Metaphor: ReFantazio Guide – Essential Tips and Tricks You Should Know Before Playing

Metaphor: ReFantazio is an exciting JRPG with deeply satisfying turn-based combat and an intriguing storyline. Many players will spend over 100 hours getting lost in this world. After playing more than 50 hours myself, I’ve gathered key tips and tricks that can help you navigate the game more effectively. Whether you're just starting or looking to fine-tune your strategy, these tips will give you an edge as you progress through this incredible journey.

Always Get Information from the Informant vendor

Early on, the game will introduce to you Informants that will sell key information about certain enemies in a dungeon, boss weaknesses, and where to find specific items like ingredients. Don’t get stingy with this vendor as information is king. When in a new area, always clean out all the information you can buy every time you come across these guys as the details they provide let you plan early before entering a new dungeon or make it easier to complete certain side quests.

The best part? all the information you’ve purchased will be available at any time in your inventory, so in case you forgot a piece of detail like telling you a specific boss’ weakness is fire.

Use the Escape Feature to Your Advantage

The escape feature is a great tool to use if you are trying to conserve your MP. If you enter a fight without the proper tools to exploit enemy weaknesses, don’t hesitate to escape, regroup, and re-enter the fight prepared.

Extra tip: Don’t be shy in using the Retry option in battle. If you think you can end the fight in a more efficient manner, you won’t get any kind of penalty for restarting the battle for a better outcome.

Save your MP consumables for the dire moments

It’s no surprise that MP is the most important resource in the game, and running out sooner than you’d like is a bad position to be in. Having a character without the means to do any skill is as useful as them dead on the floor waiting to be revived.

This is why it’s best to save as much as the MP consumables you pick up in your journey as these items are rare and are only mostly found in the world. They are also your best option if you do find yourself starving for MP.

Some vendors do sell them, but it’s always limited. So, be sure to check every vendor in a new town or store and if you see them, buy all of them.

If you need to use them, make sure that’s your only option as these items are extremely limited.

Always Stun Enemies with Overworld Attacks

Be sure to always initiate battles when you stun them. This makes every fight easier and makes it more likely to get an ‘Unscathed Triumpth’ victory, which requires you to not get hit by your enemies in the battle as getting this gives you a bonus in experience, MAG, and money gained for that fight.

In the overworld, you can attack enemies with your equipped weapon, depending on your level will determine how many swings it will take to stun the enemy (weaker enemies die instantly to these attacks). Once you see them stunned, engage them in turn-based combat and you’ll start with them stunned with you acting first.

If you couldn’t finish them off on your first turn, you have another chance next turn as their first turn will consist of them still recovering from the stun. Take note that the enemy you are attacking while stun could break free earlier from your attacks, so make sure your team’s primary target goes down before you pass the turn.

Find Time to Improve Your Bonds with Characters

As you go through the day in Metaphor, you usually get to do two things each day. Going through a dungeon mostly takes a day, but if you decide to improve the protagonist’s characteristics during the afternoon, don’t forget that you can spend the night improving the Bonds of certain characters during these times. Speak with Gallica to see who is open to talking.

Improving your Bonds with key characters in the game is as effective as grinding to level up your party thanks to the perks you unlock for doing so. Increasing Bond levels give your Archetypes bonuses such as a reduction on the MAG needed to study them, a new Archetype version, and best yet, more Inherit slots, giving you more room to make an Archetype more versatile based on the situation you are in.

Master Archetypes for Permanent Stat Bonuses and More

Mastering Archetypes is required to unlock other Archetypes for a specific character, but don’t forget that maxing them out also gives the character permanent stat buffs. For example, mastering the Warrior Archetype will give your character a permanent +2 Strength, or maxing the Gunner Archetype will give you a +2 increase in that character’s Agi stat.

Even if you don’t see a particular character not using a particular Archetype, down the line, it will be beneficial to master them anyway for the permanent boost.

It’s also beneficial to max out your Archetype and still use them in battle as you are rewarded a Hero’s Leaf of Light item for every 1,000 EXP gained. This item grants a character’s Archetype 1,000 EXP, making in a solid path to leveling up your Archetypes.

Take a Bath!

Speaking of permanent stat boost, later in the game you’ll be introduced with the ability to take a bath during the night. While this may sound a bit weird, it’s actually worth considering if there’s no other activity worth doing for a particular day as taking a bath not only gives you MAG for the effort, adding Bath Salts in your bath will also give the Protagonist a permanent stat boost depending on the Bath Salt used.

So, with that in mind, always check every vendor if anyone is selling Bath Salts as they are limited and only found in specific shops.

Don’t Neglect the Ability to Guard

Guard can be easily overlooked as it’s not appealing to simply waste a character’s turn to increase defense, but it’s actually more useful than you think.

No matter how much preparation you do, you will likely encounter a group that can still hit a character with their weakness. Once you’ve established that a monster can hit a character’s weakness easily, making that particular character use guard is a good option during these situations as those hit by their weakness while on guard don’t give the opponent an extra turn, making it a game changer in certain conditions if used right.

Don’t sleep on the ability to Guard.

Pick up Side Quests and Bounties before Major Trips

Like the Persona series, Metaphor: ReFantazio progresses the main story over time, giving you windows to complete side quests. Before you commit to dungeon runs or multi-day trips, make sure you’ve picked up all available side quests and bounties.

Some trips take a few days while others take a day. Regardless, it’s best to spend the time to round up any or all side quests or bounties before heading out on a trip.

Doing this will maximize your time, giving you more room for other tasks before progressing through the main story. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a few days to spare to just level up or do or task like increasing Bonds or gaining permanent stat increases.

Conserve Your Hero Items

As you progress through the game you’ll be given Hero items that when consumed will give experience to a character’s chosen Archetype.

This is a great way to instantly level up an Archetype that you see yourself not using on that character but need to level up to satisfy the requirements of unlocking advanced Archetypes. I find it’s better to save these items to lessen the grind. Instead of grinding away to get those levels in the specific Archetype you need in a dungeon, use those Hero Items to save time.

Remember, a mastered Archetype can reward you with a Hero’s Leaf of Light, which is 1,000 to an Archetype each time you use it.

Always Switch Archetypes

While it’s tempting to pigeonhole characters into specific roles early on, it’s more beneficial to diversify their Archetypes. I found that this gives me more room to adapt to certain situations on the fly.

Don’t be afraid to teach a damage dealer some healing spells or a supporting character a few offensive moves. The flexibility will help you adapt to different enemy weaknesses and situations, and unlock synergy-based skills that can turn the tide of battle.

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This is it for now and hopefully, you find this useful to get yourself started in your own journey. I might add more to this as I learn more about the game.

For more about what I thought about the game, you can check out my review in progress on my thoughts after spending over 50 hours so far.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam.

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