Followers are Metaphor's Confidant system. Deepening bonds unlocks new Archetype lineages and, at the highest ranks, the Royal Archetypes — making social play the single biggest driver of your combat power.
Bonding
- Spend calendar days with Followers to raise bond ranks between dungeons.
- Each Follower ties to an Archetype lineage — bond to unlock and strengthen it.
- Raise the matching Royal Virtue to open higher bond ranks.
- Max your main party's bonds to unlock their game-defining Royal Archetypes.
Prioritising bonds
- Focus first on Followers whose lineages fill gaps in your team's roles.
- Keep the required Royal Virtue rising in parallel, or a bond will stall at a threshold.
- Prioritise your main companions' bonds for their Royal Archetypes before the finale.
- Bring gifts and choose responses that match a Follower's personality for faster ranks.
Which Follower unlocks what
Each Follower is tied to an Archetype lineage, so bonding is how you unlock and strengthen that class family — and the main companions gate their unique Royal Archetypes at high ranks. Prioritise the Followers whose lineages fill your team's gaps, and always keep the Royal Virtue a bond requires climbing so it never stalls just short of the next rank.
| Follower | Lineage | Available | What the bond gives you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallica | Mage | 6/6 | Exploration help: highlights interactive objects, points at bonds that can advance, shows turn icons |
| Strohl | Warrior | 6/6 | Higher critical rate against humans. Unlocks after Captain Klinger at the Nord Mines |
| Maria | Healer | 6/10 | More EXP and A-EXP after battle |
| Hulkenberg | Knight | 6/11 | Takes super-effective hits for the protagonist. Unlocks after the Catacombs |
| Catherina | Brawler | 6/12 | Bigger bounties, first strikes, cheaper shops |
| Brigitta | Merchant | 6/12 | Discounts on weapons, armour and igniters, plus money during prep. Unlocks after “A Bullish Embargo” |
| More | Seeker | 6/5 | World exploration support. Unlocks after sleeping at camp following Homo Gorleo |
| Neuras | Gunner | 6/26 | Engineering and equipment support. Unlocks after “Providing a Spark” |
| Alonzo | Faker | 6/30 | Cheaper magic shops, rare stock, better side-quest rewards |
| Heismay | Thief | 7/4 | Tactical combat advantages |
| Bardon | Commander | 7/5 | Sends items during mission prep. Unlocks after “Apprehend the Real Kidnapper” |
| Junah | Masked Dancer | 8/18 | Combat and support abilities. Unlocks after “Save the Mourning Snakes” |
| Eupha | Summoner | 8/20 | Summoning and magical support. Unlocks after “The Trial of Malnova” |
| Basilio | Berserker | 9/14 | Combat bonuses |
Ranks stop at 8, not 10. If you are coming from Persona, that is the single
most useful thing to know: a bond is finished sooner than your instincts say, and the last ranks are where the
Archetypes sit. Maria is the clearest example — her ranks 1, 3 and 8 give Healer, Cleric and Saviour.
The dates are the earliest each Follower becomes available, not a deadline. Several also need a
named quest done first, which is in the last column.
Cross-checked
Cross-checked on 5 September 2026 against PC Gamer's and PlayStationTrophies' Follower guides — both confirm the earliest unlock dates spot-checked here (Gallica and Strohl on 6/6, Maria on 6/10, Hulkenberg on 6/11) and that every bond caps at Rank 8. The remaining dates and exact bond benefits are the thing reading cannot settle — nobody here has played it.