General Tips & Basic Strategies
While the bosses covered in these guides often introduce unique mechanics that require a specialized and individual approach, there are some strategies and equipment configurations that are universally helpful and should be considered when engaging with most encounters in Deltarune as a whole. Maintaining TP for example is vital, as it allows you to cast spells and allows you to perform certain ACTs that you otherwise couldn't. With this in mind, the Pink Ribbon and Twin Ribbon are useful and popular choices. While they don't provide much defense on their own, they increase the graze window during attacks (+44% and +56.25% respectively) making acquiring TP during attacks much safer and more reliable as a strategy. It's important to remember that these items also reduce the amount of TP gained by attacks (-20% and -25% respectively), though the added safety and reliability of the increased graze range can make this downside worthwhile. The downside can also be partially offset through the use of the Tension Bow as it increases TP gain by 10%, though the low defense the armor provides makes it a debatable choice.
Weapon choice is fairly straightforward, as most weapons in the game do not provide special effects outside of their standard stat buffs. Each character can equip their own weapon type, which limits options further. Kris can only equip swords, Susie can only equip axes, and Ralsei can only equip scarves. There is one notable exception to this rule, but it is only available late into the game and isn't relevant to most boss fights as a result. When strategizing weapon choice, there is a noteworthy standout. The Devilsknife, which can be equipped by Susie, is vital to strategies that involve spamming her strongest spell, Rudebuster, as it reduces the TP cost of the spell by 10. In almost all scenarios this is Susie's most optimal weapon choice, and outside of specific late game encounters she should always have it equipped. Bosses covered that have more specialized equipment choices will have them discussed in their respective guides.