Before you use this guide, I have four simple requests:
1. Don't send me corrections about this walkthrough. It is a done deal - a
complete document. It's not 100% accurate, but life is rough like that.
2. Don't email me looking for help. If it isn't here, I don't know. Try other
FAQs, the official guide, message boards, whatever. But please be courteous -
I've received thousands of emails about this guide. THOUSANDS. Almost all of
them have been ignored, because I simply DO NOT have time to be a help line.
Square has employees who get paid for that sort of thing; this guide is
something I've done in my free time. So please, if you need help, seek it
elsewhere. A lot of other people have put great effort into making other very
worthwhile guides. Try finding your answers there as well.
3. Don't ask for permission to use this guide on your site. You can't. I used to
be a lot more lenient about this, but then a lot of lazy slobs whose idea of a
"worthwhile website" is to harvest new documents from GameFAQs.com and never
update them posted early versions of this guide on their site and then - ugh -
NEVER UPDATED THEIR COPIES. Which means that in January of 2002 I'm still
getting inquiries of "when are you going to finish such-and-such section of your
FAQ?" Which means people are looking at versions of this guide from more than
two years ago. I no longer have the time or energy to deal with the fruits of
their laziness and incompetence, so this guide is available ONLY at my website
and GameFAQs.
4. And don't send me any more Dario strategies. Geez.
And it probably goes without saying, but you'd be surprised at how dishonest (or
stupid) some people can be: do not use this guide without my permission. Don't
rewrite it, don't hack it up for your website, don't copy it, and don't post it
without my name. For most people this is an obvious matter of respect, but I'm
worried about the 4 or 5 freaks out there who failed their ethics classes. Think
before you steal, eh?
Thanks for your courtesy.
As a small note, all Flashbacks to Chrono Trigger/Radical Dreamers have been
deleted. They're not gone, simply removed; they can be found in my Chrono Cross
Flashback Guide, available at fine establishments such as gamefaqs.com and much
less fine establishments such as toastyfrog.com.
I. ABOUT THIS FAQ
II. ABOUT THE GAME
A. KNOWN GAME DETAILS (PRE-RELEASE)
B. GAMEPLAY SYSTEMS
1. COMBAT
2. MAGIC (ELEMENTS)
a. CLASSES
b. CUSTOMIZATION
3. WEAPON UPGRADES
4. FIELD EFFECT & SUMMONS
5. COMBINATION ATTACKS
6. THE MENU SCREEN
7. AFTER THE BATTLE
8. STATISTICS
C. GENERAL GAMEPLAY TIPS
III. WALKTHROUGH - DISC ONE
A. CHANGES FROM THE DEMO
B. CHRONO'S MYSTERIOUS DUNGEON
C. ARNI VILLAGE: Where tides begin to turn
D. OPASSA BEACH: A calling from beyond time
E. ARNI VILLAGE: Nothing has changed but everything
F. CAPE HOWL: A reminder of one's former self
G. THE PORT TOWN OF TERMINA: The pride of the Acacian Dragoons
H. VIPER MANOR: Where lie the keys to the past
1. GUILE'S PATH
2. PIERRE'S PATH
3. NIKKI'S PATH
4. ALL PATHS
I. GULDOVE: Where ripples become waves
1. ODDS AND ENDS
2. HELPING A FRIEND
3. ALTERNATE PATH
J. HERMIT'S HIDEAWAY: A meeting with the 'other' swordsman
K. FROM PIRATE SHIP TO GHOST SHIP: A mariner's worst nightmare
L. ON TO THE WATER ISLE: In search of the dragon blue
M. FORT DRAGONIA: Ancient dragon's dream in ruins
1. EAST DOOR
2. NORTHEAST DOOR
3. NORTHWEST DOOR
4. WEST DOOR
5. SHOWDOWN
N. DIMENSION VORTEX: Where lost souls wander
O. BACK FROM THE DARKNESS: And on with a new journey
P. TERMINA: Knight or day?
Q. MARBULE: VIllage of the demi-humans
R. THE MASAMUNE: The blood-stained sword of evil
S. THE DEAD SEA: A place forsaken by the gods
T. A PORTAL REOPENED: And the planet begins to shake
U. BACK TO VIPER MANOR: A captive audience awaits
V. SURPRISE ATTACK!: Pursuers with heavy hearts
W. TO THE SEA OF EDEN: Through the hidden holes of time
IV. WALKTHROUGH - DISC TWO
A. THE ARBITER OF TIME: On whom the Three Fates smile
B. CHRONO CROSS: The point where destinies meet
C. TERRA TOWER: Caught in the echo of time
D. FOR ALL THE DREAMERS: Our planet's dream is not over yet
E. NEW GAME+
F. ENDINGS (removed)
V. CHARACTERS
VI. FAQs
VII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, ETC.
A. REVISION HISTORY
B. LINKS
C. MUCHAS GRACIAS
----------------------------------------------
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PART I: ABOUT THIS FAQ
The original goal for this Guide was to be a comprehensive resource for the
game Chrono Cross. However, I've long since abandoned that naive and childish
ambition; all I can guarantee now is that the majority of the game is covered
as accurately as I could manage. Story information for the rather convoluted
plot is contained at the end; don't read it if you don't want to know. And
each event written up does contain story spoilers, so I would recommend you
don't read ahead unless you just don't care. As with all guides, the intent
is to be a reference for when you get stuck, or to provide general advice,
or to let you know what you've missed for a second playthrough.
The most recent version of this document will always be available at
http://www.toastyfrog.com and http://www.gamefaqs.com. If you're not reading
this paragraph, you're not reading the most recent version of the guide. But
I guess you wouldn't know that, what with being unable to read this paragraph
and all.
And finally, there are spoilers aplenty in this Guide. If you don't want to
spoil the game for yourself, for crying out loud, DON'T READ THIS GUIDE! You'd
think that would be obvious, but then again some woman made millions of dollars
because McDonald's didn't tell her that coffee is hot, so you can't be too safe
these days.
Anyway, enjoy - I'm sure you're sick of my prelude, so here's the Guide.
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
PART II: ABOUT THE GAME
----------------------------------------------
A. KNOWN GAME DETAILS
(PRE-RELEASE)
*Wherein J. Parish offers a brief and delightful preview of the
game to come*
*A section being retained for historical reference only*
Chrono Cross, as you hopefully know, is the sequel to 1995's extremely
successful uber-RPG Chrono Trigger. The game takes place 20 years after the
original... well, 20 years after the main time period, I suppose, making it
65,000,020 years after Ayla's time and about 979 years before the Day of Lavos.
Ah, time travel. Erm, anyway.
The battle system is similar to, yet shockingly different from, the system in
Chrono Trigger. I'll get to that later; but another major difference is the
premise of the game. While Chrono Trigger focused on time travel and the
resulting paradoxes (as well as the malleability of the past - who would have
known that selling a piece of beef jerky would generate 20 generations of
greed?), Chrono Cross focuses more on inter-dimensional travel and the causes
thereof. Not dimensions as in 2D and 3D (although CC *does* make the jump from
2D to 3D), but rather parallel worlds and alternate realities. So don't expect
to hear Serge say, "Ich bin ein Flatlander!" However, the game does focus on
actions and consequences even moreso than Chrono Trigger - the parallel worlds
allow you to see "what if?" even more clearly than in CT, but without that icky
time paradox.
A few CT characters are known to be returning, if only in reference. First and
foremost is Lucca, whose presence was indicated by the sight of her home in
flames at the end of the Chrono Cross demo. It should also be noted that in the
recent Playstation rerelease of Chrono Trigger, new endings were added that
presumably lead in to Chrono Cross. Of particular note are the marriage of Crono
and Marle (why, Crono, why?!), the marriage of Ayla and wuss-boy Kino, Frog's
transformation back into Glenn and his subsequent knighting, and Lucca's
adoption of an orphaned child bearing a mysterious pendant. Additionally, the
Masamune Sword (aka Grandleon, for those playing the Japanese version) was
stolen in one of the new endings. Surely they wouldn't go to the trouble of
adding these new details unless they planned to DO something with them, right?
The initial plot is based on a Super Famicom text adventure called Radical
Dreamers, which was briefly available by Satellaview (a dial-up downloadable
Super Famicom game service in Japan). You'll see references to "Radical
Dreamers" throughout the game, and even a bit of text from the actual game, so
this is important info. Pay attention! In that regard, Chrono Cross is more of a
remake than a new game, with a plot centered on finding a relic called the
Frozen Flame, which can grant the ability to twist reality according to the will
of whomever holds it. Lynx (who is known as Yamaneko in the Japanese version),
an anthropomorphic cat in a Soviet military dress uniform, appears to be the
main villain. However, this is a Square game, and Square games are noted for
their plots twists; I imagine defeating Lynx and acquiring the Frozen Flame are
about as likely to be the ultimate goals of the game as much as beating
President Shinra was the goal of Final Fantasy VII.
The game is being designed so that random battles are rarely necessary. Not only
can you see your enemies on screen to avoid them, but you can win the game
without spending much time leveling up (boss fights, of course, will be
necessary). No doubt people who take time to boost their levels will blow
through, but those who are tired of constant combat won't be penalized for their
reluctance to fight. Additionally, traditional experience levels are not an
element of this game; you earn status improvements a little at a time after many
battles, like in the SaGa games.
Small, piddling production details: the characters, for better or for worse, are
designed by Nobutero Yuuki. Yuuki also designed characters for Record of Lodoss
War, Seiken Densetsu 3, Vision of Escaflowne and more recently, Tail Concerto.
Serge looks almost exactly like Yugo from Battle Angel, in fact. The prerendered
FMV is being churned out by the amazing people who put together Final Fantasy
VIII's video sequences. Yasunori Mitsuda (composer for Chrono Trigger and
Xenogears) has written the music, which so far sounds excellent. In fact, much
of the Chrono Cross staff is comprised of Chrono Trigger alumni, which really
shows as you play the game.
B. GAMEPLAY SYSTEMS -------------------------
Ok, the preview crap is done. This is the straight scoop from herein. Or at
least as straight as I can manage.
Chrono Cross has one of the most balanced gameplay systems I've seen (although
Serge tends to be too strong, bleah). Combat requires planning before and during
fights, and careful balancing of attacks, defense, magic and healing. There are
a lot fo factors to take into consideration, so read up now:
-- 1. COMBAT ---------------------------------
Neither turn-based nor active-time - what madness is this? Why, it's the Chrono
Cross battle system, of course.
Describing Chrono Cross' battle system is much easier with visuals, so if this
text is incomprehensible for you, but alas - my visual guide has long since
receded into the annals of history. So here's my best effort at a text-based
description.
Chrono Cross has three numbers which indicate a character's battle status.
The first and most obvious is HIT POINTS, which determine who lives and
who dies.
The second number is the ELEMENT LEVEL. Rather than using Magic Points,
Chrono Cross Element use is determined by a histogram which rather
resembles the level displays on a stereo. Refer to the Magic section
below for more information.
The third number is shown at the bottom of the character status
indicator, and that is STAMINA. Stamina determines who can attack, and
the number and power of their possible attacks at once.
Each character begins battle with his or her stamina at 7 (maximum), the
Elements at 0 (minimum) and with however many hit points are carried over from
previous battles. Because the game is not real-time like Final Fantasy's
Active-Time Battle system, you can stand and stare at your enemy for as long as
you want while you devise a strategy.
What does determine the flow of battle is Stamina points. For each attack a
character launches, that fighter uses a set number of Stamina points. Similar to
Xenogears, a strong attack uses 3 Stamina points, a medium attack uses 2, and a
weak attack inflicts little damage but uses a paltry 1 Stamina point. But while
a fighter's Stamina is being used up by physical attacks, 2 things are
happening.
1. Other characters (enemies and allies alike) are recharging their own
Stamina to prepare for an attack.
2. The active character builds his or her Element Level for each successful
attack landed.
A successful attack that costs 3 Stamina Points will add 3 Levels to the Element
meter if it connects (and whether or not it connects, everyone else's Stamina
will rise 3 points); but a 1-Stamina Point attack will only add a single level
to the meter. A strong attack that misses is a real waste - not only do you lose
3 Stamina Points, but you earn nothing on your Element Meter, leaving you more
vulnerable. Using an Element attack drains seven Stamina points - so if you have
only 1.0 Stamina point left, using an Element will knock you down to -6.0, out
of combat for 7 points on the Stamina meter. You must have at least 1 full point
of Stamina in order to initiate any move; otherwise you will have to wait until
enough combat "time" elapses to bring you up to one Stamina point.
When you begin to attack an enemy, a small box opens that displays your chances
of landing a successful blow. With each successive strike, your chances improve.
Weak attacks are more likely to hit than strong attacks, especially at the
beginning. But as you score more damage, you will have more success with strong
blows. A 3-point attack may have only a 60% chance of connecting at the
beginning of a round, but after landing a few 1- or 2-point strikes, a strong
attack may rise to 85% success or even higher. Balancing your attacks is
imperative.
However, despite the obvious advantage of consecutive strikes, you're not
required to strike only a single enemy per move. Nor are you required to attack
with the same fighter. At any time, you can switch your attacks to a different
foe; you may also choose to have a different character pick up the attack.
However, switching targets or fighters will destroy the statistical advantage
your successful attacks against an enemy may have generated. But aborting
attacks is the key to effective Summoning and Combinations, rather like
Xenogears' AP but less tedious.
One other consideration - enemies can interrupt your attacks to launch their own
strikes between your hits. If an enemy targets the active character (a
successful hit isn't necessary, so long as your character is attacked) after two
successful weak hits, it will destroy that character's statistical advantage and
all hit % ratings will drop to where they started.
Personally, I rarely use all 7 Stamina points for attacks. If I'm down to one
last enemy, I'll use my last Stamina point for an Element to end the fight
quickly. But if I'm up against multiple enemies, especially those which use
strong attacks, I'll use my last Stamina point to Defend and reduce damage. Yes,
that's right - Chrono Cross may be the first RPG ever in which defending is not
only useful, but is something that can be done frequently without bogging down
the battle. Amazing but true! Defending cuts physical attacks by as much as 2/3,
so judicious defending is a wise combat decision. Be aware that Defending also
causes 1 Stamina point to be regenerated rather than used, although a character
must have at least 1 Stamina point before they can initiate Defending. Yeah, I
know, I know, but it makes a lot more sense when you actually play it. Really.
-- 2. ELEMENTS (MAGIC) -----------------------
Elements serve the role of Magic in Chrono Cross; a rose by any other name kicks
just as much butt. Like in Chrono Trigger, Elements are divided into a series of
classes. Additionally, spells have a power level to them which can be enhanced
or diminished depending on their placement in your magic hierarchy.
-- a. CLASSES --------------------------------
This is fairly straightforward. Each spell is ranked in a category that seems to
match up with Chrono Trigger's system, with a few small changes. Each character
possesses an innate Elemental affinity; while anyone can cast practically any
sort of spell, the Elements for which they have the most affinity will be more
effective. For instance, Serge is White/Lightning, Kid is Red/Fire and Glenn is
Green/Wind (in the demo he was Blue/Water, just like Frog, but they wisely
changed that for the final game).
1. WHITE - This seems to be the equivalent of CT's Lightning magical class.
Attacks are both energy-based (Holy, Laser, Photon) and physical
(Comet, Shooting). Also includes RecoverAlly magic, like Revive.
2. RED - Fiery attacks. Surprising, huh? Spells include Volcano,
Meltstone and the Salamander Summon.
3. BLUE - Ice, water and healing. Spells include Deluge, IceLance, and
Cure/CurePlus.
4. GREEN - Air and nature-based attacks, such as BushWhacker and Tornado.
Also incorporates earth-based attacks, like BushBasher.
5. YELLOW - This seems to encompass a number of different spells types,
really. Some of them are straightforward electrical attack spells,
like Lightning and ElectroJolt. Also, there seems to be a number of
earth-elemental spells here as well, such as Uplift.
6. BLACK - The antithesis of White. As you might well imagine. This seems
to consist of complimentary versions of White Elements, such as Hell
Laser, the yang to Laser's yin. For you CT obsessed types, this is
Shadow magic.
Elements exist in pairs - White and Black, Blue and Red, Green and Yellow.
Enemies with a certain elemental affiliation will be weak to its opposite
Element - a Green enemy will take more damage from a Yellow attack than from a
Blue or White attack. But Green elements will also damage a Yellow enemy in
turn. Furthermore, sometimes using spells of an enemy's type will actually heal
it (for instance, certain plants recover HP when hit with Green spells). Use
this to your advantage, but be aware that enemies aren't shy about exploiting
Elemental opposites either - I've noticed that enemies tend to go after
characters who are opposite to their own nature.
It seems also that there are "light magic" and "dark magic" - the "light"
Elements, or those with curative properties, White, Green and Blue, tend to have
a stronger effect on "dark" Elements which can only cure in the form of
consumables. This split also has an impact on Pip's nature, but more on that
later.
Additionally, each element can inflict a certain status ailment on your party or
on enemies. An (*) indicates a condition that dissipates automatically after
battle. All conditions may be healed with Stock Elements of the same color.
GREEN: Poison (saps HP for every battle increment)
Afraid (receive critical hits easily)(*)
BLACK: Blind (hit accuracy % is cut in half)(*)
Cursed (Lose stamina when struck in battle)(*)
RED: Burn (receive more damage in battle/on "damage zone" ground).
Confused (characters attack randomly)(*)
YELLOW: Sprain (attack down/characters can't run while exploring)
Dizzy (dodge rate decreases)
BLUE: Frozen (characters are inactive for several turns)(*)
Flu (Slow stamina recovery/hard to control in field)
WHITE: Exhaustion (characters exert additional stamina with each move)(*)
Sleep (Character is immobile and vulnerable)(*)
-- b. CUSTOMIZATION --------------------------
The Element system is an interesting hybrid of other magic systems. It resembles
Suikoden and the original Final Fantasy in that each character has a hierarchy
of spells to use - Level One spells are weak, but can be cast with only a single
level built on the Element Meter in combat. Level Five spells take five
successful physical strikes to activate, but are much more powerful than Level
One spells.
However, what makes the Element system different from those terribly limited
games is that it's completely customizable, like Junctioning in Final Fantasy
VIII. By opening the status screen, you will have access to a grid that allows
you to switch around the Elements you find. Yep, magic in this game is not
learned but rather earned and found. The more you find of a particular Element,
the more frequently you can use it.
Each spell slot on your grid can only be used once per battle, so you need to
use them with discretion. Choosing which Elements to take into battle (should
you equip 5 slots with CurePlus, or focus more on heavy-hitting attacks and
eschew the curative Elements in favor of offensive spells?) will offer many
hours of tingly fulfillment for people who like to twiddle with stats, but it's
still simple enough a system not to be overwhelming to a casual player.
An interesting note about Elements is that each spell has a default power level.
If you put a Level 3 Element in a Level 3 slot, it will be at its natural power.
However, if you want to be able to cast that spell more quickly, you can knock
it down to a Level 1 slot; but, you will sap some of that Element's strength - a
fact denoted by a negative number after the spell's name (i.e., Tornado-2). On
the other hand, you can crank up an Element's power by bumping it up to a higher
level slot - so taking a Level One spell like Cure to a Level 5 slot will yield
Cure+4. Additionally, there are non-Elemental items you can equip, such as
curative tablets and capsules. The possibilities are sickeningly immense. Some
limitations apply: Summons and high-level Elements like Tornado and BlackHole
can only be used by characters who have an affinity toward those elements (i.e.,
Iceburg is only available to Blue characters).
When you're equipping Elements, press the Triangle button to bring up a menu
with three choices. These allow you to organize your Element list by function
and color, which can make scrolling through the list MUCH easier.
As mentioned before, casting Elemental attacks requires 7 Stamina points. So if
your Stamina meter is low, using an Element will knock it into a negative
number, forcing you to sit out a portion of the battle until your Stamina builds
back up.
-- 3. WEAPONS --------------------------------
As is becoming increasingly common in RPGs these days, you can't just run to the
store and say, "Hey! I'd like to buy Excalibur please!" Instead, you have to
build your weapons and armor, much like the system in Final Fantasy VIII - or
more specifically, like the barter system in Chrono Trigger's 65,000,000 BC era.
However, you don't have to keep trekking to the Hunting Grounds to find your
weapon components this time; rather, you find components during regular combat
and in chests all around the archipelago. You may then take those bits and
pieces to a forge, where you can have a smithy assemble them into new parts. Old
gear can be disassembled and the components salvaged; why sell an old copper
item when you can use the hard-to-come-by Carapace it's made from to build a
better Iron item? Another way to acquire components is to speak to a trader, who
will swap Elements for components (however, you cannot acquire the "key"
components from most traders). Those key components are:
Once you have items from a higher class, you can begin forging equipment of that
particular type. The best way to get ahold of better equipment is by theft. Yes,
I know your mommy told you that stealing is wrong, but so is all the killing you
do in this game; you're damned either way, so you might as well make the most of
it.
