How to Defeat Dry Bones Enemies in Super Mario RPG

The Dry Bones enemies in Super Mario RPG can be tricky to handle and even just to get around. Here’s all you need to know to defeat them.

Super Mario RPG: How to Defeat Dry Bones Enemies

You may notice Dry Bones enemies don’t fall to regular attacks. To defeat a Dry Bones enemy, you have to attack it with a Special Move. In other words, regular (physical) attacks won’t fell them, but magic attacks will. This can make Dry Bones especially scary when you’re out of FP. If you find yourself in battle with Dry Bones but can’t damage it, you can attempt to flee from the battle and run away from it on the overworld.

If you have the means to damage Dry Bones, you don’t have to go all out. Any Special Move will defeat Dry Bones in one hit.

You can also use the Holy Water item to defeat the undead Dry Bones, but because they will fall in one hit to any Special Move, it’s recommended you save your Holy Water for use against different undead enemies.

What Happens When You Defeat Dry Bones in Super Mario RPG

When you defeat a Dry Bones enemy in Super Mario RPG, they don’t despawn off the overworld. Instead, they crumble much like how they do in Mario’s platforming adventures and revive shortly afterward, ready and eager to fight again. Since FP is limited in Super Mario RPG, and defeating them doesn’t remove them from the overworld, it’s recommended to avoid battles with Dry Bones.

Where Can You Find Dry Bones in Super Mario RPG

Dry Bones is found in the Sunken Ship in Super Mario RPG.

A variant of Dry Bones called Vomer appears in Barrel Volcano. Vomer abide by the same rules as regular Dry Bones: they can’t be defeated by regular, physical attacks but will be instantly defeated by any Special Move.

How Much HP Do Dry Bones Have in Super Mario RPG?

Dry Bones is coded to have 0 HP in Super Mario RPG, which in practice allows its HP to be infinite. This is what prevents it from being defeated by physical attacks.

If you want to build your party in Super Mario RPG, check out our guide on which stats are best to level up first.