Chrono Trigger: Prophet's Guile out at the Compendium!

[The Pezman]

That sounds like a pretty beautiful strategy, but I'm pretty sure that I've tried to kill him solely with physical attacks and he still killed me. Assuming my memory is correct, then why didn't the golem just stick with that 1/2 HP attack on me?

If you physically attack the golem, he'll copycat it and gain two abilities: Iron Orb, which reduces your HP by half, and a nameless physical attack (but looks like it should be fire) that involves a bunch of light orbs descending in on you. It hits hard.

In short, DON'T PHYSICALLY ATTACK IT.

I don't recall it not being able to attack if it's switching elements frequently.

[HalcyonSpirit]

That sounds like a pretty beautiful strategy, but I'm pretty sure that I've tried to kill him solely with physical attacks and he still killed me. Assuming my memory is correct, then why didn't the golem just stick with that 1/2 HP attack on me?

If you physically attack the golem, he'll copycat it and gain two abilities: Iron Orb, which reduces your HP by half, and a nameless physical attack (but looks like it should be fire) that involves a bunch of light orbs descending in on you. It hits hard.

In short, DON'T PHYSICALLY ATTACK IT.

I don't recall it not being able to attack if it's switching elements frequently.

Hm... That's odd. I've fought the golem twice and neither time did I encounter that other attack. It only used Iron Orb...

Perhaps it's because I was attacking in sequence with two different elemental magic spells followed by the physical attack. I never tried to only use physical attacks on it; I always used the combination. Maybe making it switch three times in short succession caused it, or perhaps it only uses that second attack if you do enough damage with the physical strikes that turn. I don't know. All I know is that the strategy worked for me both times I used it.