Metaphor: ReFantazio features a number of unique mechanics that are either entirely new or are based on established Persona and Shin Megami Tensei ideas. One such mechanic is the Archetypes, powerful beings that the player and their party can transform into in order to give them the upper hand in combat. However, there's a lot more to Archetypes than simply being Metaphor: ReFantazio's version of Personas.

While players can get a taste of what Archetypes are like in Metaphor: ReFantazio's huge demo, there's still plenty to learn about them, including which characters can use them, what Archetypes there are, and more. Naturally, fans who want to prepare themselves before jumping into Metaphor, or who are part of the way through and want to know what's ahead, will need to know everything there is about Archetypes. Fortunately, while there's a lot of complexity to them, they're not hard to understand.

What Are Archetypes In Metaphor: ReFantazio?

The Personas Of Metaphor: ReFantazio

Archetypes are like Personas as they share a lot of the same mechanics and features, and are easily one of the best parts of Metaphor: ReFantazio. They give the powers and abilities to their respective s, with each Archetype specializing in a certain type of attack or buff, such as the Seeker - the protagonist's starting Archetype - focusing on Wind attacks and healing abilities. Players will use their Archetypes, in conjunction with their regular attacks, to unleash deadly abilities that target their foes' weaknesses.

It's recommended that players stick to a particular Archetype for a while.

However, unlike the best Personas in the Persona series, players don't unlock Archetypes by fusing them together in Metaphor: ReFantazio. Rather, there are 14 lineages, or base Archetypes, which are unlocked by increasing bonds with the various Followers - the equivalent of social links - and meeting the main party. Once these Archetypes are unlocked, they can be evolved, with each lineage having two additional forms called Adept and Elite. For example, the Gunner Archetype will evolve into the Sniper and then later the Dragoon.

Party can equip any of the Archetypes, but will need to spend MAG in order to switch. It's recommended that players stick to a particular Archetype for a while, as when they level up, they unlock new and more powerful abilities. The Archetypes can be further managed by speaking to the Archetype know-it-all More in Akademeia, as she essentially functions like Igor from the Persona series.

One key difference between Archetypes and Personas is that Archetypes are actually the spirits of past heroes and kings which the player and their party embody in order to become stronger. Personas, on the other hand, are either - in the case of the main characters' Personas - the physical manifestation of the 's subconscious or a creature that the protagonist is able to absorb. There's a greater sense of narrative weight behind the Archetypes in Metaphor: ReFantazio than there is for Personas in the Persona series, although they largely share the same function gameplay-wise.

Every Archetype & What It Does

There Are 44 Archetypes

There are 14 different Archetype lineages in Metaphor: ReFantazio, but 44 different Archetypes altogether, with certain lineages having multiple Elite evolutions. Each Archetype specializes in different abilities, with their Adept and Elite variants improving upon the effectiveness of those abilities. All the Archetypes are unlocked by reaching the first Bond level with different characters, some of which will happen naturally throughout the story, and others will need to be sought out.

The Adept and Elite Archetypes are capable of learning new skills, including new attacks, buffs, debuffs, and ive abilities, all of which give them the upper hand over their predecessors. For example, the Wizard, which is the Adept version of the Mage, can learn ive skills that allow it to recover MP, making it far more effective in battle. Additionally, in some cases, they will unlock new resistances to certain attacks. Below are all 14 Archetype lineages, their abilities, and how to unlock them in Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Certain characters in Metaphor: ReFantazio are better suited to using specific Archetypes, but all main party can be equipped with any of the Archetypes players have unlocked. Once they've completely studied an Archetype, they will be able to switch to it without paying the MAG cost, so it's important to let a character stick with an Archetype for a while before switching.

Which Characters Use Archetypes?

Only The Main Cast Can Use Them

Only the main party can use Archetypes in Metaphor: ReFantazio, although players will unlock Archetypes through the ing cast known as Followers. As aforementioned, any of the playable characters can switch between these Archetypes once they have been unlocked. The main party consists of seven characters, including the Protagonist, so there are plenty of characters which players can equip Archetypes to. Below are all the characters in Metaphor: ReFantazio who can use Archetypes:

It's worth noting that Grius, who appears towards the beginning of the game, is also a playable character, although he only appears as one temporarily, and is therefore not counted in the list. Players should feel encouraged to experiment with the different playable characters' Archetypes to find which combination works best for them in combat, as well as adapt to particularly tough boss fights by choosing Archetypes that exploit their weaknesses. This way, fans will breeze through Metaphor: ReFantazio's lengthy story and become a master of each and every Archetype.

Source: YouTube/Official Atlus West