However, it seems that even if you have, say, @Denadorote early in the game, you
can't actually create a Stone Axe until you pass a certain point, which is when
the smiths learn more advanced forge techniques. So unlike Final Fantasy VIII,
where you could theoretically build Squall's most powerful sword as early as
Disc Two, the system here is more regimented.
-- 4. FIELD EFFECT & SUMMONS -----------------
As you fight, you will probably notice a little series of concentric circles in
the upper left-hand corner labelled "Field Effect." The Field Effect Meter is
affected by the natural terrain in which a battle transpires and also by the
Elements used during combat.
Field Effect is the key to using Summons in the game - for instance, Salamander
can only be summoned when the Field Effect meter is all red (i.e., three
consecutive fire attacks have been used). This is more easily said than done; if
an enemy uses an Element of a type other than what you're trying to build on the
meter, it can screw up your efforts. And if you're being beaten down mercilessly
and have to heal, the Elements or Items you use for healing will register on the
Field Effect meter as well. Therefore, expect Summoning to be a difficult and
challenging affair, requiring a bit of luck and a lot of good planning.
Fortuntely, there are ways to ease the Summoning process, but it requires the
proper Elements and setup.
Additional notes: To summon a beast, you need to possess Stars. Your party will
earn Stars after certain events (such as whalloping a boss), but each use
diminishes your Star total, and you have to stay at an Inn to replenish them.
And this would seem obvious, but I get questions about it all the time: to use a
Summon, you MUST FIND A SUMMON FIRST. Just like in every other video game in the
history of the industry. And one other thing: Summons can only be equipped by
characters who have a matching Elemental affinity.
-- 5. PRISM ----------------------------------
Finding Prism equipment is terribly difficult. You will only find one or two
Prism items in the course of the game; the rest you have to create on your own.
To create any kind of Prism equipment, you must have Shiny Elements (the type
and quantity depend on what you're creating). Depending on what you wish to
forge, you may also need a Rainbow Shell. There are only a few Rainbow Shells in
the game (I think I've found seven), and the Shiny items are even harder to come
by: the only way to create Shiny items is to use a summon to destroy an enemy.
The Summon's Affinity determines what kind of Shiny material you receive (one
per enemy killed); if you use Salamander to kill four enemies, you will receive
4 Shiny Embers. If you use Sonja to kill one enemy, you will receive one Shiny
Leaf. The Shiny items are:
See the Weapon/Armor/Accessory lists to see how much of each item is required
for various items.
A second source for Shiny items are the various Elemental Emblems you receive
(Forest Emblem, Fire Emblem, etc.) - these can be disassembled to acquire a
single Shiny item per accessory. Not efficient, but there are enemies from whom
Emblems can be stolen, so it's a good alternative if you're having trouble with
Summons.
-- 6. COMBINATION ATTACKS --------------------
And of course, the combination attacks are back. These seem to combine
character's unique skills to enable attacks that are vastly more powerful than a
lone attack would be (unlike in Chrono Trigger, where combo attacks were often
less effective than solo attacks).
Combinations require two characters with compatible skills to have built both
Stamina and Element Levels to an appropriate degree. For example, Serge and
Glenn share a combination attack in the demo called X-Strike (hey, just like
Crono and Frog! Err... forget I said anything). For X-Strike to be enabled, both
Serge and Glenn need to build their Element Meter to Level 3 so each can use
their respective skills that form the X-Strike combo. Additionally, they need to
have at least 1 Stamina point. When these prerequisites are fulfilled, either
one of them can activate the X-Strike by choosing his respective skill. You can
see when they're ready, because the name of the skill will change to X-Strike.
When using combos, switching between characters during a round is extremely
useful to help minimize Stamina depletion. Undoubtedly, there will be many more
combos to discover; hopefully more than one per character.
The combos link character-specific skills. Each character has a Lv.3, Lv.5 and
Lv.7 Elemental skill. With 40+ characters who have 3 skills apiece, with three
possible party members at a time, I think you can see the sheer possible number
of permutations, and why it's not necessarily easy to find them.
Interestingly, the combo attacks tend to have their own unique elemental
affiliation which has no relation to the skills which comprise the attack. Using
the X-Strike attack as an example again, the two components are White
(Dash&Slash) and Green (Dash&Gash). But when used together, they create
X-Strike, a Red skill.
-- 6. THE MENU SCREEN ------------------------
The menu screen functions rather like Xenogears' menus, except with more options
and polish. In the right hand corner is a small odometer; moving the dial up and
down allows you to access various functions.
From top to bottom, the menu functions are:
STATUS
ELEMENT
EQUIP
ITEM
CUSTOMIZE
FILE
- STATUS: Allows you to examine the current status of your characters.
Press Action (Circle button) to toggle between statistics and equipment.
Note: press left when the left-most character is highlighted to bring up a
list of all characters in your party. You can view their status from the
menu.
The following are the meanings for the numerical statistics displayed on the
character status screen, from left to right, top to bottom (courtesy of
tennin):
STR. (Strength)
Affects the power of physical attacks.
ACC. (Accuracy)
Affects the hit rate of physical attacks.
MAG. (Magic)
Affects the power of magical Elements.
RES. (Reistance)
Affects defense against physical attacks.
AG. (Agility)
Affects evasion rate.
MDEF. (Magic Defense)
Affects defense against magical attacks.
STAMINA RECOVERY
Affects rate of stamina recovery. This is the equivalent of speed. Ten is
the base rate, but different characters recover at different speeds. For
every 10 points of Stamina RecoverAlly a character posseses, their Stamina
Meter builds one point for every point expended by another character. So a
character with a 12 Stamina RecoverAlly rating will build up 1.2 points
every time another character launches a weak attack; meaning they'll build
up to 6 Stamina points in only 5 moves. Conversely, a character with a 9
rating will only recover .9 Stamina points for every weak attack, meaning it
will take 8 weak attacks to bring that characters Stamina from 0 to 7.
- ELEMENT: Use and equip Elements.
- USE: Allows you to make use of Stock Elements such as Tablets and
Medicine to heal between battles or power up.
- ALLOCATE: Allows you to switch Elements around on your characters' grids.
- REMOVE ALL: Allows you to remove all Elements equipped on a character.
- REMOVE: Allows you to remove a single Element from a characters' grid.
- AUTO-ALLOCATE: This option allows you to place Elements on a character's
grid automatically. I'm not certain how it determines which Elements
to put in various places, but it can save a great deal of time. You can
do this for a single character or the entire party.
- FILL BLANKS: Fill empty grid slots with Elements. Sometimes handy,
sometimes annoying, depending on how the game allocates skills. This
also can be done for a single character or for the entire party.
- EQUIP: Allows you to change a character's equipped items. Press left when
the leftmost character is highlighted to see a list of all characters. The
R1/L1 shoulder buttons can be used to toggle between the three active party
members.
- WEAPON
- ARMOR
- ACCESSORY (Can equip up to three accessories per character)
- ITEM: Allows you to view Key Items, such as the Heckran Bone and Komodo
Scales.
- CUSTOMIZE: Allows you to configure your settings to match your
preferences (thanks to tennin for help).
- SOUND: (Stereo) Mono
- WINDOW: (Default) Custom
Allows you to change the style of your windows on-screen. I prefer the
default until I find new window styles throughout the game (I personally
like Red Vision and Porre's Furnace myself).
- CURSOR POSITION - (Regular) Memory
Regular defaults a menu cursor to its original location. Memory will
maintain the cursor position in menus and point at the most recent
location when you open a menu again.
- BATTLE ATTACK SELECTION - Manual (Auto)
When in battle, automatically advances the Attack cursor to the next
highest attack with and 80% chance or better of success.
- CONTROLLER - (Normal) Custom
Allows you to set your controller settings. You can adjust this as you
see fit, but I think the default is fine. Interestingly, it seems you
can set the "L3" and "R3" buttons to be Action and Cancel, which is a
rare feature.
- X-BUTTON ON - Run (Walk)
Causes Serge and party to run or walk during exploration sequences by
default, and to toggle between the two by pressing X.
- LEFT STICK SENSITIVITY - (Digital) Analog
Active will allow you to switch between walk and run based on how far you
press the left stick. Digital means you need to press X to switch.
- FILE: Choose to SAVE or LOAD a file. You can only save at Records of Fate,
but you can load anywhere. A nice touch!
-- 7. AFTER THE BATTLE -----------------------
Once battle has ended, you will see a number of screens as a familiar tune
plays. The first screen displays any statistical improvements a character has
earned (since Chrono Cross has discarded regimented levels, characters power-up
in more frequent bursts of small increments). The second screen gives you three
options:
- Replenish HP and status using battle Elements
- Replenish HP and status using stock Elements
- Do not replenish HP and status
The post-battle options are fairly intelligent. The first choice will
automatically use healing spells up to the Element level your characters have
remaining on their meter at the end of battle. So if one character equipped with
RecoverAll+3 has his Element meter built to L.7 when combat ends, choice one
will cause this character to use RecoverAll on the entire party automatically.
Choice two instead uses Elements like Tablets and Capsules to restore HP, and is
a useful option after a tough battle where your Elements are expended and levels
are low. Choice three simply lets you restore your HP at your own discretion
through the menu screen. Note: fallen characters cannot be healed with option
one or two; although "dead" characters automatically recover with a single HP
after battle, they do so after the auto-recover screen. So be sure to use the
menu screen to replenish the HP of anyone who bit the dust during combat. The
game will display the Elements you used for recovery; this DOES NOT cause those
Elements to disappear from your inventory (except consumables), so don't be
afraid to charge up after battle. Your Element levels don't carry into the next
battle, so there's no reason NOT to heal up.
After the recovery screen, you will receive a list of all the items you have won
during battle.
D. GENERAL GAMEPLAY TIPS ---------------------
-- 1. COMBAT ---------------------------------
Learning to make the most of Chrono Cross' battle system can be tricky; but as
you learn the game's strategies, you'll find there's a lot of flexibility and
strategy in the game. You COULD barrel straight ahead and annihilate everything
with your strongest attacks, but that won't always be the best solution.
Remember that using an Element, no matter what level it is, requires 7 Stamina
points. If you knock your Stamina down to 1 and then cast a spell, you'll be out
6 points. That's 13 measures of combat you'll have to wait before your Stamina
is full recharged, and 7 measures until you can even defend again. Obviously,
standing there helplessly against a tough enemy can be a very, very bad idea.
Learn to defend whenever you can! Defending only causes a single measure of
combat to advance, and it can cut the physical damage you suffer by as much as
2/3.
Learning to balance attacks is especially important once you start acquiring
Level 7 & 8 Elements - even with the Dreamer's Scarf, which automatically gives
you a headstart to Level 1 on your Element meter, it will take more than just a
single turn (of 7 Stamina points) to boost Elements to 8 and cast a spell. A
good technique to use is to stop at 1 Stamina point and defend, then switch back
to the character who is building his Element meter once his Stamina has risen a
few points. While toggling between characters like this, it's a good idea to
have the character whose turn is being cancelled defend as well.
Another wise strategy is to assign a single character as a healer in tough
battles, and to keep that character's HP high and their Element meter boosted as
much as possible. This way if you're hit by a sudden strong attack, you can
switch right over to that character and heal immediately - an especially good
idea when facing multiple strong enemies. However, don't make that person the
only one who can heal! Be sure to give everyone healing Elements to be safe, and
try to have a good selection of single- and group-effect spells on hand.
Revive spells are hard to come by; be sure not to give them all to a single
character, in case that one fighter gets taken out. A nice trick about Revive is
that the higher the slot it's placed in, the more effective it is. While a Level
1 Revive spell will restore a fallen character to life with a few HP, Revive+5
will restore that character as well as all or most of their HP. On the other
hand, you may not want to have to build five levels on your meter to be able to
restore a fallen character, especially if the one who fell was your main healer
or attacker, so placing Revive in a low-level slot can be smart as well.
Experiment and see what works best for you.
Of course, each Element has its opposite type; use this to your advantage. Craft
your party to respond to the threat ahead. For example: if you're going up
against a Red enemy, it's not always good to use a Blue character as they will
be more vulnerable (they'll suffer as much as 50% more damage per attack).
However, to use the really good Blue Elements, like Iceburg and the Frog Summon,
you NEED the blue character. So there's a trade-off for every decision you make.
And be careful not to rely too heavily on a single Element color; an Anti- spell
can totally seal off your access to an entire category, making that character
much less effective for the duration of the battle.
Fortunately, Chrono Cross isn't a terribly difficult game. But keeping these
considerations in mind will make the fights much easier, and you'll spend much
less time hanging on to life by a thread if you plan ahead.
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
PART III: WALKTHROUGH - DISC ONE
A. CHANGES FROM DEMO -------------------------
A number of elements, both major and minor, have changed between the demo
and final versions of the game. Here is a brief rundown.
- Fewer battles in first dungeon, and no boss encounter with SideSteppa.
- Post-victory fanfare
- Glenn no longer accompanies Kid and Serge; rather, a third party member
is selected apparently at random for the duration of the sequence.
- Kid and Glenn do not offer assistance in hunting down the Komodo
lizards.
- Serge's skill, HP and Element levels drop significantly between the
dungeon dream and waking up in his village.
- Treasures have been removed or changed in various places.
- Razzly no longer turns Serge away from Hydra Woods; instead it's some
random guy.
- The real battle theme and victory fanfare have been added, and much of
the music has changed in certain locations.
- Enemy levels have been reduced so they don't annihilate Serge.
- There's a second section of Arni Village, at its west end, where Radius
teaches Serge a lesson humiliation.
- The game doesn't end after talking to Leena on the beach.
- Battle load times have been abbreviated significantly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. SERGE'S MYSTERIOUS DUNGEON
RECOMMENDED PARTY: N/A
Enemies in this Area:
- Cybot
- AlphaBat
Items in this Area:
- None
This bit will be rather familiar to anyone who has played the demo. It's
the same area as the opening of the demo, but with the challenge sucked out
like a dog sucks the marrow from a bone. Slurp!
After an opening cinema which simply displays the Tower from outside, Serge
and Kid and a random character plucked from the cast of thousands arrive in an
elevator near the top of a dungeon. It should be noted that I've seen many
different characters here - i.e. Poshul, Razzly, Mel and Orcha, and I'm sure
if I tried it again I'd see a different character. Each random person seems to
have distinct dialogue (and even dialect, although I can't really say since my
knowledge of Japanese could be inscribed on the head of a pin), which is
probably causing Square's translation team to stay up late at night weeping.
(Shock shock, the US team seems to have done a great job with the dialects. So
before you gripe about them, remember they're just being true to the Japanese,
'K?)
This area is pretty straightforward, since all the treasure boxes from the
demo are missing, the enemies are toned down, and the boss is in absentia.
Use this dungeon as an opportunity to familiarize yourself with combat, and
don't feel bad about using your most powerful spells, since you won't be
seeing them again for a while.
Head left from the elevator to check out your goal - a glowing crystal. Kid
gets ticked off that you can't just jump down, but it's not a problem,
really. Go back to the right and into the central chamber of the Tower and
work your way counter-clockwise around the room to the exterior. Continue
to work your way around and up; your ultimate goal is to reach the door in
the upper left-hand corner of the central chamber and throw the switch in
the room beyond. Once you've deactivated the beam of light, return to the
central area and walk to the hub in the center of the room. Press the
action button and you'll be transported outside and in front of a large
door. Walk up to the door and be creeped out by the freakish cinema...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. "ARNI VILLAGE"
"Where tides begin to turn"
RECOMMENDED PARTY: N/A
Enemies in this Area:
- Radius (OK, so he's not really an enemy)
Items in this Area:
- 200G - beneath bed
- Tablet [Consumable] - in Serge's bedroom
- Komodo Scale [Key item] - from fisherman beneath swordfish
- Shark Scale [Key Item] - from Kiki's father
- Heckran's Bone [Key Item] - beneath restaurant bed
- Ivory Helmet [Accessory] - in restaurant case
- Coral [Window Frame] - next to Element seller
- PhotonRay [Element] - in Leena's house
- Uplife [Element] - Speak to the barrel in Belcha's shop four times
- Cure [Element] - behind tapestry at Radius's house
The screen turns black and someone calls Serge's name. Is his mother? Or
maybe Jenova? Who knows. Anyway, it turns out that whole dungeon sequence
was a dream... which is a real shame, since Serge was about 4 or 5 times
more powerful in the dream than in real life. You'll find when you wake up
that you have only 50 HP and a mere three slots on your Element grid, as
opposed to being the beefy warrior tyke you were in the dream. Oh well.
After a yawn-and-stretch-and-try-to-come-alive bit, Serge is up and about
in his home. Be sure to grab the 200G stash under his bed; there's also a
Tablet hidden on the opposite side of Serge's room. You can rest at
any time by "talking" to the bed and choosing the top option. Once you're
satisfied with the state of your room, head downstairs where you'll meet
Marge, who reminds you to go meet Leena-chan, which you should do... but
there's no harm in exploring the village first. I mean, heck, you've left her
waiting this long, a little longer won't hurt, right?
There are several points of interest in Arni. First off, head out of town
to the left, which will take you to the western portion of the village
where old man Radius will kick your butt in the name of training. Poshul is
also running around here with a little girl and can be recruited (see below).
The chief's house is being tended by a fellow named Toma XIV, who will be
appearing there and there...
Back in the main portion of the village, the fellow standing near the west
exit beneath the massive flopping fish will give you a Komodo scale if you
butter him up when you speak to him. The woman standing in the depression to
the east is a merchant; speak with her to make a purchase. Under each option
you have the choice to Forge (use found items to create new equipment),
Disassemble (break apart your current inventory to reclaim the components
necessary for making other items) or Sell. Also, the Forge option offers three
choices: Weapon, Armor or Accessory. You can search her pile of goods for an
Aztec-looking coral motif window setting as well.
Beyond the merchant is a restaurant run by a large swarthy man named Belcha
(lovely name for someone preparing food...). You can chat with people inside,
admire the poster of Dynamite Dancer Miki, or be impressed by lovely goth
poetry. The back room of the restaurant is guarded by an overly-friendly dog
and contains an Ivory Helmet in a trunk and a Heckran Bone under the bed.
Poshul can be recruited here by giving her the Heckran Bone (use the Square
button to bring up the Item menu, then press Confirm to give it to her). It
can be tricky to line up correctly with her, but just offer her the item and
she'll join you for a gleeful dose of butt-whuppin'.
Behind the restaurant is a boathouse where a fishmonger and a girl with an
affinity for Komodo lizards live. She's just a kid, but she's already got the
guys eating out of her hands... Show the girl the Komodo scale the fisherman
gave you if you make her blush; otherwise head to the odiferous basement and
talk to the fisherman, who will give you a shark's scale pendant. You can give
the Komodo scale to the boy outside the house (or sell it for 1000 G); if you
let him have it gratis (first option), he'll give you an Uplift Element in
return.
Once you've done all the above, head to the docks at the north end of town,
where you'll have a pleasant chat with Leena, who is training to become a
nagging wife. I think she rather fancies Serge, but alas she expresses it by
being annoying. Serge, being the macho man that he is, volunteers to make a
necklace for her out of Komodo lizard scales. And not just any scales! If
you try to give her the scale that the fisherman gave you, she'll say, "No,
no! I want scales ripped from the warm corpses of lizards that you murdered
with your own hands!" Serge is whipped, so he heads out out of town to go
reduce the lizard population of the region.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. "OPASSA BEACH"
"A Calling From Beyond Time"
-- 1. WORLD MAP ------------------------------
RECOMMENDED PARTY: Serge, Poshul
When you'll leave town, you'll enter the world map, where Arni village is
pretty much the center of everything. To the east is Hydra Woods, where
some guy tells you it's dangerous to enter. Scratch that. To the north is a
valley, where Porre soldiers tell you it's dangerous to enter. Hmmm.
Northwest of Arni is a small cliff, where a large stone overlooks the ocean...
but to get there you have to fight through a series of steaming geysers. The
only enemies here are KomodoPups and BeachBums.
-- 2. CAPE HOWL -----------------------------
Enemies in this Area:
- SandSquirt
- BeachBum
Items in this Area:
- Heal [Element]
- @Bone [Component]
You can look at the stone on the cliff, but there's not much to see. Still,
this section offer a little extra combat, which means more G and
stat-boosting!
Once you've explored the world, head west to the small coral forest at the
tip of the land.
Ah, the grotto. How we love thee. This part was sort of confusing for
importers, but in English it's all straightforward: the point is to catch,
murder and skin the three lizards. Conveniently, this area is broken into
three sections, and a lizard lives in each one. However, catching them will
require a little brain work. Or no brain work, if you cheat and use this
guide.
