Combat in Metaphor: ReFantazio can initially feel overwhelming, owing to its hybrid combat system, which combines real-time action with a classic turn-based strategy. You’ll need to make quick decisions on the overworld while managing tactical squad combat.
With the right approach and a firm grasp of the mechanics, you’ll be flipping the battlefield to your advantage in no time. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from real-time ambushes to Squad Combat strategy and leveling tips.
Mastering Overworld Real-Time Combat
One of the most important things you can do in Metaphor: ReFantazio is to make sure you get really comfortable with Overworld combat. Getting the upper hand before a fight even starts can make a monumental difference.
If you master the Ambush ability, you can start fights with a massive advantage. Not only will your enemies begin at half health, but you’ll also technically pull off two whole turns before they can break out of a stun and engage in squad combat.
This gives you a lot more leeway to explore new enemy weaknesses, and it conserves your resources like MP and items. To use it effectively, use the lock-on ability to use the attack from a distance and make sure you’re always practicing when to dodge and when to attack. Avoid being too greedy with attacks; it’s all about balance and timing.
Squad Combat
The true tactical depth of Metaphor: ReFantazio lies in its Squad Combat system, where you’ll slow down and think strategically. Squad Combat rewards synergy, clever planning, and keen observation, making it crucial to understand your Archetypes and how they work together.
Focus on synergy and select party members with complementary abilities. When Archetypes work well together, they can amplify your damage output, cover each other’s weaknesses, and control the battlefield.
Exploit enemy weaknesses, as each enemy has specific vulnerabilities. Recognizing these and deploying the right Archetypes to exploit them, such as using physical attacks on enemies weak to physical damage, can shift the battle in your favor.
Enemy Level Information
The enemy level you are about to approach really influences how to engage with them. Metaphor has a really neat way for the player to get notified of the enemy’s level by color-coding them. Understanding the color-coded enemy-level system will help you decide whether to go in guns blazing or tread carefully.
- Blue Enemies: At least three levels below you, they’re perfect for real-time takedowns.
- Yellow Enemies: Just slightly higher or lower than you, offering moderate difficulty. They can’t be taken down instantly, but you can get the jump on them with stuns.
- Red Enemies: Three or more levels above you, red enemies demand careful Squad Combat tactics. Approach these foes with your best Archetypes and be prepared for a tough fight.
Character Positioning Matters
In Squad Combat, where your character stands on the field has a considerable consequence. Fragile characters should stay in the back row, while tanks and high-HP characters should hold the front line.
Sometimes, it’s beneficial to adjust this even during combat, especially when an enemy is about to launch an attack targeting the front row. Moving a vulnerable character back or defending can be a life-saving move.
You can even craft advanced tactics with the help of positioning. For example, using the Knight Archetype and standing farthest away and using its Knight’s Proclamation ability will draw the aggro of all the enemies towards the Knight, and the longer distance ensures that fewer attacks land on them. This way, both your knight’s utility and survivability are enhanced.
Stat Buffs and Debuffs
In Metaphor, stat-afflicting magic isn’t just a helpful bonus; it’s essential. Spells that boost your party’s stats or debuff the enemy can be a true lifesaver in challenging battles.
For example, the spell Tarunda, accessible through the Faker Archetype, is a fantastic tool. Tarunda reduces the target’s attack power, and by recasting it every three turns, you can keep this debuff active almost indefinitely, giving you breathing room to deal damage without being on the defensive constantly.
Always watch for the UI indicators that flash when buffs or debuffs are about to expire. You’ll keep the upper hand by recasting at the right time, making fights more manageable and efficient.
Equip Manually, Not Automatically
Each time you change Archetypes, the game will automatically equip what it thinks is the best gear for that role. However, the system typically prioritizes basic attack and defense over special stat boosts, which might not be ideal.
For instance, if you have an accessory with +6 Endurance, the system might overlook it if there’s another item with a slightly higher defense rating.
To ensure your characters are at the top of their potential, double-check your gear manually and make adjustments based on each Archetype’s unique needs.
Understanding the Importance of Agility
Speaking of timing, the Agility stat is your secret weapon here one of the most underrated yet critical part of your build. In Metaphor: ReFantazio, as with SMT or Persona games, agility controls your turn order, accuracy, and dodge chance, so it’s not something you want to ignore.
Here, Agility affects both your chance to land a hit and dodge attacks. Here’s why it’s so essential: if you miss an attack, you can lose two turns at once. On the flip side, striking an enemy’s weakness can actually give you extra turns, which really builds up your momentum.
When your attacks are blocked or repelled, you lose all of your turns, which can put you at a severe disadvantage. By keeping your agility at an appropriate level, you can reduce the chance of missing and increase the chances of dodging enemy attacks.
This advantage means that the enemy will lose their turns when they miss, which can be crucial when you’re facing tough enemies or new encounters.
Steal Ability Is A Sleeper
Once you unlock the necessary bond and the Thief Archetype for the Steal ability, make sure you’re taking full advantage of it. This ability can grant you access to some powerful gear, especially as you progress further into the game.
