You’ve spent hours jumping on Goombas, hunting for Star Pieces, and trying to figure out why a marshmallow thinks he’s a tadpole. Now you’re at the end. The Weapon World is behind you, and there he is. Smithy. The Super Mario RPG final boss isn’t just some guy in a mask; he’s a giant, interdimensional blacksmith who wants to turn the Mushroom Kingdom into a literal factory of weapons. It’s a weird, metal-clanging fever dream. Honestly, if you aren't prepared for the shift in difficulty here, Smithy will absolutely wreck your day.
Most people walk into the final room thinking it’s going to be like the rest of the game. It isn't. Smithy has two distinct phases, and the second one is a mechanical nightmare where he literally changes his head to swap out his stats and moves.
The First Phase: Getting Past the Smelter
Before you get to the real "final" form, you have to deal with Smithy sitting on his throne. This part of the Super Mario RPG final boss fight is mostly about crowd control and resource management. He isn't alone. He has a Smelter next to him. This Smelter produces "Shyper" units—basically Shy Guys on pogo sticks that can cause a massive headache if you let them pile up.
Stop focusing entirely on Smithy. You need to hit the Smelter. If you don't keep the Smelter suppressed, you’ll be buried in adds. Use Mario’s Ultra Jump or Lazy Shell (if you have it) to put pressure on Smithy, but keep an eye on those Shypers. Geno’s Geno Boost is crucial here. Use it on Mario first. Then Peach. Why Peach? Because she is your lifeline. Without her Group Hug ability, this fight becomes a desperate slog of using items every single turn.
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Why the Second Phase of the Super Mario RPG Final Boss Changes Everything
Once you "break" him, the floor collapses. You drop into a mechanical abyss. This is where Smithy reveals his true form—a giant, wobbling robot head that sits on a tank-like body. This is the part of the Super Mario RPG final boss encounter that catches people off guard because Smithy changes "modes." He bangs his head with a hammer and swaps between different forms.
- The Tank Head: This is pure aggression. He has high defense and uses Magnum, which can instantly kill a party member if you don't have the Safety Ring or Quartz Charm equipped. It's brutal.
- The Magic/Wizard Head: His defense drops, but his magical output skyrockets. He’ll hit you with Meteor and Boulder, hitting the whole party for massive damage. This is when you want Mario to go all out with his strongest physical attacks.
- The Treasure Box Head: He uses status effects. Poison, Sleep, Mute. It’s annoying. If your party isn't wearing Safety Badges or the Ribbon, you'll spend five turns just trying to wake everyone up.
- The Evasive/Body Head: He gets very high defense. Most of your attacks will do double-digit damage instead of triple. It’s usually a good time to heal up and wait for the head to swap again.
The Gear That Actually Matters
You cannot overlook the Lazy Shell. In the remake and the original SNES version, the Lazy Shell armor is the "easy mode" button. If you put it on Peach, her defense becomes so high that Smithy basically can't hurt her. She stays alive, heals the team, and you eventually win by attrition. Some players think it’s "cheese," but honestly, Smithy is cheap, so why shouldn't you be?
If you’re playing the Nintendo Switch remake, you have the added benefit of Triple Moves. Saving your Triple Move for the Magic Head phase can end the fight significantly faster. If you have Mario, Geno, and Peach in your party—the classic "meta" team—you get the protective barrier that can negate a whole round of Smithy’s nonsense.
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Common Mistakes with the Super Mario RPG Final Boss
People forget to manage their FP (Flower Points). They go into the second phase, spamming Star Rain and Geno Blast, and suddenly find themselves with 0 FP when Peach needs to use Group Hug. Bring Royal Syrups. Bring Elixirs. Don't be stingy with your items. This is the end of the game; there is no reason to save that Megalixir you've been hoarding since Nimbus Land.
Another huge error is ignoring the Body. While you have to kill the Head to win the fight, hitting the Body can temporarily disable it. This stops Smithy from using certain physical attacks or changing his head for a few turns. It gives you breathing room.
Strategy Breakdown for Each Form
When the Tank Head is out, don't even bother with special attacks. Just use Mario’s physical attack with the Lazy Shell weapon. If you timed your hits right, you’re doing 200–300 damage per swing. When the Magic Head pops up, switch to specials if you have the FP. The Magic Head has lower magic defense, so Geno Flash actually hurts it quite a bit.
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The "Mute" status is the silent killer. If Peach gets muted, she can't heal. If she can't heal, you die. Always ensure your primary healer has the Safety Ring. You find that back in the Sunken Ship after the Blooper fight—don't tell me you missed it. If you did, go back. It's worth the trip.
The Final Push
When Smithy’s health gets low, he starts panicking. The music gets more frantic. He’ll start swapping heads more frequently. Just stay the course. Keep your HP above 100 for everyone at all times. Smithy’s "Meteor" attack can deal around 80–90 damage to a well-geared party, so if you're sitting at 50 HP, you're one bad turn away from a Game Over screen.
It’s a long fight. It’s a test of endurance more than anything else. Unlike previous bosses like Culex (who is technically harder but optional), Smithy is a marathon.
Actionable Next Steps for Victory
- Check your inventory: Ensure you have at least 5 Croaka Cola (or Elixirs) and 3-4 Royal Syrups.
- Equip the Lazy Shell: Give the armor to Peach and the weapon to Mario. It’s found by giving the Seed and Fertilizer to the gardener in Rose Town.
- Status Protection: Put the Safety Ring on Peach and the Safety Badge or Ribbon on Mario/Geno to prevent "Mute" and "Fear."
- Targeting: Focus 90% of your damage on the Head, but hit the Body if you need a 1-turn break from physical attacks.
- Level Up: If you are below Level 20, the fight will be significantly harder. Level 24-25 is the "sweet spot" for a comfortable win.
- Timed Hits: Practice the timing for Smithy’s specific animations; blocking his "Hammer Time" physical hits is essential to saving your FP for offense rather than constant healing.