The 'Shroom:Issue 231/Strategy Wing
Director's Notes
Written by: Hooded Pitohui (talk)
Hello, all of you readers of The 'Shroom! It's June, a month which is simultaneously dear to my heart and which presents a challenge. On the one hand, June marks the start of our Awards season in earnest, which is thrilling! If you haven't already, you should go vote in the Community Awards! They're in this very issue! You should also vote in the Mario and Fail Awards. What's that? You say you've already voted in them? Well, if it has been a week since you last voted, you can vote a second time! It's the perfect chance for you to make up for the first week if you were torn between two nominees.
With all the excitement, what is there to grumble about? To put it simply - June is hot and busy. I'm writing these notes with twenty minutes to midnight, and I am decidedly an early bird, not a night owl. A few of our regular offerings are taking the month off because of all the hurry-scurry with other work. Don't you worry, because they'll be back, and we still have plenty for you to read!
From receiving an honored guest with information on Hong Nong to planning an offensive, Ancient China is hopping in So You Want to Romance the Three Kingdoms?. We have a bountiful harvest and romance in Rhythm Review, while Koops (talk) keeps the energy flowing and acquires some new employees in The Death of the Player. If only he could see their faces, though... Alas... Finally, in bittersweet news, we have the final edition of Sparks' (talk) Brothership Boss Battle Guide. Yes, we've reached the final boss. This edition is a whopper. I'm sure the bonds of the Strategy Wing team will serve Sparks well in the battle to come! Thanks for your dedication to sorting through Glohm Attacks, Battle Plugs, and Luigi Logics, Sparks!
Wherever there's an ending, there's bound to be new beginnings! If you'd like to join the team to tell us about some of your favorite games, take a look at the red box on the sign-up page for instructions and send an application to MightyMario. Whether you want to focus on boss battle guides like Sparks has provided, level design analyses, tips and tricks like you'll find in Rhythm Review, or playthroughs, you'll fit right in!
Section of the Month
I must be in the Cloudy Court Galaxy, because I sure feel like I'm soaring! In all seriousness, thank you for voting for Four Steps for a 3D World last month! I really enjoyed teasing out details like how the mission accommodated its Checkpoint Flag, so I'm glad you all enjoyed reading. Congratulations as well to Sparks (talk) for taking second as he battled through frozen islands and oil fields. I know you have Awards votes to cast, but please do keep those votes flowing to our writers, as well!
| STRATEGY WING SECTION OF THE MONTH | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Section | Votes | % | Writer |
| 1st | Four Steps for a 3D World | 5 | 27.78% | Hooded Pitohui (talk) |
| 2nd | An Overly Detailed and Funny Walkthrough of Mega Man 6 | 2 | 22.22% | Sparks (talk) |
| 3rd | The Tattle Log | 3 | 17.67% | Hooded Pitohui (talk) |
Rhythm Review
Hello and welcome back to Rhythm Review! This is Zange, and I have once again survived the trials and tribulations that make up moving in nearly 90 degree (F) weather. Why does summer have to be moving season when it's so abysmally hot outside… But I am all settled in and ready to tell you all about more silly little rhythm minigames! Last time, we talked about Stage 2 of Rhythm Heaven on the Nintendo DS. So it's only natural that we keep on keeping on by talking about Stage 3 this time! I hope you like lizards, vegetables, racecars, and pop idols~
As a reminder: In most Rhythm Heaven games (including this one!), a stage consists of four rhythm minigames, followed by one remix, in which all the other minigames in the stage are put together in a new way to new music. Let's jump in!
Love Lizards
Kicking off this stage is Love Lizards! You play as a female güiro lizard trying to attract the male lizard across from you. After each cue of both lizards tapping their feet, you'll slide the stylus on the touch screen to copy the rhythm of the male lizard's tail shaking. By the power of percussion, these two lizards will fall in love!
Gimmicks
The rhythm you need to slide the stylus is the same throughout the rhythm minigame. However, there are a few points where it begins on the offbeat, so just make sure you're paying attention!
How to Get That Superb
The criteria for a Superb here are fairly straightforward. You just need to have consistent rhythm throughout, while not sliding the stylus when you're not given a cue. It seems a little silly, but sometimes it really is that simple.
Difficulty Rating
This one is fairly simple, and considering it gives you an opportunity to practice the rhythm before playing the real thing I think this one gets a 1.3/5.
Crop Stomp
Next up, we have Crop Stomp! You control a farmer with a rather unique approach for harvesting his crops. You'll see crops and moles in front of you in various arrangements. You'll touch and hold the stylus as you step right in front of these to launch them in the air, and flick the stylus to either bump the crops into your basket or get the moles out of the way. Stomp your way to a bountiful harvest!!
