Super Mario RPG Culex Boss Guide

Once you have finished the Super Mario RPG, you will still have other things to do, such as find hidden chests and weapons or face secret bosses. This is the case, for example, of the Super Mario RPG Culex boss. Culex, in fact, is one of the bosses that you will have the opportunity to face after completing the game and is considered the most difficult to face. For this reason, therefore, in this article, we will give you some advice on how to best tackle this boss fight.

How to prepare for the Super Mario RPG Culex boss fight

The first thing you need to know in order to beat Culex is that you will first have to find him. In this guide, we explain in detail how to do it. Once you have managed to open the door in Monstro Town that leads you to its boss fight, you will have to take a few things into consideration before diving headlong into the fight. In fact, if you are not prepared, you will not be able to get the better of him and therefore the entire boss fight will become even more frustrating than it already may be.

It seems obvious to say, but the first thing to do is level up. Before encountering this battle, make sure that the characters on your team are at the maximum level, i.e., level 30. In fact, even thinking of facing Culex having a lower level is madness. You will earn experience points by practically doing the various activities that Super Mario RPG has to offer you, but the fastest way is undoubtedly to go to Weapon World and defeat the various enemies found in that area.

Additionally, you can also make use of the EXP Booster that can be equipped on Mario to level up even faster. Don't forget to make use of the various bonuses that the game makes available to you to increase your magic-related statistics. In fact, this can prove to be a fundamental move to get the better of the Super Mario RPG Culex boss. In fact, Culex is able to make use of special attacks that leverage magic, so having extra points in this statistic certainly helps.

Another thing you can consider is buying items from shops that you can find scattered around the game world. Our advice is to spend your money on Pick Me Ups (you can find them everywhere) and Max Mushrooms (only available at Toad in the Factory). Although there is no need to be in possession of very powerful armor and weapons to be able to defeat Culex, these are certainly bonus points that you could take advantage of if you are in possession of high-level equipment.

Now let's talk about the characters you should use. The certain thing is that you will absolutely have to leave Peach alone as she is not very useful in this battle and focus everything on Mario, Bowser, and Geno (alternatively, you can also choose Mallow; it depends on whether you want to use special moves or not). Consider, however, that Culex does not have any kind of weakness, so making frequent use of special moves is useless and counterproductive.

How to beat the Super Mario RPG Culex boss

Now that you know everything there is to know about Culex and how to get the better of him, the time has come to get into the substance of the issue and talk about how to deal with it. Be aware that Culex will use his crystals as a sort of ally, so while it's not the best strategy to kill the crystals, you'll still have to keep an eye on them so they don't catch you off guard. Additionally, you can also use them to fill up your gauge meter to perform more powerful attacks.

As for the earth crystal, or the yellow one, know that most of his attacks cannot be blocked, except for storm and blast. However, the first few times, these attacks will not be so easy to parry, so you will need a little practice. The fire crystal, on the other hand, or the red one, is the weakest of all. He basically only has two attacks in his arsenal: one can be blocked and the other can't.

The water crystal, or the blue one, is the one that inflicts the most damage of all, so be careful. Among the various attacks in his arsenal, there are two that can be blocked, one quite easily and the other, however, will give you a real hard time. In the first case, listen to the sounds to know when to block it; in the second case, however, you have to keep an eye on the snowflakes. Finally, the wind crystal, or the green one, doesn't inflict much damage, but there is a special move that is capable of transforming everyone into mushrooms and cannot be avoided. Use Peach to remove this effect from others.

In the meantime, obviously, don't forget about the actual boss. Culex, in fact, it is true that he will not attack often, but his attacks are very dangerous. The move you need to pay the most attention to is the Dark Star as it is capable of killing a character with a single blow. Fortunately, this move can be blocked, but excellent timing is required. Press the A button as soon as the same bounces for the third time. In case you are unable to block this move, make use of the Pick Me Ups to return to life (this is why we advised you to buy them).

A move that, despite not dealing much damage, you should keep an eye on is Shadder. In fact, it is capable of removing all the attack and defense buffs that you have accumulated during the battle. Unfortunately, there is no way to block or avoid this move, so all you can do is take a second Shooting Star Shot to regain the buffs you lost. For the rest, there are no other attacks worth mentioning, as they are not that dangerous and do not have disastrous consequences.

Ultimately, in order to defeat the Super Mario RPG Culex boss, all you have to do is continually attack the boss, trying to avoid and block all the attacks you can, both from him and from the crystals. Remember not to hit the crystals as it is just a waste of time and serves to distract you from what the main objective is, which is to defeat Culex. Finally, since Culex has a long health bar, don't think that this fight will last long, as it will take some time before you can completely empty it, so take your time.