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One of the final optional areas you’ll discover in Metaphor: ReFantazio is the Disgraced Ruins. This location becomes available after you take on the ‘The Apostles of the Apocalypse’ bounty. Being one of the extra challenges before the grand climax, it’s a fantastic opportunity to pass the time and enhance your Archetypes.

This region is filled with valuable treasures and, of course, plenty of adversaries to face. We have compiled all the essential information about the Disgraced Ruins for you.

Navigating the Disgraced Ruins

The Disgraced Ruins have many optional spots to explore. If your goal is to head straight for the bounty, just follow the main path down each map, and you’ll eventually arrive. However, for those determined to experience everything this area has to offer, we have it thoroughly detailed below.

When you first enter, take the path on your left that leads to a dead end where you can pick up a Gold Beetle. After that, return and take the other path, as the northern route is blocked. You must navigate down a level on the eastern side of the map.

On the second floor, the first left you can take leads you back to the first floor (where you can use the device to remove the blockage at the entrance). Next, drop down along the northern wall to go back to the second floor and head left, toward the west.

On the third floor, you can take the first left, leading back up to the area with two ladders:

• The ladder going down leads to the third floor, but you won’t be able to proceed further at this time, so it’s advisable to skip it for now.
• The ladder that goes up takes you to the first floor, where you can remove the last block by interacting with the moving device. Additionally, you can find two treasure chests here.

Returning to the third floor, follow the southern path to descend to the fourth floor.

On the fourth floor, the westward path takes you back to the third floor, where you can collect two chests and interact with a device to clear a blockage.

One of the treasure chests here contains a Bloodcoin Imitec, but it offers a Talisman of the Night if you’re interested.

Next, jump down the wall north of the device to continue on the fourth floor. Take the northern path down to the fifth level, which leads west, to the sixth floor.

On the sixth floor, head south, and soon on your right, you’ll notice a crawl space. Go through it, collect the treasure chest, and then climb the ladder to the next level.

You’ll be back on the fifth level where you can retrieve a couple of treasure chests from the southernmost room.

You can climb yet another ladder to return to the fourth floor, where you can clear the final block with the device, but it might not be worth the trouble.

Head back to the sixth floor and take the eastern path to descend to the seventh floor, which leads directly to the eighth floor. On the first left, you’ll find a room with a treasure chest.

The second left leads to a ladder going up a level. Move straight across to the next ladder and go up again, returning to the sixth level where you can use the last device to remove a blockage if you wish. However, it’s largely unnecessary, so it’s better to skip.

On the eighth floor, just go to the northernmost room to face the bounty boss.

Key Locations in the Disgraced Ruins

You can view a comprehensive breakdown of each floor and the locations of the items listed below in the preceding section.

Items

Miscellaneous

Enemies in the Disgraced Ruins

Bandits can be distracted through the presence of a Merchant in your team or by using skills that cost Reeve.

You’ve made it to the top of the Spire of Blind Faith, and now you’re ready to face off against the boss of this Metaphor: ReFantazio dungeon, Leogron. This battle can be quite challenging, but with the right preparation, it can actually be simpler than some of the “standard” enemies lurking on the floors below.

We suspect you would prefer the easier route, so we’ve compiled our strategies from when we took down Leogron and reclaimed its Monster Notebook to complete the “Peak Curiosity” quest. Our guide details Leogron’s abilities, its weaknesses, our party composition, and how we managed to defeat it in a streamlined manner over three rounds with minimal hassle.

Party Composition

Abilities and Weaknesses

Weaknesses

Abilities

Strategy for the Battle

This battle revolves around exploiting Leogron’s dual vulnerabilities to Fire and Pierce attacks. While it poses a significant threat, you can bring it down quickly as long as you keep a healer available to continuously cast powerful spells and keep your party in good health.

If you have Junah with you, her Flame Vortex spell is particularly effective at this point in the game. With her high Magic stat combined with its strong Fire damage, it will deal substantial hurt to Leogron. Though it requires 42 MP, which is a fair bit, this is your primary foe in the dungeon.

