The archetype system is at the core of what makes the turn-based combat ofMetaphor: ReFantazioso fun. While you may hypothetically mix and match skills from any archetype together, part of the satisfaction of Metaphor: ReFantazio is finding which archetypes work well together.
On top of this, certain combinations of archetypes will work better with different party members. This is because each of the party members in Metaphor: ReFantazio have a unique distribution of stats which will better fit different roles in combat, so which archetypes should you try combining, and for which characters?
7Warrior And Commander
Best For: Strohl
One of the earliest archetypes you’ll gain access to in Metaphor: ReFantazio is the Warrior, and it’s immediately assigned to Strohl. Luckily enough, it’s a great fit for him. It’s easy to focus solely on building out the Warrior lineage, but if you want Strohl to deal the best damage possible while also supporting the team, then using skills from the Commander lineage works well.
This lineage is focused on buffing the whole party, so you’ll be able to deal high power with the attacks from the Warrior skill set while also buffing the rest of the party.This combination of archetypeswill also be useful for helping Strohl unlock unique abilities later in the story as well.
6Knight And Mage
Best For: Hulkenberg Or Protagonist
Hulkenberg’s starter archetype is the Knight, and while it can be a little tricky to handle earlier in the game since she’ll be stuck with mostly passive abilities, it isn’t too hard to learn after a little experimenting.
One of the best ways to quickly equip Hulkenberg with some more offensive capabilities is by using the Mage lineage abilities, and this is the same for any other character that you try using the Knight lineage on. You can stick to primarily using the Knight once you’ve unlocked the Mage abilities you need, but if you find the elemental magic is feeling a little underpowered, switch back to the Mage lineage to unlock the next stage of magic abilities.
5Thief And Gunner
Best For: Heismay
Heismay is one of the more awkward charactersto build on your team, and part of the reason for this is how unclear it is which other lineages will work well with the Thief archetype he starts off with. While it isn’t obvious at all, the Gunner actually ends up working well.
Since most of the Gunner’s skills will only work when you’re on the back row, this compliments the lower endurance that comes with using the Thief skills. The Gunner lineage also gives access to plenty of status effects, just like the Thief, making the pair of archetypes perfect for dealing any condition you want.
4Masked Dancer And Faker
Best For: Junah
Once you unlock Junaharound the mid-game, you’ll unlock the Masked Dancer, and since this archetype has the unique ability to use skills from other lineages by using masks, you might be unsure which other archetype lineages will work well with this ability since it has access to so many skills.
Since the Masked Dancer lets you give enemies elemental vulnerabilities, it’s best to use the Faker as a secondary archetype. The debuffing skills complement the more passive abilities of the Masked Dancer.
3Summoner And Seeker
Best For: Eupha
Similarly to the Masked Dancer, the Summoner archetype you unlock with Eupha is incredibly varied thanks to all of the different summons you can unlock with More in Akademia. Without needing to rely on masks, there are only a few gaps that you can fill in the Summoners skill set, but one of the best is with the Seeker lineage.
The main reason the Seeker works well is that it compliments the magic attack build that comes with the Summoner archetype, but its skills are a much lower MP cost than the summoners, giving you more options when attacking enemies, letting you better ration your MP in longer dungeons.
2Berserker And Brawler
Best For: Basilio
The Berserker is a borderline-overpowered archetype lineage, and it’s part of the reason why Basilio is such a great party member. However, similar to the Summoner lineage, its main drawback is the high MP cost of some of the best abilities that you’ll want to use during important encounters.
This is why the Brawler is a fantastic archetype to pair with the Berserker since it gives you access to abilities that drain your health instead of your MP. For a character like Basilio, who doesn’t have as much MP as he sometimes needs, these abilities are indispensable during long battles.
1Healer And Commander
Best For: Protagonist, Hulkenberg, Junah, Or Eupha
The most important party member will always be the support, and without them, you’ll quickly find your damage dealers crumbling under the pressure of low HP and debuffs. One of the best archetype combinations to help build a fantastic support character is the Healer and the Commander.
You’ll want to use the Healer as the primary archetype thanks to their useful passives, but you’ll want to have access to the buffing skills from the Commander lineage to help build up your move set. If you use this build on a character with high magic power, the light magic from the Healer can also deal some impressive damage too.
