Metaphor: ReFantazio allows you to earn thousands of dollars in fantasy money pretty early on. All you have to do is smack a few dogs and worms with an abacus.

If you've been playing Metaphor: ReFantazio, like me, you've probably been trying to stay frugal while you bid for democratically-elected place in the monarchy. Even if you shop during Idlesday, your money will be split between items, armours, blessings, appraisals, etc.

In Grand Trad's early game, I stumbled upon a simple money-making scheme (along with many other savvy adventurers). By early game, I'm referring to the first few dozen hours. This is an Atlus RPG after all, so everything is relative.

You're probably thinking of the Merchant archetype. You can unlock this bad boy after you've reached level 2 in Wisdom and bonded with Brigitta. Brigitta is a follower you unlock when you complete "A Bullish Embargo", an optional dungeon around the time of the first major dungeon in the city.

If you are anything like me, then you would have seen this Archetype, and thought "pshh hogwash, an attack class that uses money? Useless!" You may not have said hogwash but the Merchant can be easily underestimated. Alchemy, the hero passive of this game, is what makes it sing.

The passive says: "Chance to win a small amount of money every time an enemy is defeated or stunned in overworld combat." One might think that this is a big deal, but the "chance" part is a bit of a lie. If you are high enough to instagib an overworld mook, you will almost certainly get a 500 reeve bounty.

It may not seem like much, but it only takes a moment. If you go to an area with enough enemies then farming thousands of fat stacks won't take long. I walked my merry butt to the Tradia desert to clean up the "Man's Not-So Best Friend", which had been collecting dirt in my log.

This place is perfect for exploitation of this passive. It's awash with sandworms, and there are many roving dog packs. It's a rich environment for your deadly moneymaker. If you use the cat that is conveniently placed in the middle of the desert, then you can run back to the entrance and enjoy the cash pinatas.

I was able do five runs in 20 minutes and earn around 140k reeve. But if you are a JRPG fan, you have probably spent more time grinding.

Metaphorically, ReFantazio provides you with plenty of money to get on with. This farm is a great deal cheaper than other farms in terms of . In just one "Day", you can destroy the local ecosystem repeatedly by rinsing and repeating the Tradia desert. Combine it with the bounty and you have the most efficient way to earn money.

The only problem is that you have to be at a high level to slap around these worms or dogs. To defeat monsters in overworld battles, your party must be three levels or more higher than them. Most enemies in the desert have a level of around 11, so you will need to be at least level 14-15 to make money. A high-level bird is also something to be aware of. By the time you unlock Merchant, you'll be all set.

It's a good trick to have in your pocket, as it lets you turn low-level sidequest clean-ups from inefficient chores to excellent investment opportunities--overleveled for an area? Put on your merchant's hat to get more bang from your buck.

Metaphor: ReFantazio focuses on making the most of your time. At first, this was a little intimidating to me, but now I enjoy stumbling upon these small optimizations. Lewis Parker has compiled 10 useful tips for Atlus newbies.