Gimmicks
There is different timing with which you need to hit the vegetables and the moles. For the vegetables, you need to flick the stylus one beat after you tap it. With the moles, you need to flick the stylus half a beat after you tap it. You do get a chance to practice before playing the real thing, at least.
How to Get That Superb
The criteria for a Superb are fairly straightforward here. You just need to have good timing on the initial stomps, as well as when catching vegetables and batting away moles. Nothing that can't be done with enough practice!
Difficulty Rating
I'll go ahead and give this a 1.4/5, it's fairly simple and straightforward but the moles are enough to offer a bit of a challenge. I didn't realize how few of them were actually here if I'm being honest…
Freeze Frame
Moving on, we have Freeze Frame! You play as a race photographer getting photos of the cars in this race! You'll tap the stylus to take photos of the cars that pass by. After you hear the audio cues for the cars, you'll need to be quick on the draw in order to get your perfect shots!
Gimmicks
There are two types of cars you'll see here: small, slow, yellow cars, and a bigger, faster car that looks like a carrot. The yellow cars will appear in groups of two or three, and you'll see them drive across the screen before you hear the audio cue for them. With the carrot car, you'll only ever see one of those at a time, and you'll see it drive across the screen as the audio cue is playing. No matter which car it is though, you'll only have one beat of nothing after you hear the audio cue before you need to tap the touchscreen to take the photo. Additionally, near the end there will be a crowd of fans blocking the segment of the track that you can see cars racing on before you need to take the photos. You'll also have the occasional passerby walking in front of your view throughout this rhythm minigame. They're really making you pay attention to the audio cues with this one…
How to Get That Superb
Pretty straightforward criteria for a Superb here as well. You just need to have good timing when taking the photos, and not get thrown off by the presence of the crowd near the end. I've noticed a lot of the Superb criteria in this game is a lot simpler in this game compared to Tengoku and part of me wonders if that's because they wanted to make it seem a bit more beginner friendly for the people who just happen to own a DS and randomly decided to play this game.
Difficulty Rating
We'll go ahead and give this one a 1.5/5, it feels warranted with the extra challenge of part of the track being obscured at certain points.
The Dazzles
The last normal rhythm minigame of this set is The Dazzles! You play as an auditioning member of an idol group for a TV performance. You'll tap and hold the touchscreen to crouch according to the audio cue, then when the time comes you'll flick up to pose! Here's to a successful audition!!
Gimmicks
There are a few different patterns in which your groupmates will stop crouching and pose. You'll be the last (or one of the last) to pose for all of them, so all you really need to do is be mindful of the timing!
How to Get That Superb
Some interesting criteria for a Superb on this one. First, you just need to have good timing throughout. Second, there is one instance close to the end where you'll have to flick the touchscreen on the offbeat. You will need to perfectly hit that cue. Finally, there is one posing pattern that isn't in the practice. You will need to have perfect timing on every instance of that pattern in the rhythm minigame. Fortunately, that particular pattern is pretty easy to get a grasp on. Getting a Superb here should only take you a few tries at most.
Difficulty Rating
This is gonna get a 1.4/5 from me, mainly because the pose pattern that doesn't show up in the practice has the potential to throw players off if they aren't expecting it.
Remix 3
At last we've reached the remix for this stage! This time there's a bit of a Japanese attire theme going on. It's considerably longer than the last stage's remix as well. It almost feels like whiplash if I'm being honest… Either way, lock in for this one.
Unrelated to the length of the remix but the cars become boats in Freeze Frame and the yellow boats look like lemons which I just think is ADORABLE. (for additional context, my kitchen decor is all lemon themed so interpret that as you will)
Gimmicks
There are a few new patterns during the Dazzles segments that aren't in the original rhythm minigame, so just be mindful of those. Otherwise if it showed up in one of the other rhythm minigames in this set, it's fair game to show up here as well.
How to Get That Superb
You're all probably sick of hearing me say this by now but I'm gonna keep saying it anyways: This is a remix! Remixes all share the same lines of text for each rating! As a result, it's a lot harder to tell where the line between a Superb and an OK lives for these! The safest thing I can say is that if you can get a Superb on every other rhythm minigame in this set, you shouldn't have much trouble getting a Superb here. As long as the new patterns in The Dazzles don't throw you off too much then you should be okay.
Difficulty Rating
I haven't played this remix in a while and I didn't realize how difficult some of the Freeze Frame segments were. That combined with how long it feels like it goes on for (especially compared to the last remix) makes it worthy of a 2.3/5.
Final Remarks
This set feels just a bit bizarre if I'm being honest. More so than usual, at least. But what is a Rhythm Heaven game without those bizarre rhythm minigames? Anyways Rhythm Heaven Groove drops in less than two weeks and I am getting a bit too far into sentimental reflection land so I'm gonna call it here before I get too weepy. I'll see you here next month for Stage 4!
