Another Crab's Treasure: How To Beat Nephro (Boss Fight)

Another Crab's Treasure boasts a ton of boss fights, but making sure you're ready when you face Nephro is key to enjoying the game. Whether you're a fan of unforgiving soulslikes or prefer to play Another Crab's Treasure for its writing and visuals, this boss fight will catch unprepared players off guard. You face Nephro about 45 minutes to an hour into the game, which means you're severely underleved by the time you reach his fight.

Nephro is, as mentioned, the first true boss in Another Crab's Treasure. He's the captain of the guard in Slacktide, and you're sent to talk to him after the guards at the gate turn you away for not wearing a shell. They can't very well let you in to see Duchess Magista naked, so off you go to get your first shell and earn your entry to the castle.

Where To Find Nephro in Another Crab's Treasure

Your journey begins with your home being repossessed by a loan shark; to earn your home back, you head to the castle to talk to the newly-installed Duchess to ask for leniency on the back-taxes you now owe. This is the start of the game's anti-capitalist messaging, though it's not quite as overt as Disco Elysium's. When our protagonist, Kril, arrives at the castle, he's turned away by the guards due to the state of his clothing. Because he has no shell, he's naked.

The guards tell you that there's a nearby stockpile of extra shells that they keep stocked for the less fortunate and that you should talk to their captain to get one. They'll indicate generally to the east, but give no instructions as to what the captain's name is, nor what he looks like. Head in the direction they indicate and beat up any baddies that attack you on the way. Eventually, you'll reach a sandcastle gate.

On the left side of this gate are three Heartkelp plants. If you're low on these healing pods, make sure to stock up before heading towards the sunken vending machine in the distance. Interact with the vending machine, which will spit out a bunch of soda cans, which you will then be prompted to equip. Be aware that once you do, you'll trigger the cutscene leading to Nephro's fight.

How to Beat Nephro

Nephro's character design reflects his character as a knight to the Duchess. His movement and attacks come from the time-honored tradition of jousting, and his speed and agility make him a formidable foe, particularly this early in the game. By this point, Kril will have leveled up a few times, meaning that you'll have had the opportunity to upgrade some of your skills.

This early on in the game is too early to have figured out a build, so you should upgrade your stats based on the weaknesses you've observed in your own playstyle. Are you really good at avoiding attacks, but would like to hit a little harder? Go for an ATK upgrade to do some extra damage. But if you're struggling a bit to stay alive, go for VIT or DEF, which upgrade your health pool and shell's health pool respectively.

When it comes to strategy, there are a few things you'll want to look out for. Nephro has a large, sweeping attack, a rush attack, and a down-slam that can stun, similar to how Elden Ring players might expect Radahn's horse to attack. Each one has an indicator:

Attack Cue Sweeping Attack He will cock back in preparation to swing his lance. Rush Attack He will stand still, then paw his front leg like a horse before charging forward with his lance. Down-Slam Attack He will rear up, then come crushing down.

The Down-Slam and Rush attacks are pretty simple to avoid; once he's moving, just dodge out of the way or hide in your shell. As for the sweeping attack, you'll want to stay on the edge of his range to his left or right. This attack has the biggest hitbox directly in front of him, so staying on the fringes of the area it hits will help you dodge more easily when the time comes.

Once you've avoided his attacks, you'll need to hit back. At one point, he will run at you, not like the Rush attack, but a bit slower. When he does this, run from him in a circle. This will prevent him from hitting you while keeping you within the range of Kril's fork, allowing you to swing at him while he chases you.

As you block attacks with your shell, it will take damage and eventually break. Being shell-less is when you're most vulnerable, so be ready to make a break for a new one once your current shell is low.

As in other soulslikes, boss fights in this game take patience. When you feel Nephro getting too close, and you want to get out of his range, you can use your Shell Spell, Fizzle, to burst yourself away quickly. As long as you have the Umami Charges for it, this spell releases a cloud of bubbles that push you away and do some damage. Fizzle's damage is pretty good, so use a combination of regular fork attacks and Shell Spells to whittle Nephro down.

Rewards for Beating Nephro

As the first boss, you might expect Nephro to drop some insane loot; unfortunately, that's not the case. You'll receive some microplastics for your trouble, which you'll be able to use to level up a few times, but not much else. Fortunately, you'll get to keep the shell you used in battle, which will also unlock shells that will spawn in the rest of the world. Now, you'll be able to pick up any shell you find in the open ocean, giving you the chance to find out what each one does and which you like best.

Once you've unlocked the shells by beating Nephro in Another Crab's Treasure, the world is your oyster. Find out which shells work best for you, and eventually go on to unlock the rest of the upgrades and skills the game has to offer. Become the strongest crab you can be to get Kril's shell back! To check out some other boss fights, watch Wanderbots' video on YouTube below.

Source: Wanderbots/Youtube