How To Beat The Fire Dragon Mauna

During the opening hours of Metaphor: ReFentazio, there aren’t a lot of things the player can do regarding going off the beaten track.

This exciting new JRPG keeps you on a leash for quite some time, allowing the game to drip-feed you important mechanics and narrative exposition to fully immerse you in this fantasy setting.

That being said, there are still a few things that players can do to go the extra mile, one of which is the optional boss battle against the Fire Dragon Mauna in the Nord Mines.

This fight is worth doing for the reward hidden in the Dragon’s nest, but the beast won’t go down without a fight, so here’s what you should do to make short work of this draconic boss.

How To Fight/Avoid Fire Dragon Mauna

As you work your way through the Nord Mines, you will come to a large open area where you’ll encounter a huge sleeping dragon in the center, and you’ll be faced with a choice.

You can either exercise stealth to get around the huge dragon, or you can fight them head-on.

If you intend to sneak around the boss, you should make use of your Analyze function to sense the various fodder enemies dotted around the area.

Because, if you are spotted or engage in combat with these enemies, you’ll face the dragon and end up having to fight them too.

However, if you want to bite the bullet and fight the dragon, all you need to do is walk up the slope toward them, and this will begin the fight.

How To Prepare For The Fight

The fight against the Fire Dragon Mauna is a relatively tricky one, depending on how much MP you have expended getting to this point, and indeed how much you have raised your level to this point. Not to mention the base difficulty level you have chosen.

However, there are some things that you can do to make life a little easier when taking on this huge beast. Here are some preparation tips I would urge you to try:

• Alter your starting formation so that your player character (Seeker) is on the back line and begins the round, and keep Strohl and Grius on the front line.
• Spend some MAG to make both Grius and Strohl Mage Archetypes, as this will give you access to Blitz, which the dragon is weak against.
• Be sure to search the mines leading up this area thoroughly for better armor, accessories, and weapons.

How To Defeat Fire Dragon Mauna

With this setup, it should be pretty straightforward to take down this hulking boss, provided you know how to get the most out of Seeker on the back line.

If you engage the boss, you’ll start first in this exchange, and what you’ll want to do is use Seeker to cast Tarukaja, as this will allow you to power up either of your ally’s attacks for three turns. Then, follow this up by casting Blitz on the Fire Dragon.

The dragon will retort with either a Scratch attack, which will deal physical damage to a single party member, or they will use Tail Swipe, which will deal moderate damage to the entire party.

After their turn, you’ll want to use Seeker to apply Tarukaja to your other ally without a buff, and then follow up with two strong Blitz attacks on the Drake.

They also have access to a Fireball attack, which deals moderate damage to your front line, but Seeker is very weak to this attack. So, if they use this, be sure to use Dei during Seeker’s turn to replenish HP if necessary.

However, If your HP is holding firm, use this turn to pop another Tarukaja, as this effect stacks, allowing you to buff your ally’s attack even more.

Continue this cycle, and before long, the Fire Dragon will go down, and you’ll have access to their treasure.

Rewards For Defeating Fire Dragon Mauna

If you manage to defeat the Fire Dragon Mauna, you’ll earn the following rewards for your efforts:

• 263 EXP
• 263 A-EXP
• 1,500 MAG
• 1,000 Money
• Amythest
• Dragon’s Indignation

The boost to your EXP, along with the additional MAG and cash is great, but the real reason why you want to go the extra mile and take on this fight early is the weapon in the chest within the dragon’s nest.

Players will get their hands on the Dragon’s Indignation sword, which is a powerful early-game weapon with strong physical attributes, and the potential to be purified in the Church within the city later down the line.

It will make the next hour or two a little easier for you, and suits a warrior build down to the ground. It’s better to have it than not, so do yourself a favor and slay that dragon!