What does the Quartz Charm do in Super Mario RPG?

Most of the really powerful gear in Super Mario RPG is found through secrets. Among these is an accessory called the Quartz Charm. But what does it do, and how do you get it?

Getting the Quartz Charm

Simply getting the Quartz Charm isn’t easy. It requires that you fight the secret (and powerful) boss Culex. A detailed write-up is here, but the short of it is that you need the Shiny Stone to unlock the door in Monstro Town. Once that’s done, you’re in for a rough battle. Culex is no push-over, and you need to be well prepared. Successfully take them down, however, and you’re rewarded with the Quartz Charm.

So what does it do? The Quartz Charm can be equipped to the accessory slot on any character. When equipped, it halves the damage done to them and doubles the damage done by them. 

If you combine this with, say, the Lazy Shell, that can lead to a tonne of damage being dealt out by a veritable tank. However, the downside is that it won’t mitigate the effects of status changes. It’s going to be really difficult to take advantage of the damage boost if you’re a mushroom. I’m not saying you shouldn’t use it. It’s without a doubt one of the best accessories you can get in the game. However, make sure that it’s held by someone who you can live without for a few turns.

Super Mario RPG is available now for Switch.