Best Archetypes For Strength Builds In Metaphor: ReFantazio

Archetypes in Metaphor: ReFantazio are very flexible, letting any character equip just about any one. Each party member has specific skills that will level up faster than others, with one of the main damage-dealing skills being strength.

Certain Archetype Lineages benefit greatly from strength-focused characters, and this list will help you decide which ones are right for you. This list will apply to all party members, so Royal Archetypes will not be included in each Lineage. Every Lineage is also grouped together because the later Archetypes of each lineage are straight upgrades from those before.

5 Thief Lineage

• Unlocked through Heismay’s Bond.
• Archetypes: Thief, Assassin, Ninja.

Archetypes of the Thief Lineage offer a unique twist on strength builds in that a lot of their attacks scale off strength but deal Dark damage. Those dealing “physical Dark” scale of strength, while those that list Magic don’t. These Archetypes also have multiple basic slash attacks that also scale off strength, making it the best stat for this Lineage.

Most strength-focused lineages on this list will focus on getting access to other types of physical damage, but this lineage focuses on Dark, an element that is already fairly scarce throughout other lineages including magic-focused ones. This lineage also has many passives that help the character dodge incoming attacks, which is great for cutting down on enemy Press Turn icons.

4 Gunner Lineage

• Unlocked through Nueras’ Bond.
• Archetypes: Gunner, Sniper, Dragoon.

Gunner Archetypes are unique in that just about all of their abilities must be used from the back row, which is already the ideal formation for party members with these Archetypes. The first Archetype, Gunner, not only deals decent physical damage, but its three skills also have chances of inflicting status ailments.

The second Archetype, Sniper, is great for dealing with groups of enemies, which can make farming XP later in the game much easier. Its final skill, Smashing Salvo, also lowers the enemy’s defense for three turns and is by far one of the best skills that can be learned through this lineage. While the Dragoon Archetype focuses more on magic skills, the first two give you more than enough skills to transfer over using Skill Inheritance to make use of its better stats.

3 Warrior Lineage

• Unlocked through Strohl’s Bond.
• Archetypes: Warrior, Swordmaster, Samurai.

The Warrior Lineage is one of the first Lineages players will unlock at the beginning of the game. The first Archetype, Warrior, has access to the passives Heat Up and Slash Boost, which increase Physical attack by 10% and Slash damage by 20%, which can be used together for a flat 30% to slashing damage just off the first Archetype.

Swordmaster then gives the character access to party-wide attacks and gives slash evasion if you’re facing a boss with powerful slash attacks. Samurai brings this Lineage to a strong close, giving access to an electric attack that is based on strength along with multiple buff skills and Regenerate 3 to make sure your damage dealer stays up in battle more easily.

2 Berserker Lineage

• Unlocked from Basillio’s Bond.
• Archetypes: Berserker, Destroyer.

The Berserker Lineage is achieved fairly late in the game but is well worth the wait. The Berserker also has access to a damage buffing passive early on, along with a very powerful single-target attack that hits 1-3 times with heavy damage. War Cry is also great against bosses as it lowers both their attack and defense, and should be one of your go-to debuffs against some of the late-game bosses.

The Destroyer Archetype gives access to a wind and light attack that are both based on strength, along with passives that boost damage, more damage based on your health, and an increase of your max HP by 30%. Using Skill Inheritance on a Destroyer, carry-over Frenzy, and any other damage buffing passives you have to see some of the highest single-target damage possible. If the protagonist is using a Berserker, it’s also helpful to invest a few points in Luck to make sure Frenzy hits more often.

1 Brawler Lineage

• Unlocked through Catherina’s Bond.
• Archetypes: Brawler, Pugilist, Martial Artist.

The Brawler Lineage may seem like a double-edged sword, but with a good healer, it can be one of the best Archetype Lineages in the game. This Archetype specializes in landing critical hits, which is great for getting more Press Turn icons even if you can’t hit the enemy’s weakness. Starting with the second Archetype, the Pugilist, you’ll get access to a physical attack that not only deals a lot of damage but also lowers the enemy’s defense.

The Martial Artist also gets a heavy physical attack that lowers defense, and those attacks will the the staple of any fight. The Pugilist also has a Strike Boost passive, which can be saved until after an enemy gets three ranks of debuffed defense, before landing an even more deadly Strike Skill. While the Martial Artist gets some recovery skills, having a good healer in your party can make up for any lost health. The Martial Artist also learns Battle Master which will help avoid a lot of Status Ailments, helping that healer only worry about health over anything else.