Does Temmie Armor Ruin the Undertale Experience?
The short answer is: yes, Temmie Armor can absolutely ruin the Undertale experience for many players if used improperly. While it’s undeniably one of the most powerful armor pieces in the game, its very strength is its downfall when it comes to the intended design of Undertale’s combat system. This is not to say the armor is bad, but rather that its use comes with consequences regarding gameplay enjoyment. Let’s delve deeper into why.
The Allure of Temmie Armor
First, let’s acknowledge the appeal. The Temmie Armor boasts the second-highest defense in the game, second only to the heart locket and the real knife and the most potent available outside of the Genocide Route. This makes a significant difference in damage mitigation. For players struggling with challenging bosses or finding the bullet hell combat overwhelming, the Temmie Armor feels like a godsend. It can turn seemingly impossible fights into manageable encounters. It’s easily accessible once you’ve navigated the game a bit, making its power within reach for most players. Players obtain the armor by paying for Temmie’s college, which can be done after following a very specific series of events, with the most commonly used method being to exploit the Dog Residue item to obtain vast amounts of gold.
The Problem with Overpowering Combat
Undertale’s combat is a unique blend of bullet hell mechanics, RPG strategy, and, most importantly, story-driven challenges. Each battle is designed not just to be a test of skill, but a chance to learn about the characters, understand their motivations, and make meaningful choices. This delicate balance is thrown out of sync by the Temmie Armor.
By drastically reducing damage taken, the armor minimizes the stakes of combat. Players can withstand more mistakes, they don’t have to learn attack patterns as effectively, and the unique flavor of each boss battle becomes diluted. For instance, dodging Toriel’s fire attacks requires precision and timing but with Temmie Armor, players can often simply tank through the damage, negating the need to actually engage with her pattern. This creates a situation where strategy becomes irrelevant, and victories come by sheer brute force which isn’t necessarily how the developer intended for players to beat the game.
Undertale’s combat is intended to be a learning experience, where players grow in skill and understanding. The Temmie Armor short-circuits this process. Players can miss out on the satisfying feeling of overcoming a challenge through persistence and mastery. They are robbed of the opportunity to connect to the story on a deeper level by effectively bypassing the narrative weight of many battles. Essentially, you become a tank and simply walk over the enemies, defeating them with significantly less effort. The developer acknowledged this by having the Temmie Shopkeeper warn players about the armor, stating it could ruin the game and only to purchase it if you’re having trouble with a specific fight.
When is Temmie Armor Useful?
This isn’t to say the Temmie Armor has no place in the game. There are situations where it can be incredibly helpful:
- Players struggling with a specific boss: If a particular fight is becoming too frustrating, using the armor can help get past it without needing to give up. The shop keeper does acknowledge the possibility of players needing extra help for a particularly hard fight.
- Completing a No-Hit Run: For incredibly skilled players who want to perform a “no-hit” playthrough, Temmie Armor provides a crucial safety net, making those runs just a little less stressful.
- Experimentation: Players can use the armor to experiment with combat mechanics or try strategies that would otherwise be too risky.
- Speedruns: The Temmie Armor is incredibly useful in speedruns of the game due to its sheer power, allowing players to quickly get through harder encounters.
However, even in these situations, players should be mindful of the trade-off. While the armor might make these specific goals achievable, it could also remove some of the thrill and personal growth they would otherwise have experienced. The important thing is to recognize that its use should be approached with intention, not as the default option for the entire game.
A Matter of Personal Preference
Ultimately, whether the Temmie Armor ruins the experience comes down to individual player preference. Some players value the increased challenge and the feeling of mastery while others may prefer a more streamlined experience or simply do not enjoy the combat, opting to focus on the story rather than the game mechanics.
It’s also worth noting that the armor is obtainable through an exploit. The act of grinding gold via Dog Residue, while useful, is far from a traditional gameplay mechanic. The armor is also extremely expensive, requiring the user to spend a whopping 9999 gold. It’s clear that the armor isn’t intended to be obtained by all players, but rather an optional tool for those that seek it out.
In conclusion, the Temmie Armor, while incredibly powerful, can absolutely ruin the unique experience that Undertale strives to create. Its ability to trivialize combat can undermine the lessons learned in the game and remove much of the intended fun. While it has valid uses, it’s important for players to be mindful of its impact on the overall experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the best armor in Undertale?
The Temmie Armor is often considered the best armor in a regular playthrough, as it offers the second-highest defense in the game outside of the genocide route. The armor with the highest defense would be the Heart Locket combined with the Real Knife, but this is only obtainable at the very end of the game on a genocide playthrough.
2. How do you get the Temmie Armor?
You get the Temmie Armor by first obtaining Dog Residue and selling it to the Tem Shop in Temmie Village. Then you can use that gold to pay for Temmie’s College, after which the Temmie Armor is unlocked in the shop.
3. Is it possible to get the Temmie Armor for free?
No, you cannot get the Temmie Armor for free. You have to pay 9999 gold in order to purchase it. This is achieved by selling items to Temmie, most notably Dog Residue, as it creates more Dog Residue every time it’s used.
4. How do I get unlimited money in Undertale?
You can achieve infinite money through an exploit involving Dog Residue. You repeatedly use the item, sell the new ones, and repeat. Because it generates more of itself when used, you can keep selling it until you’re satisfied.
5. Is the Burnt Pan the best weapon in Undertale?
In the Genocide Route, the Burnt Pan is considered one of the best due to its healing bonuses, it is also highly effective in combination with the empty gun due to their similar mechanics. In all other routes, the Empty Gun will be the superior choice for skilled players.
6. What does the Spider Donut do?
The Spider Donut allows you to skip the fight with Muffet, but only after reaching 9999 gold. You can also spare Muffet through dialogue and without any items if you survive for 17 turns.
7. What does G stand for in Undertale?
G stands for GOLD, the currency used in the Underground.
8. How do you spare Toriel?
You must spare Toriel on every turn without attacking her. Eventually, she will give up the fight.
9. Who is the hardest boss in Undertale?
Sans is commonly cited as the hardest boss due to his difficult-to-dodge attacks and his unique mechanic of dealing Karma damage. However, Asriel Dreemurr is often considered the “strongest” due to his high stats.
10. Is Sans cheating in his boss fight?
Yes, Sans “cheats” by attacking first and changing his attack patterns and dialogue to keep the player off guard. These actions are typically unheard of in fights prior to this one.
11. Is Temmie a boy or a girl?
Temmie is often referred to as male, though the gender is questioned at times within the game. All other Temmies outside of Bob, are generally depicted as female characters.
12. Is Frisk allergic to Temmies?
Yes, both humans and Temmies are allergic to Temmies, according to the game’s lore.
13. Is Chara evil?
This is a matter of debate, but generally, the canon depicts Chara as evil. However, much of the story is left open to interpretation, which can lead to different opinions on the matter.
14. Can you spare Sans in a Genocide run?
No, you cannot spare Sans in a Genocide Run. If you try, he will kill you.
15. Is the True Pacifist or Genocide route harder?
The Genocide route is generally considered much harder than the True Pacifist route due to the increased difficulty of battles like Sans and Undyne the Undying.