on a cliff edge as you climb the mountain. It's easy to walk past.
Golden wolf: Kakariko Graveyard.
How to use it: hold the jump attack button to charge your sword until it flashes, then release it for a powerful leaping strike that hits everything around where you land.
7. Great Spin
Howling Stone: in the Hidden Village, behind the buildings.
Golden wolf: near Castle Town. As with every skill, its exact position is marked on your map once you've howled at the stone.
How to use it: it works like a normal Spin Attack, but it's far stronger and reaches much farther. You can only use it when your hearts are completely full.