7 Combat Tips to Dominate in Metaphor: ReFantazio

Metaphor: ReFantazio can be a pretty overwhelming game at times, and one that throws a ton of challenges at you, especially as you progress through main dungeons and tougher bosses. If you’ve played a Persona game, some of these tips might be obvious, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.

To make your journey smoother and easier, and keep your team strong, you need to know some key strategies to handle combat. Here are seven essential tips that’ll help you dominate the combat and make the most of your resources and time in Metaphor: ReFantazio.

1. Stock Up on MP Items for Longer Dungeon Runs

In Metaphor: ReFantazio, players will likely often try to clear entire dungeons in one go since it saves time that you can use for other activities, like leveling up your follower bonds.

Although, trying to get through a dungeon without running out of MP is pretty much impossible. So, keep yourself well-stocked with MP-restoring items to stay strong in battle. Don’t use skills outside of battle to heal either. Instead of this, carry healing items in your inventory so you can save MP for fights. Fall back on healing skills that require MP as the last resort. 

Check-in with merchants whenever you’re close to a deadline to see if they have restocked MP potions or items. 

Keeping an eye out for items like these can make a huge difference during dungeon runs, and there’s plenty of other shops that sell some great stuff. 

2. Buy Gear and Items on Idlesday

Money can be a bit tight in Metaphor: ReFantazio depending on what you’ve been spending it on. It’s easy to overspend, but as you progress, you’ll see that the best gear comes with a high price tag. 

Idlesday is a special day when most merchants offer discounts on everything from armor to healing items. Even high-cost items drop in price, so if you’re looking to get more for your money, plan your big shopping trips for Idlesday, and avoid buying other stuff if you’re tight on cash. 

3. Save Up on MAG for Essential Skills and Archetypes

MAG is a very important resource you’ll need for all things related to Archetypes in Metaphor: ReFantazio, including unlocking new Archetypes and enhancing skills. 

It can feel like you’re earning plenty of MAG, which makes it tempting to spend it freely. But don’t fall for it. As you progress, the cost of leveling up skills and Archetypes increases a lot. Running low on MAG can leave you in a tough spot, especially during late-game boss battles that require specific team setups.

To avoid running out, try to keep a nice amount of MAG on hand for emergencies and when absolutely needed. Also, use Archetype-boosting seeds less. You might need to power up a lesser-used Archetype to counter a particular enemy, so it’s best to save them for when they’re really needed and not use them all up right at the start.

4. Focus on Magic Rank Ups for the Protagonist

Upgrading the protagonist’s Magic skill is one of the most effective ways to handle tougher enemies. Unlike other party members, you have direct control over your protagonist’s stats, while others have fixed specialties which lead to fewer customization options for certain builds.

A few magic-oriented party members come along later in the game, but even then, you’ll want your protagonist to be strong in magic so that you’re always ready.

Elemental damage can be incredibly powerful in Metaphor: ReFantazio, especially once you unlock skills that go through enemy resistances. Boosting the protagonist’s Magic skill also gives you more MP, which means you can use more skills in combat and stay in control of battles longer, and won’t have to stock up on as many MP items as mentioned in the first tip.

With a stronger magic stat, you’ll be able to do more damage with spells, which can really help with these battles.

5. Use Formations Wisely to Control Damage and Defense

The formation mechanic in Metaphor: ReFantazio might be easy to overlook, but it’s a key element in getting through tougher battles, especially boss fights. During combat, you have the option to place characters in either the front or back row. 

Characters in the front row can deal more damage but are more vulnerable to enemy attacks. Meanwhile, placing someone in the back row gives them extra protection, though it reduces the damage they can deal.

This setup becomes pretty important in longer battles where strategy makes all the difference. Some bosses and tougher enemies have attacks that only target one specific row, so understanding which row to place each character in can help you manage who takes damage and when to protect your more vulnerable members. 

6. Increase Your Followers’ Friendship Ranks

Just like Persona, every follower has a unique Friendship Rank from 1 to 8, which affects how they support you in many ways. Boosting these ranks can unlock benefits like new Archetypes or special powers, which are helpful both in combat and outside of it like with other tasks in Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Reaching higher ranks unlocks powerful skills and enhanced Archetypes for non-party followers. Even if they’re not in your combat group, they can help out in various ways.

Followers also give you other perks, like store discounts or MAG savings for certain Archetype upgrades. You can easily view what each Follower offers by checking their Ability Details in the Follower menu.

7. Focus on the Healer Archetype for Stronger Support

Having a solid healer on your team is important, like with most party-based JRPS. In Metaphor: ReFantazio, enemies in the first dungeon are weak to the healer Archetype’s light skills, which makes it extra valuable from the start. 

Maria who is a follower you’ll meet early on, helps unlock the healer Archetype when you raise her rank. A healer with skills that restore HP for all party members will be a game-changer in tougher fights. As you level up the healer class, you’ll unlock more powerful healing abilities and make it easier to keep everyone alive. 

This Archetype is especially useful in battles where your team needs to withstand a series of powerful enemy attacks, and this gives you time to change the course of battle and defeat the tougher bosses more easily.

Which of these seven combat tips for Metaphor: ReFantazio did you find the most noteworthy? Let us know in the comments below.