BIG Tip for anyone looking to play this game « EarthBound Beginnings (2025)

I’d like to add some more tips!

• Buffs in general are really good in this game. Use them.
• Moves like PK Freeze γ, PK Beam γ, and PK Fire Ω actually work. Use them.
• PK Beam γ will not work against mechanical enemies, however.
• Unlike in the latter two games, the three Pendants for sale in Magicant are named for elements that counteract the elements they resist. The H2O Pendant resists Fire, the Flame Pendant resists Ice, and the Earth Pendant resists Electricity.
• Fire is the element attributed to enemies’ dying explosion attacks, which makes it the most important element to resist. Outfit everyone with H2O Pendants. Don’t worry about Ice and Electricity; they’re really not that big a threat. The Sea Pendant you find on Mt. Itoi resists all three elements despite the water-themed name. There is no way to resist PK Beam damage aside from Franklin Badges reflecting PK Beam γ.
• The items sold by the shops in Magicant are EarthBound Beginnings’ armor. The Gold Ring and Magic Coin are the best for their respective slots.
• Boomerangs are Ninten, Ana, and Lloyd’s second-best weapon, and universal weapons do not have lower accuracy in this game, so get a Boomerang for all three characters ASAP. Also, Lloyd’s best weapon, the Air Gun, is bought from Youngtown’s store, not found in the Mt. Itoi caves like the others’.
• Store the Sword you find in the Crystal Cave in Magicant, don’t sell it! It’s Teddy’s second-best weapon, and you’ll want to outfit him with it ASAP once he joins the party.
• The Super Spray kills all arthropod (bug/spider-type) enemies in the battle instantly, and can be used indefinitely. Be sure to pick it up while in Duncan’s Factory. Important to note; Titanees and Titanians do not count as arthropod enemies, despite Mother 3 categorizing them as insects. Insecticide and the Super Spray will not work on them in this game!
• The more well-known treasure Duncan’s Factory hides is a second Franklin Badge. Make sure to grab this, too. My advice would be to put the Franklin Badges on Ninten and Ana.
• PSI-Block is actually a PSI-sealing move, not a shielding move as the name kinda implies. Also, pretty specific, but PSI-Block completely shuts down Cerebrums. Use it on them if they’re giving you trouble.
• Telepathy exists. When in doubt, try using Telepathy on something that seems like it should be interactive, but doesn’t really react to Talk or Check. Also, don’t forget to use Telepathy on the Garrickson Baby to learn Teleport.
• There is no PK Thunder Ω. It’s not listed in online guides because it just doesn’t exist in this game. Don’t bother grinding for it.
• 4th-D Slip is your friend, especially on Mt. Itoi!

Some tips I figured out from when I played the game:

• It’s really easy to escape from a battle, as you can have all three characters attempt to run away. If you need a 100% chance to get away then use 4th-D Slip/Dimension Slip but that costs 12 PP.
• PK Beam γ will reduce almost any enemy to critical status. This can make some otherwise hard fights really easy.
• Once you have PSI teleport, then you can teleport to the hospital in Merrysville/Thanksgiving to revive your party members.
• You know what, just look up what all of the PSI/PK moves do.
• Keep the Onyx Hook in your inventory as much as possible. Being able to teleport to Magicant at any time is very useful, especially when you get a new party member so you can buy equipment and grind monsters to level up.
• Memorize the path through the cave in Magicant because you have to go through it every time you want to leave.
• There’s nothing stopping you from buying the best equipment immediately. During my play through I always bought the Gold Ring/Goddess Bracelet for my party members.

• Running away is always exactly 50/50, which means that a full party gives you three shots at it per turn with 50% success rate each attempt.
• PK Beam γ is an OHKO attack. PK Freeze γ is the one you’re thinking of that reduces the target’s HP to critical levels.

It should be noted that MOTHER makes no distinction between “psychic” and “physical” attacks beyond the fact that PSI pierces Defense. This means that PSI Shield halves damage from all attacks, not just PSI, making it useful for a lot beyond the final battle.

PowerShield, of course, is utter invincibility for just 9 PP. All attacks (Both PSI and physical; any wiki that says otherwise is wrong, because MOTHER makes no distinction) will be reflect completely, and PowerShield is impossible to destroy. People cite PK Beam γ and PK Freeze γ, but usually not PowerShield, despite it being easily the most overpowered move in the game after PK Fire Ω. Unfortunately, many people overlook it because they think it only “reflects half of physical damage”, which is incorrect. If you use PowerShield, you are practically invincible.

Also, once you get Teleport, you can get through the game without a single non-scripted encounter. Instead of walking, just use Teleport to move around, and deliberately collide into something each time to avoid actually Teleporting away. It is easier than it sounds, and you can easily get past Mt. Itoi this way. Ironically, this means that EVE does not make things easier for you — she, in fact, is a liability more than an asset unless you want to level grind.

The most important thing to remember is that MOTHER is nowhere as hard as people say if you know what you are doing. As long as you know what each PSI ability does and can avoid getting lost, you hardly need to grind at all.

Analysis of Giygas’s Motivations in MOTHER 1 and the Origins of PSI
Good and Evil in the MOTHER Series, and Coming of Age
Collectivism and Individualism in MOTHER 2 and MOTHER 3