The Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Giant Wildclaw boss fight has to be done at long range, using the new character Edge to thin out minions along the way. The Wildclaw itself is the first big boss of Mario and Rabbids 2, and big really is the operative word - it's a huge brute that uses shockwave-launching melee strikes and tanks whatever you do to it while running around. However, there are some solid strategies to secure victory, and we'll explain how to win in our guide on how to beat the Giant Wildclaw in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Giant Wildclaw boss weakness and tips
The Giant Wildclaw in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope might look like a tiger, but it acts more like an enraged gorilla. When damaged, even when not on its turn, it runs a short distance towards the source of the damage - a free action that doesn't use up any action points. If it gets in melee range, it immediately follows it up with a huge attack for massive damage (between 300-600, depending), even hitting other allies who might be nearby with the shockwave.
For this reason, getting close to the Giant Wildclaw is a terrible idea, and you want to fight at range at all costs. The Wildclaw actually doesn't have any ranged attacks, so if you can stay out of its way, it can't touch you - a major weakness you can use against it. There'll also be other enemies around the arena, with more of them teleporting in through portals that can be destroyed before they spit out new foes.
You've also got Edge, a new ally introduced for this very fight, and presumably created when one of the Rabbids merged with half a dozen different Final Fantasy protagonists. Unfortunately for this fight, Edge is largely a melee character, so you will have to be careful when you use her - otherwise she might end up squashed under the Wildclaw's foot.
Best team to beat the Giant Wildclaw
There's no option to swap out Edge - you have to fight with her in the party - but you can swap out the other two. We recommend Luigi and Rabbid Peach, a solid lineup for any boss fight, as explained why in our Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope best teams. The goal here is to have Edge focus less on the Wildclaw and more on the other minions, thinning them out while Luigi and Rabbid Peach attack the boss and provide healing.
Give them some Sparks that focus on defence and focused damage if you have them, and don't bother prioritising elemental damage - the Wildclaw is resistant to all elements and "Super Damage" types. Now that you have your team, it's time to put them into action.
How to beat the Giant Wildclaw
Once the fight starts, here's some basic advice on dealing with it, with strategy and consideration.
- Edge's main attack is to throw her sword, a short-range attack which does fairly meaningful damage to every foe in its trajectory. Use this to thin out the minions that spawn in. Her special power is to do heavy sword strikes on any enemy who moves close to her.
- Send Luigi and Rabbid Peach to opposite sides of the arena, and have them attack the Wildclaw. By spacing them out, the Wildclaw will run in different directions when it tries to follow-up their attacks - but never really get anywhere. Keep this going as long as you can, pausing to fight weaker enemies if they get too much.
- Be careful of using reaction attacks or multi-attacks, like Luigi's "Steely Stare" or Mario's main blasters. They can all trigger the Wildclaw's movement and it stacks, so suddenly it'll sprint vast distances across the battlefield and catch up with you.
- If in danger, retreat! Team jumps and more mean that you should be able to move a little faster than the Wildclaw, so if it gets too close, just move out of its range and don't attack it until you have some distance. Try team-jump over a chasm, which it has to go around.
- The Giant Wildclaw can't be hurt by dash attacks, so don't bother to try. You can hit it with team jumps if you have characters capable of doing that, though it's obviously not the safest approach and we don't recommend it, as you'll probably land in punching range.
- Deal with the portals if possible, though don't go overboard. Enemies who teleport in through them will get to make an attack, but if you have cover from that direction, you should be fine. Not only that, but the health of the portals and the enemies who come through them are roughly the same, so it's not like one is easier to destroy.
The Giant Wildclaw has 2870 health, meaning you'll be fighting it for a while before it goes down. However, if you can beat it, the fight instantly ends, with no need to fight the other minions. The battle is over, and not only that, but Edge and her Spark will become permanent additions to your team! The game's only going to get tougher from here though, so check out our Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope tips for advice on general play and strategy.
