How to defeat Heismay in Metaphor ReFantazio

Heismay is a powerful, sneaky fighter in Metaphor ReFantazio. You’ll fight him twice, nearly back to back. We’re focused on the second battle, as this is the one that really counts. However, we’ll also give you the secret to making the first fight much easier. In the initial encounter, you just need to hit him and survive. Victory is the goal of the second battle, after some important cutscenes happen.

It’s already been revealed that Heismay will be one of the party members, but through this mission, you can finally figure out why and how he joins your team. However, the more important issue at the moment is defeating him in battle. Here’s what you need to know.

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Tips for defeating Heismay in Metaphor ReFantazio

Just look for the shadow! (Image via Atlus)

In both Heismay fights in Metaphor ReFantazio, the agile fighter uses a Clone Art. He makes three clones, giving him extra attacks each turn they’re around. We did this fight as Hero (Gunner), Strohl (Warrior), and Hulkenberg (Knight). Do be careful though - Heismay’s melee attacks are something Gunners are weak to.

The secret is to look for the shadow. When Heismay makes clones in Metaphor ReFantazio, the real person has a shadow - the others don’t. Just strike the one with a shadow and the fight gets much easier. Have Hulkenberg use Knight’s Proclamation every turn as well. This taunts Heismay, forcing him to use his attacks on her - and she resists his melee.

Both his melee and more powerful Dark Sword attacks will just be resisted, making it a much easier fight. However, this can trigger “Forget” status ailment, so beware. Even if you haven’t figured out how to look for shadows, the game will eventually start leading you that way with hints until Gallica points it out directly. It took us a while to notice it, admittedly.

Now that the fight is a breeze, I had Strohl use Slicer to hit repeatedly and Gunner use regular attacks/Poison Shot. It didn’t hit him with Poison, but it did crit fairly often, making it worthwhile in battle. If you hit the wrong Heismay in battle, expect lots of melee strikes, and Sand Throw, which reduces everyone’s Hit/Evasion.

This is essentially a battle of attrition, where you wear him down and always defeat the correct clone. Success nets the party 1,050 EXP, 300 A-EXP, 20 MAG, 2,500 Money, Speed Incense, and Sandsilk Gloves.

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Metaphor ReFantazio released on October 11, 2024, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms. You can read more about it in our in-depth review.