How to Unlock the Brawler Archetype in Metaphor: ReFantazio Guide

Key Takeaways:

1. The Brawler Archetype is one of the earliest and most powerful Archetypes to unlock in Metaphor: ReFantazio, especially useful for dealing Strike damage.
2. Unlocking the Brawler Archetype involves completing a specific quest in the Mausoleum Catacombs after the King’s Funeral.
3. Mastering the Brawler Archetype enhances your team’s Critical Hit rate, making it crucial for taking down enemies weak to Strike attacks.

In Metaphor: ReFantazio, one of the core mechanics revolves around unlocking and mastering a wide variety of Archetypes. These specialized roles grant unique abilities to your party members, helping you overcome the game’s toughest challenges. With over 40 Archetypes available, each tied to specific quests, interactions with followers, and progression through the story, unlocking and mastering them is essential for success.

One of the earliest and most versatile Archetypes is the Brawler, an excellent choice for players who favor high damage output and aggressive combat strategies. In this guide, we’ll show you how to unlock the Brawler Archetype, explore its key features, and explain why it’s crucial to master it as early as possible in the game.

What Is the Brawler Archetype?

The Brawler Archetype is designed for players who enjoy dealing heavy physical damage while stunning enemies with Strike attacks. It’s one of the early-game Archetypes that becomes available as part of the story, making it accessible even for beginners.

Key Features of the Brawler Archetype:

• Strike Damage Focus: The Brawler is highly effective against enemies weak to Strike damage, which becomes more common as you progress through the game.
• Critical Hit Boost: The Brawler has passive skills that increase the Critical Hit rate, which is amplified if multiple party members use Archetypes from the same lineage.
• Physical Strike Defense: While the Brawler is weak against Ice-based attacks, it can repel Physical Strike attacks, giving your team a defensive advantage against certain foes.

Mastering the Brawler Archetype early on not only helps with regular battles but also provides a foundation for more advanced Archetypes like the Pugilist, which further improves your ability to deal massive damage.

Step-by-Step Guide to Unlocking the Brawler Archetype

Unlocking the Brawler Archetype is straightforward but requires completing a specific quest within the story. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Complete the King’s Funeral Event

The Brawler Archetype becomes available after you complete the King’s Funeral, an early event in the game’s main storyline. Once this is done, you’ll gain access to the Mausoleum Catacombs, which is a key dungeon in the early stages of the game.

Step 2: Explore the Mausoleum Catacombs

Once the funeral is over, you’ll be free to explore the city of Grand Trad and take on side quests and bounties. However, to unlock the Brawler, you’ll need to head to the Mausoleum Catacombs, where you’ll encounter the main story dungeon. It’s important to note that you have a limited amount of time to complete this dungeon if you miss the deadline, your mission to save the Prince will fail.

Step 3: Find Catherina in the Catacombs

During your second visit to the Mausoleum Catacombs, you’ll come across a locked gate. Continue past it, and you’ll find a Papirus woman named Catherina. She’s worried about her friend, who is trapped inside the dungeon with other hostages. She’ll ask for your help to free them.

Step 4: Rescue the Hostages

As you explore the dungeon further, you’ll find a locked cell. The key is located on the floor below, next to a sleeping soldier. Once you open the door, you’ll discover that, unfortunately, Catherina’s friend has passed away. After delivering the sad news to Catherina and exhausting the dialogue options, you’ll complete the quest and receive 5000 Reeve.

Step 5: Unlock the Brawler Archetype

In addition to the monetary reward, you’ll unlock the Brawler Archetype and gain Catherina as a follower. From here, you can study the Brawler at More’s Akademeia by spending 1200 MAG.

Why the Brawler Archetype Is Essential for Early Game Success

The Brawler Archetype is not just another early-game role it’s a critical component for dealing with a wide variety of enemies, especially those weak to Strike attacks. Here’s why mastering the Brawler is essential:

1. Exploiting Weaknesses

As you progress through the game, many enemies will have a particular weakness to Strike damage. The Brawler is perfectly suited to exploit this, making battles against such foes much easier. Additionally, because the Brawler can repel Physical Strike attacks, it serves as both an offensive and defensive powerhouse.

2. Synergizing with Other Archetypes

The Brawler’s passive skills don’t just benefit the individual character using it. If other members of your party are also using Archetypes from the same lineage, such as the Pugilist, the Critical Hit boost provided by the Brawler will be amplified, making your entire team more effective in combat.

3. Preparing for Tougher Boss Battles

Unlocking and mastering the Brawler also sets you up for success later in the game. Many of the game’s bosses are vulnerable to Strike attacks, and mastering this Archetype will make these encounters significantly easier. Additionally, mastering the Brawler unlocks the Pugilist, a higher-tier Archetype that further specializes in high-damage physical attacks.

Cost and Skills of the Brawler Archetype

Once you unlock the Brawler Archetype, you’ll need to spend 1200 MAG at More’s Akademeia to study it. The investment is worth it, considering the powerful skills you’ll gain access to.

Brawler’s Weaknesses and Resistances:

• Weakness: Ice-based attacks
• Repels: Physical Strike attacks

Key Skills of the Brawler Archetype:

• Passive Critical Hit Rate Boost: Increases the Critical Hit rate of all Strike-based attacks.
• Stun Potential: The Brawler can easily stun stronger enemies, making it an invaluable asset during tougher battles.
• Amplified Effects: The more party members using a Strike-based Archetype, the more powerful the Brawler’s passive skills become, making it ideal for a well-synergized team.

Advanced Archetypes: Unlocking the Pugilist

After mastering the Brawler Archetype, the next logical step is unlocking the Pugilist. This advanced Archetype builds upon the Brawler’s core strengths by introducing even more powerful Strike-based abilities, further increasing your party’s overall damage output.

Mastering the Pugilist allows you to turn regular and boss battles alike into swift, decisive victories, making it one of the most important Archetypes for late-game content.

FAQ Section

Q: How do I unlock the Brawler Archetype in Metaphor: ReFantazio?

• To unlock the Brawler Archetype, you must complete the “A Friend in Need” quest after the King’s Funeral event. This involves helping Catherina in the Mausoleum Catacombs and rescuing hostages.

Q: What are the Brawler Archetype’s weaknesses?

• The Brawler Archetype is weak against Ice-based attacks but repels Physical Strike attacks. This makes it vulnerable in certain encounters but highly effective against physical foes.

Q: Is it worth investing in the Brawler Archetype early in the game?

• Absolutely. The Brawler Archetype is essential for dealing with enemies weak to Strike attacks and increases the Critical Hit rate for your entire team. It’s a powerful Archetype that prepares you for tougher challenges later on.

Q: Can the Brawler Archetype be upgraded?

• Yes, mastering the Brawler Archetype unlocks the Pugilist, a more advanced Archetype that further enhances your ability to deal Strike damage, making it crucial for end-game boss battles.