Brothership Boss Battle Guide
And so it's come to this - the final issue of Brothership Boss Battle Guide.
Ever since March 2025, I've been providing guides on how to beat the big bad bosses of Mario & Luigi: Brothership. I cannot believe that it's been over a year since then! I'm glad to make a recurring section about one of my favorite video games in recent years, and I'm happy to see this end on a high note! A bittersweet moment, really, as only one boss remains - Reclusa!
This is it! Mario, Luigi, Connie, and Snoutlet scale the Soli-Tree to confront Reclusa for the final battle! A long journey is about to reach its conclusion, but Reclusa isn't willing to go down without a fight! Not just any fight, a big, grand, epic one! FOR CONCORDIA!!
Reclusa's battle is split across multiple phases. I will go over every phase before I talk about the recommended gear, Battle Plugs, and hints for the entire battle.
First phase - chasing Reclusa
When Mario and Luigi confront Reclusa at the top of his fortress, he makes a run for the giant tree in the distance. Doom Blooms block the way, so Snoutlet creates a giant plug for the brothers to use so they can chase after him. This part of the fight is very unique because it's not your traditional fight and more of a Luigi Logic, even if it isn't actually one!
Before I get into it, here are Reclusa's stats.
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
45 | Soli-Tree | 4,812 | 250 | 214 | 582 | Flying | 33000 | 0 | None |
Before the chase begins, the text Chase down and defeat Reclusa! appears on the screen, followed by a tutorial:
- Page 1: While moving forward, dodge the Doom Blooms. Tilt
to the left and right to steer. Press 
to throw a fireball. Press 
to throw an ice ball. - Page 2: The Doom Blooms have two types of shots. Cancel out the ice shots with fireballs and the fire shots with ice balls.
- Page 3: Reclusa also has two types of attacks. If he is charging ice, use fireballs continuously, and if he is charging fire, keep throwing ice balls to interrupt his attack.
- Page 4: If you succeed, Reclusa will become vulnerable for a moment. Hold one of
to charge up the bomb. Release the button to launch. If you hit Reclusa, he'll fall down.
After closing the tutorial, there is a countdown of 3, 2, 1, GO! before the chase begins!
As the tutorial states, you must move side to side to avoid the Doom Blooms that pop up out of the ground while you pursue Reclusa. When a Doom Bloom emerges, it will spit out a fire or ice ball directly at Mario and Luigi. The brothers have their Fire and Ice forms, so you can toss a projectile of the opposite element to get rid of it, or you can dodge. The Doom Blooms stick around after attacking, so you have to dodge them too! Fire and ice have no effect on them, only their projectiles.
If you crash because of a Doom Bloom or elemental projectile, you'll be knocked off the plug and find yourself in a battle with a few enemies. Once they're defeated, Snoutlet will provide another plug, allowing you to continue chasing after Reclusa.
Here is a list of every enemy that can be encountered during this phase along with their stats!
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
44 | Soli-Tree | 632 | 270 | 194 | 170 | Normal, flying | 0 | 0 | None |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
43 | Soli-Tree | 433 | 173 | 349 | 206 | Glohm, Bowser's Army | 0 | 0 | Super Syrup Jar (2%) Ultra Syrup Jar (1%) |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
43 | Soli-Tree | 1038 | 243 | 223 | 255 | Flying | 0 | 0 | Ultra Mushroom (4%) Max Mushroom (1%) |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
43 | Soli-Tree | 721 | 243 | 291 | 204 | Glohm, Spiked, Zok Troop | 0 | 0 | Super Mushroom (4%) Ultra Mushroom (1%) |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
43 | Soli-Tree | 1,202 | 208 | 175 | 255 | Glohm, flying, Bowser's Army | 0 | 0 | Refreshing Herb (7%) Max Nut (2%) Glohm Dust (12%) Glohm Fragment (15%) Glohm Crystal (17%) |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
43 | Soli-Tree | 1,658 | 256 | 223 | 196 | Normal (Zokkarang form), Spiked (Spike form), Flying (Jet form) | 0 | 0 | Ultra Nut (7%) Max Nut (2%) |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
43 | Soli-Tree | 32 | 231 | 1,746 | 289 | Normal | 0 | 0 | Ultra Syrup Jar (2%) Max Syrup Jar (1%) |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
44 | Soli-Tree | 3,086 | 265 | 265 | 266 | Normal | 0 | 0 | Ultra Syrup Jar (10%) Max Syrup Jar (3%) |
Depending on Reclusa's current HP, the combination of enemies may change. Reclusiffs and Glohm Koopa Troopas appear when Reclusa is at full or near full HP, and Glohm Spike Zok Troopers, Glohm Magikoopas, and Weeping Troopers show up when Reclusa takes lots of damage. The battles always have at least one Doom Bloom (I'll mention their attacks later as they're weak for now and you can avoid them), but there may be more than one in the battle. I have not seen any Seedlusas in this battle, but the Mario Wiki says they can show up, so be careful if you see one!
