The Seeker, Will's innate Archetype.
"An Archetype is an embodiment of heroic virtue. Everyone bears one deep in their heart. In facing a looming threat, you face your own anxiety, and so awaken to a higher power within yourself. That... is the truest essence of magic. Yet for it to take that form... Surely, it is a manifestation of the Heroic Embodiment etched most prominently in your heart. This appearance they take on, like extraordinary suits of armour--perhaps this marks another purpose: to protect the wielder from the terrible anxiety being released... It inspires a certain glow in battle. As if facing your anxiety causes determination to surge in you, like blood through veins--throughout both body and weapon."
Archetypes (アーキタイプ, Aakitaipu)? are heroic figures in Metaphor: ReFantazio serving as a tool for allies to wield in combat. The Archetype users take on their respective Archetype's form to use its powers.
While in battle, they function similarly to demons and Personas of related series in the Megami Tensei franchise, in execution, they are closer to jobs/classes.
Profile[]
Archetypes are created from a type of ancient magic that causes the user to transform into various classes of historical or mythical heroes. While anyone can learn the magic that transforms the user into archetypes and awaken them, the actual methods and procedures to awakening one are a secret kept by the elda of the Ancient Eldan Sanctum. Alongside dragons, it is heavily implied that mass archetype awakenings are used in the wars that destroyed the World Before. As a result, archetype magic has deep ties with the apocalyptic wars and most would not dare practice it, and the elda keeps the real procedures a secret between themselves both to avoid persecution and a repeat of the events that devastated civilization. They are one of the very few types of magic that can realistically harm the creatures known as humans.
Will's Resonant Vessel.
When first awakening to an Archetype, the user's heart transmutes into a "Resonant Vessel" (覚醒器, Kakusei-ki)?, a strange device of unknown make akin to a heart-shaped microphone. Then they rip out said heart out of themselves and speak into it, transforming into their first Archetype. The Resonant Vessels themselves are colored differently depending on the user, such as Strohl's golden Resonance Vessel or Hulkenberg's crimson-hued one. The color of the Resonance Vessel also reflects the primary color palette of their Archetype forms as well.
To activate their power again, they simply have to announce their determination and hopes into their heart. According to the memorandum, this is akin to the cries of past heroes, who would also call upon Archetypes in the same fashion. Also, the memorandum interprets the transformation as the wielder's ideal version.
Will and More are created from the dying wishes of (respectively) the prince and King Hythlodaeus V, making them also essentially living archetypes. Will is also shown to possess a power that helps the rest of his allies awaken their archetypes.
Gameplay[]
Archetypes are differentiated from each other by a specific set of skills bound to a theme, as well as stat boosts. For example, the "Healer" Archetype specializes in restoring health, curing status ailments and casting Light attacks, whereas the "Knight," a defensive Archetype, gives the user a tremendous stat increase in Endurance. Any party member can equip any Archetype, but in order to do so, the protagonist must spend magla to allow that party member to use that Archetype for the first time. After that, they can change out their unlocked Archetypes in the party menu.
Archetypes are gradually acquired throughout the story, either by party members awakening to them or through Will forging bonds via the Follower system. In addition, these Archetypes are categorized by "lineages" or "trees," with Archetypes being able to evolve into stronger ones in the same lineage. Typically, Archetypes accessible earlier in the game will have 3 tiers, while Archetypes accessed later in the game only have 2, and a few lineages have two third-tier Archetypes, like the Knight, which ends at either Paladin or Dark Knight. The Archetypes of these lineages generally follow the same theme. Also, the Archetypes the Followers specialize in are specifically themed around these Lineages, so in a sense they specialize in several tight-knit Archetypes.
Where party members grow in "Levels" with Experience Points (Exp), Archetypes grow in "Ranks" with Archetype Experience Points (A-Exp) to a maximum of 20. As they rank up, Archetypes increases both the bonus stats the user gains from equipping them and helps them learn new skills at certain levels. Once an Archetype reaches Rank 20 the first time, it increases one of their user's specific stats permanently by a certain amount, as well as allowing them the ability to unlock a stronger version of that Archetype, though Adept and Elite-tier Archetype forms can only be obtained after progressing a Follower bond to a specific point, with certain Archetypes needing progression in other lineages in order to unlock it for their use. In the meantime, Master Ranked Archetypes are essentially turned into item batteries. Every time an Archetype ranks up again afterwards, it will generate an item called the Hero's Leaf of Light, an upgraded variant of Hero's Incense that grants 1,000 A-EXP, ensuring that almost no A-EXP is wasted.
There is also a unique tier beyond Elite, Royal, containing Archetypes all of which are unique to their respective party members and cannot be equipped by anyone else. This requires that their Follower bonds be maxed out first, then the protagonist has to return to Akademeia after the events of 9/26. For the protagonist, he has a unique lineage and Archetype entirely, both titled the Prince, which he unlocks as part of the story.
