This is a walkthrough for beating Stapler, one of the bosses in Paper Mario: The Origami King for the Nintendo Switch. This guide will cover boss strategy, the best weapons to use, as well as other tips and tricks for beating Stapler.

Stapler Walkthrough

Battle Strategy

While this is one of the tougher battles overall due to the amount of damage that the Stapler can inflict, the basic strategy is rather simple. Your main goal is to use multi-hits to descrease the amount of staples loaded, making it easier to endure the Bite Barrage attack. Then, when Stapler is reloading, you will have a chance to use the 1000-Fold Arms to inflict a ton of damage on your own.

Start off the first turn by lining up a path with a treasure chest, the extra action panel, and the action panel. The treasure chest puts an ON Panel out, which will be useful in a minute. With the extra action panel, you can equip two pairs of boots in battle (any type are fine, as the damage output will be rather small either way), and jump attack twice to drain a total of 8 staples.

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In the next turn, Stapler will begin glowing to let you know it is readying an attack. Try and grab another extra action panel, and once again end on an Action Panel. Jump attack twice to drain another 8 staples. Stapler will then use Bite Barrage, which will deal a considerable amount of damage, but much less than it would have had you not depleted its staples. This goes without saying, but make sure to block the attack.

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After this, Stapler will reload using red staples that are more powerful. However, the strategy you use will be more or less exactly the same as the first time. Focus on getting the ON Panel out onto the board, getting the extra action panels, and then using jump attacks to reduce the damge that Stapler can deal in its next attack. It is also a good idea to heal during this time, either by picking up some of the hearts on the board or by paying toads to cheer you. After Bite Barrage, walk over an ON Panel and use the Magic Circle to strike Stapler repeatedly.

When Stapler reloads again, the staples will be gold, and can deal a ton of damage. Everything in the previous section is true here too. Make absolute sure you have full HP before Stapler uses Bite Barrage, because with the gold staples, this attack will easily do 120+ damage. Afterward, activate a magic circle and then use it to finish off the Stapler with your arms.

Stapler Tips

Deplete its staples

The key point of this battle is to lessen the power of Bite Barrage, which is done by depleting Stapler's ammo. Since jump attacks can take away four staples, they can be used together with an extra action panel to make it drop 8 staples total per attack.

If it is possible, using the 1000-Fold Arms right after Stapler reloads can help you deplete a ton of its ammo. However, doing this right before Bite Barrage will make it difficult or impossible to activate and use a Magic Circle while it is reloading, so only do this when Stapler is not glowing.

In addition, the other attacks that the Stapler uses drain its ammo too. If you are up close it will use up two when attacking, but if you attack from one of the back rings, it will fire off more. This can come in handy for reducing the damage from Bite Barrage.

Manage your HP

Bite Barrage will do a lot of damage, even if you did manage to deplete some of Stapler's ammo. Therefore, you need to keep your HP up in this battle, especially before Stapler uses Bite Barrage. There are many hearts that you can add to the map by opening up chests. On top of that, you can use some of those coins you've been saving up to pay the Toads to Cheer for you, which can help you recover HP. HP management is one of the most important things in this battle.

Spending Coins

You can spend coins for numerous effects. By pressing +, you can add more time to the clock, giving a little bit more leeway when figuring out the correct path for the ring puzzle.

Pressing Y to have Toads cheer also has a very useful effect in this battle. If you spend enough coins, you will be able to recover some health, and in addition, Mario's path along the ring becomes visible. This will make it much easier to solve the puzzle and end up in the correct spot. Note however that this will only last during the current turn.

Stapler Video Walkthrough

Best Weapons Against Stapler

Boots or 1000-Fold Arms

Boots

For the most part, you should use Extra Action Panels + Boots to make the stapler drop a lot of its ammo. Even if you use the Legendary Boots, the damage output is minimal, so you may as well use the regular ones. 1000-Fold Arms are also great for dealing damage and depleting the boss's staples.

Once it uses Bite Barrage and becomes vulnerable while reloading, the 1000-Fold Arms are the best way to deal a ton of damage. Use a Legendary Hammer if you were unable to get the ON Panel out.

Paper Mario Origami King Boss Guides

Boss Fight Guide & List of All Bosses

Red Streamer Zone Bosses

Earth Vellumental

Colored Pencils

Blue Streamer Zone Bosses

Water Vellumental

Rubber Band

Yellow Streamer Zone Bosses

Gooper Blooper	Giant Pokey
Fire Vellumental	Hole Punch

Purple Streamer Zone Bosses

Ice Vellumental

Tape

Green Streamer Zone Bosses

Sumo Bros	Handaconda
Buzzy Beetle	Scissors

Finale

Stapler

King Olly