Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Alright, so you're wondering about what makes enemies tick in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, right? Knowing who's weak to what can seriously change the tide of battle, especially when you're up against tougher foes. This section is all about giving you the lowdown on those enemy resistances and vulnerabilities so you can plan your attacks like a pro.

After you get Goombella's help and she mentions looking for Professor Frankly, you'll find yourself with a lot more freedom to explore! Before you go off chasing the main story, there's a little something you should take care of to avoid future headaches. Head over to the west side of the main square. You'll meet a Toad who's lost her contact lens. Now, she'll tell you it'll take about 20 years to find it, but if you just stand there and wait, it'll magically appear under Mario's foot. The catch? You'll accidentally break it! This means she'll block off the west side until you get her a new one.

To get a replacement, head to the building with the Fire Flower sign. Chat with the Toad right by the door and order a new contact lens. It'll be ready by Chapter 1, so don't worry about it holding you up too much. While you're there, grab some supplies, but make sure to keep at least 50 coins from your starting 100 – you'll need 'em!

Now, let's check out the east side of the square. See that house next to the one with the Shine Sprite floating above it? You'll want to head into that one... but first, there's a guy with a spear blocking the way. If you talk to him and pick the option that sounds like "I can take you!", you're in for a really tough fight. It's kind of like facing Diablo from Final Fantasy VIII, if I recall correctly.

MINIBOSS: Gus

• Max HP: 20
• Attack: 2

Rogueport Sewers:

1. Head left and save. Continue left and find a Star Piece behind a pillar. (Star Pieces can be used to obtain badges from Dazzle, who may appear later.)
2. Continue right, going down some stairs. A group of Goombas (Goomba, Paragoomba, and Spiky Goomba) will appear.

Stats / Weaknesses:

• Goomba: Max HP: 2, Attack: 1
• Paragoomba: Max HP: 2, Attack: 1
• Spiky Goomba: Max HP: 2, Attack: 2

Strategy:

• Against the Spear: Do NOT jump on it, as this causes 1 HP damage. Use your hammer constantly. Use Goombella to heal. You will need Mushrooms for healing as this fight can take at least ten turns. You will take 20 HP worth of damage if you cannot Guard every turn. If you find the fight too difficult, run away. Winning grants a large amount of Star Points.
• Against the Goomba group: Use appropriate attacks for each enemy type.

The Goombas and Paragoombas are simple enemies. A single attack from Mario or Goombella should defeat them. Mario cannot use his hammer against flying enemies unless he has a specific badge. To make them vulnerable to hammer attacks, jump on them first. This applies to enemies with the "Para-" prefix. Spiky Goombas should never be jumped on, nor should any enemy with spikes, unless Mario has a specific badge. Each enemy can be defeated with one successful action command.

After the battle, Frankly will explain First Strikes. Listen to him, then head right and up the stairs. Go behind the nearby wall and wait for the platform. Jump on it and use the pipe on the other side.

In the next room, you will encounter more battles and find item blocks containing a Fire Flower and a Mushroom. Continue until you reach odd yellow blocks; hammer them and go down the pipe.

In the following room, an odd creature will retreat into a hole, and you will see Spinias. Defeat the Spinias. Go straight down from the hole and jump against the wall to reveal an invisible block containing a badge. Continue right and up the stairs, then enter the room to the right.

Inside is a black chest that will speak to you, explaining the need to find a black key. Head outside.

Go left until you see a grayish floor tile. Jump off it towards the northern wall to find a ledge with a black key. Before taking it, go behind the large yellow block for a Star Piece. Return to the room with the chest and use the key. The chest will open, releasing a piece of paper that curses you before explaining itself.

About Plane Mode: Press Y on airplane panels to transform into a paper airplane. Use left and right to balance and fly as far as possible. Press B at any time to return to normal, or hit a wall.