Bandit Chief Cistus, Fervent Zealot

Learn how to defeat Bandit Chief Cistus and Homo Sondro in Metaphor: ReFantazio. This guide covers their locations, weaknesses, and strategies for victory.

Alright, let's tackle this bounty! Bandit Chief Cistus is a bit of a gatekeeper, and you won't even be able to pick up his bounty until September 26th in-game, which is the start of the finale. Once that date hits, head to any recruitment center to grab this bounty along with a couple of others. Cistus unlocks a new dungeon for us: the Disgraced Ruins, located north of Grand Trad. Before you charge in, it's a good idea to visit the Informant in Grand Trad for some intel, then find a runner to set your course for the ruins.

This place is a proper dungeon, so expect some annoying enemies. The Bandits here love to hide around corners, so keep an eye on your minimap to spot them before they get you. If you have any Merchant skills that toss gold, now's the perfect time to use them – they can distract the bandits and make them waste turns. The skeletons are pretty standard, much like the ones you've fought before. The real new threat is the final tier of mimics, the Bloodcoin Imitec. They're basically stronger versions of the mimics you've seen, but these ones can inflict Charm, so definitely watch out for that.

Once you push through to the end, you'll find the usual save point and the door leading to the boss. Get ready!

Bandit Chief Cistus Boss Guide

When you first enter the boss arena, Cistus won't be alone. He'll have two other Bandits with him – the hooded one is weak to Pierce and Strike, while the non-hooded one is weak to Fire and Ice. Cistus himself is weak to Light but resists Dark. Your main goal here is to take out these adds first, even though Cistus can summon more later.

Strategy:

• Focus the Adds: Prioritize defeating the two supporting Bandits before focusing solely on Cistus.
• Exploit Weaknesses: Use Pierce/Strike on the hooded bandit and Fire/Ice on the other.
• Watch for Summons: Cistus can summon more allies, so be prepared to deal with them if they appear.
• Cistus's Moves: Cistus starts with 'Soul Cry,' which gives him two extra Turn Icons. He can then use 'Mage Stored Power' to buff his next physical attack, often followed by 'Mage Almighty.' These charged physical attacks can hit hard, so debuffing his attack or hit rate is a good idea.
• Merchant Skills: Those gold-tossing attacks from the Merchant class are super useful here. They can distract Cistus, making him waste precious Turn Icons.
• Don't Overcomplicate: You don't necessarily need three damage sources for your party, but managing Cistus's turns and the adds is key.

Honestly, Cistus isn't the toughest boss, but don't get too comfortable because there's another fight waiting right after him!

Homo Sondro Boss Guide

Homo Sondro is definitely a step up from Cistus. This boss reflects Slash, Pierce, and Lightning, and resists Light. Your best bet is to hit it with Strike damage. The 'Shield Arts' skill is fantastic here because it deals Strike damage and also lowers the target's hit rate and evasion – super handy!

Homo Sondro uses physical and Lightning attacks, so make sure your party isn't weak to Lightning. One of its most annoying abilities is 'Ceremonial Stomp.' It's a physical attack that also debuffs your character's attack, defense, hit rate, and evasion by three ranks for three turns. If you have 'Dekunda' on someone, use it immediately to clear those nasty debuffs. It also has 'Breath of Battle' to boost its own attack and defense, but thankfully it doesn't mess with hit rate or evasion. This is where 'Shield Arts' really shines again.

Strategy:

• Strike is Key: Focus on Strike damage, as it's Homo Sondro's main weakness.
• Shield Arts: Master the Knight class for 'Shield Arts.' It's your best friend for damage and debuffing the boss's accuracy.
• Watch for 'Hyper': Homo Sondro can use 'Hyper' to power up its next magical attack. Be ready to defend or counter if it buffs Kandeon/Gakandeon.
• Debuffing is Crucial: Use your debuffs, especially on its hit rate, to help your party dodge those physical attacks.
• Dekunda Ready: Keep 'Dekunda' handy to remove the severe debuffs from 'Ceremonial Stomp.'
• Protagonist's Skills: Don't forget the protagonist's 'Prince' class and its Royal Sword synthesis skill – it's quite powerful.

Keep up your defenses, exploit its weaknesses, and focus on debuffing its accuracy. If you do that, this fight should be manageable. Once you finally take down Homo Sondro, you'll get the quest item needed to complete the bounty. Head back to any recruitment center to turn it in and claim your reward!