Archetype customization is handled at Akademeia by More and is where more advanced versions of all Archetypes are gradually unlocked. It is possible for skill inheritance to be performed. To inherit specific skills, a playable character's Archetype must first need to unlock skills via ranking up. After unlocking skills, they are then able to be purchased to be put onto other Archetypes, allowing for personalization of the same Archetype between party members. Initially all Archetypes come with one skill inheritance slot, but progression with any given Follower bond unlocks more slots for their respective Archetype lineage for all party members, up to a maximum of 4.
Certain combinations of Archetypes in the active party can also perform Synthesis Skills, special skills that consume additional Press Turn Icon(s) in exchange for a stronger, sometimes unique, skill, though Synthesis Skills are unlocked upon awakening the Knight Archetype within Hulkenberg.
Equipment is also dependent on the Archetype, rather than the party member. In further detail, each Archetype Lineage has a unique weapon class, while armor and gear can be unique to multiple Archetypes at once, with some default classes available for every Lineage. Furthermore, to prevent the circumstance of creating an Archetype with no equipment available, More will have it so that characters can be equipped with various "Innocent" equipment, of which More has an infinite amount of, though they would be in tradeoff pretty weak weapons. In addition to that, the overall power of the user's weapons directly determines the damage the Archetype's offensive skills deal, which includes both physical and magic attacks.
As a playable character unlocks Archetypes from Akademeia, More will gift the party various A-EXP incense items as milestone awards with each party member. Upon achieving 100% with a character's Archetype Tree, which is achieved by unlocking all Archetypes, More will grant the strongest weapon for the party member's signature Archetype lineage.
List of Archetypes[]
There are 14 basic archetype lineages and there are a total of 46 Archetypes in the game.
The order here is based on Follower order:
| Lineage | Archetypes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Adept | Elite | Royal | |
| Seeker | Seeker | Magic Seeker | Soul Hacker | - |
| Mage | Mage | Wizard | Elemental Master | - |
| Warlock | ||||
| Warrior | Warrior | Swordmaster | Samurai | Royal Warrior |
| Knight | Knight | Magic Knight | Paladin | Royal Knight |
| Dark Knight | ||||
| Thief | Thief | Assassin | Ninja | Royal Thief |
| Masked Dancer | Masked Dancer | - | Persona Master | Royal Masked Dancer |
| Summoner | Summoner | - | Devil Summoner | Royal Summoner |
| Berserker | Berserker | - | Destroyer | Royal Berserker |
| Gunner | Gunner | Sniper | Dragoon | - |
| Healer | Healer | Cleric | Saviour | - |
| Brawler | Brawler | Pugilist | Martial Artist | - |
| Faker | Faker | - | Trickster | - |
| Commander | Commander | General | Warlord | - |
| Merchant | Merchant | - | Tycoon | - |
| Prince | - | - | - | Prince |
In the climax of the game, the prince's gauntlet runner transforms into the King Archetype. However, this only happens in a cutscene and the Archetype is not playable.
Archetypes experience table[]
| Rank | Archetypes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Adept | Elite | Royal | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 200 | 585 | 897 | 1570 |
| 3 | 240 | 663 | 1010 | 1767 |
| 4 | 280 | 741 | 1121 | 1963 |
| 5 | 320 | 819 | 1232 | 2156 |
| 6 | 360 | 917 | 1369 | 2396 |
| 7 | 410 | 1014 | 1502 | 2628 |
| 8 | 460 | 1111 | 1638 | 2866 |
| 9 | 510 | 1269 | 1794 | 3140 |
| 10 | 560 | 1345 | 1950 | 3412 |
| 11 | 620 | 1463 | 2108 | 3689 |
| 12 | 680 | 1599 | 2287 | 4003 |
| 13 | 740 | 1735 | 2467 | 4317 |
| 14 | 800 | 1872 | 2646 | 4630 |
| 15 | 870 | 2028 | 2849 | 4979 |
| 16 | 940 | 2184 | 3050 | 5337 |
| 17 | 1010 | 2340 | 3250 | 5689 |
| 18 | 1090 | 2516 | 3477 | 6084 |
| 19 | 1170 | 2691 | 3699 | 6474 |
| 20 | 1250 | 2886 | 3947 | 6907 |
| Total | 12520 | 29738 | 42293 | 74007 |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The term and concept of "archetypes" originated from the Jungian psychology established by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung.[1]
- It is described as 12 different archetypes of the human psyche that dwells in the collective unconscious that represent as the symbol and basis of human thought, emotions and behavior.
- 2 of each of the 14 Origin Archetypes in the promo pictures use the same color schemes as if they were used by the corresponding party members.
- Seeker and Healer uses The Protagonist's colors.
- Warrior and Commander uses Strohl's colors.
- Knight and Brawler uses Hulkenberg's colors.
- Thief and Mage uses Heismay's colors.
- Masked Dancer and Faker uses Junah's colors.
- Summoner and Merchant uses Eupha's colors.
- Berserker and Gunner uses Basilio's colors.
- For a majority of the time, the Faker lineage in the Japanese version is dubbed "Douke," though during the dialogue for Alonzo's Follower bond rankup cutscenes, the game uses "Doukeshi" instead.
References[]