How to Complete the Pacifist Challenge in Megabonk

by

After finishing the first set of levels in the Forest area of Megabonk, players will be able to try out special challenges. There are 13 challenges in total for this area. Completing these challenges adds fun new ways to play Megabonk and also helps players earn more Silver – the rewards are permanent and increase how much Silver you get!

The Pacifist Challenge is one of two ways to earn double the Silver in the game. It’s a tough task – you have to defeat all the stage bosses without using any weapons! This guide will give you the strategies and tips you need to complete the Pacifist Challenge in *Megabonk*.

Best Characters For the Pacifist Challenge in Megabonk

Because luck plays a big role in *Megabonk*, it’s possible to beat the game without fighting as any character. Still, some characters make the Pacifist Challenge much easier and give you a better chance of winning.

Because players can’t hurt enemies with weapons, they’ll need to rely on alternative methods like Thorns, or items and abilities that directly cause damage.

Athena

Athena is well-known for runs where players choose not to use weapons, thanks to her special skills. She starts with 5 Thorns, giving her an early boost, and gains an additional 1 Thorn each time she levels up with her ability, Lock In.

Athena normally uses the Aegis, which deflects attacks with a powerful, thorn-enhanced shockwave. Without it, she has to attack each enemy one by one, making the Pacifist Challenge much slower. So, if you want to play as Athena for this challenge, you’ll need an item that can hit multiple enemies at once, like the Thunder Mitts or Moldy Gloves.

If a player gets an item that redirects the damage Athena does to enemies, they should keep playing. Otherwise, if they haven’t found one within the first few minutes, it’s best to start a new run.

Tony McZoom

Tony McZoom’s special ability, Zap, could be very effective in the Pacifist Challenge, but it requires having the Thorns ability as well. Zap lets Tony charge up an electric attack by moving, damaging enemies when he hits them. However, he needs to *actively* attack to release this electricity – just bumping into enemies won’t do. That’s where Thorns comes in, as it allows him to damage enemies without directly attacking, triggering Zap’s electric charge.

Players can get Thorns as Tony McZoom in two ways. The best method is to choose the Thorns Tome and upgrade it during the game. Alternatively, players can try activating Charge Shrines and hoping they get an offer to gain Thorns.

Once you unlock Thorns, you’ll damage enemies just by touching them, and this can trigger your Zap ability if it’s ready. You can also use Tony McZoom’s shield to attack enemies and earn experience and gold until the shield breaks. After that, explore the map to find chests and Moai Statues, looking for items that boost your damage and improve your character build.

How to Beat the Pacifist Challenge in Megabonk

Tips and Tricks to Complete the Pacifist Challenge

No matter which character you choose in *Megabonk* – whether it’s Athena, Tony McZoom, or someone else – these tips will help you complete the Pacifist Challenge.

Purchase the Toggler Upgrade

In *Megabonk*, the Toggler is a really helpful shop upgrade. It lets players customize their playthroughs by choosing which tomes and items won’t show up as options, giving them more control over their builds.

While you can only turn off upgrades earned through quests—not those you start with—this feature is still useful, particularly for players tackling challenges with strict conditions.

Disable/Ignore Tomes & Items that Boost Weapon Stats

Many items and books can boost weapon stats, but they won’t be helpful in this challenge because players won’t have any weapons equipped. Players should either turn these items off using the Toggler or simply skip them if they’re offered.

As a big fan of the Pacifist Challenge, I’ve put together a quick guide on what books and items you can safely skip. Trust me, knowing this will save you a lot of inventory space and time!

  • Disable with Toggler:

    Tomes

    • Quantity
    • Duration
    • Chaos

    Items

    • Battery
    • Turbo Skates

  • Ignore:

    Tomes

    • Projectile Speed
    • Cooldown

    Items

    • Backpack

Best Items for the Pacifist Challenge

When trying the Pacifist Challenge in *Megabonk*, players should prioritize finding both Items and Thorns. Some helpful Items work best with Thorns already equipped, while others can inflict damage on their own. Here’s a guide to the Items you’ll want to find during the challenge.

  • Doesn’t require the player to hit the target

    • Cursed Doll
    • Ghost
    • Electric Plug (requires the player to take damage to activate)
    • Mirror (requires the player to take damage to activate)
    • Toxic Barrel (requires the player to take damage to activate)
    • Bob (Dead)
    • Big Bonk
    • Ice Cube
    • Holy Book

  • Require the player to hit the target

    • Moldy Cheese
    • Cactus
    • Thunder Mitts
    • Unstable Transfusion
    • Moldy Gloves
    • Slurp Gloves
    • Slutty Cannon (requires the player to kill an enemy, not just hit them)
    • Shattered Knowledge
    • Quin’s Mask
    • Cursed Grabbies
    • Power Gloves
    • Lightning Orb
    • Dragonfire
    • Soul Harvester (requires the player to kill an enemy, not just hit them)
    • Joe’s Dagger

Go For Pots and Shrines Right Away

Early in the game, it will be challenging to gain levels and improve your character. If you’re attempting a Pacifist Challenge, prioritize finding any healing pots and shrines right away. The easiest way to do this is by checking your mini-map for the closest green and white icons and heading in that direction.

You’ll find pots containing gold, silver, or experience points. Charge shrines boost your stats, and Moai Statues give away free items. Keep an eye out for mysterious NPCs marked with green on the map – they sell items too! They’re a good alternative to chests, which can be costly and sometimes empty. The best part? You can see exactly what you’re buying from the NPCs, so you’ll know what to save your gold for if you spot something really useful.

Work With What You’ve Got

Luck plays a big role in *Megabonk*, and random chance can significantly affect how quickly players finish a challenge. While searching for useful items, players might find something unexpected that requires a new approach, and it could be exactly what they need to succeed.

Players need to be flexible and adapt their strategy based on the items they find. For instance, if a team is building for Tony McZoom’s Zap ability with a Thorns-focused run, but then finds the Bob (Dead) item (which creates ghosts with movement), they could switch gears and use the Agility Tome to quickly defeat enemies while benefiting from Bob (Dead)’s effect. Success depends on understanding potential item combinations and making them work together.

Restart If You Don’t Find Good Items and Tomes

If you’re trying the Pacifist Challenge, don’t waste time on a run that isn’t going well. If you’ve explored for a bit and haven’t found the necessary tomes or items, it’s okay to pause and restart to try again.

The Pacifist Challenge relies heavily on luck, so players shouldn’t be afraid to start over if things aren’t going well. It’s okay to try again!

Read More

2025-10-15 03:06