Editing First Strike

{{image|more=yes|Image for the earlier ''Mario & Luigi'' games}}

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A '''First Strike''' (or '''first strike'''), also known as a '''pre-emptive attack''', is a technique that appears in the ''[[Paper Mario (series)|Paper Mario]]'' and the ''[[Mario & Luigi (series)|Mario & Luigi]]'' titles of [[Genre#Role-playing games|role-playing]] ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' games.

In the ''Paper Mario'' series, First Strikes can be used by Mario to damage or possibly defeat enemies before he takes his first turn in battle. Bosses and mid-bosses (with a few exceptions), and some enemies like [[M. Bush]]es and [[Hurt Plant]]s cannot be harmed by usage of a First Strike. First Strikes can also be used against Mario; for example, if a [[Koopa Troopa]] successfully attacks Mario with its shell, Mario will get hit by the First Strike.

To perform a First Strike, [[Mario]] can simply [[Jump]] on the enemy, hit them with his [[Hammer]], or hit them with an attack from a [[partner]]. If Mario's First Strike is a Jump, it will fail against Spiny or Fire enemies and result in recoil damage on Mario, just as though he had used a Jump attack during the battle. Conversely, Hammers can make a First Strike against airborne enemies, as long as Mario was able to land the First Strike in the overworld - usually, a Hammer attack cannot be made against flying foes. Hammer First Strikes will fail just like jumps when used against enemies that are spiny from the front, such as a [[Bristle]].

In ''[[Paper Mario]]'', [[Goompa]] first mentions this to Mario as they walk through [[Goomba Village (location)|Goomba Village]]. First Strikes in this game can be performed by Mario, or by his partners [[Kooper]], using his [[Shell Toss]], and [[Bombette]], using her [[Bomb (Paper Mario series)|Bomb]]. The text that displays when Mario makes the First Strike is "You made the First Strike!", and the text that displays when Mario is hit by a First Strike says "You're hit by the First Strike!". First Strikes from enemies can be avoided by dodging the attack or by equipping the [[Chill Out (badge)|Chill Out]] [[Badge]]. While the [[Dizzy Attack]] Badge is equipped, Mario can inflict [[Dizzy]] on the first enemy in a formation (without dealing damage) by using his [[Spin Dash]] move to run into an enemy before a battle, though this is not considered a "proper" First Strike, as it does not cause the First Strike message to display or trigger the [[First Attack]] Badge. Mario can instantly defeat any enemy that would not reward one or more [[Star Points]] (which is considered to be "weak"), entirely skipping the battle without rewarding Star Points, with a First Strike by equipping the First Attack Badge. This property can be extended to Mario's spin dash by equipping the [[Spin Attack (Badge)|Spin Attack]] Badge, and even further extended to walking by equipping the [[Bump Attack]] Badge (which overwrites both First Attack and Spin Attack due to just requiring contact with the enemy in question). Mario can equip the [[Spike Shield]] Badge to be able to jump on spiky enemies such as [[Cleft]]s, or can equip either the [[Fire Shield]] or [[Ice Power]] Badges to jump on fire enemies like [[Lava Bubble]]s.

 

In ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'', [[Professor Frankly]] first mentions First Strikes to Mario after he and [[Goombella]] defeat the three [[Goomba]]s in [[Rogueport Underground]]. Mario can now perform Action Commands when he makes the First Strike, potentially dealing additional damage. He can also use his Spin Jump, [[Super Hammer (move)|Super Hammer]], or [[Ultra Hammer (move)|Ultra Hammer]] moves to make the First Strike using the respective move without consuming any FP. First Strikes can also be made using [[Koops]]' Shell Toss or [[Bobbery]]'s Bomb, in which case the Action Command is automatically performed, but Stylish Moves cannot be performed. [[Flurrie]] can be used to stun enemies before a battle, freezing them in place making them easier First Strike targets for a few moments, however she herself cannot give enemies a First Strike. The Chill Out, First Attack, and Bump Attack Badges are still available and function the same as in ''Paper Mario'', however First Attack and Bump Attack do not work inside of the [[Pit of 100 Trials (Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door)|Pit of 100 Trials]]. With the removal of the Spin Dash, the Dizzy Attack and Spin Attack Badges were removed. The Fire Shield Badge was also removed, being merged fully into Ice Power. During the first fight in the [[Glitz Pit]], a scripted, unavoidable enemy First Strike occurs when a member of [[The Goomba Bros.]] [[headbonk]]s Mario before [[Grubba]] has the chance to officially start the fight.

In ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'', a First Strike has an added mechanic. By collecting [[MAX UP Heart|HP-Up Heart]]s, the Hammer and jump power will increase every time when the one's digit is at a zero from five. If the power is enough to directly defeat the enemy on the course, the enemy will be defeated and will drop a [[coin]] without starting the battle. Additionally, certain enemies' field attacks directly hurt Mario, rather than triggering a battle. Similar mechanics return in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'', with attack power increasing with every [[Big Paint Star]] collected and enemies dropping more than one coin when defeated directly on a course with a First Strike. In ''[[Paper Mario: The Origami King]]'', First Strikes retain their ''Sticker Star'' properties, though enemies' First Strikes are now unblockable.

[[File:FirstStrikeHammerM&LDT.png|thumb|left|Mario performing a First Strike with his hammer in ''Mario & Luigi: Dream Team'']]

First Strikes appear in the ''[[Mario & Luigi series]]'', and they are broadly similar to ''Paper Mario'''s First Strikes. Hitting enemies in the overworld with a jump or hammer attack transitions into battle with the character getting to attack the enemies with the the respective move before anyone takes a turn.

 

One key difference is that a First Strike on one enemy in the field will damage all enemies in the battle. This hit ignores the spikes of the other enemies. For example, jumping on a [[Lakitu]] for a First Strike in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'' inflicts damage on the Lakitu and all the [[Spiny|Spinies]] in the battle, even though those enemies have spikes.

 

As in the ''Paper Mario'' series, enemies can also perform First Strikes against one of the characters. Their attacks do not inflict damage, and are not reflected in the battle that initiates when they connect. However, if the enemy or one of its projectiles hits a character in the back, they will [[trip]] at the start of the battle.

 

In ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'' and ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'', a First Strike with a hammer works differently: when Mario or [[Luigi]] in ''Superstar Saga'', or [[Baby Mario]] or [[Baby Luigi]] in ''Partners in Time'', hammer an enemy on the overworld, all enemies in the battle become [[dizzy]]. In later ''Mario & Luigi'' games, a First Strike with a hammer instead damages all enemies.

In ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]'', [[dash]]ing into an enemy will also trigger a First Strike, although this only damages one enemy in the battle with all three characters, instead of all enemies once. A [[Trio Hammer]] will stun grounded enemies for a moment, but does not activate a battle or pass status ailments into battle, instead only allowing enough time to use a First Strike on them.

In ''[[Mario & Luigi: Brothership]]'', Bros Moves can also trigger a first strike if they hit an enemy. Hitting an enemy with [[UFO Vacuum]], [[Ball Blitz]], [[Fire & Ice]], or [[Bro Bomb]] will cause a first strike based on that ability.

 

Enemies in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Brothership]]'' can land a first strike on the Bros., with this first strike coming in the form of automatically going first, even if their [[Speed]] is lower.

==Profiles==

*'''Instruction manual description:''' "''If you touch an enemy in the field, battle begins. At that time, if you stomp or punch an enemy, you inflict damage in a preemptive attack.''"

 

*'''Instruction manual description:''' "''Use preemptive attacks to gain an advantage.''"

 

|Ita2N=''Mario & Luigi'' series

 

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[[Category:Game mechanics]]

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