Unique enemies, such as bosses and gauntlet-runner battles, often have special items you can steal. Don’t underestimate how powerful some of this gear can be, you’ll find rare blue and purple gear that make a real difference.
Make sure to have someone in your party equipped with the Steal ability and use it whenever you can. It’s a fantastic way to strengthen your team with hardy equipment and items.
Plan Ahead
Planning is usually the make-or-break element in Metaphor: ReFantazio, especially as you work your way to the latter parts of the game.
Think about which Archetypes best complement your party members to make your team composition as well-rounded as possible. If you cover all your bases, it will make a big difference in your battles.
As you progress, weather conditions will start to influence combat. Bad weather can prevent you from gaining additional turns by hitting an enemy’s weakness, which can make challenging fights even harder. This is the reason why Agility is preferred.
The same idea applies to quests, when you enter a new area, gather all the quests right away to make the best use of your time as you venture into the wild. The time you have is limited, so planning ahead will help you stay efficient.
Nothing’s worse than entering a dungeon with limited attack types only to find out the enemies resist your favorite moves. Equip a diverse array of attack types, Fire, Ice, Slash, Strike, and others, when entering new areas.
You can always adjust your strategy once you become familiar with the enemy weaknesses in each zone.
Consider Passing Turns
In Metaphor, passing a turn only consumes half an action, meaning you can sometimes get an extra turn where it matters most. If a party member doesn’t have a useful action at the moment, passing lets you use this mechanic to build up the potential for later moves and create advanced tactics that your enemies won’t even see coming.
The Retry Option Is Your Friend
Everyone finds themselves in tight spots, especially in harder modes where resources like HP, MP, and items run low. Metaphor: ReFantazio has a nifty Retry option that can be a lifesaver.
If a fight spirals out of control, use it to restart the battle rather than risk a checkpoint reset. Use what you learned in the initial rounds, and don’t let pride keep you from a fresh start!
Trick For Conserving MP
As you delve deeper into dungeons, MP conservation becomes a big deal. Having some elemental attack items on hand can help, but there’s an even better way: switch your characters’ Archetypes as needed.
If your protagonist is a Healer during most of the dungeon but you’re running low on MP, consider temporarily changing to a physical-based class like the Brawler until you’re closer to a boss. This allows you to save MP for when you actually need it and makes the journey to more brutal fights a lot smoother.
Utilize Hero Passives
Each archetype comes with unique Hero Passives that offer useful benefits. These passives can provide practical boosts for exploration, dungeon-crawling, and farming.
For instance, a Mage archetype can grant MP when defeating enemies in the overworld, while a Gunner archetype will provide HP. These passives will help you save MP, items, and other resources, making a huge impact when you are stuck in a longer run especially in higher level dungeons.
Make sure you check out the hero passives for each archetype and find ways to incorporate them into your strategy and current situtation for maximum advantage.
Knight’s Proclamation Ability
After Hulkenberg joins your team and unlocks the Knight Archetype, you’ll gain access to Knight’s Proclamation, a fantastic skill for keeping enemies focused on your tank.
Using Knight’s Proclamation serves as a provoke move, making it more likely that enemies will target the Knight, who typically has high Endurance and can tank hits better than others. This lets your other party members focus on damage and support.
Hold Off on Cooking Until Later
You’ll gain access to cooking on your Gauntlet Runner early on, but don’t rush into it right away. As you progress and reach the next major destination, you’ll pick up a tutorial-esque quest that asks you to cook something.
Wait until you reach a certain Bond level that will prevent you from using up valuable time while cooking on the Gauntlet Runner. Time is one of the most limited resources in Metaphor: ReFantazio, and it’s best spent strengthening other Bonds or raising Royal Virtues.
It’s more efficient to wait until you’re at the right Bond level to avoid wasting time and maximize your benefits.
Carry Some Cures
Spending all your money on weapons or armor upgrades can be tempting, but it’s just as crucial to keep at least five of every type of status ailment-curing item on hand.
Bosses and dungeon enemies love throwing out Sleep, Poison, and other nasty effects. You may also want items like Malady and Hex cures on hand even if you have spells that can cure status effects since you might need your magic users to focus on other tasks.
Save Frequently
Although save-scumming isn’t necessarily recommended, saving frequently is a smart strategy. The game can throw surprises at you like unexpected battles, important choices, or time-sensitive decisions, so having multiple saves can save you from unwarranted setbacks.
Multiple saves mean that if you need to go back, you’re only going back a few minutes instead of potentially losing hours of progress. Making the most of your time and having the right saves available helps ensure you can fix any mistakes without too much hassle.
With these tips in mind, you’ll be ready to take on whatever Metaphor: ReFantazio throws your way. With practice and attention to your team’s strengths and weaknesses, those devious dungeons will feel like your domain. Whether you’re strategizing in Squad Combat or striking fast in real-time, remember that mastering both styles is the key to becoming unstoppable.