Maria is among the most tender of your bonds in Metaphor ReFantazio. While the game is quick to approach difficult topics, her bond (or Social Link, for Persona veterans) doesn’t have high stakes—but that doesn’t make it hit any less hard.
Maria’s follower bond starts off innocently enough, with her questioning if she is weird after being bullied by another kid in Sunshade Row. By the end, however, you help Maria find her place and her family. Her Social Link also touches on how easily Euchronian society can discriminate against anyone different and how simple actions can help change it.
That said, Maria’s Social Link has a few conditions. She locks herself in her room following the events at the Grand Cathedral, so her bond may not be immediately available. You also need Tolerance at rank two to get her bond to rank two, plus Tolerance at rank four to reach the final two ranks in her Social Link.
Here are all our answers for Maria’s bond in Metaphor ReFantazio based on our playthroughs.
Rank one to two
The first prompt that matters here is after the boy picks on Maria. Everything you tell her or Fabienne before then doesn’t have any impact. Reaching this step requires Tolerance at rank two.
| Prompt | Answer |
| “Am I… weird?” | “You’re not weird.” |
| “You didn’t forget your promise.” | “I wouldn’t break a promise.” |
| “They don’t want to say it’s my fault Papa died?” | Any (+1) |
| “If it’s not too much trouble, can you, um…” | Any (+3) |
Rank two to three
| Prompt | Answer |
| “He let me ride on his shoulders and I felt big, like a grown-up!” | “Let’s go there, too.” |
| “…” | Any (+1) |
| TBC | “You have me.” |
| “I want to go on a journey too, and I promise I’ll be good…” | Any (+0) |
| “…So I have to show her that I’m a good girl.” | Any (+3) |
Rank three to four
- Any answer (+0)
- Any answer (+0)
- “He did it for the both of you,” or “He worked to protect everyone.”
Rank four to five
| Prompt | Answer |
| “I wonder if Papa heard me…” | Any (+0) |
| “I was wrong that whole time.” | Any (+3) |
| “Does that mean I can’t do it, then?” | “Maybe you can make people smile?” |
| “This one will have Papa and Miss Fabienne and me and you, all smiling together!” | “That’s the whole family.” |
| TBC | “I know an artist.” |
Rank five to six
| Prompt | Answer |
| “And no cheap trinket, either, but one that requires my assistance to create?” | Any (+0) |
| “Mr. Neuras is really helping us… I can’t believe it…” | “I’m glad we asked him.” |
| “So, do you like the one we made instead?” | Any (+0) |
| “I’m glad.” | “Mission Complete.” |
| “So, am I like Papa now?” | “You did a great job.” |
Rank six to seven
This social link event requires Tolerance at rank four.
| Prompt | Answer |
| “He journeys to all sorts of places.” | Any (+0) |
| TBC | “Good job.” |
| “They don’t know anything about him and they don’t even try to find out.” | “Let’s check on him.” |
Rank seven to eight
| Prompt | Answer |
| “So maybe if we get everyone to eat lots of good food together, they’ll talk to each other and get along!” | “I want to help.” |
| “She even wants some of the townspeople to help out, too!” | “That’s great.” |
| “We’re going to play with Hirundo and the others too, next time.” | “You have a lot of friends.” |
| “…I’m not going to ask you not to go.” | Any (+0) |
| “You can’t die, OK? So please come back.” | “I promise.” |
Though her story is more than enough to get you coming back to Grand Trad, Maria’s bond boasts some incredible follower perks, including Speed Cooking (cooking in the gauntlet runner doesn’t spend time) and buffs to post-battle experience. She’s easily one of the most valuable followers in Metaphor ReFantazio.
We recommend researching the Healer Archetype early on since it’s your quickest way to access Hama magic in the game. The Grand Trad catacombs are sprawling with undead, so Light damage helps, and both Strohl and Hulkenberg can flex into the Healer role for Hama or cure spells. Getting the Healer to rank 15 is also one of More’s Tasks, which improves your bond with the author.
| Ability | Effect | Rank |
| Healer Archetype | Unlocks the Healer Archetype for study | One |
| Healer Enlightenment | Reduces the magla cost for studying the Healer lineage | Two |
| Healer Archetype: Adept | Unlocks the Cleric Archetype | Three |
| Scion’s Skill | Gives the Healer lineage an extra inherit slot | Three |
| Purpose | Increases XP received after battle | Four |
| Speed Cooking | Cooking aboard the gauntlet runner doesn’t pass the time | Four |
| Healer Veneration | Reduces the cost of researching the Healer lineage even further | Five |
| Scion’s Merit | Grants another inheritance slot for Healer lineages (three total) | Six |
| Burning Purpose | Grants even more EXP after a battle. | Seven |
| Chef’s Chops | Cooking in the gauntlet runner makes an additional dish. | Seven |
| Healer Archetype: Elite | Unlocks the Savior Archetype for research | Eight |
| Scion’s Essence | Healer lineages get the fourth (and final) inherit slot | Eight |