Strohl should concentrate on using the Sniper’s Mania Bullet, which will inflict significant Pierce damage while also granting a temporary weakness to Pierce (though that won’t matter much here), as well as Slash and Strike attributes.

The Slash attribute is critical—having an Assassin enables Illusive Dream to land multiple hits of Slash damage. With Heismay’s high Agility, alongside the Assassin’s natural agility, you will be able to attack frequently.

Don’t forget to steal the Crystal Ice Gunbai, a weapon suitable for the Commander Archetype, if you have the Assassin on your team (or if you’ve learned Steal).

Consider lowering Leogron’s boosted Hit and Evasion if it uses Heat Riser, since you want to avoid wasting turns due to misses. If you miss several times, your party can quickly accumulate significant damage.

As long as no one in your group is weak to Wind, even Chimera King’s Wing shouldn’t cause serious issues that lead to frequent knockouts.

After you bring down Leogron, it drops a substantial amount of EXP. We were already at a high level—the protagonist was level 47—and afterward, they jumped to 49!

Are you ready to assist a weary woman in Metaphor: ReFantazio? You definitely should! She’s been through quite a lot. All she needs are seven Dragonthistle Berries to complete the “Soldier’s Solace” side quest for her, located in Brilehaven. It sounds straightforward, but there’s an optional dungeon waiting for you: Gracia Forest.

This guide will walk you through Gracia Forest from start to finish. It’s not the longest area in Metaphor: ReFantazio, but we’ve highlighted the important enemies and treasure. We’ll also cover the boss encounter with Kokasados, so you can wrap up “Soldier’s Solace” quickly.

How to Start “Soldier’s Solace”

As you exit the Spider’s Den in Brilehaven the morning after the tournament events, keep an eye out for a woman with a quest icon above her head, just a short distance away.

She’ll reveal her troubles and request your help in gathering seven Dragonthistle Berries from Gracia Forest, which will be marked on your map. Let’s get moving – it’s that simple!

Before you leave, we suggest you
take on any additional dungeon-related side quests, to save yourself travel time later. Completing them all in one trip is more efficient.

Gracia Forest: Before the Plateau

Chat with the Tired Adventurer as you enter the forest. He’ll remind you to make sure you have weapons and skills that can hit from a distance.

Start by taking the west path at the fork to gain some EXP from the
Raptor Corvos, as there’s nothing else to fight here.

Next, head east. Your first encounter will be with a Canibaflo. It can be tough if you’re not well-prepared; having strong Fire magic and a way to recover team debuffs will make this battle easier.

Collect the first Dragonthistle Berry nearby, and continue on. You’ll meet Loveless next. Eliminate the weak birds you find in the area, and you’ll get the second Dragonthistle Berry as a reward. Defeat another Canibaflo and… wait, are we already at the Plateau?

Watch out for the Manjula, a chimera-type enemy, that may ambush you here. To the south from the Plateau, there are three paths to the east. The middle path leads only to Talkative Tooth, so choose the lowest path.

Try to steal a Chimera Armor from the Manjula, which has DEF 220 and provides Endurance +5. It’s quite valuable!

Follow the path down to find a Ruby, then head north.

Gracia Forest: After the Plateau

Your third Dragonthistle Berry is situated up the path toward a dead end on the right. Watch for birds that might ambush you before you can strike them down. Proceed north.

Continue moving north to reach a dead end where you will find a Gold Beetle!

At the junction, turn west to bypass a swarm of hornets and take the south path to find your fourth Dragonthistle Berry at the end. Keep going north to discover the fifth Dragonthistle Berry located at a south dead end in the next wider area.

Again, move north; a duo of Canibaflos will charge at you, so be ready to take them out swiftly. You’ll find the sixth Dragonthistle Berry by following this path all the way to its west end. Once you collect it, turn around and head south into another expansive area.

Beware of multiple Canibaflos that tend to cluster here, accompanied by weaker enemies. If you can stun them near the less challenging foes, it might lead to a battle that yields useful Magla Pills.

