As you journey through the United Kingdom of Euchronia in Metaphor: ReFantazio, one of the fascinating stops is Martira, the Old Castle Town. This location is packed with opportunities, including various bounties just waiting for you to tackle. One of the first challenges you can take on here is called ‘The New King of the Imps’.
This bounty leads you to the Imp’s Den, also referred to as Goblin’s Nest, filled with a variety of foes and collectible items. Here’s all you need to know about this particular task.
Unlocking the ‘The New King Of The Imps’ Bounty
You can pick this quest from any Recruitment Centre, but you’re likely to notice it while exploring Martira. It becomes available in late June (I accepted it on June 30), and there’s no rush to finish it.
Keep in mind that visiting the Imp’s Den will consume a day of your time, so plan accordingly.
Quest Preparation
You can swing by Vica Alba Tavern and talk to the Informant for intel on the King of Imp’s Den, available for 1,000 reeve. He’ll provide tips on summoning the King Goborn, but you can find all the info you need right here.
The Informant will highlight that the Goborns you’ll be dealing with have no specific weaknesses. While the lesser ones can be affected by Poison and Paralysis, you should find them manageable in the open world. However, the larger Goborns are a different story; they can be put to sleep, which is a tactic you’ll want to utilize.
Make sure to visit MesmerEyes Apothecary in Martira to stock up on healing items. It’s a smart move to grab some Slumberthorn (costing 90 reeve each) to inflict Sleep on the Goborns to simplify your fight.
You might also consider purchasing other restorative items like the Notebook of Remembrance to cure Forget (275 reeve each) and Robust Remedy to cure Poison (100 reeve each). If you have Patra, it’s a better option to use that.
Optimal Party Configuration
When forming your party, avoid using any Archetypes equipped with Staves or Maces; this can provoke the Goborns into using Frenzy against you. Here’s a recommended setup based on our experience.
| Character | Archetype | Formation | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protagonist | Seeker | Back | The Protagonist should focus on healing the party, especially when facing multiple Goborn or if you’re fighting the King solo. Make sure to inherit Medi from the Healer class for better HP management. |
| Strohl | Warrior/Swordsman/Any | Front | Strohl excels as a Warrior or Swordsman in this configuration, though any non-staff/mace Archetype will work. |
| Hulkenberg | Knight/Mystic Knight/Any | Front | Hulkenberg is best utilized as a Knight or Mystic Knight for this battle, as her skills can efficiently deal with Vesps and Papyros around. |
How To Summon the Goborn King
Upon entering the Imp’s Den, you’ll encounter the Hexer Goborn Esto (the mage Goborns in black robes), which are marked on your map. There’s no necessity to defeat all of them; just take out four to trigger the appearance of the Goborn King. Defeating the fourth Hexer will automatically launch you into a battle with the Goborn King following a brief cutscene.
Expect a mix of weaker and more formidable Goborn types to accompany the King during the fight. You can dispatch the weaker ones without activating any Squad Battle.
If Strohl is in your line-up as a Swordsman, his Round Slash is effective for targeting multiple enemies altogether.
Movesets and Affinities
Affinities and Weaknesses
| Slash | — |
|---|---|
| Pierce | — |
| Strike | — |
| Fire | — |
| Ice | — |
| Electric | — |
| Wind | — |
| Light | — |
| Dark | — |
As noted earlier, the Goborn King has zero weaknesses.
Moveset
| Charge | Powers up Goborn King’s next attack. |
|---|---|
| Round Slash | Deals physical damage to all party members. |
| Matarukaja | Boosts attack for all enemies. |
| Dark Sword | Damages one party member, with a chance to inflict Forget. |
| Critical Strike | Delivers critical damage to a single party member. |
| Attack | Normal attack on one party member. |
| Unwavering Blade | Used only if all adds are defeated. Increases hit rate and evasion significantly. |
| Giant Slice | Damages one party member. |
Goborn Adds Affinities and Weaknesses
| Slash | — |
|---|---|
| Pierce | — |
| Strike | — |
| Fire | — |
| Ice | — |
| Electric | — |
| Wind | — |
| Light | — |
| Dark | — |
Hexer Goborn Esto Moveset
| Megidola | Causes Almighty damage to all party members. |
|---|---|
| Gabot | Deals Fire damage to all party members. |
Archer Goborn Esto Moveset
| Attack | Physically damages one party member. |
|---|---|
| Smashing Salvo | Damages one party member with a chance to lower their defense. |
| Myriad Shots | Deals physical damage to the entire party. |
Manhunter Goborn Esto Moveset
| Attack | Physical damage to one party member. |
|---|---|
| Filthy Strike | Physical damage to a single party member. |
| Powerful Pulveriser | Inflicts physical damage to one party member. |
| Giant Slice | Deals physical damage to one party member. |
| Poison Strike | Physical damage to one party member, chance of inflicting Poison. |
All Goborns can use Frenzy if there’s an Archetype with a staff or mace in your party, which hits all members.
Battle Strategy
If you’ve talked to the Tired Soldier at the entrance of the Imp’s Den, you’d know that the Goblin King should not be the last one alive.
If you eliminate all of his allies, the Goborn King will use Unwavering Blade to boost his hit rate and evasion. I recommend taking out the Goborn Hexer Esto first while leaving at least one other Goborn alive to avoid giving the King this advantage.
The Goborn King and his minions primarily deal physical damage, so ensure to target the Hexer right away. Some of their strikes can inflict serious damage, making consistent healing paramount, especially against attacks that can cause status ailments like Forget or Poison.
Maintain steady attacks while focusing on keeping your party’s HP high, and dispatching the Goborn King along with his crew shouldn’t pose much of a challenge.
Once you defeat the Goborn King, don’t forget to take out the remaining minions.
Rewards for Defeating the Goborn King
In defeating the Goborn King, you’ll receive 16,000 reeve along with four Courage points once you complete the bounty.
You will also earn a Stunning Arrow and a Scrapmetal Slab in addition to an Imp’s Loincloth to turn in at the Recruitment Centre.