The bottom right area (just head down from the entrance after pushing the
rock out of the way) features a lizard happily walking back and forth in
front of a small rock ledge. Running up to the lizard will cause it run
away in justified fear. However, to the left of the ledge is a fallen tree
that leads to the upper-right screen. Walk up this tree to the next screen,
then hang a 180 and head back down to the screen below by way of the rock
ledge. You will find yourself looking down at the happy lizard; when it
passes in front of the ledge, press the Circle button to leap on it and
attack. Be careful with the timing here; too early or too late will cause
it to run away. Now kill the lizard and take its precious hide. Jerk.
Be sure to knock the rock into the water at the far left of the screen to
claim the treasure chest and the accessory within (a Silver Loupe) and then
head up to the left section of the grotto. The left section features the
easiest lizard to catch, although the fact it doesn't really require a gimmick
might make the solution easy to overlook. Simply chase the thing around and
around in a counter-clockwise circle. Use your X button if you don't have the
controller set to auto-run. Again, when you catch it you'll fight it and take
its scales.
The left area also features a somewhat tricky chest to reach. Walk all the
way to the left edge of the area and look for a lump towards the center of
the outcropping. Pressing Circle will cause you to leap into the lump,
which is the entrance to a tunnel that will squirt you out at the top of
the waterfalls. Head back through the tunnel (guarded by a BeachBum) to
snag some Tablets. Return to the action by leaping back into that...
sphincter... thingee.
Finally, head back to screen you started on where you should see a small
rock tunnel. Beneath the tunnel is the last lizard you must violate. Walk
around the rock formation (NOT through the tunnel - the lizard will run
away and you'll have to leave and come back to reset the screen) and the
lizard will scurry through the tunnel. No problem; walk to the large rock
and press Circle while standing at its left side. Serge will roll the rock
to block the tunnel. Now walk back up to the where the lizard fled and it
will try to escape through the now-obstructed tunnel. This is almost too
easy - just kill the thing and --
-- BATTLE: MAMA KOMODO ----------------------
Innate: MamaKomodo (Blue)
-- face off with a giant beastie. Looks like mama lizard's a bit pissed that
you've been practicing genocide with its babies. As soon as the baby lizard
bites the dust, the mother will appear (no chance for healing between
fights, sorry) and attack. It has some pretty powerful Elements, like
Aquabeam and Cold Breath. Hopefully you have 5 Tablets in your Level One
slot and at least one attack spell at a higher level (I would recommend
putting Fireball in the Level 3 slot, since the lizard is a Water Element).
Try and predict its attacks so you can defend when it uses Elements, and
keep your HP high. The Cold Breath attack can easily knock more than half
of your HP off, so play cautiously. Defeat the mama lizard and you will
receive not only the last lizard scale you need, but also some nice status
boosts and your very first Star for summoning. Not that you have any
Summons yet, but give it time.
Once you're through here, you can try to head back to Arni Village, but
Leena won't be there. Head to the beach to the west of the grotto instead
and she will meet you there. As she talks, that Jenova voice starts calling
to Serge and a weird energy surrounds him as a massive wave crashes against
the shore. Rather than panic and run, Serge does the manly thing and passes
out face-first in the sand with Leena nowhere to be seen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E. "ARNI VILLAGE"
"Nothing Has Changed But Everything"
-- 1. LIZARD ROCK (ANOTHER) ------------------
Serge awakens when some random guy and his pet lizard kick sand at him.
Leena is nowhere to be seen, and the random guy doesn't seem to recognize
Serge. So Serge heads back the way he came... except now things are...
DIFFERENT (cue dramatic chord).
Enemies in this Area:
- KomodoPup
- BeachBum
- SandSquirt
- OpahFish
Items in this Area:
- @Bone [Component]
Besides the new music that plays during the world map, there are weird
flying fish floating about the grotto. And there's a lizard guarding a
chest where a Beach Bum guarding a chest had been before. This chest simply
holds a bone piece rather than an Element. But that's not a bad thing, as it
will allow you to create armor as you begin to develop a party.
The enemies seem to be a little more vicious now, but it should be nothing
that Serge can't handle. Watch out for the lizard on the rock outcropping - it
jumps on you just as you had done to the lizard before. Oh, how tragic this
bizarre irony.
-- 2. WORLD MAP (ANOTHER) ---------------------
Returning to the World Map shows that not too much has changed since Serge
passed out, but the music is different. However, heading into the various
areas reveals a number of differences. For one thing, the guy in Hydra
Marsh no longer cares if you go in further, although the swamp water is
poisonous and will sap your HP... best to wait for now. The soldiers in the
valley are different, and still tell you to kiss off. But you'll definitely
want to take a trip to Cape Howl.
Besides housing the extremely useful ElectroJolt (unless you got the Uplift in
Arni, it's your very first Yellow Element! Cherish it), the geyser area is
significant because of the rock outcropping on the cliff, which contains a
depressing inscription rather than a message of love. Anyway, now that you've
gotten a feel for this strange new world, you should head home. So to speak.
-- 3. ARNI VILLAGE (ANOTHER) -------------
Items in this Area:
- Tablet
- MagmaBomb [Element]
Arni Village is really, REALLY different. Instead of being littered with
dead fish scraps, it's festooned with flowers. In my opinion, this is an
improvement (at the very least it now smells better), but I can see how it
would be disconcerting for Serge... especially since no one seems to recognize
him. Head into the first building, which is still a restaurant but a dainty
cafe as opposed to a manly pub run by someone called "Belcha." The Dynamite
Dancer Miki poster has been replaced with a poster of Nikki, a rock star,
which is being swooned over by a woman. The overall macho ambience of the
store has been transformed into a flowery sort of cheer. Although the girl who
used to be a disgruntled waitress now seems to be a disgruntled flower girl
(and no wonder; flower girls have rotten luck in Square games). There are
items in the back room once more, but the chest which now contains a Tablet is
hidden behind a curtain.
Behind the flower shop is the home of the fishmonger - although his
basement is no longer used for cutting and gutting fish, but rather as a
shrine to the one, the only MOJO! Whatever has happened to Arni is strange,
but extremely cool. You can't recruit him just yet, though...
You can also shop here; refer to the charts at the end of this guide for item
pricing. At the moment you're limited to low-end equipment of bone or ivory,
but be sure to stock up on the consumable Elements - they're exceptionally
helpful at this point in the game.
The area of town to the west is quiet, and Radius and Poshul are nowhere to
be seen. And Serge's house is... different. Besides the fact that Marge is
nowhere to be seen and the cats have been swapped out for dogs and the
overall feel is a bit more claustrophobic, Serge's bedroom is now occupied
by a lizard that charges him 100G to sleep. Talk about a blow to the ol'
self-esteem. On the plus side, you can find a MagmaBomb Element at the far
left of Serge's room - walk behind the foreground clutter and press Circle
to retrieve it.
When Serge leaves his house, a woman walks in and demands to know what he's
doing there. He asks where Marge is, but the woman doesn't know and claims
(I think) to have lived there for 10 years. At this point I'd be a little
dejected. Luckily one thing hasn't changed - Leena is still hanging out at
the docks, watching the kids swim. Alas, Leena doesn't recognize Serge and
says (I cheated here and confirmed this with the spoilers at
www.thegia.com) that Serge died 10 years ago, and doesn't seem to
appreciate Serge's claims to be, well, Serge. Even offering her a lovely
lizard scale won't turn her callous heart.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
F. "CAPE HOWL"
"A Reminder Of One's Former Self"
Once you've spoken with Leena, you have two options. You can try to cruise
Hydra Marsh or you can go visit the monument on the cliff again.
The correct answer here is "the monument"; however, there are some good
items to be found in the swamp, and the enemies are easy to deal with in
the opening area, so I recommend a side tour through the swamp before
advancing.
The first thing you will notice in Hydra is that the water is poisonous.
Walking in the water will take off a hit point or two with every step. This
is a Bad Thing, as there's an awful lot of water in the marsh. Fortunately,
you don't have to suffer for long - walk up to the swaying plant to the
left of the man at the entrance and hit Circle, which will cause it to
lower and provide a shortcut for you. Now head left off the screen and
you'll walk along a massive fungal growth high above the swamp. There are
no enemies in this bit, so it's quite straightforward; just head up and
hang a right at the Record of Fate (the little glowing blue pyramid that
appears midway up the fungal stalk - there was one in Arni inside what
used to be Radius' house as well). When you get to the top, you will meet
two men - but be sure to grab the ElectroJolt element first. Speak to the
first man, the one in purple, and choose the first option. He will give you
a key item called Protective Gear, which will keep the marsh's poisonous
water and gasses from harming you. And you don't even have to equip it!
Better yet, it works like Final Fantasy VI's Diving Helmet and one set
works for an entire party! I love video game logic.
Head back down the stalk and into the main swamp area. You can travel
through the water without suffering damage, but be sure to check your HP
before every instance of combat - many of the enemies use poison in battle.
You should also buy 10 or 15 Antidotes from Arni Village (15G, bottom
choice in the buy/elements menu) to clear up any poison status you acquire
in battle. The only two enemies you'll encounter for now are some insects
which can hit for 15-24 HP as well as some passive-aggressive plants. Be
sure to take out the insects first, because they attack actively, and
because the plants have a dying counter attack which hits you with poison
and about 30 HP damage! You can avoid combat if you like, but you can earn
some extra cash this way if you need it, as well as some random Elements
(I've won several Wind-based elements here). Just be sure to heal after
combat.
Head up and grab the BushWhacker Element in the chest at the top left corner
of the screen. The walk to the right and you'll see two plants guarding a
treasure chest... unfortunately, they're up an unpassable slope. Head back
to the left and up off the screen and you've gone about as far as you can.
There's a bending plant here, but it's a little resilient and snaps back,
injuring Serge and making this route unpassable.
If you head back to the cliff where the rock monument was before, you'll
see the sun is setting. Head up past the geysers, collecting any treasures
you may have passed up before, and examine the monument. Serge bends to
look more closely at it, and sees it is in fact... his tombstone. Talk
about depressing.
Apparently, though, some people have a thing against adventurers who pull a
Huck Finn and show up at their own funeral. Or was that Tom Sawyer? Anyway,
a fellow named Karsh and his bumbling henchmen Peppor and Solt (what is UP
with games/anime and food names, anyway?) appear and try to accost Serge.
But they stop in their tracks when a voice from behind mocks them.
Pan over to reveal a girl, looking very nice in the twilight. Or at least as
nice as you can expect from someone who looks like she hasn't changed clothes
in about a year. The girl, Kid, joins Serge in standing against Karsh and co.
and of course, a fight commences.
This is a pretty simple battle, as Peppor and Solt are dismally weak. Kid
is also sort of spindly and ineffectual as a fighter, but she has some
pretty handy magic. Take out the henchmen first as they sometimes use
status-affecting magic. Then focus on Karsh, who is a bit more formidable.
Be sure to use your last Stamina point in each attack sequence for Defense
(unless you use an Element), because Karsh has a special attack called
DragonRider in which he mounts a dragon steed and charges for serious
damage. Still, caution is the word of the day, and you should win without
any serious difficulty. Victory brings many spoils: another Star, a new
Level Two slot on your Element Grid, an Ivory Axe, an Ivory Vest and an Ivory
Helm. Also, you join with Kid, whom you can name. Now you have an RPG party!
You'll return with Kid to your "house," where a short conversation ensues
and Kid gives you the Tele-Porter, which allows you to swap active party
members on the world map or at Records of Fate (but at this point, you have a
two or three-member party, so there's no one to swap out).
NOTE: if you're trying to recruit Leena, you should refuse Kid three times
(second option) until she goes away. You'll meet with her soon enough. Leena
will join along with Poshul, if you've not yet recruited the mighty purple
pooch.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G. "THE PORT TOWN OF TERMINA"
"The Pride Of The Acacia Dragons"
-- 1. FOSSIL VALLEY ------------------
RECOMMENDED: Poshul, Serge, Leena
At this point, you will be allowed to pass into the Valley to the north of
Arni. There are a few enemies here, although nothing totally lethal, if
you know what to do (and what not to do).
- Heavy Skull [Key Item]
- Big Egg [Key Item]
- Bellflower [Key Item]
Near the entrance is a battle with three BubbaDingos, which are utterly
baffling... they seem to attack one another, but not the party. When the
MammaDingo is around, they'll focus on you, but when it's just babies they're
more likely to fight one another. Beyond that is another guard blocking a
ladder; tell him you're the Exorcist and he'll step aside. Up the ladder is a
massive fossilized dinosaur skeleton. A strange little talking skull painted
to look like a clown is hiding in the dragon's skull; choose the first option
and it will hop into Serge's inventory. The skull's name is Skelly, and it
wants a body. This becomes one of your sidequests. Back down and to the left
is a bone ladder going down; a soldier will speak to you when you mount the
ladder. Ignore his whimpering warnings and grab the Big Egg in the Dodo's
nest; it does not contain the dodo's offspring, so put aside those feelings of
guilt.
This is your first encounter with a Dodo, which are terribly annoying
creatures. They hit pretty hard and have high defensive ratings, but most
frustrating is that they respond to Element attacks with a brutal
counter-blow that kills a character in a single hit. So please, don't use
Elements against them, unless you enjoy dying. Defeating this creature will
allow you to take its Big Egg, another key item. I feel kind of sleazy for
having killed it, but what can you do? Between this and the Komodo Lizards,
Serge is on a crusade to offend PETA, it seems.
Climb back up the ladder and head around and up the path. You can fight the
enemy there or simply bypass it and take the Bellflower (yet another key
item) at the edge of the cliff. Once you've looted the area, head back down
to the lower sections and travel to the left of the bottom path. You will
encounter Peppor and Solt once again (what's an RPG without wacky recurring
enemy fops? Scorpion Army, we salute thee).
-- BOSS: PEPPOR, SOLT -----------------------
Innate: Peppor (Yellow), Solt (Yellow)
Another fight that's nothing to be worried about. I think this is more an
in-game tutorial than a battle; these guys talk about elementary Elements,
and then use them - mainly status-affecting Elements at that. You can see
their exemplary examples of Element types, or just beat them down in a
hurried hurry. Winning will earn you the Element "Uplift," a third Star, a
second slot on your Level Three Element grid, and everyone's L.3 Tech (e.g.,
Serge gets Dash&Slash and Kid learns Pilfer, which as you might suspect
allows you to steal from enemies). These skills are not Elements per se, as
they are inherent Techs like the non-magical attacks in Chrono Trigger;
they're marked with a Yin-Yang symbol and cannot be exchanged or un-equipped.
However, using them does affect the Field Effect meter. Head out the exit and
return to the world map.
-- 2. ODDS AND ENDS ------------------
RECOMMENDED: Poshul, Serge, Leena
Passing through the valley of dragon bones opens up a new area of the
world map for you; additionally, you can pass back to the Arni area
without having to enter the valley again. I would recommend doing just
that; now that you have Kid, you can get your third optional party
member: the one, the only... Lucky Dan! Oh wait... in English his name is
"Mojo." Oh well - whatever.
Finding Mojo is pretty simple - he's in the basement that belonged to the
fishmonger back in the reality Serge came from. Mojo is actually an
idol to a dark god of some sort. Examine the doll and speak to the Another
version of Kiki's father, who seems to spend his entire life contemplating
this evil effigy. Use the Square button to hand the Shark's Scale (pendant) to
the man, who will extemporize on it and hand it back to Serge. If you did this
right, nothing will happen until you try to leave... and then, Mojo will come
to life, proclaiming himself a messenger of God. "Lucky, Lucky, Lucky!"
Let him join the party and name him as you see fit. Mojo isn't particularly
powerful, but some of his secondary ratings are excellent - two to three
times as high as Serge's. Also, he's quite amusing in combat.
And now, back to the story. The only real option you have now is to go to
the city of Termina. The eastern woods are blocked by a burly knight named
Zoah, and the gates of the mansion are impassable. So head to the western
shore and enter Termina.
-- 3. TERMINA SQUARE ------------------------
RECOMMENDED PARTY: Serge, Leena, Kid
NOTE: The actions you choose here will affect the path the story takes. I
recommend Guile's path your first time through the game; it's easy to find,
and Guile is an extremely powerful fighter and mage. But if you want more of a
challenge, skip down to section H-2. If you want the scenic route, scroll
ahead to H-3.
Termina is a large, bustling town with festive music... sort of like Aveh,
but without the grating slowdown. When you enter, you will witness a scene
involving Glenn, a young man seeking Bellflowers. How convenient that
you managed to snag that Bellflower back in the valley, eh? Since the
flower shop is sold out of Bellflowers, Glenn goes away empty-handed; but not
before mentioning Karsh, causing Kid to have a brainstorm and connect two
plus two to get four.
Note - if you chose to recruit Leena, you will need to travel to the top of
the city and view the statue of Viper where Kid will try to muscle her way
into your party once more before you can advance any further in the game - you
can still turn her down, if that strikes your fancy. At any rate, examining
the statue of the general is the "trigger point" for the next bit of the game;
the person you talk to next and accept into your party will be your companion
for some time to come. Also, make note of a few places that are mentioned
here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H. "VIPER MANOR"
"Where Lies The Keys To The Past"
*******************************************************************************
BRANCH POINT
******************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
At this point, the game offers you three paths, depending on your next
action. If you go to the west docks first and speak with Miki, you will go
down Nikki's path. If you go east and back to the rear area of town, you will
go down Pierre's path. And if you head straight to the Bar, you will meet
Guile.
Before you hunt for Glenn, though, take a look around town. There's plenty
to do here, such as stop at the Inn at the lower level, or visit Lisa at
her Shop. There are a few new Elements for sale here, so have a look.
Be sure to buy several Ointments and Braces, as you probably will be
stricken with those particular status ailments soon enough. Lisa also
offers you a ticket to Nikki's upcoming concert if you examine the
ubiquitous Nikki poster in her shop. Alas, she realizes that she is out of
tickets if you accept the offer.
At the top of the Square is a statue of Viper, who seems to be the man in
charge of this region. Kid initiates a conversation and asks if you will help
her sneak into Viper's manor. You can choose an affirmative reply (top) or
negative (bottom). Beware: she'll make fun of you if you say no, chicken-wuss.
To the left of the main square is a carnival celebrating some 100 year
anniversary or another in Termina. Unfortunately, you can't get in for now.
You can also mosey up a pink stairway to see groupies standing around
Nikki's residence - he's like the Ricky Martin of Chrono Cross. However,
you can't get past the throng of swooning fangirls, but you can meet Dynamite
Dancer Miki in the dressing room below (please note that speaking to Miki
before Pierre or Guile will initiate the Nikki story branch if you agree to
help her).
To the right of the main square is a number of items of interest. Head up a
screen to see a house which seems to be Glenn's residence (be sure to bring
Mojo along to examine the practice dummy in the yard for an amusing
scene; if you bring Poshul, she'll exchange a barking match with the dog
outside the dojo), but he is currently away (keep looking!). To the right of
Glenn's place is a smithy run by a man named Zappa, who dislikes being
disturbed while forging. If you've found any interesting items while
traveling, you can have your weapons upgraded here... but most likely, you
will need to explore new areas and defeat new enemies to acquire useful items.
The back room of Zappa's shop is occupied by Pierre, who likes to spice up his
dialogue with French but is too busy admiring himself in the mirror and
complaining about his lost badge to join your crusade (please note that
speaking to Pierre and giving him his badge before speaking to Guile or Nikki
will initiate the Pierre story branch).
You can shop for Bronze and Iron equipment at Zappa's, but I'd recommend
waiting to puchase anything until you decide which party you'll be taking
ahead, ye ken?
At the end of this area is a mansion where an artist named Van lives. Van and
his father don't seem to get along too well, but isn't that what being a
teenager's all about?
To the right of this section, past the fortune teller's tent, some children
are gathering to watch a demonstration when a street punk named Korcha
scares them away and leaps to his boat below. Work your way further right
and then down to follow him. When you get to the next area, you'll see
Korcha by his boat but won't be able to reach him. Head counter-clockwise
around the pond beneath the shack and trigger the event with Glenn and
Riddle. Glenn wishes to commemorate the death of his father and brother; give
him the Bellflowers you acquired in the valley and he'll place them at the
memorial. If you don't have the flowers, he and Riddel will simply pass you by
after speaking. The two will disappear beneath the shack. If you follow them,
you can speak with Korcha, who seems unimpressed with Serge.
Now, choose your story path. They all converge after the mansion event, but
the details and path will be different depending on who you take with you.
1. BRANCH ONE
*****************************************************************
GUILE'S PATH
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Guile, Leena (or Kid)
Head back to the Bar and speak to Guile again. If you agree to help him with
his wager he will join your party; this is a very, very good thing. Guile is
an excellent magic user, plus his attacks are extremely powerful, despite his
fey appearance. His Strong attack hits all enemies simultaneously, and his
unique skill, WandaIn, is almost abusively damaging (and downright painful to
watch). Now backtrack once more and chat with Korcha. This time, Guile will
persuade Korcha to lend use of the boat, which can hold only four people. So
off you go to do the ol' attack-from-behind maneuver (for the low, low price
of 100 G).