Keep moving forward while watching out for another Manjula. Make sure to heal and use MP-restoring items if necessary, as you’re about to confront the formidable Kokasados!

Boss: Kokasados

This battle isn’t as challenging if you’re adequately prepared. The key is having Rakukaja or a similar skill handy to enhance your team’s Defense.

In ordinary situations, that’s a typical necessity; however, against Kokasados, Defense-boosting buffs are critical. When the game alerts you that Kokasados is targeting a character without Rakukaja, and then it freezes in place, that character is likely about to face a devastating blow.

Assign Hulkenberg as Commander (or General) to cast Marakukaja, and you will be well protected. This spell raises defenses for the entire party.

Kokasados’ other attacks are primarily physical slash-based or Wind-based. Expect its Gacyclo to deal medium Wind damage across the party, while the Powerful Pulverizer strikes a single target with heavy physical damage.

Utilizing Pierce attacks is crucial. Ensure your Gunner fires off skills like Hex Shot every turn, or synergize with a Thief/Assassin—like Heismay—for Mania Bullet, which delivers substantial Pierce damage.

The protagonist, acting as your Magic Seeker, should unleash your strongest spells, and employ Fireblade Rider with Hulkenberg whenever it is available. The protagonist may only need to heal once using an inherited Medica, a spell targeting the entire party for medium HP recovery.

Completing the Quest

Returning the Dragonthistle Berries won’t revive the woman’s son, but they will aid others in need. Speak to her where you initially found her in Brilehaven, and she will reward you with 30,000 reeve and a Dragonblood Sap, which completely restores the HP and MP of one ally.

And that concludes your adventure in the “Soldier’s Solace” quest in Metaphor: ReFantazio! Keep up the fantastic work, adventurer.

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.

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

As noted earlier, the Goborn King has zero weaknesses.

Moveset

Goborn Adds Affinities and Weaknesses

Hexer Goborn Esto Moveset

Archer Goborn Esto Moveset

Manhunter Goborn Esto Moveset

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.

The battles in Metaphor: ReFantazio can initially be quite overwhelming. Strong foes capable of dealing serious damage start appearing just a few dungeons in. Nevertheless, there are plenty of tactics to gain the upper hand if you have a solid understanding of the game’s mechanics.

As you progress, you’ll discover that the mechanics can greatly evolve by unlocking more Archetypes and advancing your followers’ storylines. However, during those early hours, knowing the basics of combat in Metaphor: ReFantazio can be the key to your success, and this guide aims to help bring you up to speed.

Understand the Importance of Buffs and Debuffs

In some games, magic that buffs allies or debuffs enemies might not seem essential. Yet, in Metaphor: ReFantazio, challenging battles can quickly turn in your favor thanks to these crucial spells.

One spell that stands out is Tarunda, which you can gain access to via the Faker Archetype by speaking with the blue-haired character, Alonzo, in Martira. Tarunda reduces your opponent’s Attack to its minimum level for three turns.

The great part is that if you recast it on the third turn, it will continue for an additional three turns, and so on. The game’s battle interface will even highlight stat changes when a buff or debuff is about to wear off, so you’ll always know when to act.

Minimizing a formidable enemy’s attack means less time spent on defense and more time launching your own offensive. Similarly, this concept of hindering your enemies applies to using buffs when defense is critical.

Strategize Your Protagonist’s Development

Unlike your companions, who automatically improve with each level, the protagonist’s growth is partly automated. Whenever he levels up, you will also have points to allocate as you see fit.

While it may not be incredibly crucial to plan every point allocation, it can be beneficial to consider which Archetypes you want him to excel in. Whether you’re aiming for a durable tank, a magical powerhouse, or something in between, there are various paths to choose from.

For instance, I decided to focus on my protagonist as more of a magic user, balancing offensive and healing spells. This is due to the initial party members having a differing approach to magic.

In the early part of the game, I assigned about half of the points to the Magic stat to enhance his spellcasting abilities.

However, don’t completely overlook your other stats. Investing a few points into Endurance will be beneficial no matter what direction you take.