After chasing Reclusa for long enough, he will stop fleeing and appear in front of the Mario Bros. with either a fire or ice barrier. You must spam projectiles of the opposite element ( for ice barriers and fire barriers) until the barrier disintegrates. Reclusa will then be vulnerable - charge up a large elemental projectile by holding any of the four main buttons (, ,, or ). When it's ready, release the button to toss it at Reclusa, dealing a good amount of damage and sending him plummeting to the ground. He will then be dazed for a few turns, allowing for you to pummel him!
While he's like this, all damage dealt to Reclusa will be criticals, and he won't be able to fight back. Use this opportunity to deal as much damage to him as possible! After a few turns, Reclusa will snap out of it and flee once more, beginning another chase sequence. There will be more Doom Blooms blocking your way, so stay sharp!
Once Reclusa loses all of his HP, he is defeated! Enjoy that large amount of EXP, because you'll certainly need it for what's to come...
Second phase - Weeping Reclusa
It couldn't have been that easy right? The answer is no, because Reclusa's still full of energy and has now entered the Soli-Tree, becoming Weeping Reclusa!
Being a giant tree, he smacks away Bowser and his airship as if they're flies. He also creates a cloud of Glohm(?) and makes Mario, Luigi, and Snoutlet pass out. Thankfully, Connie arrives and imbues the brothers with the Bond Energy they've gathered, getting them back on their feet and removing the Glohm Cloud. Snoutlet gives the brothers a motivational speech before the true final battle begins!
In this phase of the fight, Mario and Luigi battle against four Doom Blooms at the base of Weeping Reclusa. here are the stats of these Doom Blooms!
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
45 | Soli-Tree | 2,256 | 263 | 203 | 55 | Normal, flying | 0 | 0 | None |
IMPORTANT NOTE: Mario and Luigi's HP and BP fully refill when this phase starts! Same goes with all Battle Plugs - they're fully charged and ready for usage!
Before anything happens, one of the Doom Blooms eats Snoutlet. Your goal here is to defeat the Doom Bloom that has Snoutlet so you can perform a Luigi Logic! Between turns, Snoutlet may get spit out and eaten by another Doom Bloom, so you must keep track of where he is!
The Doom Blooms have some attacks:
Bites: One or two Doom Blooms rise up close to either Mario or Luigi. They will then chirp before lunging at the target in an attempt to bite him. If a low Doom Bloom chirps, then it'll lunge directly at Mario or Luigi. If a high one chirps, it will strike above the target, so don't jump. Sometimes while chirping Doom Blooms look upwards and yellow lines are visible. If this happens, they will do the opposite (low ones strike above the target, and high ones directly bite the target). Landing on a Doom Bloom after a direct bite attempt will damage it. After several bites, the attack ends.
- If there are four Doom Blooms remaining in the battle, two each will appear in front of Mario and Luigi. After one "duo" of Doom Blooms attacks, the camera view will change to show the other character, who must avoid attacks. Only one character gets attacked at a time.
Fire and ice balls: One or two Doom Blooms will spit balls of fire and ice at the Mario Bros. Their projectiles must be countered with hammers. While a Doom Bloom prepares a fire or ice ball, look at it carefully to see who it's aiming for. Fireballs travel faster than ice balls. After multiple projectiles, the attack ends. Fireballs can inflict the Burn status effect while ice balls can Freeze.
- If two Doom Blooms attack together, interesting things can happen. If both of them attack one character with opposite elements, the projectiles with cancel out each other before any damage can be done. If they attack Mario or Luigi with only one element, the projectiles will combine to form a bigger fire or ice ball. When this is countered, a small piece of it will fly towards the other character, which must be countered as well.
Weeping Reclusa doesn't just watch Mario and Luigi battle the Doom Blooms. He has some attacks of his own:
- Arm swipe: Weeping Reclusa sweeps the ground with one of his arms. Mario and Luigi must jump over it to avoid harm. If Reclusa uses his right arm, Luigi must jump before Mario. If he uses his left, then Mario is first. If a character gets hit by this attack, they'll fly towards the screen. Oof! If both brothers avoid the sweep, the boss may perform another one.
- If a character lands directly on the hand (not the empty space between fingers) of Weeping Reclusa, he'll grab on. After the sweep, the boss will then fling that character towards the ground. If the other brother is available, he must catch his sibling by holding down the correct button ( if Mario is available and if Luigi is available) right before impact. If both characters are stuck to Weeping Reclusa's hand, they'll both be flung to the ground, resulting in unavoidable damage.