Korcha takes you to the cliffs behind the mansion, where you can sneak in
without worrying about those pesky gates. Unfortunately, a guard spots you
and begins flinging boulders at you. Quite a strong lad, he is.
The boulders that fall hit the party for 10 HP per character, so be sure to
heal before entering battle if you are struck. There are two kinds of
enemies on the cliffs - round bat-like things called Gobbledegooks, and round
baskets with mysterious creatures inside, called Loch Nests. The Loch Nests
are hard to avoid, as they ambush you while you climb. Neither enemy poses a
great challenge, but they do offer decent power-up opportunities, so be
sure to battle a few.
From the bottom of the cliff, you can go one of two ways. I'd start by
going right across the shallows, and up. Head to the far left and climb to
the chest which contains a Heal element. Be careful of the geyser - if your
party leader gets hit, you will be washed down to the screen below. This is
bad, if you're climbing up. However, once you've gotten the Heal chest
above, let the water blow you to the screen below, which allows you to
access a chest with a PhotonRay element inside. As one of your first White
elements, I would recommend giving it to Serge, since he has the highest White
affinity. Climb back down to the lowest level with the hanging moss and begin
climbing the cliff, this time on the left side.
This section is a bit complex to explain in text, so here's a rundown of
where the paths lead.
Second screen up: Right to Tablet; left to dead end; middle to Third
screen.
Third screen up: Left to Shooting; right to dead end; middle to Fourth
screen.
Fourth screen up: Left to FreeFall, middle to dead end; right to top.
At the top of the cliff, you will be accosted by several soldiers. This
should be an easy fight; unfortunately, the soldiers also manage to
irritate some bird men who will give you the first truly challenging fight
of the game.
-- BOSS: ACACIA SOLDIERS --------------------
Innate: All (Yellow)
Just be sure to defend after your attacks until you thin the ranks a bit,
then use your elements. Victory will yield a Star.
KingMaoman is a real pain here, so be careful. His cronies use
status-boosting skills on him at the start of the fight to improve his
strength. It's imperative to defend constantly! He can launch multiple
strikes in a single turn, just like your party members, making him very
dangerous if you leave your defenses open. Your first instinct might be to
tackle his henchmen first, since they can inflict status conditions and have
less HP than KingMaoman. However, this actually is a bad idea; when
KingMaoman fights alone, he uses a truly nasty spell on the party called
Gravitonne. It can kill a party member in a single hit, which is not good...
so you want to avoid being hit by Gravitonne. Use your best attacks on him,
especially Guile's In Body, which can hit for nearly 100 HP and is by far
your most powerful skill (despite Guile having the same innate color as
KingMaoman). In addition to all of this, you have to contend with Red, who
uses power-up elements on the enemy party, and Blue, who will cast Nimble
(improves enemy accuracy) and Numble (lowers your accuracy). Play cautiously,
keeping your HP above 50 at all times in the event that KingMaoman gets mean
and uses Gravitonne (he tends to cast it twice consecutively, leaving you
with two seriously wounded - or dead - characters). Your well-earned victory
here gives you another Summon Star (bringing your total to 5) and a new Black
element, GravityBlow.
When the battle is complete, you will sneak into the manor. (Skip to H-4)
2. BRANCH TWO
********************************************************************
PIERRE'S PATH
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Kid, Leena (sadly, you have to use Pierre instead)
If you think a butt-kicking mage like Guile makes the game too easy - or
maybe you just think Guile is too macho - you can follow this alternate game
path. Start by entering Termina and going to the right. The take the path
up, to the Smithy. Enter Zappa's Smithy and walk into the back room to
speak with Pierre. Exit Pierre's room through the exterior door (not back
into the Smithy) and speak to the kids in Glenn's house once or twice. Exit
Glenn's house and speak to the children in the yard. The boy in red should
give you a Key Item - a badge with a crest on it. Give that to Pierre and
he will join your party. If you give it to Pierre after speaking to
Korcha, Korcha will disappear. If Pierre joins before the Korcha event
on the bridge, once you trigger it, Korcha will simply boat on past the
shore by the shack and you'll never meet him.
Refer to the Termina Square info above for a breakdown of the city.
Once Pierre is in your party and you're ready to enter the manor, return to
world map. The woods are still blocked by Zoah, but that's OK. Pierre's a
flamboyant type - so this calls for a frontal assault. Walk up to the
guards at the front gate of the manor; Pierre will introduce himself and
ask to be let inside. The guards are not impressed. Pierre seems
nonplussed, but Kid makes a comment and offers some suggestions - choose
option 1 and battle the guards. Victory will net you a Star.
-- BOSS: SUGAR, SOLT, KETCHOP ---------------
Once you've opened the gate, Peppor and Solt will accost you... but this
time, they've brought a friend. A massive, dangerous friend named Ketchop
who starts the battle by hitting your party leader for about 600 HP.
Yipe... Peppor is considerate, though, and revives your fallen character.
Your best bet is to take out Ketchop first; when Peppor or Solt become
critical, he grabs both of them and uses them to attack the party, which
will almost certainly knock out the member targeted. On the plus side, that
attack also wipes out Peppor and Solt. The real challenge of this battle
is that Pierre is pathetic - his strong attack is about as powerful as
Serge's weak attack. His special skill is to use his badge to restore a few
HP, but it only works on himself. He's not terribly inspiring.
However, if you can overcome Ketchop's muscle and Pierre's lack thereof,
you'll be in the mansion. Pierre recommends hiding until night, which the
party does. You will enter the mansion through the front, but you'll still
need to get the key from the stables. (Skip to Part H)
3. BRANCH THREE
***************************************************************
NIKKI'S PATH
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Kid, Nikki
This sequence begins at the large ocean liner parked next to the Carnival
area in Termina. Make it your first stop; enter the lower door on the ship
and speak to the girls twice. Exit, then return and speak to the manager.
Miki will enter the room, panicking because of Nikki's absence. Reply to her
query with the top response and she will run away to help.
Refer to the previous section for details on the layout of Termina.
However, you will not be able to find Guile or Korcha or Pierre after
meeting Miki. Do whatever you need to accomplish in the city, then exit to
the world map and head to the eastern woods. Zoah no longer will be
standing in the way, so you can pass through here to get to the mansion.
Inside the forest, you'll quickly notice several strange blob creatures of
various shapes. These are land octopi, although you won't be able to get
them to move simply by talking to them. Make a note of where they're
located and which colors are where. Your more immediate concern is on the
fellow in the pond on the second screen. If you take the lower path around
the pond, he'll be surrounded by the creatures of the forest and leap over
them to safety, fleeing to the next screen. Grab the AeroSaucer from the
chest above the pond and the Uplift element from the chest at the bottom
left of the area, then follow the man.
In the next area, the fellow you're chasing runs into a party of
Cassowaries. You can help him out by running up behind the Cassowary if you
wish.
-- BOSS: CASSOWARY (x3) ---------------------
Innate: Cassowary (Blue)
An interesting battle. This begins with Nikki, the man being chased by the
Cassowaries, fighting them off single-handedly. Once everyone has made a
few moves, your party will be allowed to attack. These guys are really easy,
especially if you have multiple-effect Elements like Bomber. As with most
of these fights, you will earn a Star for your victory (no matter which
path you take, you'll always net two Stars by the time you arrive at the
mansion). You'll also earn a couple of Uplift elements.
Nikki isn't terribly friendly - his way of thanking you for his rescue is
to run off and disappear behind a small waterfall. Chase the dope and
you'll find he's accidentally blundered into a dead end. Speak to him and
choose the first option both times - he'll join your party. I would rank him
somewhere between Pierre and Guile in terms of usefulness. His attacks and
magic are stronger than Pierre's, but nowhere near as powerful as Guile's. He
also looks pretty goofy in battle, but hey - glamrockers need love too. Be
sure to take the Aroma Pouch in the cave, which will enable you to proceed to
the next step in your goal of reaching the manor.
Now it's time to put the forces of nature to use. You need to move past
this area, but unfortunately the egress is being blocked by a large plant.
Luckily, it's a very hungry plant. Even more fortunately, its diet consists
of land octopi - convenient, considering you saw some on the way in. The
only question is how to convince the land octopi to become scooby snax. In
a stroke of sheer fortune, the land octopi enjoy eating the little friendly
spore-blobs that the spiky bushes in the forest release. To make this work,
you have to grab the Aroma Pouch from beneath the waterfall - this will allow
you draw the spore blobs away from the bushes and toward the land octopi.
The rub here is that octopi will only eat spore-blobs that are the same
color as themselves. Go up to each bush and press the Action button; it
will release a spore-blob of a specific color which will then follow behind
your party like a puppy. Walk in front of each land octopus with a
spore-blob that matches its color in tow and the octopus will follow you.
Move quickly, or the octopus will eat the spore-blob and lose interest in
you. Play pied piper here until you've led the red octopus to a crunchy
death at the jaws/mandibles/petals of the big path-blocking plant. If you lead
a differently-colored octopus to the Quaffid, you'll have to fight it - and
it's tough.
Once the plant is sated, speak to it. Kid will threaten it, but instead of
fighting it will simply shrink down and allow you to pass, plus it will
give you a new window setting, the strange but amusing Skullduggery motif, by
way of apologizing.
The last section of the forest is brief, but significant. You will be
accosted by Zoah, a knight of the Acacian army, as well as by wacky
funsters Peppor and Solt.
Solt begins this battle by trying to summon a Golem... unfortunately for
him, the Field Effect isn't all Yellow. This won't be a difficultly
difficult fight; focus on Zoah first, and try to take him down before he
uses his DragonRider attack. The enemies will go pretty easy on you in the
first few rounds, so you might as well use your best element attacks right
away. As the battle wears on, try and predict some of the attacks
(especially once Peppor uses Strengthen on himself to boost his strength;
that's when he starts using special charge attacks).
Zoah runs away in disgrace at the end of the fight, although nothing is
shown of his sidekicks. Doubtlessly that won't be the last of them. You'll
win a Star here, as always, as well as Uplift and Ivory Mail. Grab the Heal
Element in the chest by the tree and duck beneath the tree's roots.
-- b. THE ROOT OF YOUR TROUBLES -------------
Enemies in this Area:
- Gerridae
- Gloop
- Wraith
Items in this Area:
- MagmaBomb [Element]
- Deluge [Element]
This section is brief and straightforward, but you'll probably end up
engaging in more battles than you would like thanks to the numerous quick
enemies and narrow maneuvering space. Grab the MagmaBomb in the chest behind
the roots, and then run ahead to the cave in the distance.
You'll encounter a line of running bugs here (this reminds me of the
teenagers where I live who drive around Sonic's parking lot on weekend
evenings... scary). Coupled with the fast flow of water, these bugs will
make the area unpassable. Unless of course you take care of the problem at
its source and staunch the bug flow. Climb the overhang parallel to the bug
flow and fight the Wraith next to the boulder. When the monster is gone,
you can roll the boulder in front of the hole that's ejecting insects. Now
you can wade upstream without molestation.
There is a seemingly inaccessible chest above the path on a small alcove
(you will be able to reach it later in the game), and a tunnel leading into
the back of the cave which connects to a well. When you arrive in the well
shaft, the party will automatically climb the vine clinging to the back wall.
This will lead you to the mansion yard.
4. ALL PATHS
******************************************************************
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Leena, Guile
Serge, Kid, Nikki
Serge, Kid, Pierre
You will arrive at the manor one of three ways - through the back (Guile),
front (Pierre), or the well to the southwest (Nikki). Whichever is the
case, you will need to head to the back area before you can enter the
mansion proper. The general requirements are the same no matter who you bring,
although different characters will witness different dialogue events
(particularly Nikki).
-- a. TACTICAL ESPIONAGE ACTION -------------
Enemies in this Area:
- AcaciaPvt
- AcaciaSgt
Items in this Area:
- Ointment [Consumable]
- TurnBlue [Element]
- TurnYellow [Element]
- Kneepad [Accessory]
- Bronze Helmet [Accessory]
- Bronze Mail [Armor]
- RecoverAll [Element]
- Iron Mail [Armor]
Now that you're in the manor, you cannot leave. However, if you want to switch
party members, you may do so with the Tele-Porter at any Record of Fate.
In the back, you'll find yourself in a scene right out of Metal Gear Solid -
everything from sneaking around guards to a giant roving searchlight. The good
news is that guards aren't in infinite supply, and you can dust them off one
by one. But your first priority here is to head up to the stables at the top
of the area. Inside the stables is a very welcome Save Point. You might want
to make a new file here, as you can't leave the manor (at least not as far as
I've found). While you're in the stables, check the top right-hand corner for
a Key, which will be needed later.
Also inside the stable is a small minigame. Talk to the old man and choose
the first option to play a game that requires you to feed the dragon steeds
and keep them happy. This game is necessary if you want to acquire the Key
to the manor - unless you try feeding the dragons, the old man will refuse
to let you take it.
How the game works: Serge can carry three bales of hay at a time. The
dragons can only be fed while their heads are raised; if they are not fed
within a few seconds' time, they become angry and turn a shade of red. If
any dragon becomes completely red, you've failed. Replenish your hay by
pressing Action at the far left; feed a dragon by pressing Action in front
of its stall. The more food you give the dragons, the better the prize. You
can choose to feed them 10, 20, 30, 40, or 100 bales of hay. The prizes are
as follows:
10 - Kneepad [Accessory]
20 - Bronze Helmet [Accessory]
30 - Bronze Mail [Armor]
40 - RecoverAll [Element]
100 - Iron Vest [Armor]
Outside the stable, you can go back down to the door right above where Guile
enters the manor and pick up TurnBlue. The Turn(color) Elements cause an enemy
to acquire a specific elemental attribute, making them weaker to a specific
counter-element. Example: hit an enemy with TurnYellow and it will become weak
to Green elements and strong against Yellow elements.
Take the door to the lower left, and try to stay off the open path unless
you want the guards to see you. Fight the guards by the main entrance and
you will be allowed to enter the mansion. Did you snag the key in the
stables? Don't miss the Ointment Element in the chest at the top left-hand
corner of the yard and TurnYellow in the treasure chest by the main gate.
Once inside the mansion, you will have to work through three sections. The
door to the second section is straight ahead, but don't expect to get there
right away...
Note: if you chose not to include Kid in your party, she will follow you
into the mansion as an NPC. In the following events, I used a party of
Serge, Guile and Mojo, so your sequence may vary slightly if you take Kid
along.
When you enter the mansion, you will be confronted with three doors:
straight, left and right. The left door is locked (well, blocked) and the
right door is available. The door straight ahead is flanked by a snake
statue. Talk to the snake statue and it will ask for you to input two
numbers. You have a 1-in-100 chance of getting it right, so 99% of you are
going to fail, which activates a trap door leading to a cage in the
basement. Three guards are standing watch by the cage, and two of them run
upstairs when you arrive. You can rattle the door, but the guard just says
to shut up. Stand around for a while and Kid will sneak up the stairs.
Bang the door again to distract the guard; Kid will knock him unconscious
and pick the lock. The other two guards rush in and attack, which should be
an easy fight. Serge and party will do a Locke Cole and steal their
uniforms (no clue about what happens to their bodies...), although Mojo and
Poshul won't be able to don a guard outfit... for obvious reasons. (NOTE: If
Kid is in your party, she'll annoy the guards from within the cage until one
of them opens the door and fights you. In any case, she saves your bacon.)
From here you can take the left elevator or take the right stairs. There's
nothing of significance downstairs - a guard blocks your way into the
dungeon, you will be attacked by a random treasure chest, and there's a
rattling grate that can't be opened. Up the elevator, you'll come to a room
with both left and right passages. Either way works fine.
To the left is the living quarters of the Acacia soldiers. The first door
is the mess, where you'll meet Glenn again. Talk to him and he'll leave...
affable fellow. There's a Dragoon's Honor accessory in the chest at the top
of the room, don't forget to grab it. Past the mess, and behind the second
door, is the kitchen, where Orcha and his assistant are preparing food.
He cannot be recruited at the moment. Still, that shouldn't stop you from
taking the TurnGreen element in his cabinet.
The third door is the Acacia soldiers' sleeping quarters, where Glenn has
gone. You can grab a Revive element here, or use the Save Point, but be
sure to pay attention to Glenn's actions - he faces the wall, and then
moves to his bed side? I wonder what was so interesting about that wall...
maybe you should look (hint hint).
Past the sleeping chambers is a staircase, leading to the first-level
basement. There is a Roborg at the end of the hall, which will fight
you if you talk to it twice. If you walk down the center section of the
carpeted hall, you will be attacked by sentry monsters. Finally, several
doors here are guarded by eyeballs - touching the door while the eyeball is
active will cause you to enter battle with a very nasty living door called -
wait for it - a PortalGheist. The doors can be beaten, but they yield little
in the way of power-ups and give you a single Capsule as spoils. They also
have strong Lightning attacks and can summon assistant enemies to aid them.
You can battle the door if you wish, but you're better advised to run to the
door and open it when the eye blinks. If you time it right, you can sneak past
it.
The first door on this level is unguarded, so pop in and take a look. Here
you'll find a girl in a jester costume asleep on a couch. There's also a
fighting treasure chest; I managed to win an AeroSaucer here, but your
mileage may vary. Whenever you encounter a fighting chest, you have a 50/50
chance of choosing the correct one (it's random). If you mess up, you'll have
to fight; if you choose correctly, the chest you attack will give you an item.
If you goof, you can run away and try again until you choose the correct box.
The second door on this level is guarded by an eyeball, but even if you
defeat the eye the door is locked. Tres bummer. You're better off fighting
the golem to unblock the door to the main chamber. The golem is tough and
has some damaging attacks, but use your best elements and you shouldn't
have any trouble.
Now you're back in the room you saw when you first entered the manor. If
you have the numbers Glenn was blocking, you can use them to pass the snake
statue. However, there are a few interesting things to be found on the right
side of the building, so take a detour first.
Starting from the bottom floor and heading to the left, the first room
seems to be a treasure depot. You have to go in here (incidentally, the
password is "silence" - choose none of the responses and the guards will let
you in), because the passage is blocked by another bronze golem. Kid is
already in the treasure room - if you talk to her, though, she'll take off.
(Or, if she's in your party, she'll babble for a while and shut up when she
sees the Frozen Flame isn't to be found so easily.)
You can take the items at the back of the room, including useful equipment
like a Bronze Sword and Bronze Mail. There's also a Silver Pendant attached to
the right wall of the room; if you choose to take it (first option), it will
activate a trap door that sends you into a cage in the next room. This room
is occupied by a lady named Luccia, who seems to be conducting research
to breed powerful fighting animals. She'll let you out of your cage, but
you have to fight two little creatures that look like a cross between Mojo and
Peco from Breath of Fire III.
-- BOSS: NEO-N-BULBS ------------------------
Innate: Neo-N-Bulb (Green)
If you took Nikki's path, you may have seen these guys in the forest... sort
of. The Neo-N-Bulbs have been suped up from their original Bulb form by
Luccia's maniacal tinkering, and they can actually be pretty tough. Watch for
some of their Elemental attacks like BushWhacker and BushBasher - they can be
painful. Use any Yellow or White Elements you may have, and keep your HP
above 50. Remember you can run if you have to regroup, there's no penalty for
backing out of a fight (except your pride). However, if you do defeat them,
you'll earn a Star, and an Aerosaucer Element or two.
There's a little Pokemon-looking guy with an Elvis hairdo in the cage at the
back. You can set him free if you want, but it doesn't make any difference -
he'll escape on his own eventually. Be sure to gank the Silver Earring
accessory from Luccia's desk - it'll give you a much-needed HP boost. When you
leave the lab, you can fight the golem to unblock the passageway. Again, no
real problem. The eye-guarded door to the right of the lab is an armory. You
can push a snake statue against the wall here, which will cause some Gloops
to attack. They yield decent power-ups, so there's no harm in fighting them.
You can also choose to take the shield from the wall between the statues if
you wish. If you give the shield to one of the guard statues, they will fight
you. Defeat them and you can then open a secret switch that takes you to a
secret chest surrounded by poison gas... which you can't bypass just yet. Come
back later in the game to unravel this particular secret.
Back in the hallway, head up the staircase at the end of the passageway and
back to ground level. There are two doors here, both of which are guarded
by eyes. Inside the first door is Zoah and inside the second door is Karsh.
Since you're in disguise, you can ask them various questions about
things... Both men have a treasure chest in their room, but they will not let
you open the chests (actually, Karsh will give up if you keep trying and let
you take the contents. Count to 30...).
Now that you've seen the sights, return to the main hallway and input the
numbers at the statue. It will open the large doors leading to the second
section. Be sure to save before you go!
