Honestly, the first time you stumble down that "??????" floor elevator in Card Castle, you aren't really expecting much. Then you hear that creepy, distorted voice talking about games and freedom. Jevil is basically the litmus test for whether or not you're actually good at Deltarune. He's fast. He's chaotic. He’s probably going to kill you in about three turns if you go in blind.
But he’s also the most rewarding fight in Chapter 1. Whether you want to beat him into submission or do the "pacifist" dance, you’ve got a long road ahead of you before you even see him.
Tracking Down the Broken Keys
You can't just knock on Jevil's door. The guy is locked away for a reason. To get in, you need a repaired key, which means finding three separate broken pieces scattered across the Dark World. It's a bit of a scavenger hunt, but it's mandatory.
Broken Key A is the easiest. After you’ve chatted with Jevil through his cell bars for the first time, go back to the Field and talk to Seam, the shopkeeper. Choose the "Strange Prisoner" dialogue option. Seam will get all cryptic and hand over the first piece.
Broken Key B is a pain. It's hidden in the Forest, specifically in the area with the spinning Paper Dancers. You need to find a secret path. Look at the bottom of the screen in the dancer area—there’s a spot where you can just walk right off the "edge" into a hidden path. Keep going until you hit a chest guarded by some Rabbicks. That’s your second piece.
Broken Key C involves a puzzle in the Field, right before the Great Board. There’s a suit of cards puzzle you have to solve. The order is based on the floors of the Card Castle from bottom to top: Diamond, Heart, Club, Spade. Punch that in, and the chest is yours.
Once you have all three, don't head back to the cell yet. You need to take them to Malius, the smith in the Bake Sale area of the Forest. He’ll fix the key for you, though he’ll give you a pretty ominous warning about the "terrible energy" coming from it.
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Preparing for the Chaos
Before you step through that door, you need to be over-prepared. Jevil has 3,500 HP if you're fighting him, but even if you're going for the spare, his attacks hit like a truck.
- Top Cake: If you haven't used the Top Cake yet, keep it. It heals 160 HP to the whole party. If you fixed it into the Spin Cake, that’s fine too—it heals less (around 80 HP for the party) but you can get it back if you use it.
- Darkburgers: Fill every other slot with these. They heal 70 HP. You can buy them from Seam.
- Equipment: Give Susie the Brave Ax and Kris the Spookysword. For armor, the Dice Brace and Amber Cards are your best friends here to keep your defense high.
Jevil's Attack Patterns (And How Not to Die)
Jevil doesn't have a "standard" rhythm. He cycles through phases based on his HP or how tired he is. The "World Revolving" music is a banger, but don't let it distract you from the bullets.
The Carousel
This is usually what kills people. Horses and ducks fly across the screen in a 3D-style cylinder. The best way to dodge this is to stay on the far left or right and move vertically. There is a slight "skew" to the movement, so you have to move in a slight oval shape to stay in the gaps.
The Devilsknife
Four scythes spin toward the center of the box. They move in a spiral. The trick is to follow the rotation. Don't try to dart across the middle; just "circle the drain" with them. Later in the fight, a giant red scythe will fly across the top or bottom of the screen. You just have to keep an eye on the edges for that one.
The Hearts and Diamonds
The hearts come in groups of four and fly toward you. They're predictable but fast. The diamonds, on the other hand, are the worst. They shoot up from the bottom like a bullet hell. Don't look at the whole screen. Just focus on your SOUL and make tiny, micro-movements.
Final Chaos
When Jevil decides he's done playing, he'll launch "Final Chaos." Giant versions of the Devilsknife fall from the top of the screen. They create pillars of light that take up huge chunks of the board. Honestly? Just stay near the bottom and pray. The final, massive scythe that falls at the end actually won't kill you if you're at full health—it deals massive damage but usually leaves you with a sliver of HP.
Should You Fight or Spare Jevil?
This is the big question. Your choice changes the reward you get, and in Deltarune, these items carry over to future chapters.
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The Violent Path (Killing Him)
If you just want to end it, have Susie use Rude Buster every chance she gets. Use Kris to defend or use items, and Ralsei to heal.
- Reward: Devilsknife. It’s a weapon for Susie. It gives her +5 Attack and +4 Magic, and most importantly, it reduces the TP cost of Rude Buster. It’s arguably the best weapon for her for several chapters.
The Pacifist Path (Sparing Him)
To spare Jevil, you have to make him "Tired." You do this using Kris’s Hypnosis (requires 50% TP and everyone’s turn) or Pirouette (requires 20% TP and only Kris’s turn).
- Hypnosis is better. It lowers Jevil’s attack for that turn and adds a lot of tiredness.
- Pirouette is a gamble. Every turn has a different effect. For example, Turn 2 lowers Jevil’s defense, but Turn 3 makes the next attack harder by reducing your invincibility frames.
- Reward: Jevilstail. This is an armor piece that anyone can wear. It gives +2 to Attack, Defense, and Magic. It’s incredibly versatile and great for Ralsei if you want his heals to be stronger.
Winning Strategy for 2026 Players
If you're playing this today, you've probably seen the "No Hit" runs on YouTube. Don't compare yourself to those. Jevil is a marathon, not a sprint.
The biggest tip I can give is to Defend. People forget that defending builds TP. If you have Ralsei and Susie defend while Kris uses an item, you’re banking TP for a big Hypnosis or a Heal Prayer on the next turn.
Also, keep Ralsei alive. If Ralsei goes down, you lose your most efficient healing. If Kris goes down, you can’t use ACT commands to end the fight. Susie is the only one who is "expendable" in the pacifist route, but even then, you want her around to soak up damage and defend.
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Once you beat him, head back to Seam. He’ll give you some extra lore about Jevil and a man he met—likely Gaster—which sets the stage for the rest of the game's secret bosses.
The next step for any player who just finished this fight is to make sure you've grabbed the Shadow Crystal he drops. You'll need these for later chapters if you're planning on seeing the true "endgame" content Toby Fox has been cooking up. Reach out to the Smith again if you need to check your inventory; otherwise, head toward the King's throne room.