- If a character lands directly on the hand (not the empty space between fingers) of Weeping Reclusa, he'll grab on. After the sweep, the boss will then fling that character towards the ground. If the other brother is available, he must catch his sibling by holding down the correct button (
- Giant seeds: Weeping Reclusa tosses giant seeds at Mario and Luigi. While a seed is in the air, look closely at the direction it's spinning. If it spins left, it's going for Luigi. Spinning right means Mario is the target. Mario and Luigi must deflect the seeds with their hammers to avoid damage. Deflecting a seed will cause the character to shudder for a second or two, but this doesn't mean anything. If Mario or Luigi get hit by a seed, he'll be launched off the screen. A small rock from the impact will then land on the other character, which must be repelled. Getting hit by the rock may result in the character becoming Dizzy. If Weeping Reclusa tosses a seed that isn't spinning, both brothers must strike it at the same time to send it to Weeping Reclusa, stunning him for a few turns. If only one character hits it, it will simply be deflected. Non-spinning seeds are always the last ones to be thrown.
- Elemental fury: Weeping Reclusa creates either 4 or 6 ice crystals before sending them to Mario and Luigi. Pay attention to the order they appear, because it'll be the same for when they're sent out. Icd crystals on the left of Reclusa go for Luigi, while right ones fly at Mario. Counter the ice crystals with the hammers to shatter them. Getting hit by one may result in the victim being frozen!
- After all ice crystals are sent out, Weeping Reclusa prepares a giant fireball to send at the brothers. Mario and Luigi join together to strike it with both hammers. You must mash to repel it back at Weeping Reclusa, stunning him for a few turns if successful. If only one character is active, they will run around in panic, resulting in an unavoidable attack that deals big damage and possibly the Burn status effect.
- After all ice crystals are sent out, Weeping Reclusa prepares a giant fireball to send at the brothers. Mario and Luigi join together to strike it with both hammers. You must mash
Stunning Weeping Reclusa is great because he won't be able to interfere for a few turns, allowing you to focus on the Doom Blooms. There is no way to stun the boss from his arm swipe attack. Additionally, if a character is frozen before Weeping Reclusa attacks, he'll instantly break free. That's good!
If a Doom Bloom that doesn't contain Snoutlet is defeated, Snoutlet will remind you to save him. Once Snoutlet is free, Luigi will have an idea for a Luigi Logic opportunity when it's his turn. If all four Doom Blooms are vanquished, four more will instantly spawn. Basically, there's an endless amount of them.
Luigi Logic
For this Luigi Logic, Snoutlet creates another giant plug for the brothers to use to get the top of Weeping Reclusa. The text Rush over to Weeping Reclusa! appears on the screen, followed by another tutorial:
- Page 1: Keep moving while dodging obstacles. Tilt to the left and right to move. Press to throw a fireball. Press to throw an ice ball.
- Page 2: There are two types of shots that will rain down. Cancel out the ice shots with fireballs and fire shots with ice balls.
- Page 3: At the end, Weeping Reclusa will attack. Hold one of to charge up the bomb, and release it to launch! This will cancel out the foe's attacks.
3, 2, 1, GO!
The Bros. scale Weeping Reclusa with the giant plug. They must dodge spiky vines in the way by moving left and right. Additionally, Weeping Reclusa attacks with fire and ice projectiles. If they hit the "ground", they'll leave behind fire or ice, which must also be avoided. Fireballs and ice balls will be thrown directly at the boss's projectiles, so you don't have to worry about aiming. It's best to get rid of them so you can only focus on dodging the vines.
After a little bit, Weeping Reclusa will charge up for a strong blast. You must prepare the Bro Bomb by holding down either , , , or and then fire it at the blast to destroy it! Afterwards, Mario and Luigi will successfully enter Weeping Reclusa, continuing the fight. Be careful! If you crash into any obstacle or fail to counter the blast, Mario and Luigi will fall back down to the base of Weeping Reclusa. Snoutlet will get eaten again, and you must save him - again! Try not to fail.
Third phase - Weeping Core
Now inside the giant tree, Mario and Luigi confront Reclusa! The boss protects himself in a spiky, sturdy exterior, becoming Weeping Core! Here are the stats of it:
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
46 | Soli-Tree | 5,100 | 285 | 397 | 620 | Spiked | 0 | 0 | None |
Another important note: Mario and Luigi's HP and BP are fully restored upon entering this phase! Battle Plugs are unaffected though.