-- c. INSIDE - SECOND AREA (LIBRARY) ---------
Enemies in this Area:
- AcaciaPvt
- AcaciaSgt
- Marcy [BOSS]
Items in this Area:
- TurnWhite [Element]
This is a large antechamber. Two guards are blocking the back passage and
there's a golem by the right door. This means you can go left and only
left, so walk left through the door and across the bridge to the library. A
small girl named Marcy and an old man who calls himself "The Prophet of Time"
starts to describe the plot using some REALLY trippy special effects. He
begins to explain a bit about what's happening to Serge, but since this is
only a few hours into the game he doesn't explain everything. For some reason,
this revelation provokes Marcy to attack your party. Yeah, a tiny little girl
wants to kick your butt... and she's pretty darned good at it, at that.
-- BOSS: MARCY ------------------------------
Innate: Marcy (Blue)
For little munchkin, Marcy packs a punch. Her physical attacks are only
so-so, but her magic kicks your butt. She doesn't have anything brutally
powerful, but she uses the Elements she possesses frequently and viciously.
Her two most dangerous Elements are WirePhone, which hits for about 50-70
HP, and IceBlast, which damages a character AND stuns him. She can use this
on two characters consecutively when her HP is low, so be prepared to
finish her off with just one active character. The Turn Elements come in
handy here, and it might not be a bad idea to give one or two characters
Medicine elements for when she hits you with IceBlast.
When you win, you'll receive a Star and an Iceblast element. Marcy runs
off, disappointed that she couldn't murder you. The librarian, or rather the
"Prophet of Time," seems to find this amusing. Ignore his senility and press
the switch that Marcy tapped earlier, the one hidden in the books, to activate
the ladder to the balcony. Grab the TurnWhite element up there, because it's
oh-so-handy with Black characters like Guile and Mojo around.
Run back across the bridge to the antechamber and you will be greeted by
both Kid and the jester girl, Harle. Kid and Harle don't seem to get along too
well, especially after the jester blows Serge a kiss and walks off. Kid acts
annoyed if you try to leave, the guards won't let you pass, and the golem
won't fight you. You're going to be stuck here unless you adapt to Square's
habit of creating invisible switches. Annoying, no? The switch in this room
can be found after long, tedious hours of pressing the Action button - you'll
have the most luck if you search near the columns at the back left side of the
room. When you find the switch, you will cause an elevator to descend, scaring
the pudding out of the guards. It seems the guards don't care much for having
the pudding scared out of them and they attack you. Put them out of their
misery and take the elevator to the third floor.
To be fair, the Prophet tells you about the switch, but I'm stupid and
originally played the game in a language I don't understand. Bleah.
-- d. INSIDE - THIRD AREA -------------------
Enemies in this Area:
- Lynx [BOSS]
You can go left or right here, but there's nothing of significance to the
right - just a lovely balcony with glowing plants. To the left is a very
welcome Save Point. Make use of it and have a look at the doors. The one on
the left is locked, but the door on the right leads to an office with a small
glowing item on the desk. Kid enters and becomes excited for a moment about
the objet d'art, but then realizes it isn't the REAL Frozen Flame - merely a
lifelike simulation. As she comes to grip with reality, the bookcase at the
back of the office retracts and an old man (Viper, lord of the mansion) steps
forth. He is soon accompanied by none other than Lynx. Kid seems to know Lynx
and Lynx seems to know both Serge and Kid. The cat man takes this opportunity
to pop the top on a six pack o' butt-kick on the young perps who have broken
into the inner mansion.
-- BOSS: LYNX -------------------------------
Innate: Lynx (Black)
Lynx is a tough customer, but actually gave me less trouble than Marcy. He
uses Anti-White, which will prevent your characters from using White spells.
Showing remarkable AI for an RPG enemy, he's most likely to use Anti-White on
Serge. Just play cautiously here, mixing your strong Element attacks with
defense and healing. It should be noted that scythes appear to be the
tradition for Chrono main enemies these days! When you defeat Lynx, you'll
earn another Star as well as a Pendragon Sigil C (which you can also steal
from him).
But you know, you're only a few hours into the game - surely you don't think
this is the last of Lynx? Of course it's not. He transforms into a cat, then
reappears as himself behind the cat apparition, and causes more cats to appear
as he entices Serge to examine the glowing sphere on his desk. Serge has
another vision, in which his face changes to Lynx's ("No, Serge... *I* am your
father...") and a city on an island is nuked. Things are starting to look
pretty bad as Serge starts a Cloud Strife-style freak-out, but just then
Riddel, whose quarters are next door to Viper's office, walks in and Kid takes
her hostage (pretty impressive for a spindly little waif). It's a standoff!
Serge's party backs out of the office, but then Karsh and several soldiers
appear from behind, leaving Serge and co. no choice but to head out for the
balcony. Unfortunately, Lynx reveals a throwing dagger with which he hits Kid.
Wounded, she plummets to the ocean below, and the rest of the party jumps
after her to be rescued by Korcha. And Lynx adds a little intrigue to the plot
by shouting a familiar term at Serge as he falls...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. "GULDOVE"
"Where Ripples Become Waves"
*******************************************************************************
BRANCH POINT
******************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
The story splits here based on your responses to Korcha regarding Kid's
health. Once you awaken and walk outside the hut, you'll find the rest of your
party. Kid, however, collapses right away and falls ill from the wound she
suffered at Lynx's hands. Doc, who appears to be involved in medicine as a
side hobby of his other interest in certain herbs, has a look at Kid and
determines her wound can only be healed by a potion which is located in Hydra
Marsh. But not the Hydra Marsh in this world - you'll have to return to
Serge's world to reach it. To enable this, Kid gives Serge the Astral Amulet,
which allows him to locate and use a dimensional warp.
Once you receive the item, Korcha asks you what your intentions are. Your
response dictates the story branch you will follow.
- If you give him the TOP reply to his questions (a negative response), he
will become annoyed and take the amulet from you, presumably with the
intent of helping Kid himself.
- If you give the BOTTOM response to his questions, he will join your party as
you search for the medicine to heal Kid.
Either way, you can take care of a number of odds and ends at this point.
While you're in Guldove, be sure to visit the Pub after seeing the Shaman. If
you visit the pub before the Shaman, you'll witness a scene of Doc crying into
his beer. The Dwarf inside will give you a Green Tinkler [key item], which
will give you the ability to bend nature to your will. Literally!
1. ODDS AND ENDS ----------------------------
RECOMMENDED: Whatever works for you
Enemies in this Area:
- (varies)
Items in this Area:
- (varies)
A few things in Termina have changed. For one thing, Miki is back in her
dressing room, although she seems rather oblivious to your presence. If you
visit the shack where Glenn placed the flowers by the memorial to Dario,
you will witness an event where three people are sending a boat off
to the Great Unknown. The person giving the eulogy or whatever is Greco,
a Pro Wrestler who apparently moonlights as a priest. Once the sequence has
ended, follow him into the shack and speak to him and he will join your
party. He kicks quite a bit of butt, so it's nice to have him around. If you
don't recruit him now, he'll still be at the funeral procession until the end
of the game.
There doesn't seem to be anything else to be done in Termina for now, so if
you want you can travel to Lynx's manor. The mansion is basically deserted;
there's a Cybot at the front gate which can be beaten easily. Once you're
inside you can go inside and collect a few items that were inaccessible
before. Be sure to note: now that you're on the World Map, press Start to
bring up the usual "Vibration On/Off" menu. A second menu will be available
beneath that; this is the Wormhole Map. Turn it On to display a small
indicator of your current dimensional location, much like the era indicator in
Chrono Trigger. Well, OK, not really, but play along, OK?
You first stop in the mansion should be Luccia's lab. Luccia and Pip are gone,
but the chef's assistant seems to be caught in the large cage trap. You can
set him free, though he seems a wee bit suspicious. There is also an Earring
(acessory) on the desk, if you missed it before. Luccia, though, is at the
balcony where Kid was injured by Lynx. If you talk to her, she will leave and
return to the lab after talking about her vonderful scientific genius. Man,
this chick is like the Baroness wearing Rufus Shinra's wardrobe. Cool. You can
talk to Riddel or explore Lynx's office ("left statue is the key to Spectacle
Rock"), but be sure to follow Luccia. When you speak to her in the lab, select
the first option and she will join your party. Also, once you find the Life
Sparkle, you can return to the balcony and recruit NeoFio (to get the Life
Sparkle, use the Green Tinkler in Another Hydra Marsh to cause the flexible
plants to bend for you. The Life Sparkle is located at the back right area in
a submerged chest for which you'll have to fight two SnobGoblins).
You can also enter the private rooms freely now, although some are still
locked (such as the dungeon entrance). You can open the chest in Karsh's
room to claim an accessory, but Zoah's chest is still locked. Too bad your
thief is incapacitated.
Outside the manor, you can also explore any areas you skipped before. If
you took Nikki's path, you can take the back route and descend the cliffs
(which will be MUCH easier in the absence of falling rocks). Nikki's path
can be accessed through the well, although to get past the giant plant
you'll want to enter through the woods to the east of the manor. These
areas are optional, but offer a few useful elements and items and may be
worth the time and trouble it takes to clear them.
2. BRANCH ONE
*****************************************************************
HELPING A FRIEND
Recommended: Serge, Korcha, Poshul
Provided you've chosen to help Kid, thus begins a new fetch quest.
-- a. GULDOVE ---------------------------------
Be sure to explore Korcha's home before you get going, though. In the
lower level of the house is a girl named Mel who is very very intent on
using crayons. At the docks below his home is a person who can combine
Elements to create items for upgrading your weapons... unfortunately, it's
expensive, and it seems like everything he has to offer sort of sucks.
Don't expect too much here, but it's possible you might be able to find a
good combination at the smithy just left of the merchant. If you talk to
the Element trader twice, however, he'll give you Skelly's sacro-iliac.
West of the docks is a bar where Doc and a girl named Orlha will have a
conversation, and Serge decides not to enter. If you come back later, you
can enter, and a little big-nosed midget gives you a "Green Tinkler," which
sounds like it might be nasty but actually is just a small bell used to
manipulate the vine plants in Hydra Marsh. Above the bar is a shop; there's
not too much new here, but you might find something worthwhile.
At the far west end of the village is a fortune teller's hut occupied by
two women named Direa and Steena. Steena will answer various questions
about various things. If you show the Astral Amulet to Deria with the Square
Button Menu, she'll give you a hint about what to do with it (hint: it starts
with "Opassa" and ends with "Beach").
Once you've explored the village to your heart's content, go to the east
end of the docks and speak with Korcha, who will take you to Termina (you
have no choice in the direction here, sorry) and incidentally expose a much
larger view of Chrono Cross' world than you've seen to date.
-- b. HOME IS WHERE THE SUBQUEST LIES --------
First of all, speaking to Korcha at the docks will allow him to join your
party. If you want to return to his home, simply press Action while facing
his boat.
Hydra Marsh has changed significantly. In particular, it's swarming with
creatures now. This is a good sign, as the boosted difficulty means you're
on the right track! If you haven't already picked up the Protective Gear on
the fungal stalk at the left edge of the forest, do so now in preparation for
the journey ahead.
However, you're still going to find yourself at a dead end in Hydra Marsh.
You need to pass that unyielding plant, but how? Perhaps if you could find
some other means to pass it, like the Green Tinkler? Even so, there's nothing
to find in this world's swamp, now that the Hydra is dead.
This is where the Astral Amulet comes in handy. If you travel to the beach
where Serge arrived in Another world, it will cause a reaction with the
spot on the beach which caused Serge to cross dimensions. The Amulet acts like
a Gate Key - use it while standing in the energy reaction and Serge will be
transported back to his Home dimension.
No one here seems particular overjoyed at Serge's return. There's no "Oh
Serge! I thought you were dead when you vanished before my very eyes on the
beach!" from Leena, no cheerful exclamations from Marge upon your return.
Tsk! Well, no matter; Arni isn't where you need to be anyway (although
this would be a good time to take care of anything you missed before). Then
travel ahead to Hydra Marsh.
You'll notice it's not quite as grim and gloomy as the alternate world's
version of the area. However, the plant life is just as unyielding. You'll
need to find another way around that plant on the second screen. Collect
the treasure on the first two screens and then visit the left area, with
the massive fungal growth that rises above the swamp. As you venture into
this area, a HUGE insect will fly overhead. Luckily for you, it's not
interested on making a snack of you, so you can travel unmolested.
However, when you reach the third section, near the save point, you will be
accosted by a strange little tribal-looking creature called a Beeba-Beeba. It
will attack, and the most annoying fight to date will begin.
-- BOSS: BEEBA ------------------------------
Innate: Beeba x5 (Yellow)
The Beeba isn't terribly strong, but it's fast and unfortunately, it
calls friends to assist it. Within a round or two you will be facing not
one but FIVE Beeba-Beebas. This is extremely frustrating, because they attack
after almost every move you make, which slows the battle down to a
ridiculous crawl. Take them out one at a time starting with the leader, and
be sure you have your RecoverAll Elements equipped (high slots are good). You
may wish to unequip unnecessary Elements like Tears and Detoxin, because
this battle will be long and most likely will use up most of your Element
slots. Persistence and patience win the day here; when you finally win all
you'll get is a crummy Upheaval Element (a more powerful version of
Uplift). No Stars, and little status boosting. What a hassle. (If you can
kill the first Beeba-Beeba right away, you may be able to prevent him from
calling all of his friends. Give it your best shot.)
Defeat the Beeba-Beeba and he'll retreat apologetically, giving you a Beeba
Flute (key item). Carry on up the stalk (you can sneak around the tribesman at
the offshoot above to claim a BushBasher Element if you like) and arrive at
the platform where you received the Protective Gear in Another world. Your
other party members will make a comment, then rejoin the group. Take a cue
from Nausicaa and play the flute you just received while standing in the
middle of the platform. The large winged insect you saw, a Hydra, will
descend. Unfortunately, when Serge tries to grab the medicine it possesses,
the bug attacks (shock!).
-- BOSS: WINGAPEDE --------------------------
Innate: Wingapede (Green)
This is one nasty bug. You saved earlier, right? It uses a vicious breath
attack that slams your party for serious damage, plus it has a physical
attack that can be used up to 4 times consecutively! Balance defense with
offensive Elements and be careful when it starts to attack multiple times.
Using a Yellow character with high offense, such as Poshul, might not be a
bad idea.
You won't win anything worthwhile from this battle. However, the stress of
the battle, coupled with the bug's crash landing, have weakened the
platform on which your party is standing. Keep walking across the stress
fracture, and in a moment your party will plummet to the depths of the
marsh below.
Luckily there's a massive land kraken to break your fall. You'll drop into
its lair and onto its head, which causes it to become unconscious. You
don't HAVE to fight it, but next to the chest bearing a RecoverAll element
you'll find a sprite in a cage. If you choose to let her go, the kraken
will revive and attack you. Please note: if you choose not to undertake the
medicine quest, you will find the Kraken (unconscious) but not the sprite when
you come to this area. Presumably, you didn't rescue her in time and she was
eaten. Suck, huh?
-- BOSS: PENTAPUS ---------------------------
Innate: Pentapus (Blue)
Not a terribly difficult fight. Again, it can use a multiple hit attack, so
watch your defenses. This is a Blue elemental monster, so Red attacks
are very effective (FireBall, etc. - multiple effect spells like MagmaBomber
are less useful). You'll recieve an Aquaball element for your trouble.
Once you beat the kraken, you can free the sprite, Razzly, who was sadly blown
by the wind from her village. She will join your party; I HIGHLY recommend
taking her along, as her magic is powerful, and she's extremely effective
against the main boss of the area.
MY PARTY: Serge, Korcha, Razzly
Climb out of the kraken's lair and you see a familiar area - it's the ledge
overlooking the stupid plant that won't bend! The good news here, though,
is that you can skip right past that plant now. Walk to the tip of the
ledge and hit the Action button to jump to the back area of the swamp. you
can grab an AeroSaucer element here, if you want. Exit to the right and
back of the screen to travel to the depths of the marsh.
You might want to sneak past the giant plant guys (just like the plant in
the Eastern woods where Nikki was, except that these guys fight instead of
shrinking) on the next screen. They can be a little tough (especially since
a lot of Green elements HEAL them - ouch) and you've just been through two
consecutive boss fights. Luckily, there's a Record of Fate just beyond the
plants.
Here the path split in two. To the rear of the area are some dwarves
standing guard; the foreground leads to the exit. You probably won't want
to go too far in this direction, but once you've cleared the area the
dwarves split and take all the treasures with them, so it's now or never.
Talk to the three dwarves at the back path and they will attack.
There are six of these creeps, and they start the battle with a massively
damaging group attack called HiHoChorus. Your first priority will be to use a
RecoverAll element to restore your party's HP, especially if you brought
Razzly along - she'll be hit hard by their Yellow-based attack. Next, try to
take out as many dwarves as you can as quickly as possible. Don't be shy,
use your best Elements immediately. For reference, the DaffyDwarves seem to
have fewer HP than the short ones, so start with them. As you thin the ranks,
you also diminish the power of HiHoChorus, so this is one battle that
happily becomes easier as you go along. Winning will give you a much-deserved
Star, as well as several Equipment items and Elements.
One of the dwarves runs away to the right - follow him and you'll encounter
another huge insect. This one doesn't have wings, but it's tough
nonetheless. Yes, prepare for another boss battle.
-- BOSS: HYDRA ------------------------------
Innate: Hydra (Yellow)
Once again, watch for the Breath attack. Green Elements are effective here,
especially Razzly's special attack which does 150+ HP damage. Use the same
general strategy as you used for the Wingapede battle, and you shouldn't have
any real trouble.
Once you win, you will receive a Star and Uplift. Examine the dead insect
to take a vial of medicine for Kid, and you will automatically return to
opening area of the marsh. If you wish to return to the recesses of the
marsh, the previously inflexible plant is now a bit less lively. Also, the
dwarves have ditched.
Now you should return to Another world and take the medicine to Kid, who
is in the building immediately above the docks at Guldove. Show the medicine
to Doc, and watch the events unfold. After Kid is healed and thanks Serge,
she rejoins the party... but not until after Mel screws around in the
middle of the night with her Element Grid.
If go to Steena's tent, and then chase Mel around long enough, you can reclaim
the Elements that were stolen from Kid's grid. If you're like me, though, you
had a surplus of Elements anyway, and can live without the ones missing.
However, tracking down Mel now allows you to recruit her later, after Korcha
joins in Termina.
And now, freedom! Korcha takes you back to Termina. Once there, leave the
town and Glenn will meet you at the entrance.
After speaking to Glenn, go back to the Termina docks and speak to Korcha.
Kid will feel compelled to kick Serge no matter how you answer, but the
abuse is worthwhile because you'll receive Korcha as a permanent member of
your party (i.e., he'll stick around even when you return to Guldove). If you
don't choose to put Korcha in your party right away, he'll swim on home
(quite a distance, I should say). In either case, you now have access to
his boat, which opens most of the world map for you.
3. BRANCH TWO
*****************************************************************
GIVING UP ON A FRIEND
If you give up and don't try to help Kid, Korcha thinks you suck and won't
join you. However, Macha will join instead and take you back to Termina. There
you will see Glenn, who has become suspicious of Viper now that Lynx is on the
scene. Walk back to talk to Macha at the docks, and Glenn will offer to join
your party. You should accept, of course, because he rocks. He'll suggest you
head to find Radius, who is living in a hermitage to the east of the main
island. Basically, the main difference here is the lack of a Hydra Marsh
subquest - just head straight to the hermitage to fight Harle, and then to the
pirate ship. After completing the pirate ship, you can return to find Kid
healed and well thanks to the fortunate intervention of a stranger, and she
and Doc will join up. Furthermore, if you do head into the Hydra Marsh (home),
you'll do most of the same things, except the Hydra will be gone and Razzly's
cage will be depressingly empty... (poor little thing)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J. "HERMIT'S HIDEAWAY"
"A meeting with the 'other' swordsman"
Once you go out onto the world map, you'll see several places to go.
Starting in the northwest corner and moving approximately clockwise, here
are your options (some names are just the ones I've assigned):
1. Guldove (Korcha's home)
2. Earth Dragon Isle
3. Hermit's Hideaway
4. Island of the Damned
5. Foggy Shroud (Pirate Ship)
6. Dead Sea (Inaccessible continent)
7. Marbule (Town of bug-men)
8. Water Dragon Isle
9. El Nido Triangle (nothing happens)
10. Gaea's Navel
11. Sky Dragon Island
Also, there are four places to weigh anchor on the main island:
12. Arni Village
13. Termina
14. Forbidden Island (there's a moss-covered cabin in the woods)
15. Pyre Shore
The next place you need to go is the Pyre Shore, the east coast of the of the
main island. However, you're free to explore to your heart's content. It's not
a bad idea to search around, because many of the areas have Iron and Mythril
items necessary for upgrading your equipment in the future.
Here is a quick rundown of each area:
1. GULDOVE -----------------------------------
You've been here recently. Be sure to pick up any new Elements you're
missing before heading out.
