Summary
JRPGs are no stranger to job systems, and Atlus' fantasy adventureMetaphor: ReFantaziofully embraces this common mechanic with its archetype system. While at first glance, the web of different class offerings that rapidly spreads and grows may look confusing, the system is surprisingly intuitive and easy to get to grips with even in the early hours of the game.
But as you get deeper into this massive game, you might be wondering which of the many archetypes available is the best, and which should you invest your hard-earned magla in? While there is a way to make each of the archetypes work for most party members, which are the very best?
7Mage Lineage
Mage, Wizard, Elemental Master, And Warlock
The Mage lineage is one of the earliest archetypes you can unlock thanks to it being linked to the protagonist’s first friend, Gallica. Even if you don’t plan to make this the primary archetype for any of your party members, just spend a little time with this job equipped, and they’ll suddenly have access to three basic but versatile elemental spells.
However, the main weakness of this lineageis its link to Gallica. Her bond only grows at set points in the story, so you’ll very slowly unlock the next archetypes in the lineage, with the last two saved until late-game. So unless you’re planning to go all in on the Wizard for the mid-game, you’ll likely find yourself using this archetype in the early-game, and then again much later on.
6Knight Lineage
Knight, Magic Knight, Dark Knight, And Paladin
Unlocked once you add Hulkenberg onto your team, the Knight lineage is one of the more versatile sets of archetypes in the game, with four to unlock as you grow closer to your Roussainte party member.
At first, it might seem like a strange set of skills since it’s more focused on getting the Knight to take hits, but once you realize how useful it is to protect your flimsier ‘glass cannon’ party members, it becomes an invaluable skill to have. It’s also worth investing time on this archetype tree, since the Dark Knight and Paladin will both be useful to have access to later in the game.
5Gunner Lineage
Gunner, Sniper, And Dragoon
Once you’ve started helping out Neuras with his quest for relics around the map, you’ll get access to the Gunner lineage, and it’s one you’ll want to have at least one of your party members use to have access to a versatile range of skills.
This class thrives in the back row of combat, so you don’t have to worry about them taking too much damage. With access to powerful multi-target pierce attacks, as well as the ability to inflict status conditions, their versatility makes them invaluable.
4Masked Dancer Lineage
Masked Dancer And Persona Master
Around a third of the way through Metaphor: ReFantazio you’ll finally get the chance to add Junah to your party, and with this comes access to one of the most varied archetype lineages in the game, with the Masked Dancer.
With access to a useful base set of skills, this archetype has the boon of using masks that you create in Akademia with More (equipped as accessories) to borrow key skills from other classes without needing to waste slots or magla with the inheritance system. It can take a while to gather materials for the best masks, but for the variety of skills available, it’s a fantastic archetype to try out.
3Faker Lineage
Faker And Trickster
One of the lineages that could be quite easy to miss if you weren’t paying attention during your time in Martira is the Faker archetype.Helping out Alonzoisn’t exactly inviting thanks to the Nidia’s prickly antagonism to the protagonist, but after you crack their shell, you’ll have access to not only one of the more interesting bonds, but a useful archetype too.
It’ll take a while to make the lineage easy to learn thanks to Alonzo’s bond being stretched over a longer period of the game, but having Faker skills available is ideal, since this archetype focuses on debuffs that can make even the gnarliest bosses significantly easier to take down.
2Warrior Lineage
Warrior, Swordmaster, And Samurai
The Warrior lineage is likely the simplest archetype to get to grips with, focused almost exclusively on dealing slashing damage. It’s also helpful that since this archetype is linked to Strohl’s bond, you’re able to even unlock the final stage of the lineage much earlier than a lot of the other archetype lineages.
If you want to have a reliable output of damage for most of the game, then investing in using Strohl as a Warrior, then Swordmaster, and eventually Samurai, is a simple option that isn’t really worth avoiding. Even so, you’ll want to inherit maybe a couple of skills from different archetypes to add a little diversity to the slightly limited move pool.
1Healer Lineage
Healer, Cleric, And Saviour
It’s simple, but you’re always going to want to have access to a Healer, and with how easy it can be to drain your supply of healing items, especially earlier in the game, healing spells can save you not just in battles but also your wallet too.
Maria is a relatively simple bondto upgrade, and ensuring that at least one of your party members has access to Healer lineage skills, is massively useful. While you can transfer these skills into different archetype lineages, it’s usually preferable to instead use this archetype as a base for learning other skills, since the passive buffs from this line will make the healing a lot more effective.