Weeping Core has two attacks:
- Spiny spin: Weeping Core extends four of its spikes and spins in place. Mario and Luigi must jump over the spikes to avoid damage - landing on them hurts! While Spinning, Weeping Core may stop and begin rotating the opposite direction. Furthermore, the boss fluctuates in speed; it can randomly speed up or slow down, so you gotta pay attention and not get hurt! This attack lasts for a while, but the Weeping Core will end the attack after four total spins, so the boss changes directions three times during the attack's duration. This attack may inflict the Trip status effect.
- Spiky roll: Weeping Core moves to an optimal spot before rolling at Mario. This boss must be repelled with a well-timed hammer strike, which will knock back and damage Weeping Core. After a successful counter, Mario's hammer will fly out of his hands, prompting Mario to run and grab it. Weeping Core will then charge at Luigi, who must do the same. After Luigi counters the boss, his hammer flies out of his hands, causing him to run and retrieve it. This gives Mario enough time to reclaim his hammer before Weeping Core strikes again. This is a process that continues a few more times, with Weeping Core getting knocked back further and it charging faster with each successful counter, making it harder to repel the boss the longer the attack goes on. If Mario or Luigi get hit by Weeping Core, they'll take high damage and possibly have their DEF lowered by 30%. They'll also get launched far away themselves. This means if the other brother counters Weeping Core, the boss will charge while he retrieves his hammer. Because there's nobody to repel it, Weeping Core charges straight ahead, ending the attack.
- If Mario and Luigi counterattack enough times, Weeping Core will jump at the brothers. The brothers must then use their hammers to launch Weeping Core back one last time, damaging it and ending the attack. You must mash to repel Weeping Core for good.
- If Mario and Luigi counterattack enough times, Weeping Core will jump at the brothers. The brothers must then use their hammers to launch Weeping Core back one last time, damaging it and ending the attack. You must mash
Weeping Core has the ability to analyze attacks you do. After performing a normal or Bros. Attack, Weeping Core will say "Analyzing (attack name)..." If you use the same attack twice during this phase, Weeping Core will fully analyze it, drastically reducing its effectiveness for the rest of the fight. This carries on to the final phase as well, so watch out! Thus, I encourage you to use a diverse array of Bros. Attacks so you can defeat the Weeping Core before it fully analyzes one of them! If the basic hammer attack is analyzed, counterattacks during the boss's charge attack won't be affected.
Once the Weeping Core is dealt with it explodes, revealing Reclusa. It's now time to take him down once and for all!
Final phase - Reclusa
Reclusa's much more dangerous than he was at the first phase of this fight! Here are his stats:
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
46 | Soli-Tree | 10,000 | 290 | 250 | 602 | Flying | 0 | 0 | None |
He's no longer dizzy, so now Reclusa has actual attacks!
- Petrifying onslaught: Reclusa points at Mario or Luigi before doing... something to them. It looks like they're petrified, but they can still barely move... hmm. Anyway, that character will be unable to move, so the other character runs over and carries his brother like he's KO'd. Reclusa then flies over and lets loose with a barrage of attacks: He can imbue his "hair" with fire or ice before swiping at Mario or Luigi, dealing damage and possibly burning or freezing depending on the element. Reclusa may also use his actual arms to shoot energy orbs directly at the free character. These orbs can inflict the Trip status effect. Reclusa can swap between his elemental attacks or energy orbs during the duration of this attack, and they each have different timings - elemental swipes are slower-paced, while the orbs are faster. Because the free character is carrying his brother during this attack, your jumps are delayed a little! Think of this attack like one when a brother is KO'd, except they're not actually KO'd. Any damage taken will only be dealt to the free character. But wait, because it's not over yet:
- Giant orb: After Reclusa attacks enough times, he will prepare a giant orb that he intends to slam down on Mario and Luigi. Now, the free brother must use his hammer to counter the orb before it's too late. Successfully repelling the orb will cause it to fall on Reclusa, damaging him. After this orb, the incapacitated brother will regain his senses and the attack will end. NOTE: If the free brother gets KO'd during Reclusa's onslaught, the attack will immediately end and the "petrified" brother reverts back to normal.
- Reclusa clones: Reclusa creates six duplicates of himself, and all of them group together. Then, all of their screen faces turn to static, and three of the seven Reclusas show either an "M" or "L". Afterwards, The Reclusas regain their normal faces and they begin charging up energy to shoot energy projectiles one-by-one, but not all of them charge up. If a Reclusa that showed "M" charges up, he will shoot at Mario. Ones that show "L" go for Luigi. Clones that didn't show a letter will miss. The Bros. must counterattack the shots to send them back, destroying the clones and dealing damage to Reclusa. After most Reclusas attack, every remaining one shows an eye on their screens and charges up at the same time before firing at once. Thankfully, Mario and Luigi can counter multiple projectiles at once. Destroyed clones will not partake in the final attack. After all Reclusas attack at once, the remaining clones all combine to form Reclusa and the attack ends. This attack can inflict the Glohm status effect.
