Metaphor: ReFantazio is a typical RPG in many ways in that players can find equipment to arm their characters with. What characters can wear or use as weapons will be dictated by a class system known as Archetypes. For example, the Healer Archetype can use maces as weapons, and they’re not as weak as early healers in RPGs like White Mages from the first Final Fantasy.
Metaphor: ReFantazio - All Difficulty Settings And Differences
There are five difficulty settings in Metaphor: ReFantazio, each making the game progressively harder in certain ways. Here’s the breakdown.
Now, characters can equip one weapon, a piece of armour, and an accessory in Metaphor: ReFantazio. Armour is the stylized version they use in the game, so let's be proper and go with that. Also, gear is another type of armour that will be discussed from headgear to shoes. Regardless, players will come across a lot of different types of armour in the early hours, so let’s go through the best ones and how they can track them down.
8 Exorcist’s Cassock
Defense 100/Evasion 0
- Bonus Effect: Magic +3, Evasion vs Dark
- Location: Regalith Grand Cathedral
The Exorcist’s Cassock is a piece of body armour which can be found in the Regalith Grand Cathedral. This is the first major dungeon in Metaphor: ReFantazio and this side quest is a bit involved. First, there is a door about halfway through marked with dark energy.
Players need to fight through some zombies and get a key to open a chest, and then that chest will give players a key to move a statue to point them in the right direction of the armour. For this point in the game, the defense level is high, but the real treat is the increase in magic power and the evasion bonus to dark magic, which Zorba, the boss of this dungeon, excels at.
7 Noble Tuxedo
Defense 200/Evasion 5
- Bonus Effect: +1 To All Stats
- Location: Grand Trad (Chelonia Shieldworks)
The Noble Tuxedo can be bought at the Chelonia Shieldworks armour shop in Grand Trad. The catch is that it is extremely expensive and unless players grind for money, or Reeve in Metaphor: ReFantazio, in that first dungeon, then they may not be able to afford it right away even on a sales day.
Players should keep this body armour in mind, though, because its defense level is very high and it also boosts all stats. That’s a major bonus for any armour in the game, so when the time comes, players should pounce on this opportunity.
6 Brave Guards
Defense 60/Evasion 0
- Bonus Effect: +2 To All Stats
- Location: Martira (Ekaran)
The Brave Guards are foot-based and part of the gear category of armour. Typically, in Atlus games like this or Persona, shoes don’t boost defense but evasion instead. In this case, the Brave Guards have a high defense and no evasion boosts at all, which bucks the trend.
However, they do boost all stats by 2. It’s an even better bonus than the Noble Tuxedo and the shoes are expensive as well, but maybe they are an even better investment.
5 Recluse’s Clothes
Defense 130/Evasion 15
- Bonus Effect: N/A
- Location: Martira (Ekaran)
The Recluse’s Clothes can be bought for a reasonable price in Martina. It’s also here that players will get their fourth party member, who will thus expand what they can accomplish in battle strategically. The Recluse’s Clothes doesn’t have any bonuses like most of the armour examples on the list, but it does feature decent stats.
The Recluse’s Clothes will protect most characters and Archetypes who equip it in Metaphor: ReFantazio. It’s a good backup for characters that can’t all equip rare armour with bonuses like the Exorcist’s Cassock.
4 Foreman's Jacket
Defense 105/Evasion 3
- Bonus Effect: Endurance +3, Reduces Weakness Damage
- Location: St. Fermis Church
The Foreman's Jacket takes a bit to unlock. First, players can find the Mining Uniform in the Nord Mines, which is also where they can fight an early mini-boss in Metaphor: ReFantazio named the Fire Dragon Mauna. After getting the Mining Uniform, they can bring this body armour to the St. Fermis Church in Grand Trad and the priest there can purify it to create the Foreman’s Jacket.
Players should keep this purification process in mind because they can upgrade all sorts of equipment here, including weapons. The best part of this armour is that it can reduce damage taken by weakness-striking attacks. For example, if Strohl is weak to ice attacks, this armour will lessen the blow.
3 Sentinel Greaves
Defense 39/Evasion 0
- Bonus Effect: Endurance +2, Agility +2, Casts Rakukaja
- Location: St. Fermis Church
The Sentinel Greaves are another foot-based piece of gear. To get these, they must also be purified at the St. Fermis Church. Close to that location, players can meet Brigitta who will give players a side quest called A Bullish Embargo.
This side quest will take players to the Belega Corridor dungeon where they can find the Guard's Chausses, which are needed to create the Sentinel Greaves. At the start of battle, these boots will cast Rakukaja on their user, which will boost defense for a short period.
2 Fencer’s Headgear
Defense 39/Evasion 4
- Bonus Effect: Evasion Vs Slash Attacks
- Location: Giant Sandworm's Belly
Metaphor: ReFantazio has a very Attack on Titan vibe because there are monsters beyond the normal ones in the game called Humans, which look like the human Titans of that anime. As part of the Martira arc, players will get swallowed by a sandworm version of a Human called the Greatworm Homo Butera.
Inside, players can find the Fencer’s Headgear, a head-based piece of gear. It has decent stats for a helmet, but the extra evasion from Slash attacks is a good bonus. For the record, physical attacks come in three categories: Slash, Pierce, and Strike.
1 Sandsilk Blouse
Defense 150/Evasion 4
- Bonus Effect: Evasion Vs Strike Attacks
- Location: Abandoned Tomb
The Sandsilk Blouse is buried in the Abandoned Tomb, which can only be accessed via a side quest. Players can begin A Dagger, a Ring, and a Rake in Metaphor: ReFantazio once they talk to Cuculus in Martira. Cuculus is an alias, and he admits his real name is Alonzo after players retrieve a ring for him in the dungeon.
Besides having high stats for body armour, the Sandsilk Blouse has a similar bonus to the Fencer’s Headgear. Instead of protecting against Slash attacks, the Sandsilk Blouse can increase the chances of dodging Strike attacks.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Released
- October 11, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Studio Zero
- Publisher(s)
- Atlus
- Engine
- GFD
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
