Grim Matchstick: Fiery Fiasco

Defeat Grim Matchstick in Cuphead. Learn strategies for his fiery phases, attack patterns, recommended weapons, and tips for this Inkwell Isle Two boss.

Grim Matchstick, the fiery dragon boss of Inkwell Isle Two, presents a significant challenge with his relentless fire-based attacks and multiple phases. This guide breaks down his patterns and offers strategies to help you extinguish his fiery onslaught and claim victory.

Grim Matchstick's Location and Phases

Grim Matchstick is found on Inkwell Isle Two. He has three distinct phases, each with its own set of dangerous attacks.

Phase 1: The Fiery Dragon

In this phase, Grim Matchstick is a large, dragon-like creature. His primary attacks include:

• Fire Breath: He breathes a stream of fire that covers a wide horizontal area. You must jump over this or dash through it (with Smoke Bomb).
• Flame Orbs: He spits out bouncing flame orbs that travel across the screen. These can be dodged or parried if they are pink.
• Tail Swipe: He can swipe his tail across the lower part of the screen. Stay airborne to avoid this.
• Summoning Minions: He occasionally summons smaller fire imps that fly towards you. These should be dealt with quickly.

Strategy for Phase 1:

• Weapon Choice: Spread is excellent for dealing with the minions and close-range damage. Charge can be effective for hitting Grim when he's stationary.
• Positioning: Try to stay in the middle to lower part of the screen to have room to react to his fire breath and tail swipes.
• Parrying: If a pink flame orb appears, parry it to build meter.

Phase 2: The Three Heads

Grim Matchstick splits into three smaller, independently moving heads. This phase is characterized by a barrage of projectiles and tricky movement.

• Flame Projectiles: Each head spits out a stream of fireballs.
• Homing Orbs: Occasionally, one of the heads will spit out a homing orb that tracks you.
• Jumping Heads: The heads will jump and move erratically across the screen.

Strategy for Phase 2:

• Weapon Choice: Chaser can be very useful here, as it allows you to focus on dodging the multiple projectile streams while still dealing damage. Spread can also work if you can get close enough to multiple heads.
• Prioritize Dodging: This phase is about survival. Focus on weaving between the fireballs and homing orbs.
• Targeting: Try to focus fire on one head at a time to reduce the number of projectiles on screen.

Phase 3: The Giant Fiery Ball

In his final phase, Grim Matchstick transforms into a giant, fiery ball that bounces around the screen. This is the most intense phase.

• Bouncing Attack: He bounces erratically, creating shockwaves and leaving trails of fire.
• Spitting Fireballs: While bouncing, he will also spit out smaller fireballs.
• Pink Flames: There are often pink flames that can be parried, providing crucial meter.

Strategy for Phase 3:

• Weapon Choice: Charge weapon is excellent here, as you can charge up powerful shots during his bounces. Lobber can also be effective if you can time its bounces.
• Constant Movement: You must be constantly moving to avoid his bounces and the smaller fireballs.
• Parry for Meter: Prioritize parrying the pink flames to build your Super Meter quickly. A well-timed Super Art can deal significant damage and help end the fight faster.
• Exploit Openings: Look for the brief moments when he is stationary or recovering from a bounce to unleash your charged shots.

General Tips for Grim Matchstick

• Smoke Bomb: This charm is highly recommended for its ability to let you dash through his fire attacks.
• Patience: Grim Matchstick is a test of endurance and pattern recognition. Don't get discouraged by repeated attempts.
• Learn the Sound Cues: Many of his attacks have distinct sound effects that can alert you to what's coming.

Phase	Key Attacks	Recommended Weapon
1	Fire Breath, Flame Orbs, Tail Swipe	Spread, Charge
2	Multiple Fire Projectiles, Homing Orbs	Chaser, Spread
3	Bouncing Attack, Shockwaves, Fireballs	Charge, Lobber