Super Mario RPG Switch Remake - Low Level Part 18: Valentina & Dodo
22Challenge playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbSv8zSDR9c1MMIPTlZnOvI4eiDzyABR_
Possibly the most intriguing boss faced in the challenge thus far. Valentina has way more HP than the bosses we have fought recently (2,000 HP). The creators seem to have given her every existing neutral and ice spell - or at least close to it! Not only that, but she is accompanied by an ally in Dodo, Prince Mallow's impersonator, who has half of her vitality - and they separate the party into two before summarily reuniting!
The character in the centre will be forcefully ejected at the start of the battle to face Dodo, who is easily the safest enemy of the two here. The implication is that Peach should be the one ejected, as Bowser will have the easiest time withstanding Valentina's magic owing to his high HP, effectively soloing the first half of the fight, as Mario cannot be relied on stand on his feet to save his life. Resurrecting him is still probably a must if we still haven't used Lucky Hammer to get us a chance at 0 exp at the end of the fight, and that extra Jump damage is very helpful for maximising punishment.
Dodo, meanwhile, relies on physicals and status attacks. The latter are never a problem with the right protective accessory, but we are kinda worried about the physicals, of which he has several. You could master the blocking process by putting in the effort, but the auto-save is a teleport away, with the ensuing cutscene somewhat on the long side, so I opt for the path of least resistance by using a Red Essence instead. After all, they are painlessly farmed, though the number of attempts may be too much to justify using them in every other battle at this point. Ultimately, being able to emerge unscathed in this duel thanks to the protection that lasts 3 turns is crucial and simplifies the part of the battle that is most shaky, leaving us at the mercy of timed blocks.
Inflicting Fear on Dodo is a great idea, as the status carries over to his second appearance later in the fight and affects both his offensive and defensive capabilities.
In the interim, Mario and Bowser face Valentina. Once she loses 1K HP, Dodo and Peach both make their comeback, making this a 3-vs-2 battle. With only 500 HP left in this phase, about a half of which is torn off with a single Jump, Dodo is hardly a threat, and his physicals lead to the game over screen no longer when we have three party members.
Single-target stat boosters granted by items are useful for the very first time, with ST Bracers and Energizers being much more cost-efficient than the MT versions we've been relying on all along. Bowser is the first to take both of the boosters to help him both with the tanking and the damage, and Peach follows suit upon joining. She doesn't take all that long to succumb to the damage when a single Rock Candy is 300 damage per attack, and we can proc more uses if we're lucky.
It's not an impossible battle at all if you do everything right, but it still seems like the most entertaining battle of the run up until Culex at least.