Shroobsworth

A Shroobsworth is an elderly, lighter-colored Shroob in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Shroobsworths are designed to resemble Toadsworth. As such, a Shroobsworth has a white mustache and a cane. These elderly Shroobs carry the younger Intern Shroobs on their backs, piggyback style (such as Mario and Baby Mario or Luigi and Baby Luigi). Shroobsworths are found in Shroob Castle. In battle, a Shroobsworth fights with the help of the Intern Shroob on its back. To attack, a Shroobsworth may throw the Intern Shroob in the air. While high above the ground, the Intern Shroob shoots energy blasts from a cannon downwards at the Mario Brothers. If it is rightside up, it hits Mario, and if it is upside down, it hits Luigi. Luigi and Mario can dodge this attack by jumping. However, if the Shroobsworth throws the Intern Shroob higher in the air, the Intern Shroob does not attack. Instead, Shroobsworth quickly runs up to the Mario brothers and strikes them with his cane. Similar to the laser attack, if the Intern Shroob is rightside up, Shroobsworth will first hit Mario, and then Luigi, and if it is upside down, Shroobsworth will hit Luigi first, then Mario. Again, the Mario brothers can jump to avoid this attack.

Lastly, Shroobsworth can attack with a dark meteor. When using this technique, the Intern Shroob takes out a meteor and tosses the dark rock at the Mario brother Shroobsworth points to. The dark meteor can be deflected with Hammer swings; however, Shroobsworth and the Intern Shroob knock it back, meaning the Baby Mario brothers must deflect the meteor multiple times. If Shroobsworth deflects the meteor with his cane, the rock hits Luigi; if the Intern Shroob hits the dark meteor, the rock hits Mario. After enough deflections, the meteor will eventually hit Shroobsworth and cause damage. This dark meteor can cause the Dizzy status effect.

Once a Shroobsworth is defeated, the Intern Shroob replaces the Shroobsworth in combat (such as when an older Mario brother falls in battle, the baby counterpart replaces him). However, instead of fighting, the Intern Shroob revives the Shroobsworth with a green Shroobified 1-Up Mushroom, though the Intern Shroob will wait a turn before doing so. Once revived, the Mario Bros. must eliminate Shroobsworth again.

Trivia

 * In the Japanese and European versions of the game, the Shroobsworth's meteor flies slightly slower than in the American version.