Synthesis skills change the game

Archetypes do feature a handful of skills that you can’t pass down, but don’t worry, these ones are worth building your team around. Synthesis skills in Metaphor are kind of like Double Techs and Triple Techs from Chrono Trigger, which I am legally obligated to call “probably the best game of all time” as per the orders of the All People Of Millennial Age Or Older Coalition™. That is to say, if you have the right combination of Archetypes in your party, characters can use especially powerful skills that cost two or three turn icons to use.

Even from the earliest moments in the game, Synthesis skills can turn arduous encounters into a total breeze. For example, Mages can’t use multi-target skills on their own, but Synthesis skills let them use their elemental attacks on every enemy at once. Some Archetypes can learn seriously awesome support skills, such as buffs that affect every party member’s stats with a single cast. The Seeker lineage of Archetypes can even hit weaknesses via Synthesis skills that they wouldn’t be able to exploit on their own!

You do need to be careful with these moves, as consuming multiple turn icons at once can sometimes put you at a disadvantage, compared to just letting each character use their own skills. However, do note that if you hit a weakness with a Synthesis skill, it will only consume half turn icons. That is to say, you’ll still get that extra turn with potentially no downside depending on how your party is equipped. If you know a Synthesis skill will seriously help you out for any reason, it’s worth the effort to rethink your whole team just to use it.