2. EARTH DRAGON ISLE -------------------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Kid, Razzly
Serge, Glenn, Leena
You can explore here and pick up a few small items. Head to the top of the
area and jump into the large crater (top option) to explore the subterranean
cave. You can cut left or right here to grab the chests; if you want to exit
the cave, climb the right side and hop into the small geyser. It will blow you
to the surface (luckily the fact that geysers blow boiling water doesn't seem
to affect you). Lower down in the cave are some very annoying enemies who
possess high resistance to physical attacks and throw a mechanical bomb at you
that apparently cannot be defused until after the other enemies are defeated.
Take advantage of the fact that these guys have a Yellow affiliation and use
your strong Green attacks like BushBasher and AeroBlaster (the Street
Fighter-esque attack that resembles Afura Mann's "Big Sucker Gab Slash"
technique from El-Hazard). Then kill the bomb; be sure to have the person who
takes the brunt of the blast defend. As annoying as these battles are, they're
very valuable because Kid can steal @Mythril from these guys. Unfortunately,
your progress into the cave will be blocked at the second screen; there's a
rock buried in the sand, but it's unmovable.
This is where you were supposed to go, but it seems Lynx and Harle anticipated
your move and decided to gut the place with fire. And now Harle is slowing you
down by engaging you in combat. Stay good, Harle, stay good!
-- BOSS: HARLE ------------------------------
Innate: Harle (Black)
Harle will challenge you to battle, but she's a complete pushover. Smack
her with some White elements, and be sure to have Kid steal PhotonBeam from
her. You'll win another PhotonBeam element, but no star. When she's defeated,
she vanishes and Radius, whom you will probably remember as the village
chief of Arni in Home, appears. It seems Radius lives on this island
beneath the large tree that has burned down. You can rest in his house and
talk to him. There's a bald patch of ground that reacts when you walk over
it, but nothing seems to affect it (you can make use of it later... much
later).
4. ISLE OF THE DAMNED -----------------------
Enemies in this Area:
- Airframe
Items in this Area:
- Mixed Bones [Key Item]
- @Eyeball [Component]
This place is bad news. The enemies here are way the heck more powerful
than you at this point, and your progress seems to be impeded by mirrors.
You can brave it, or you can use some common sense and avoid this place.
Items of note in the areas I was brave enough to tread: a bunch of bone
fragments to add to the skeleton you're assembling for Skelly. There's an
Eyeball in the hollow to the southeast on the first screen, also. That's
about all you can find for now; progress past the mirrors won't be possible
until later.
5. DEAD SEA ---------------------------------
You can't get here... and why would you want to? It's like, dead and stuff.
6. MARBULE ----------------------------------
Marbule seems to be populated by demihumans who don't seem particularly fond
of humans. Not much of note here, although you'll be meeting the chief of
the village under different circumstances. There's also a big honkin'
dragon sleeping in the back left cave, and an Element merchant who'll sell
you all of the Turn spells, if you missed them in Viper Manor, along with
stat-effect magics.
7. EL NIDO TRIANGLE -------------------------
There's a triangular formation of stones here. Rowing to the center causes
a text box to appear, but nothing more.
8. GAEA'S NAVEL -----------------------------
Serge isn't much of a rock climber, it seems, so the sheer cliffs of this
island are off-limits for now.
9. SKY DRAGON ISLAND ------------------------
Not much to see here... just a large open space. It would be great for
calling a Flammie, if you had a Flammie Drum! But you don't, so... never mind.
10. ARNI VILLAGE ----------------------------
Just in case you feel like getting the cold shoulder from Leena again, feel
free to drop by here.
11. TERMINA ---------------------------------
You can stop north of Termina if the need arises.
12. FORBIDDEN ISLAND ------------------------
There's a moss-covered hut here in the forest, population one. Nothing really
happening, though. This island is located in a cove on the northeast side of
the main El Nido island. It's not labeled, but it's accessible. Simply look
for the little puff of smoke.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K. "FROM PIRATE SHIP TO GHOST SHIP"
"A Mariner's Worst Nightmare"
1. FOGGY SHROUD (PIRATE SHIP) ---------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Kid, Razzly
Serge, Glenn, Leena
This area is vital to your continued progress in the game. Be sure to save
outside, as it's a point-of-no-return sort of place.
When you approach the fog bank, you will be given two choices: (1) avoid it
and (2) enter. Choose the second option and you will hook up with what
seems to be an abandoned ship. Unfortunately, it's NOT abandoned, and you
will be surrounded by a throng of pirates, who seem none too happy to have
become the targets of piracy on the high seas themselves. Their leader,
Fargo, comes forward and calls a slew of Dullahan-looking baddies on you.
Whether you win (in which case you receive three capsules) or run (no prize),
you will be attacked immediately by a humongous bird.
-- BOSS: POLLY ------------------------------
Innate: Polly (Red)
A simple fight. Defend, attack, element. Steal a Search Scope and win
MagmaBurst, a powerful Red element with a chance of causing an enemy to go
berzerker. Once you beat the bird, Fargo himself will attack you.
-- BOSS: FARGA ------------------------------
Innate: Fargo (Blue)
Fargo's pretty strong, but again it's nothing you shouldn't be able to
handle. If you have Red Elements, bring 'em on - he's quite vulnerable. But
don't run, as you'll fall unconscious without scoring any victory items. Of
course, defeating Fargo will get you nowhere as well, as your party falls
unconcious as soon as you win. Win, lose, or retreat, you're a captive.
You'll wake up in the hold of the ship, where you have been dumped
unceremoniously. Luckily, any nefarious plans the pirates might have in
store for you are curtailed by the arrival of a haunted ship full of ghosts
- the crew suddenly has their hands full.
Exit the hold after using the optional Save Point. You are located at the
aft end of the second interior deck of the ship; the door immediately to
the right of where you enter the hallway is locked. The first door to the
left is open, though; go inside to fight some ghosts for an AquaBall
element (climb up on the desk at the corner to get it). You can ask the
pirates you help for the key, but none of them know who has it.
The second door to the left is locked as well. Beyond that is a ladder
leading to the first interior deck, and past that is a chest containing a
FirePillar element.
Up the ladder there are two doors to the left, but neither of them can be
opened yet. To the right is the kitchen and a bunch of burning barrels. You
won't be able to pass the barrels, but you can circumnavigate them. Check
the vent at the back of the kitchen with the Action button and your party
will climb through it into the mess, which happens to be on the other side
of the burning barrels. But before you do, move towards the treasure chest
in the kitchen, and defeat the Wraith so you can take the Panaceas inside.
Talk to the fat pirate at the end of the hall twice, then speak to the
pirate on the left, who will give you the key to the door at the end of the
hallway below.
Trudge back down and unlock the door; now you can explore more of the ship.
The weapons room is located here, and you can exit the ship by walking
through one of the cannon ports. Run along the exterior to the left, then
down, run back to the right beneath the oars and climb to get back into the
ship. God only knows how, but Pip, the little fuzzy thing from Luccia's lab in
Viper manor, is here. Chase him around, and once you catch him you can ask him
to join your party (top option). I wouldn't recommend putting Pip in your
party just yet, though, as he's kinda... pathetic. Be sure to grab the
treasures in this area before taking the ladder at the lower right area to the
exterior again.
A note on Pip: Pip can evolve based on the magic he uses. The more of
a certain type of magic you use, the more likely he is to evolve into either
an Angel or Devil form. Refer to boko-kun's frightfully detailed Pip FAQ at
gamefaqs.com for further details.
Save your game here and climb to the deck. Once you arrive, you'll witness
the pirates fending off ghosts. But it seems ghosts are in plentiful
supply, as more appear. Serge and his party run to the front of the ship
automatically, where Fargo is battling ghosts. No matter which choice you
make here, you will walk to the helm and battle the source of the monsters.
-- BOSS: DEADHEAD ----------------------------
Innate: DeadHead (Black)
This can be a mildly frustrating fight, due mainly to the fact that
Diamonja has a very high evade rate. To make matters worse, he can inflict
a black elemental status on your characters, which cuts their physical
attack success rates in half. And no successful physical attacks means no
magic... If you can spare a non-attack Element, Kid can steal a GravityBlow
element - nothing special. When you win, you'll receive a Star, and the
element HellSoul (which is Chrono Cross' version of Final Fantasy's Death).
Once you've chased away the ghosts, the fog dissipates and the pirates move
east, with thanks. However, they're not grateful enough for Fargo to join
you, which is a darned shame. The removal of the fog results in the east
coast of the main continent becoming accessible. This is your next main
destination - through Mt. Pyre to Fort Dragonia.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
L. "ON TO THE WATER ISLE"
"In Search Of The Dragon Blue"
1. WATER DRAGON ISLE -------------------------
Enemies in this Area:
- Scorpoid
Items in this Area:
- @Iron x3 [Component]
- Sturdy Ribs [Key Item]
This island is covered with ruins from some ancient thing or another. You
can collect a ribcage here (much to Skelly's delight). Also, there seems to
be a small village of sprites here, much like Razzly, including one named
Rosetta. Rosetta doesn't seem interested in joining the party, though... I
guess one sprite is enough. Despite the name, there's not a lot of water here.
Funny, that.
There is a subquest here (or rather, on this island in a different dimension),
but to find it you need to head to Arni (Home) and speak with the old guy
sleeping on the docks. Pay him 100G and he'll take you to the island so you
can meet with the Blue Dragon and earn the Ice Breath, which will allow you to
pass through Mt. Pyre unscathed by magma. Unfortunately, the Faerie Village
has been overrun with Dwarves, who were driven out of the Hydra Marsh when the
Hydra was killed (makes you feel pretty awful, huh?). Many of the Faeries are
dead, and to make it to the Blue Dragon you'll have to battle your way through
the Dwarves. After fighting your way down, you'll face off against two bosses:
a group attack, and a massive Dwarven tank which can put up a serious fight.
These guys are exactly like they were in the Hydra Marsh; they start with a
devastating group attack, but as you pick away at them the power of the
attack diminshes. Take out one at a time, and again you'll earn a Star. This
iteration of the battle should be easier, since you're now stronger than you
were in Hydra Marsh. If you took Korcha's path, you should be an old hand at
this fight.
Keep traveling through the cave, and be sure to check behind the waterfall for
a Scaley Dress, which is probably the best armor you have at this point
(though it can only be equipped by the ladies). Down at the base of the falls,
you'll have another encounter. As a note, you don't have to fight all the
dwarves here, just the unavoidable encounters.
-- BOSS: HIHOTANK -----------------------
Innate: HiHoTank (Yellow)
Dwarf x2 (Yellow)
This thing is nasty and massive. Your first task is to kill the two small
Dwarves who fight alongside it; they can repair it for 111 HP apiece, which
means you could have a depressingly long battle on your hands if you don't
finish them off ASAP. The tank uses a varied-element cannon which can hit any
character with an elemental attack of a random color; no matter what, expect
that attack to hurt. Bring your strongest Green elements along, as well as
lots of healing. It has two lesser attacks as well (a single-character
ramming charge and an all-character spinout) but the Element cannon is the
real threat. Keep your HP high and pound away, defending whenever you can.
Another Star will be the prize for this fight.
When you destroy the tank, the Dwarves disappear and you can acquire the Ice
Breath item and *FrogPrince summon from the Blue Dragon. The *FrogPrince will
be invaluable in the next stretch, so you definitely want to have it.
As a side note, if Razzly is in your party here, you will be able to acquire
her L.7 skill, but Rosetta will die. It seems like everything about poor
Razzly and the faeries is tragic: eaten by krakens, attacked by dwarves, lost
loved ones. Anyway, depending on your conscience, it's your call.
Second note: sometimes after this sequence you will see a brief scene between
Serge and Kid as they camp out on Water Dragon Isle. This scene adds immense
insight into Kid's past and personality, but it doesn't always appear, and so
far no one seems to be able to pin the criteria to make it happen. If you see
it, enjoy it. If not, well, there's always the next playthrough!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M. "FORT DRAGONIA"
"Ancient Dragons' Dream In Ruins"
1. PYRE SHORE -------------------------------
Here's your next stop. This stop only leads to one area, the Fire Cave, but
it's where you need to be. Additionally, if you go back to Marbule now, you'll
be able to purchase Trap elements for all the high-level spells, and Level
7 Summons.
-- 2. MT. PYRE ------------------------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Kid, Razzly
Serge, Kid, Glenn
Enemies in this Area:
- LavaBoy
- HotDoggity
- CatBurglar
- Peppor and Solt [BOSS]
- Red Dragon [BOSS]
- Karsh, Zoah and Marcy [BOSS]
Mt. Pyre is a bit intimidating, because standing in lava saps your party's HP
muy pronto, and there are some big freakin' enemies who seem to attack right
as your HP drops to 1. Nevertheless, you're only in trouble while you walk in
lava, so buy lots of Tablets and sally forth into the cave and towards...
destiny. Or whatever. Of course, you can always undertake the Ice Breath quest
(which you have to do now, or never. Once you have the Ice Breath, you can
freeze the magma flow by opening the Key Item menu and choosing the Breath; it
will cause the magma to harden, giving you safe passage. But be aware that
this change is permanent - and any chest submerged in lava will now be
inaccessible. Also, the lava slope further into the volcano cannot be climbed
if you freeze the magma, meaning you'll miss out on some treasures. Think
before you freeze!
If the massive lava creatures happen to catch you at an inopportune moment
(i.e., your HP is 1), don't be ashamed to run. You may want to pass up some
of the out-of-the-way items for now, though. No point in getting
slaughtered just for a measly Tablet or two.
Whenever you get past a lava area, be sure to refresh your HP. This is
especially important in the second screen, where you will face Peppor and
Solt yet again. I love these guys - wakka wakka wakka.
-- BOSS: PEPPOR AND SOLT --------------------
Innate: Peppor (Yellow)
Solt (Yellow)
Another not-particularly-tough battle, but these guys are just warming you
up for the main event. Win a Star, an Iron Vest, an Iron Mail, and/or a Sky
Djinn Ring with your victory here.
[NOTE: If you undertake the Ice Breath subquest, you do NOT receive a Star
here, as you will have received it already on Water Dragon Isle.]
To the right is a large lava flow, which you can tackle if you want. There's
nothing to be gained by it, though - you'll just end up at the start of the
dungeon. If you follow Peppor and Solt when they run off from battle, you'll
enter a third section with a few enemies and treasures. There's a save point
here; save and prepare yourself. The next area wil be a challenge.
Beyond here is Salamander's cave, although you'll probably have to brave
the lava flow to actually meet Salamander. Instead, you're confronted by a
mini dragon, who blocks your progress and challenges you.
-- BOSS: FIRE DRAGON ------------------------
Innate: Fire Dragon (Red)
He's small, but he packs a punch. He has a devastating Fire Breath attack;
be sure a few people are equipped with Revive and try to keep your HP above
125 at all times. Don't be hesitant to Steal - Kid can snag a Magic Ring
from him, which is a hard-to-find item. When you win, you'll receive
another Star and the element Weaken.
But wait, there's more! The Fire Dragon wasn't the last opponent you'll face;
whatever lies ahead seems to be a big deal, as you're faced by the triple
whammy of Karsh, Zoah and Marcy. Sure, you've beaten them one at a time
already, but now you have to face all three.
-- BOSS: KARSH, MARCY, ZOAH -----------------
Innate: Karsh (Green)
Marcy (Blue)
Zoah (Yellow)
It's the 4 Devas! No, wait, there's only 3. Sort of like the 3 Tenors, but
with less squawking. Fortunately, their attacks haven't changed too much, and
none of them seem as powerful as they did alone. Karsh represents the least
threat, whereas Zoah has a very powerful single-character attack and Marcy
has multiple-character attacks that can be very frustrating, especially when
she slows you down. Leave Karsh for last and concentrate your efforts on
either of the other two; take out one at a time to thin the ranks. Keep
your HP high until Zoah's gone, and heal quickly if the enemy concentrates
too much on a single character. You'll win a Star, an EagleEye element, a
Gold Earring and another Iron Vest here.
Once these three are out of the way, Harle appears and makes a comment
before disappearing (what, no battle?). Now you're at the exit, beyond
which lies the "Mysterious Dungeon" from the beginning of the game.
You may find yourself experiencing deja vu here. Do not panic! What you are
seeing is a premonition made flesh.
-- 3. FORT DRAGONIA REDUX PT. 1 -------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Kid, Leena
Serge, Glenn, Leena
Before you can find familiar territory, you have to work! You can start by
battling the guard who has been stationed at the bottom of the tower. Gee,
an Acacian Dragon rider? I wonder where this guy could have come from.
-- OPTIONAL BOSS: DRAGOON -------------------
Innate: Dragoon (Red)
AcaciaPvt (Yellow)
The soldier here is nothing; the real threat comes in the form of the dragon
rider. He possesses both group attacks (Breath) and strong single attacks
(Charge). Stick it out, though; for winning you receive a Star AND a summon,
*FrogPrince. I recommend bringing Leena or another Blue element-user
along at this point, since they're the only ones who can equip this Element.
You will probably find Leena to be the single most useful character here now
that you have access to her L.5 Tech and *FrogPrice.
[NOTE: Be aware if you undertake the Faerie Village subquest, you do NOT
fight a Dragoon here, nor do you receive a Star or the *FrogPrince summon, as
those were won in the Faerie Village.]
Additionally, this victory opens up most everyone's Level 5 skill - those who
don't recieve theirs now, will at 19 Stars. Serge can now use a skill called
Luminaire; Kid has a group attack called RedPin. Find the combination that
works best for you, as you will encounter a wide variety of challenging
enemies in the sections ahead.
Past the entrance is the main chamber. There are 4 circuits etched into the
floor here, and your goal is to open all 4 to progress to the next area. Then
you will open two more circuits and activate a transporter to a small
structure suspended above the main Tower. Every circuit is connected to a
statue of a dragon, which appears as the circuit is closed.
Each of the four circuits is controlled by a device behind each of four
different doors. These can be tackled in any order, but I am addressing these
in counter-clockwise fashion from the far right.
--- 3a. FAR RIGHT ---------------------------
Past the bridge here is a statue which offers you four choices. The option
you choose will cause the platform on which you're standing to rotate and
drop, sending you to one of 4 divisions of the area below the statue. The
statue's inscription says the Dragon faces north as it defends the fort - this
means whichever direction the Dragon is facing is north, and the small
platform rotates relative to that. North means you will rotate 360 degrees,
South will move you 180 degrees, etc. To avoid confusion I'm just going to
describe where each hole leads, starting at the front and moving clockwise.
(1) doesn't lead to anything spectacular; to return to the level above,
head to the left and climb the ladder.
(2) allows you to battle a few Cybots, if you feel the need.
(4) gives you access to the switch. Hit it and activiate the first circuit.
(3) leads to 4 treasure chests with some decent elements inside (Trap
Volcano, an Accessory, FirePillar, MagmaBurst)
--- 3b. UPPER-RIGHT -------------------------
You'll find tons of staircases here. Explore them thoroughly to find some
nice elements (HealAll, BushBasher, Antidote, AeroBlaster, Trap Tornado). The
short route to the end is as follows: left, down stairs, right, up at the
branching path, follow path around and then double back to go up stairs.
You should reach a switch which will lower a set of stairs to create a
shortcut. Beyond that is the circuit switch, but it's being guarded by a
massive Golem.
-- BOSS: TAURUSOID --------------------------
Innate: TAURUSOID (Green)
This guy seems to have mistaken himself for a pro wrestler. He uses attacks
like Body Press, Back Drop and Choke Slam. You can steal Trap Tornado from
him, which will be useful if you ever come across an enemy that uses
Tornado elements (Taurusoid does at times, but obviously you can't use the
Trap Element you stole until you win the battle). Hit him hard and keep your
HP high; Korcha's Fishing skill works well here. You'll win a Star and the
opportunity to hit the second switch when you defeat it. Return to the main
chamber to see the results of your efforts.
--- 3c. UPPER-LEFT --------------------------
Here you'll find a room with two sets of chests which rotate various
platforms as they are opened and closed. Each platform has three positions,
low, middle and high. The chests on the left lead to the following:
- Low: back to entrance
- Middle: a room guarded by an Acacian rider
- High: chests on the right side of the room
And the chests to the right lead to:
- Low: switch and battle
- Medium: a chest
- High: chests on left side of the room
There's nothing terribly spectacular about this battle, aside from the fact
that actually making a successful physical strike can be tough. Use your
typical strategies and you'll be fine, and if you find yourself missing too
much, defend. It can use Iceburg, so if by some odd chance you picked up a
Trap Iceberg element in Marbule, you can protect yourself AND gain a powerful
element all at once. Kid can Pilfer an Antiviral Cap from the Giant Gloop,
which is a fairly useful accessory that protects against Flu (blue) status
ailments. If you find yourself missing too much, use EagleEye to help build
your Element meter. Win a Star and AquaBall element for your troubles.
--- 3d. FAR LEFT ----------------------------
This area is simple once you see how it works, but can be time-consuming.
Standing on the green footprints in the left room causes the platform in the
main room to rotate by various degrees. The order of your party affects the
distance it turns, so you need to switch your party order for best effect with
the Select button, or by standing on the blue footprints in the main chamber.