Always Remember the Retry Option

Sometimes, you may find yourself in a dire situation—it could be low HP, low MP, or a shortage of helpful items. It’s part of the challenge, especially on harder difficulties.

Don’t let pride blind you to the reality of the situation. If the odds are against you, it’s wise to hit that reset button for the battle instead of relying on a checkpoint or saved game.

Of course, if your battle strategy is completely flawed, resetting might not yield better results. More often than not, it’s about gradually applying what you’ve learned from previous encounters until you’ve honed your strategy.

Diversity in Your Attack Types is Crucial

Nothing is worse than heading into combat with only a handful of attack options such as Fire, Ice, Slash, or Strike, only to discover that the enemy has high resistance against all of them.

When entering a dungeon, it’s beneficial to carry as wide an array of attack types as possible.

As you become more familiar with enemy types in a given area, you may refine your approach based on their weaknesses.

Utilize Knight’s Proclamation Wisely

Once Hulkenberg joins your party, you’ll gain access to the powerful Knight Archetype. With this, you’ll have the amazing Knight’s Proclamation at your disposal.

Hulkenberg or whoever has taken on the Knight role should frequently use Knight’s Proclamation. If your enemies lean toward single-target attacks, they will likely redirect their focus to the Knight character. This serves a distinct provoke function.

Knights possess significant Endurance, enabling them to soak up damage better than most Archetypes. Thus, you’ll want to keep enemy attention on a character equipped to handle such hits.

Don’t Hesitate to Pass Your Turn

This might come naturally to you soon, but if you’re still new to the game, you may overlook how the ‘Pass Turn’ action can be beneficial.

Fans of Shin Megami Tensei will recognize the concept of a “Press Turn” system, which tracks how many actions you have used and limits available actions if you miss or fail to take a turn.

When you pass your turn, it only consumes a half of your action. Consequently, you can end up with 1.5 or 2.5 actions remaining, which can be strategically advantageous.

This can often mean the difference between effectively using a synthesis skill or missing out, or simply gaining an extra turn when it’s essential.

If a party member doesn’t have a valuable action available, feel free to pass.

Beware of Equipment Optimization

Whenever you change Archetypes, the game suggests the “best” equipment for that character. While this can be useful, it can also cause issues.

The system generally prioritizes raw attack or defense, which may lead to overlooking the important stat boosts that could be particularly beneficial for that Archetype.

For instance, if you’ve swapped Hulkenberg back to her Knight Archetype, and you have an accessory that grants an incredible +6 Endurance, she might get a lesser item simply based on its higher Defense value.

While it might be an inconvenience, always double-check the gear you’re equipping if you’re not completely familiar with it.

Be Mindful of Your Formation

It goes without saying that more fragile classes should typically stay in the back row. However, it can be easy to forget to position a character properly when swapping Archetypes, so be cautious.

During combat, there will be times when you need to adjust a character’s position. You may face a formidable foe that targets the front row with an imminent attack.

You could defend or, when it makes more sense, slide to the back row. As you progress through the game, you’ll find even more reasons to consider mid-battle adjustments.

Consistently Restock Status Cure Items

While it can be challenging to maintain finances, make it a point to restock at least five of every status ailment cure during your visits to shops.

You may not always be prepared for what you’ll encounter. Yes, our guides can help, but you might find yourself deep in a dungeon when an enemy suddenly hits you with a sleep or poison effect.

Bosses have a knack for being particularly ruthless in this regard. Always keep status cures like Malady and Hex handy. Even if you have spells like Patra available, you may need to use your caster for something else instead.

Preserve MP by Switching Archetypes

The sooner you grasp the importance of keeping your MP during dungeons for critical battles, the better. Keeping elemental attack items handy can help greatly.

However, you can do even better during your explorations: don’t assume that if a character is a Healer or Mage, they can’t temporarily shift to a less MP-consuming class.

For example, if the protagonist is primarily acting as a Healer during your exploration, but MP is starting to dwindle, consider switching to a more physical-focused class that uses less MP until you’re close to facing bosses or sub-bosses.