Handboss

⚠️ **This article or section has spoilers. Proceed with caution.** ⚠️

> *For the enemy with a similar name, see Handoom.*
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Handboss's sprite in Stikman's Legend.

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**Handboss** is the first boss enemy fought by the player character, Stikman, in *Stikman's Legend*. It digs through the ground, pursues the player character, and summons rolling boulders. Cactlings, Cactufine, and Handoom are all related to Handboss.

## Profile

### Appearance

Handboss resembles Handoom in appearance, looking like a human hand. Handboss is significantly larger than Handoom. It also bears a red gem in its palm, which cracks when defeated. This gem remains to be identified, even by Handboss.

### Abilities

Handboss, like other Handoom in *Stikman's Legend*, can move around. It also digs more frequently, though it still chases Stikman. Handboss digs and chases faster when it has less health. It can summon boulders that roll from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen during its second phase.

## Appearances

### Stikman's Legend

Handboss can be found in the map's south-western corner after Stikman obtains the Wooden Sword. Handboss appears and introduces itself as the first bearer of the Golden Sticks.

A fight against Handboss follows, with Handboss starting with 10 health. Its two attacks are digging and chasing Stikman. Handboss's chase speed increases as it loses health, and it digs in and out of the ground more quickly.

When Handboss is reduced to 5 health, it warns Stikman that he will not get away with his actions, and the second phase begins. The music becomes faster and higher in pitch, and boulders begin to roll down the battlefield, potentially injuring the player character. These are the same boulders that Handoom throw and can be destroyed with a weapon.

When Handboss is defeated, it warns Stikman about the "embodiment of doom," which the Bootrap Mage later identifies as the Devil Dancers. Stikman is then given his first Golden Sticks and told not to mess up. Handboss and any remaining boulders vanish. Because the Golden Boulders that were blocking them are now destroyable, the Sapphire Sticks and a shortcut to the starting area become available.

Handboss does not appear for the remainder of the game until the Devil Dancers are defeated. It appears to the left of the Golden Boulders that block the cave's entrance, along with two Handooms. It can be talked to, wishing Stikman luck with whatever comes next.

## Gallery

The fight against Handboss in the initial release of *Stikman's Legend*.
## Trivia

* When looking at the game's code, it appears that Handboss has less health than Handoom, but each hit dealt to a regular enemy deals 4–6 damage. As a result, Handboss requires roughly twice as many hits to defeat as Handoom.
* Handboss acted differently in the original release of *Stikman's Legend*:
	+ Handboss previously did not speak to the player, but now does so before, during, and after the battle.
	+ Handboss used to have three health points, but now it has ten.
	+ Handboss was unable to attack Stikman and was damaged by rolling boulders reflected at it. In Handboss's second phase, these rolling boulders return to inflict damage on the player character.
	+ Handboss could only move from side-to-side.
	+ When defeated, Handboss directly gave the player the Ruby Sticks instead of Golden Sticks. Later, they also gave the Sapphire Sticks, but those must be collected separately in the latest version.

### Etymology

The name Handboss is a portmanteau of "hand" and "boss," alluding to its resemblance to a human hand and its status as a boss enemy.

## See also

* Handoom, the enemy Handboss is based off
* Cactufine, the other Handoom-related boss enemy