Like I said earlier; if Weeping Core fully analyzes an attack, its effectiveness will also be reduced in this phase of the battle. Don't forget that!
When Reclusa is at half HP or less, he will become unhinged and much more threatening. His existing attacks become tougher to dodge and he gains a brand new one! He also talks during all of his attacks now, but don't attempt to read what he says because you'll be distracted and get hurt. First, let me analyze the changes in the attacks he already had:
- Petrifying onslaught: Reclusa attacks more than he did before at a faster speed.
- Powerful orb: After the onslaught, Reclusa charges up a giant orb like before. However, he flies up into the air and speaks one of three lines before throwing it. If he says "Burn!" the orb will become fiery and grow in size as it flies towards the brothers. If Reclusa says "Give up!" the orb will shrink as it gets closer to the Bros. Reclusa can also say "Disappear!" If this happens, the orb will turn invisible right before it hits Mario and Luigi, so you must keep track of it. Regardless of what happens, if you successfully counter the orb, it will be sent back to Reclusa, damaging him. If you fail, BOTH Mario and Luigi will take massive damage. The fire orb can burn Mario and Luigi!
- Reclusa clones: Reclusa creates seven clones instead, making for a total of eight Reclusas. Only three of them directly attack Mario and Luigi, but you have less time to see which ones will. All Reclusas attack faster and more of them attack individually before they all fire at once.
Now for Reclusa's new attack:
- Explosions: Before attacking, Reclusa shows either four or six letters (either "M" or "L") on his screen face. Both letters appear the same amount of times - two of each if there's a total of four, and three each if there are six total letters. Reclusa then flies up and points at the ground beneath Mario and Luigi in the same order, creating explosions beneath them. Remember that order so you know who he's going for! The brothers must jump over the explosions to avoid taking damage. The explosions can cause the Trip status effect. For the last letter however, Reclusa doesn't create an explosion. Instead, he fires an orb that lands in front of his target, creating a shockwave that both Mario and Luigi must jump over. Whoever is targeted last by Reclusa must jump first. The shockwave is stronger than the explosions, and it can inflict the Glohm status effect.
When Reclusa loses all of his HP, he's defeated for good! As he disintegrates away, he apologizes for his actions... NOT! In a last-ditch effort, Reclusa breaks the floor and sends him and the brothers plummeting. As they all fall, Mario and Luigi prepare to put an end to Reclusa once and for all.
In this sequence, you must press when Mario and Luigi's bond power is fully charged to attack Reclusa. If you press at the wrong time, the damage will be weak. As the brothers continue striking Reclusa, their bond energy charges up faster and the damage gets stronger and stronger. If you pay close attention to Reclusa, his expression changes from maniacal to sad and his screen face shorts out more and more. Eventually, the brothers slowly charge up energy for their final attack - they both smash Reclusa's head, shattering his screen!
In Reclusa's final moments, he questions why bonds make everyone stronger. Connie gives him a stern talking to before Reclusa disintegrates for real, saving Concordia and all of its inhabitants. Awesome!
Tips and tricks
Recommended gear
Woo! This is the final time I have to present an extremely long gear list. All gear since the Extension Corps battle is still viable here, but we do have some new additions. As always, the Great Conductor gear is still the best stuff available in the shop! Be sure to visit Conductor Island to get them!
Boots: Great Conductor Boots (also increases SPEED by 8 points and STACHE by 5 points)
Hammer: Great Conductor Hammer (also increases DEF by 7 points and STACHE by 5 points)
Wear: Great Conductor Wear (also increases STACHE by 12)
Astonishing gear pieces are still good, but for the "gear that isn't found at shops" list, I'm only mentioning gear stronger than the Great Conductor stuff:
Boots
- Forge Boots DX: Awarded for clearing the Jellyfish Pizza minigame on hard mode. It is 7 points stronger than Great Conductor Boots, and also has the passive ability of increasing damage dealt by 30% when the wearer's HP is low. If you take a risk, you may get rewarded well...
- Crowd Control Boots DX: Found in a ? Block in the lower level of the Soli-Tree. These are 7 points stronger than the Great Conductor Boots and have the ability of dealing higher damage if there are many enemies. That could be useful during the Weeping Reclusa phase of the fight.
- Accel Boots DX: Rarely dropped by Glohm Snaptors in the endgame. 3 points stronger than Great Conductor Boots (with a 4 point increase to SPEED) and increases SPEED by 30% whenever an enemy is defeated. If you accidentally defeat the wrong Doom Bloom during the Weeping Reclusa phase, at least you'll get a boost.
- En Garde Boots DX: Rarely dropped by Glohm Curlups in the endgame. Same stats as Accel Boots DX, but their ability allows you to deal 30% more damage to an undamaged enemy, making them useful here. Start out with a strong attack!
