Exor Bowser's Keep Boss Guide

Learn the best party, equipment, and strategy to defeat Exor, the final boss of Bowser's Keep in Super Mario RPG (2023). Master its attacks and phases!

Alright, you've made it to the top of Bowser's Keep, and guess who's waiting for you? Exor! This guy's the final boss of this area, and he's got a few tricks up his sleeve. Don't worry, though, we'll get you through this.

Stats / Weaknesses:

• Exor: HP 1,900 (Recommended Level 21-23) - No specific weakness listed.
• Eyes: HP 500 (Right Eye), 300 (Left Eye) - No specific weakness listed.
• Mouth: HP 800 - No specific weakness listed.

Phases:

1. Eye Phase: Exor's eyes protect it, so you can't damage the main body. You need to focus on one eye at a time. When an eye is dazed (it'll have a swirling animation), switch your focus to the other eye.
2. Vulnerable Phase: Once both eyes are dazed, Exor becomes vulnerable. This is your chance to unleash your strongest attacks. Mario's Ultra Jump is particularly effective here; if you can land 10-15 jumps, you can take out the mouth and/or eyes in one go. If they survive, finish them off with regular attacks.
3. Repeat: After this initial barrage, Exor isn't defeated yet. You'll need to repeat the process of dazing the eyes and attacking the vulnerable Exor until it's finally down.

Strategy:

• Party Setup: The recommended party is Mario, Bowser, and Peach. Mario and Bowser are your main damage dealers, while Peach is crucial for keeping everyone alive.
• Peach's Role: Exor has a lot of attacks that hit the whole party. Peach should be using Group Hug almost every other turn to keep your HP up.
• Equipment:
  • Peach: Safety Badge to prevent status effects.
  • Mario: Lazy Shell (Armor) for defense and the Attack Scarf to boost his offense.
  • Bowser: Safety Ring or Jinx Belt.
• Attacking the Eyes: Don't try to hit Exor directly at first. Your priority is to daze its eyes. Focus all your attacks on one eye until it's dazed, then switch to the other.
• Dealing Maximum Damage: When Exor is vulnerable, use your most powerful abilities. Mario's Ultra Jump is a great choice if you can rack up a lot of hits (10-15). Other strong attacks include Psych Bomb, Crusher, and Triple Moves.
• Healing is Key: Remember to have Peach use Group Hug regularly, especially when Exor unleashes its area-of-effect attacks.
• Exor's Attacks: Be prepared for a variety of attacks that can inflict status effects like Scarecrow and Sleep, or just deal significant damage. Many of these can't be blocked, so focus on your defense and healing.

Exor Attack List:

• Scarecrow Bell: Single-target, inflicts Scarecrow status (restricts attacks to Special Moves). Cannot be blocked.
• Bolt: Single-target, minor damage. Action prompt appears.
• Venom Drool: Single-target, inflicts Poison. Cannot be blocked.
• Blast: Single-target special, minor damage. Action prompt appears late.
• Dark Star: Single-target special, moderate damage. Bounces three times; action prompt before the third bounce.
• Flare: Area-of-effect, moderate damage. Unleashes three waves of flames. Cannot be blocked.
• Water Blast: Area-of-effect, moderate damage. Rises from the ground. Cannot be blocked.
• Aurora Flash: Area-of-effect, moderate damage, inflicts Sleep. Cannot be blocked.
• Static Electricity: Area-of-effect, moderate damage. (Note: Description seems to repeat Water Blast, likely a typo in source). Cannot be blocked.
• Flame Wall: Area-of-effect, minor damage. Wall of flames at party's feet. Cannot be blocked.
• Fire Saber: Single-target, moderate damage. Involves a purple beam; action prompt appears quickly after audio cues (three distinct sounds).

Keep at it, and you'll eventually break through Exor's defenses and move on to Weapon World!