Chet Rippo

Chet Rippo is a character found in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In Paper Mario, the player can have him upgrade one of Mario's stats by two levels, while downgrading the others by one level. This is contrary to his claims that he simply upgrades one level with no side effects. Chet Rippo appears in Toad Town near Harry's Shop. He charges thirty-nine coins for his services, claiming they are normally worth three hundred ninety. Chet's body is obscured by a cloak and has a head resembling that of a duck or platypus, but with a red antenna. When Mario reaches the maximum level of 27, he can no longer change any stats because of an unassisted maximum of 50 HP, 50 FP, and 30 BP. If one of his stats is at its respective minimum, he does not appear. He is the negative equivalent of Rip Cheato. Both their names are derived from the words "cheat" and "rip off". Both "Chet" and "Rip" are actual names.

In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, he essentially does the same thing; this time upgrading and downgrading each level one at a time. He can also raise a partner's level by one rank while decreasing another partner's level by one rank. The price for either of these services is thirty-nine coins. Chet Rippo can only be visited after clearing Chapter 5 as the player is required to use Admiral Bobbery to blow up a wall blocking a Warp Pipe leading to Chet Rippo's house in the background near the main entrance to Rogueport Sewers. In this game, he explains the drawbacks of using his services beforehand, unlike in the previous game. Chet is redesigned to appear as a shaman like Merlon, but with tattered clothing and a wooden bucket over his head instead of a hood.

Visiting Chet Rippo is entirely optional as his services are not required to advance through the main plot of either game.

Tattle
"He claims that he can upgrade your point levels...but there's something suspicious about him. I don't know... I just don't trust him for some reason. Who knows, though? I guess you can't judge a book by its cover."

- Goombario

"That's Chet Rippo, the adjuster. He can adjust your stats or your partner's ranks. Me, I wouldn't trust this guy with anything more complex than plucking back hair, I know I always say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but still..."

- Goombella

Trivia

 * In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, it is possible for Chet Rippo to reduce Mario's maximum HP down to 5, half of the amount he starts with in the game. Since Mario does his Danger animation at 5 HP or lower, he does this even at maximum HP.

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