- Adaphnikki Boots and Adaphne Boots: They have the same POW as Great Conductor Boots, but both have unique properties. Adaphnikki Boots increases damage dealt with Jump-attack combos by 30%, while Adaphne Boots increases the strength of single Jump attacks by 30%. You can only get one of these Boots, and they're both from the Dueling Geniuses side quest. If you let both Adaphne and Technikki work together, you'll get the Adaphnikki Boots. If Adaphne worked on her own, then you'll receive Adaphne Boots instead.
- Pipegunk Boots DX: 11 points stronger than Great Conductor Boots, with a bonus if 4 points to DEF. They also allow you to deal 30% more damage to foes suffering from status effects. Reclusa isn't affected by any, but his minions could be, but still - these are strong! You gotta beat Glohm Pipegunk to get 'em though.
- Master Boots: The strongest Boots there are (15 points stronger than Great Conductor Boots)! Jump attacks are 20% stronger and faster, making normal attacks a bit tougher to perform. The damage bonus is worth it however! To get these, you must get 30 EXCELLENTS with the Conductor Connector Bros. Attack (Conductor Connector Expert Challenge).
Hammers
- Knockout Hammer DX: Rarely dropped by Glohm Drillbies. It is three points stronger than Great Conductor Hammer (with four points in DEF too) and increases POW by 20% whenever an enemy is defeated. Can help if you defeat the wrong Doom Bloom in the Weeping Reclusa phase.
- Whittledown Hammer DX: Found in a Hidden Block in the lower level of the Soli-Tree. 7 points stronger than the Great Conductor Hammer, and allows for more damage to be dealt if there are few enemies. This could help against the Weeping Core, but you won't be able to perform many Hammer attacks because it'll analyze them.
- Glohm Hammer: Rarely dropped by Weeping Troopers. 11 points stronger than the Great Conductor Hammer (with a 4 point bonus to SPEED) and increases the damage of solo Hammer attacks by 30%. The strength of the hammer makes it worth equipping, but you should prioritize reviving if someone goes down.
- Gamble Hammer DX: Rarely dropped by Glohm Milltons. Is 7 points stronger than Great Conductor Hammer (with 5 points to STACHE). Whenever an enemy is defeated, a random stat increases. Like the other gear pieces that have effects from defeating foes, this can help if you defeat the wrong Doom Bloom by mistake.
- Master Hammer: Earned by clearing the Max-Mix Vortex Expert Challenge. It's the strongest hammer in the game (15 points stronger than Great Conductor Hammer) and increases the damage and speed of hammer attacks by 20%. Normal attacks will be tougher to perform, but the strength makes it worth it!
Wear
- Whittledown Wear DX: Earned by completing the Last Groove Dance. It is 12 points stronger than Great Conductor Wear and has the nice bonus of reducing additional damage if there are fewer enemies. Great against the Weeping Core and Reclusa!
- Repel Wear DX: Found after clearing a puzzle on Morsel Islet. It's 12 points stronger than Great Conductor Wear. Its bonus of reducing additional damage if lots of enemies are present helps against the Doom Blooms in the Weeping Reclusa phase.
- Full-Belly Wear DX: Rarely dropped by Seedlusas. This is 17 points stronger than Great Conductor Wear and decreased damage taken by 30% if you're at full health. Awesome!
- Blocky Hammer Wear DX: Found inside a ? Block on Dropplet Islet, but you'll have to take down three Glohm Shower Fish to get it. It's the same strength as Great Conductor Wear (with a bonus of 4 points to SPEED), but it also decreases damage taken by 20% if you miss countering an attack.
- Zokket Wear: Found inside a Hidden ? Block at Fortress Zokket. It is the same strength as Great Conductor Wear and also increases SPEED by 4. Furthermore, it reduces damage taken by 30% when the other brother is absent or KO'd, allowing for a less stressful revival when fighting as a duo.
- Liberation Wear DX: Rarely dropped by Glohm Palookas in the endgame. It has four more points in DEF and POW than Great Conductor Wear, and it increases SPEED by 30% whenever you take damage.
Use whatever gloves and accessories you wish! Bring ones that fit your playstyle.
Recommended Battle Plugs
I really want to say "All Battle Plugs are useful in their own right" but that's not only lazy writing, but it also isn't true. Coinpiler is useless for example! Here are A LOT of Battle Plugs I recommend for this epic fight, all sorted into Offense, Defense, and Other categories!
Offense
Anti-Flying Specialist: Not only does this help against high Doom Blooms, but it's also fantastic in the final phase, as Reclusa is flying! Remember that only normal attacks and counterattacks cause criticals while this is equipped.
Anti-Fl
