The Shadowy Hand boss or the Handaconda is a tricky boss in Paper Mario: The Origami King. This enemy has trapped Olivia and you have to defeat him to rescue her. What makes this boss battle unique is that you cannot use Magic Circles in Phase 1, so things will change quite a bit. Don’t worry, in this boss fight guide, we will explain some tips to beat the Shadow Hand boss in Paper Mario Origami King.
Paper Mario Origami King Shadow Hand Boss Battle Guide
As the name ‘Handaconda’ suggests, this enemy is shaped like a snake with a hand in place of its head. Here are some tips to defeat him easily.
The special thing about the Shadow Hand boss is that if you come to close to him, he will flick the icon away. This will waste your turn. If you try to jump or throw a hammer, the boss will not be affected. In case you want more time to think, you can spend some coins for that. Here’s how to farm coins that will come handy during this time.
To tackle this snake-like enemy, what you can do is use a Legendary Hammer from the second-closest ring. This will successfully lower its HP.
The Handaconda will have attacks like the Cobra Throw where it will lift you up and throw you with its hand. Make sure to get some Toads cheer so that you can recover your lost health.
Keep moving the rings correctly and using the Legendary Hammer to defeat the Shadow Hand boss in Phase 1. After this, Olivia will be freed from his grasp so the good news is that you can use a Magic Circle now.
But there’s a shocking twist – the icons will change into rock, paper and scissor icons.
How to Win Rock Paper Scissors Paper Mario Origami King
How the Rock Paper Scissors game in Paper Mario Origami King works is that you have to choose the panel you want and then enable 1000 Fold Arms. Now it’s time to play Rock Paper Scissors. Rock beats Scissors, Paper beats Rock and Scissors beat Paper – as usual.
Remember that what the boss chooses in this game is completely random so there is no known way to predetermine it. From the top view, it might seem like the Shadow hand is trying to hint at its next move. See below:
But if you end up following those signs, it might turn out disastrous for you. So the best option is to not rely on the hand signals shown by this boss – he is not trustworthy since he’s a snake.
If you win, you can hit the boss repeatedly but if you lose then the boss can attack you. But you can block this attack by pressing A. If you are near, your attack will be stronger during RPS but guarding will be tough. Whereas, from a distance, your attack will be weaker but you can guard it easily.
Use all of these tips to ultimately beat the Shadow Hand in Paper Mario Origami King. Be sure to read our other boss guides on GamerTweak, especially the one on how to defeat King Olly easily.