The platform needs to rotate to the left to allow you to hit the blue switch
that lowers the stairs. Then rotate the platform back around to the lower
position so that you can climb the stairs and cross to the large
tablet-like structure on the second level. Examine the tablet and the
center section will drop. Hit the main switch to activate the fourth
circuit and return to the central area.
The way it works: each party member is assigned a "body part": head, body or
tail. When you examine the tablet in the room on the left, the main chamber's
platforms will synch up to your party order. You can switch character
positions with the Select button, but you can't change character sequence. So
for instance if you're using Serge-Kid-Leena, you can Select to
Kid-Leena-Serge or Leena-Serge-Kid. But if you want to change to
Kid-Serge-Leena or Serge-Leena-Kid or Leena-Kid-Serge, you'll have to step on
the second set of glowing footprints, which will change the actual order of
your party members, not just their positions.
Speak to the podium in the left room to set your initial order, and then use
the following setups to solve the puzzle:
Head, body, tail = Access to the blue switch that lowers the stairs.
Tail, body, head = Access to the switch that lowers the crystal platform.
Body, tail, head = Access to the chest containing an Earth Charm.
Tail, head, body = Access to the chest containing an Electrobolt element.
Any other permutations are useless.
-- 4. FORT DRAGONIA REDUX PT. 2 -------------
The activation of the circuits has caused a large portion of the floor to
rise in the main area. Enter the door at the bottom to reach the fifth
switch. The way will be blocked by a rather difficult opponent.
-- BOSS: SUN OF A GUN -----------------------
Innate: SunOfAGun (White)
The SunOfAGun is a white element, which means that Serge's most effective
attacks will be rather ineffectual here. Unfortunately, no other elements
work particularly well, either, as it has a high resistance to magic. It
also has a high resitance to physical attacks. Add to this the fact that it
dishes out serious punishment, and constantly changes its mode by changing
its expression, causing the field effect to turn white and making the use
of summons practically impossible and you have a tough battle on your
hands. To make things worse, it uses StrongMinded for protection and
WeakMinded to weaken your party. The good news is that Sun Facer has very low
HP - I would estimate around only 350. So while your attacks may seem
ineffective, keep chipping away at its HP and don't let the field effect
become all white, if possible, as that will boost its attack strength.
Once you win, you will receive a Star; but more importantly you can hit the
fifth switch to activate the elevator to the very familiar fifth area.
Since you've been here before, there's no need for a walkthrough. Be sure
to search out the treasures, though, as they can be quite useful. The sixth
switch activates the transporter in the center, and releases the sixth and
final dragon statue. Unfortunately, before you can activate it, you must
fight yet another boss, and it's tough.
-- BOSS: BUNYIP -----------------------------
Innate: Bunyip (Red)
Bunyip (Black)
This guy starts out innocently enough, but after taking a small amount of
damage it dies and an evil spirit arises from it. Despite having cool
metallic specular highlighting, the ghost can be pretty nasty. Watch for
its deadly eyebeam attack, which can annihilate a single party member
without a thought (especially if that person is a white element). Its
element changes from red to black with the transition, so plan your attacks
accordingly. Kid can steal a FreeFall element from it, which is a VERY
useful skill to have against White-innate enemies. You'll win a Star
and a Gravitonne element at the end of the fight, and can travel to the
transporter. Also, you can trap Volcano (during the first part of the fight)
and FreeFall (during the battle with the ghost), which I highly recommend.
You might want to save at this point - you have some rough battles and a point
of no return ahead.
Serge will have a repeat of his original vision when you reach the large
doors above the dungeon. Heedless, Kid and the third party member will
press on, leaving Serge to follow in their wake. Within the room past the
doors are two uninvited but not unexpected parties: Lynx and Viper.
-- BOSS: VIPER ------------------------------
Innate: Viper (Yellow)
After the past two brutal fights, this guy is a laugh. If you lose to him, I
will have no choice but to mock you. Kid can steal a useful accessory from
him, a Stamina Ring, and you'll win a Star and a Dragoon Gauntlet.
Lynx seems a bit displeased with Viper's failure and stabs him in the
back. With friends like these.... anyway, now you get the fight the man
himself. Er, the cat. Cat-man. Whatever.
-- BOSS: LYNX -------------------------------
Innate: Lynx (Black)
He's pretty much the same nasty fellow you fought before, except now he
uses his Level Three skill to wreak havoc on your party. You might want to
give Serge an Angel Charm or White Brooch, as they prevent Anti-White, so
his skills aren't made inaccessible. Kid can steal a Pendragon Sigil B here.
Be sure to give everyone a wide variety of healing skills (Cure+3, Heal+2,
and so forth) so no one element can be blocked. It wouldn't be a bad idea to
use your summon here, if you can manage it - usually Lynx follows up an
element attack with a physical attack, so you can set the Field effect pretty
easily. Keep your HP high and defend (especially Serge) when not attacking
and this battle will be yours, along with a Star and a Pendragon Sigil B.
An odd note: this may have been a glitch, but Lynx has actually tapped into
Serge's Element Grid before. I have no idea how it happened, but early in a
battle, he used MeteorShower on me (very odd, as Lynx usually only employes
Black skills). When Serge's turn came up, his MeteorShower+1 element was
expended despite the fact that I had not used that skill. I've also seen him
snag an Uplift from Serge's grid. Handy ability...
Of course, what kind of villain would Lynx be if he was defeated that
easily? Instead he tries a psychological attack on Serge, causing a
flashback or a metaphorical vision of a cat pouncing to flash through his
brain. Lynx activates the crystal in the center of the room, which is
the same crystal that gave Serge the heebie-jeebies in the mansion before.
It does more than that this time, though - Serge not only freaks out, he
turns evil, as can be seen by his creepy expression. Serge takes charge and
decides to press the attack on Lynx.
-- BOSS: SERGE AND PARTY --------------------
Innate: Serge (White)
Others (Varied)
You'll find yourself in control of Lynx for this battle, which is
basically hopeless. Have you ever wondered what it must be like for enemies
facing a violent, dangerous gaggle of teens loaded for bear? Well, now you
know. You might notice that Lynx's HP and skills reflect Serge's
completely... that's because Serge and Lynx have switched bodies. But
don't worry about hurting your friends here; they'll kick your butt quickly
enough. Of note: this is the only battle in which Lynx has Dash&Slash as his
Level 3, as opposed to GlideHook. More trivia: it IS possible to defeat your
party in New Game+, but Serge being the good-hearted soul he is, will go over
to make sure Kid is alright after everyone's fallen, whereupon she'll use her
last bit of strength to stab him.
Once you're laying on the ground licking your wounds, "Serge" decides it
would be a good idea to put "Lynx" out of his misery. Kid, catching onto what
has happened, tries to stop him and gets stabbed in the gut instead. "Serge"
knocks the other party member unconscious and shatters the crystal, which also
causes the six dragon statues to shatter as well. Things are looking bad,
which is probably why Lynx (formerly Serge) does the usual RPG hero thing and
blacks out.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N. "TEMPORAL VORTEX"
"Where lost souls wander"
When Serge awakens after a vision of Kid and the ocean, he's stuck in
Lynx's body still. He's also trapped in some freaky Impresisonist painting.
Enemies in this Area:
- TotalChaos
Items in this Area:
- Revive [Element]
- @Mythril x3 [Component]
The chest on the left ledge can be acquired easily enough; walk to the very
top and push the boulder to the ledge below. Then head back down and walk
behind the waterfall to reach the left ledge; push the boulder again to
dislodge the other boulder below, which will free up the path to the Revive
element. You can't open the door at the bottom; however, you can trick the
occupant into opening it for you. Walk out on the tree branch to the right
and wait for a fruit to fall. As you move to get the fruit, a little person
will dart out from the door and snag the fruit. Instead of going for the
fruit, sneak into the door while the occupant is occupied.
Inside the house you will meet Sprigg, an ancient creature of the Van
Gogh painting. Or something. Climb down her ladder to reach that Save
Point, if you so desire. As you try to leave the hut, Sprigg will join
your party. She's kind of weak, but can transform into other monsters. She
becomes more useful the further into the game you get.
MY PARTY: Serge, Sprigg
With Sprigg along (don't forget to set Sprigg and Serge's elements!),
step into the tower at the peak of the waterfall. Inside you will be
drilled (not literally) by Harle. Whether or not you choose to be honest
(the top options let you say, "I am not Lynx," "I'm Serge!"), she will
change into a likeness of Serge and walk into a door. Mimic "Serge's"
actions and walk into the same door he does (albeit on a different floor
level) and you will move to the next area. If you choose different doors,
"Serge" will change into different characters and eventually you'll end up
back outside.
You may notice that Serge has new skills as Lynx. The first is Lynx's jumping
attack and the second is called FeralCats, which looks like a nightmare right
out of Ranma 1/2 and damages an entire enemy party for great damage. Despite
his new skills, Serge still uses a Swallow weapon rather than Lynx's scythe.
Now that we've done Van Gogh, let's move to Escher. The room you enter now
is physically impossible, of course, but it's certainly interesting to look
at. And speaking of interesting to look at, Harle joins your party (your
responses in the tower have no effect on her action). The switch at the top
selects which direction the platform beneath leads, left or right. Walk
behind the central pillar to the left or right to access the items here and
to reach the portal at the bottom, which leads back to Hydra Marsh in
Serge's Home dimension.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
O. "BACK FROM THE DARKNESS"
"And on with a new journey"
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Sprigg
The spot where you appear in the swamp glows momentarily with
inter-dimensional portal power, but nothing happens. As you leave the marsh,
you will pass Razzly, but she doesn't seem to care to be associated with you
(and since you look like Lynx walking around with Harle, who can blame her?).
There's nothing to do here, so head for the entrance.
If you return to Arni Village now, everyone freaks out at the sight of Lynx.
Some homecoming, eh? Poshul will give you the cold shoulder too, even if you
offer her a Heckran Bone.
Bypass Arni for now and head to the beach. Maybe you can find a clue in
Another world, right? Alas, nothing of the sort will happen; using the
medicine bag on the beach produces exactly zero results.
Go back to Arni and look for Radius, who was missing a moment before. If you
can't find him, head home and talk to Serge's mother. Radius will show up,
recognize Lynx, and challenge him to battle.
-- BOSS: RADIUS -----------------------------
Innate: (Radius) Green
Now it's payback time for that humiliating lecture at the beginning of the
game! This fight is pretty simple, so go easy on the poor old guy. Consider
it a senior citizen's discount. For your victory, you'll win a Star, a Heal
or Magnify element, and Radius will join your party.
With Radius in tow, speak to Serge's mother again. She tells a story of
something that happened 14 years ago involving Leena's father Miguel, Serge's
father Wazuki and a boat caught in a storm....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P. "TERMINA"
"Knight or day?"
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Radius
With Radius and "Lynx" as your party, the soldiers guarding the Fossil
Valley run off in fear, opening the way.
Be sure to check behind the large skull for a new window setting. The Dodo
(well, Dodos) on the ledge below don't offer anything of value, but their
fight is pretty simple since all they do is cast Trap ???? elements. Keep
attacking physically and you'll be fine. Alternately, trap Unicorn from them.
Beyond here you'll see some interesting things. For one thing, Viper's manor
is a bombed out husk. The Porre army seems to be in control here - Termina is
extremely militarized. The bridge bazaar has been replaced by cannons and
guards, and Glenn's home is occupied by Porre troops. Poor Serge; his Home
dimension sucks. You can't reach the docks in Termina, but you can do two
other things. Stop by Zappa's forge and speak with him and he will join.
You'll also receive a new Key Item called the Smith Spirit - it occupies the
top right slot on your menu and allow you to call Zappa's shop any time you're
on the world map (or in a dungeon at a Record of Fate) and want to upgrade
your weapons. Handy.
You'll also notice that times have been hard for Van's family - their mansion
is but a hovel, and Van's father is a lean, chiseled man rather than the
bloated porkpie from Another world. Speak to them a few times and Van will
join your party, after his father gives him a boomerang (yes, yet another kind
of weapon to keep upgraded!).
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Van
Be sure to stop to visit Lisa at her shop as well. She has some new
elements for you to peruse.
There's not much else to do in Termina, so go back to Lynx's manor.
You'll find the guards have moved out of the way, so you can enter the
grounds. Radius describes what has happened here. You need to find Norris,
apparently a member of the Porre army who has made his headquarters at
the manor. However, you won't be getting in through the front door, since
it's rubble. There are two ways to get there: you can descend the well in
the manor yard, or you can take the back route through the woods. The woods
have a few treasures to collect (a capsule, a mythril item and a Trap
Carnivore element), but there's at least one treasure you can't get, which is
guarded by a fellow beneath the waterfall cave. If you keep going in the
direction of the manor, you'll run into a little boy, and a Wraith, hovering
outside a hole. (This bit will look familiar if you played Nikki's path into
the manor.) Kill the wraith, and a man will pop out of the hole and give you
a rare mushroom from Guardia. Take this mushroom back to the fellow beneath
the waterfall hounding his treasure, if you want to recruit a strange mushroom
man named Funguy, and take his Forest Charm treasure.
All roads lead to Rome, ar at least a Romanesque viaduct system beneath the
manor. Climb the ledge beside the spillway in the cave beneath the well
and walk into the darkness beyond the water. You'll enter a waterway where
a few guards stand alert. You can walk across the barrel here to get to the
main section; you can also knock one of the barrels on the platforms into
the water where it will lodge into a nook, making half of a walkway.
Unfortunately, the other barrel is blocked by a soldier. Take the upper
ladder to the dungeon area of the mansion, which has not yet collapsed. The
doorway at the end of the hall houses Norris, who will be persuaded into
joining your party.
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Norris
You will automatically travel to the west docks at Termina, where you can
take control of the boat the end of the pier (the little one, not the
massive monstrosity at the bottom of the screen!). Once again, you will
open up the entire world map.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. "MARBULE"
"Village of the demi-humans"
Clockwise from the northwest, here's a breakdown of the world map.
1. Guldove (Korcha's home)
2. Earth Dragon Isle
3. Hermit's Hideaway
4. Island of the Damned
5. Dead Sea (Inaccessible)
6. Marbule (Town of demihumans)
7. El Nido Triangle
8. Water Dragon Isle
9. Gaea's Navel (inaccessible)
10. Sky Dragon Island
And on the continent:
11. Termina
12. Viper's Manor Ruins
13. The S.S. Zelbess
14. Forbidden Island
15. Pyre Shore
16. Arni Village
And not labelled:
17. Bend of Time
-- 1. GULDOVE --------------------------------
No one here wants to join the party, and Steena's hut is inaccessible.
However, the Element shop has some nice new Elements to sell. Most of these
are effect spells.
-- 2. EARTH DRAGON ISLE ---------------------
Enemies in this Area:
- Fossicker
- Rockroach
- Bomber
Items in this Area:
- @Mythril x2 [Component]
You can enter the subterranean cave here by falling into the sand at the
top. Unfortunately, there's a massive turtle blocking the path, and it won't
budge.
-- 3. HERMIT'S HIDEAWAY ---------------------
Items in this Area:
- Energizer Suit [Accessory]
- Resistance Ring [Accessory]
This is where the little cute people hang out when they're not in your active
party. If America can have the island of Hawaii, El Nido can have the island
of
Kawaii.
-- 4. ISLAND OF THE DAMNED --------------------
The enemies here are not nearly as tough now as they seemed before. You still
won't be able to make much progress though; the doors all wrap around to the
opposite side of the main room. There's another mysterious mirror here, but
nothing seems to affect it... yet.
-- 5. DEAD SEA --------------------------------
As of yet, inaccessible.
-- 6. MARBULE --------------------------------
Marbule seems nearly deserted, and ghosts are wandering around town. The guy
on the bridge offers details; it's Toma XIV, who was hanging around in Arni.
You also will notice a mermaid swim away as you approach the bridge. Stay the
night in the first hut by examining the bed. During the night, choose the
first option to get up and walk around town. Serge will have a conversation
with Toma. The mermaid, Irenes, eavesdrops and comments to herself once Serge
returns to sleep. When you leave town the next day, she hails you and mentions
that she'll meet you on the Zelbess (the ship docked to the northeast of the
main continent) and swims away.
-- 7. EL NIDO TRIANGLE -----------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Van
Enemies in this Area:
- Puffy
- Schoolmates
Items in this Area:
- @Mythril x2 [Component]
- Star Fragment [Key Item]
You can dive underwater and explore here by rowing to the center and
pressing the action key. Beneath the ocean you can walk around without air,
oddly enough, and search out treasures on the ocean floor. The pufferfish are
pretty strong, but this area shouldn't be anything you can't handle. The first
screen holds a chest with a Mythril item, and the ladder at the back leads
down to a second screen. Run left and counter-clockwise to find another chest
with Mythril and descend to the center area (with the massive throng of fish)
to acquire the area's treasure, a jewel-encrusted starfish.
-- 8. WATER DRAGON ISLE -------------------------
The ruins from Another world are here as well, but have been flooded and
are swampy. You can move from section to section by using the lilypads. No
word on why Serge can descend underwater at the Triangle area but can't
swim here (Note: surprisingly, it's actually explained later. Go figure).
There's nothing new here since the Ice Breath quest. But if you want to say hi
to yer old pal the Blue Dragon, hey - I'm not stopping you.
-- 9. GAEA'S NAVEL ----------------------------
What? Climbing the Cliffs of Insanity? That'th incontheivable!
-- 10. SKY DRAGON ISLAND ----------------------
Enemies in this Area:
- MegaStarky [BOSS]
Items in this Area:
- Our Favorite Martian [Window Theme]
If you've acquired the Star Fragment from beneath El Nido Triangle, bring it
to the treasure chest in the center of the plateau here. You will immediately
be attacked by a little green man. Er... big blue man.
-- BOSS: MEGASTARKY -------------------------
Innate: MegaStarky (White)
This guy is huge. Fortunately, he's a bit weak. He's a White elemental, but
his attacks are pretty mild. His ray gun is not much to speak of, and his
Elemental power is pretty low. However, he has a ton of HP, so it will take a
while to wear him down. You won't win a Star from this battle, but you will
get an ultra-swank and highly useful MagNegate element. Once you defeat him
in combat, catch him and choose the first option to ask him to join the
party. Speak to the man who watches guard here and you will receive a very
cool Starky-themed window set!
-- 11. TERMINA ------------------------------
Same old, same old.
-- 12. VIPER MANOR --------------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Van
You can dock here and explore the cliffs to collect some items.
Enemies in this Area:
- Gobbledegook
- LockNest
Items in this Area:
- Capsule [Consumable]
- @Mythril x5 [Component]
The top of the cliff is blocked by rubble, so don't expect to sneak in to
explore areas of the mansion here. There are no falling boulders, obviously,
but the enemies will still attack you. Unless you're in need of Mythril to
upgrade your weapons, there's nothing of value here.
You can also return to the waterway beneath the castle now. The guards are
gone, and you can knock both barrels into the water to create a path to the
floodgate at the top of the lefthand stairway. As for how to access the rest
of the area, well, it'll have to wait...
-- 13. S.S. ZELBESS -------------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Norris
Lots to do here. If you board the Zelbess after sleeping in Marbule, you'll
have more events to witness.
It seems Fargo has turned his scourge of the seven seas into a New Orleans
riverboat sort of affair. The place is "brightened" by artwork of varying
degrees of tastefulness, and festooned with posters for Nikki's concert.
It's a tourist attraction, filling the void left by Termina's militarization.
Or something.
The layout of the ship is as follows:
Top deck:
Lounge, Ticket Desk
First interior deck, right to left:
1st room - Restaurant; Miki is on the balcony here
2nd room - Locked
3rd room (up) - Fargo's cabin
4th room (down) - Casino Vegas
Second Interior Deck, left to right:
1st room - Inn & Save Point
2nd room - Stage
3rd room - Locked (Backstage)
4th room - Supply room
End door - Blocked
Third Interior Deck
Grand Slam Competition
You can explore here, but the real action starts when you visit Fargo's
cabin. You'll see a conversation between him and Irenes. They mention
Marcy, Nikki and Luccia, then Irenes leaves.
In the Casino, you can play a game of Roulette with simple enough rules.
You tell the wheel when to stop, and earn points accordingly. You begin
with 100 points (100G).
North: Double your points
East: +50 points
South: Sudden Death; you lose
West: -50 points
In the Stage room, you can watch Snef, the ugly but skillful magician,
perform various feats of magic. He suspends a woman, and then when the
heckler in the audience bugs him, turns the guy into a cat. Once he's done,
you can watch either Fat & Slim's Knife Show, or some sort of slapstick
comedy routine involving the ever-popular Peppor and Solt. It's so nice
that they found work after the mansion was shelled.
The last door on the second deck is occupied by bugmen from Marbule. The
formerly dignified chief of the village seems to have been reduced to
janitorial duty here.
-- a. THE GAMBLER ---------------------------
The guy at the end of the hall won't let you through to the Grand Slam
contest. Ask Fargo about it and he'll challenge you to a game of Sudden
Death Roulette. Follow him to the Casino Vegas and get your butt kicked.
You see, Fargo cheats like a madman, and it's impossible to beat him. Well,
unless you cheat as well.
Go downstairs to the Inn and you'll see the Inn owner climb down a ladder
and back into the Inn. His cat tries to climb the ladder, and he scolds it.
The party huddles in conference here, a realization dawning upon them. If
only they could sneak into that room above, they could probably unrig the
Roulette game.
Challenge Fargo again, but instead of heading straight to the Casino, go
back to Snef's magic show. Choose the top option and the entire party will
volunteer to participate in the magic act, which turns everyone into cats.
Run out of the Stage area and over to the Casino (you can explore the locked
room on the first interior deck as well to grab a few items as well as the
Monster Mouth window frame motif. You can also run across the rope at the top
of the crow's nest on the deck to talk to Nikki, Miki, or Irenes) and up the
ladder. You will watch the Inn proprietor spinning a giant magnet to give
Fargo a bit of a boost; when the Innkeeper sits down, steal the handle from
the machine. Now go back to Snef's show by walking through the duct in the
Stage room and he will transform you back into humans. Challenge Fargo in the
Casino and he'll lose.
Note: Here's a quick and easy way to beat the Gambling game, courtesy of Adam
Ismail (adam.ismail@utoronto.ca):
Although you can't use this against Fargo, a strategy for sure-fire
double points every round: hit pause as the wheel spins, until you get the
red end of the pin within the south-west quadrant of the wheel. Hold circle
button, and then unpause - the pin will hit north every single time. The
4th, 3rd and 2nd place prize items are useless, but 1st prize is materials
for creating Prism weapons.
If you return to Fargo's cabin, you'll see a conversation between him and
Nikki - it seems Nikki is Fargo's son. And if you talk to the pirate who
was blocking the door to the Grand Slam contest, he will let you through.
If you spoke to the Bugman earlier, you'll see him here. Go out the first
window and back in it again to catch up with him. You'll talk for a moment
and then he'll fight you.
-- BOSS: SAGE OF MARBULE --------------------
Innate: SageOfMarbule (White)
Don't underestimate this guy - even though he's equipped with Cid's Mop from
FF7, he doesn't pull any punches. He can use two Elements consecutively,
and he tends to hit you with a "Feel" spell and a counter-element for a
nasty one-two punch. I highly recommend bringing Harle to this point, as
her Lv.5 skill can provide a great deal of protection for the party. Keep
your HP high, because his Elemental power is strong. When you win you'll
get a Star and a Mythril Helmet, as well as the Fiddler Crab Key Item.
Nikki will enter the room, talk to the sage and discover that even though
he's a moody glam-rock goth, he's still special. And now, on to the Dead
Sea...
-- b. GRAND SLAM ----------------------------
At this point, you're welcome to participate in the Grand Slam competition.
It's completely optional, but what RPG would be complete without its own
ripoff of Final Fantasy VI's coliseum? This one has a cool premise, but
can be a little too hard at times. You have to play through several
consecutive rounds with monsters which you control against a party controlled
by Janice, the little girl who dominates the tournament. No monsters can be
reused; unfortunately, most of the choices you receive are pitiful, whereas
Janice receives extremely powerful monsters... it's hard!
Correction: Apparently the precise list of enemies changes and grows as you
advance into the game, based on Sprigg's Morph skill. I never used Sprigg,
so consider this an absolute minimum survival guide - the bare-bones list. If
you can win with this strategy, you should be able to win with more powerful
monsters available easily. For the covenience of those who have a much larger
list of monsters, here is what each of the characters I have listed looks
like:
THE GRAND SLAM TOURNAMENT
Here are the full details and skill sets for your monsters. Winning this
tournament is party a function of choosing the right characters, but luck fits
into it as much as anything else. Remember, if things look bad, RUN! You only
have to start the round over, not the full tournament.
Each row is progressively stronger than the last. The first row is pathetic,
and the last row is populated only by the butt-kicking Lagoonate. Use his
power
wisely.
Each character has a particular skill set. Many of these elements are familiar
by now, but a few may be new to you. CureAll, for instance, heals all allies
(do NOT use this skill if you have an undead character active, such as
CrossBones or Wraith - it will wound them). In general, the specialty skills
are simply attacks that tend to hit for about weak-to-medium damage. Remember
that you can get 2 strong attacks for 6 Stamina, or can use the Elements and
get a weaker attack for the same cost plus the added inability to defend.
Which sounds like a better idea to you? I recommend NOT using specialty skills
in most cases.
Note: None of the characters have Level 1 Elements. This chart begins at Level
2 and is structured exactly like you will see the skills on the characters'
grid for your convenience.
BeachBum - Blue creature with fins. Resembles a Nu from Chrono Trigger.
KomodoPup - The green lizards you killed for scales at Lizard Rock.
Wraith - A floating wraith who attacks with his shadowy head.
Bulb - Like an onion-headed doll.
Gobbeldegook - A round, batlike creature.
SnobGoblin - A short, fat goblin.
SnibGoblin - A taller goblin than the Goblum, with a yellowish skin tone.
CrossBones - A pirate skeleton.
CatBurglar - A large tiger-man.
Lagoonate - Blue and brawny; resembles a Mudokon from Oddworld.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTER/SKILLS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BEACHBUM ------------------------------------------------------------
CurePlus-1
AquaBall-1 AquaBall AquaBall+1
Atk. All Atk. All Atk. All Atk. All
You face a set pattern of enemies as well. Round 2 is easily the most
difficult, so this is where you want to use Lagoonate. Remember, when things
go bad, run and try again! A lot of your progress here depends on how the
enemies make their initial attack; keep trying until the odds are in your
favor.
The Taurminator is the major threat here; its charge attack can wipe out most
characters in a single blow. The pink blob won't attack unless it's the only
character left, and it hits pretty hard. Take out Taurminator first with one
of
CrossBones's instant kill attacks. You can try HellSoul+1; since it's a L.3
skill you can probably use it before Taurminator charges at all. You'll have
better success with HellSoul+2 or Inferno+1, though. If your initial attempt
fails, run away and start over. Once the boar is gone, focus your attacks on
the Gloop (because it only attacks if its the last man standing), then finish
off the Beeba as soon as you can.
Be prepared to run. The Cybot has nearly 1000 HP and uses an attack called
BeatenEarth which does massive, painful damage - it can nearly kill even the
Lagoonate. Unfortunately, there's another enemy, the SpearFisher, who attacks
almost as powerfully and much more often; getting rid of him is priority one.
Caution is the word here. Open with the Lagoonate against the SpearFisher (he
always gets 99% hits for all moves, so hit with 2 strong attacks), then
defend. Have another character attack, and switch back to Lagoonate as soon as
he gets to 7 Stamina. The less the Lagoonate is idle, the better. SpearFisher
should go down in three rounds; now focus on the Cybot in the middle. Don't
worry about losing a weak character or even two; just hammer away with your
strongest attacks and defend when necessary. Heal with CurePlus-1 if
Lagoonate's HP drops below 300. Once you get the Cybot taken care off, polish
off the Gobbledegook (which sucks - it has at least 5 times the HP of the one
in your party!). Once this round is finished, you're nearly home free.
This shouldn't be TOO hard if you can take out the AirFrame before it has a
chance to use its specialty attack, which HURTS. Hit it a few times with
Wraith to soften it up, then use HellBound+1 or HellSoul+2 (I recommend
HellBound, personally). If you fail, run and try again. If you succeed, this
round is in the bag. Use CatBurglar to pound on the Cassowary in the center,
then clean up the Cuscus, which is hardly a threat at all.
Congratulations! You've won! Hopefully this didn't take you too long; I'd like
to think my painful, frustrating hours of effort paved the way for your
success. You'll win a Stamina Belt, then a Resistance Belt, and a Dreamer's
Scarf for each round you clear. Additionally, Janice will join the party;
although her HP is very low, she's a strong (and strange) fighter and a solid
magic user, and can be a good asset to the party.
If you want to even out the odds a bit before tackling the Grand Slam, have
Sprigg finish off a few baddies in other places. TotalChaos in the Dimension
Vortex is good, and you can probably find some Cybots or other toughies in the
Bend of Time.
-- c. IRENES --------------------------------
Once you've explored the Zelbess, head to Nikki's ship by taking the platform
next to the crow's nest of the Zelbess. When you enter the dressing room,
you'll see the whole crew: Miki, Nikki, the Sage and Irenes. Everyone but
Irenes ditches for rehearsal (sheesh, it's like an ABC After-School Special or
something), and Irenes will join your party if you wish (top choice). Note: if
you don't agree to save Marbule here, there will be CONSEQUENCES. *dramatic
chord*
-- 14. FORBIDDEN ISLAND ---------------------
Such a distrustful world. The resident of the moss-covered hut here doesn't
seem to trust strangers. You can't get in, but when you leave you'll see
someone watching you depart.
-- 15. EAST COAST ---------------------------
The East Coast here still leads to Mt Pyre, which still leads to Fort
Dragonia, which you can still explore. While there are no gameplay objectives
here, the Fort has some extremely valuable Elements to acquire, so this side
trip is easily worth the effort. You could have also gone here prior to the
Zelbess, although the monsters would have wiped the floor with your sorry
hiney - and if you're not careful, they still will.
-- a. MT. PYRE -----------------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Irenes
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Radius, Janice
Enemies in this Area:
- LavaBoy
- HotDoggity
- Tourminator
Items in this Area:
- @Denadorite [Component]
- @Mythril [Component]
Not too much has changed, except that some of the new enemies are pretty
tough. Hint: don't bring Blue elemental characters (like Irenes) along unless
you want them to die pathetically. Side note: the Denadorite items are the
next step above Mythril.
-- b. FORT DRAGONIA PT. 3 ------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Radius
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Janice, Sprigg
There are some new enemies here, including an upgrade to the Roborg
called Cybots. They look the same, but they're painfully strong - their
LandHit attack can demolish a character in a single hit. The Gurgoyles and
Chamellions are pretty easy, but don't get complacent. Luckily, there are no
boss battles here, but some of the regular fights are bad enough.
The puzzles here are unchanged, so if you have any long-term recall
whatsoever, this should be a breeze. Definitely search high and low for the
Level 6 Elements here - they are exceptionally powerful and will be a great
asset to the party. The only drawback is that they can only be equipped by
someone with a compatible elemental affinity; don't expect a Red elemental to
equip Iceburg, for instance. Even so, these are definitely spells that should
not be passed up.
Once you've activated the elevator, go down rather than up. The central energy
source is active, and it looks exactly the right size to serve as an
incubator. If you picked up the egg in Fossil Valley (Another), try placing it
here. You will be greeted by a hatchling dragon who decides Serge is its
father. Draggy will join the party (top option). He's pretty strong and is
likely to have the second highest HP in the party at this point (right after
Serge), so be sure to bring him along.
-- c. FORT DRAGONIA PT. 4 ------------------
Enemies in this Area:
- None
Items in this Area:
- Nostrum x2
- Anti-Black
- Anti-White
Some very, very useful Anti-Elements are here; be sure to grab them as you
explore. There are no enemies here at all, so this section should take just a
few minutes. Activating the switch opens the transporter to the upper cell of
the Tower. However, Serge doesn't have any visions this time, nor does anyone
confront you here. There is nothing to do in the Statuary for the time being,
as the central pedestal is empty. It is a little strange to see the party
shoot
down the teleporter, I must say.
-- 16. ARNI VILLAGE ------------------------
You can dock here if you wish. Whee fun!
-- 17. WARP POINT: THE BEND OF TIME --------
This is not labelled on the map, but to activate the warp, approach the small
semi-circular set of islands to the southeast of the main continent. Press the
Action key until you find the warp point, which will take your party to a very
familiar area. At the far end of the room is a large door, but the land
octopus leaning against the light post will not allow you to enter just yet.
When I arrived here, there were 5 portals open, with space for at least 3
more. The portals don't seem to lead to other time periods, but rather to
random battles and battlefields from throughout the game. I sampled a few
battles and they start fairly easy, but seem to become progressively more
challenging. That's all that can be done here for now, but it's worth a visit,
if for nothing more than nostalgia.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R. "THE MASAMUNE"
"The blood-stained sword of evil"
After defeating the sage, you received a small crab-like Key Item. Now is the
time to use it. Boat over to the inaccessible vortex of clouds on the eastern
edge of the map and activate the crab. For whatever reason (magic, science,
plot device, etc.), this causes the clouds to part enough to reveal an
entrance
to the mist.
-- 1. BETRAYAL OF THE PAST ------------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Harle, Radius
When you arrive in the cave at the entrance to the Vortex, Radius will meet
you there if he's not already in your party. As you try to enter the cave, you
will be blocked by the power of a sword - none other than the legendary
Masamune Sword (a small note; this is the same sword from Chrono Trigger, and
in Japan it's known as the Grandleon. So if you're playing the Japanese
version, realize it's the same weapon: it was called the Grandleon in the
Japanese version of Chrono Trigger as well). Radius has a bit of a history
with the Masamune and will help you get past its angry power. The Masamune can
only be countered with another sword, the Einlanzer. To find the Einlanzer,
you're going to have to embark upon -- wait for it! -- a mini-quest.
Your first stop is at the solitary island where Razzly has taken up
residence. You may have seen Radius living here in Another world; it seems he
has an affinity for this place, because he and his comrade-in-arms/rival Garai
(Glenn's father, and a fellow with WAY too much armor) sparred here. Radius
shares a few flashbacks here, of himself and Garai practicing their skills
(and Garai winning), and of Radius finding the Masamune in Divine Dragon Falls
north of Arni. After his monologue, he gives Serge a mirror-like memento of
Garai.
And where else have you seen mirrors? Why, in the cave on the Island of the
Damned.
MY PARTY: Serge, Radius, Norris
The left mirror in the cave is your goal here; get there by passing through
the portal at the bottom of the screen, beneath the monster's ribs. Use
the Garai Memento at the mirror and you will be able to pass through to the
area beyond. Travel around to the left; ignore the empty armor there and enter
the lit cave opening in the center. Here you can view a headstone that
ominously bears the name of the members of Serge's party. The spectre of Garai
appears and shares another flashback, in which Radius was apparently overcome
by the Masamune Sword and murdered Garai in cold blood. Obviously, Garai isn't
too thrilled about this and attacks the party.
-- BOSS: GARAI ------------------------------
Innate: Garai (White)
In my opinion, this is the toughest fight yet. What is it with White
elemental enemies that makes them such bastards? Well, in this case, it
doesn't help that Serge is trapped in Lynx's Black elemental body, making him
extra weak against Garai's ferocious attacks. Make sure NOT to bring Harle
here, unless you want this fight to be even more lopsided. Zappa, Norris or
DragonChild are all recommended, as they are each strong, have good HP and
have a good resistance to Garai's attacks. He uses three different modes of
attack - a physical attack which can be used as many as three times
consecutively; an Elemental physical attack which hits hard; and a White
Element called Will Break which can kill in a single hit (especially against
Black characters). Start this battle by protecting Serge with StrongMinded -
StrongMinded+3, if you can manage it. WeakMinded and Foolish are helpful if
you can actually tag Garai with them; Anti-White would be awesome, but I
never can get it work for me. Give everyone lots of strong healing Elements
for both the party and individuals. Try to equip as many of your strong Black
attacks (FreeFall, etc.) as you can cram into your upper slots. Balance
strong attacks with as much healing as needed. It's a tough fight, but
victory will net you a Star, a Dragoon's Honor accessory and the Einlanzer
Sword needed to advance in the game.
Once you have the Einlanzer, take it back to the Masamune's cave. Radius will
strike the ground with the Einlanzer, shattering Masamune... though it sort of
sucks to see that happen after all the work that went into restoring it in
Chrono Trigger. Now you can move into the next section, a new close-up area of
the world map which appears to be an ocean, frozen solid as it raged about a
crumbling futuristic city.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S. "THE DEAD SEA"
"A place forsaken by the gods"
This is an unexpected, haunting, yet absurdly cool area. While the rest of
Serge's world seems to be at about a Victorian level of technology, this area
displays the ruins of a high-tech society trapped in a frozen, tempestuous
ocean. The goal here is to reach the center area of the vortex by running
along the frozen waves and through the passable areas (denoted by a Save Point
pyramid; these are not necessarily Save Points, though, as you can save
anywhere on the map here.
Be sure to pick up the useful Anti Elements on the map area while you can.
Your first stop will be at a destroyed highway overpass, which you must
navigate.
-- 1. HIT THE ROAD, JACK --------------------
There are two paths here: left, which leads to various treasures, and right,
which leads to the Highway Ruins - South.
To the left is a variety of treasures, including the ever-popular FreeFall
Element. Be sure to climb the ladder near the top of the area, and run beneath
overpasses whenever possible. Most of the enemies here are very passive, so
you can fight them at your discretion. When you open the chest containing
FreeFall, the ledge on which you're standing collapses, bringing you back the
start. Loop back around and head to the exit. Unfortunately, the way is
blocked by a machine of some sort.
-- BOSS: HIGHWAYMAN -------------------------
Innate: Highwayman (Black)
Highwayman looks an awful lot like Johnny (aka The Man). You remember Johnny,
right? The forefather of stupid, badly-implemented minigames that impede
progress and have little place in an RPG? Right then. Highwayman doesn't
race, just fight. Alas, he's still terribly annoying. He has one attack
that's extremely strong, and a group gas attack that causes Black status.
This is one of those battles that isn't really hard, per se, but it certainly
drags on and on due to your diminished hit accuracy.
Once you beat Highwayman, you'll receive a Star and Nimble. More importantly,
you'll be able to leave the area now and move to the next section on the World
Map.
-- 2. LINK TO THE PAST, AND FUTURE ----------
The next area to explore is the City Ruins - North. Walk along the wave crests
here to reach various items and locations.
Enemies in this Area:
- Roboducky
- Geos
Items in this Area:
- Resist Belt
- Earring of Light
- Kung-Fu Shoes
- Stamina Ring
Explore and collect here. The Kung-Fu Shoes are hidden in the bottom-most
right doorway, the door which doesn't lead to a new screen. Walk beneath the
door frame and press Action to open the hidden chest. The most important
element here is the middle left crest, which leads to a door where a single
computer monitor is still active. Norris will enter here when you press the
glowing red button and activate the monitor for you.
On screen, you will see something very familiar - a spiny alien creature. The
date A.D. 2300 should be familiar to you It seems that somehow, this frozen
city was ravaged by the Event of Lavos, despite the fact that Crono and his
friends supposedly stopped Lavos 20 years before (technically, 979 years from
Serge's time, but you know what I mean). The plot thickens....
-- 3. EYE OF THE VORTEX ---------------------
At the center of the vortex is what looks like a gothic castle but appears on
the inside to be a shopping mall. Like the rest of this area, it is ruined and
frozen.
Enemies in this Area:
- Tragedienne
- Mannequeen
- Gremlin
- Miguel [BOSS]
Be sure to explore the mall area carefully, as lots of good stuff is hidden
here. There's nothing on the ground level here (despite your feelings of
deja-vu, this is NOT the Shinra Building's lobby). Climb the central staircase
and head counterclockwise to get a Feather (weapon upgrade component). The
third level contains an elevator which will move you up and down between
floors. To the right is another weapon upgrade item, and also a separate
section. If you go into the right area, you will be halted by a gate which
demands your Station Pass. Speak to the ghost-like figure at the right front
area of the station and he'll decide it's time to catch the train, drifting
away. Check where he disappears and you'll find a Station Pass, which you can
use automatically to access the station gates and grab the HolyLight element
in the chest, and the Medical Book through the door to the left. On your way
out, get the Purify element from the chest on the lower right side.
Back in the central area, the left wall is open, leading to what appears to be
a open-air theatre in ruins. Climb down from the balcony and an apparition of
a young blonde girl in a white dress will appear and vanish. The ghosts here,
called Tragediennes, can be surprisingly tough - each ghost appears to be
robotic in nature and runs a program that casts a different spell (they
announce each spell before casting it). Some spells are weak, but others, like
Tornado, can be a real pain. A few will cast curative spells on your party,
but watch out for BlackHole, a powerful Black skill that apparently can cause
an instant death attack. I've noticed that the Tragediennes announce their
skills in the order in which they're listed (Tragedienne A, B, C, D), so start
by whacking the Ghost with the Most (most powerful skills, that is). Also, the
second Tragedienne to announce her skills seems to be the last to go, so you
might want to wait until you encounter a group whose second member has a good
Trappable skill like Volcano or BlackHole and keep that Tragedienne alive
until she uses her skill, allowing you to up your tally of nifty high-end
Elements.
There seems to be a small, overgrown stage area here with what appears to be a
sword in the middle. Grab the sword and move to the left area, where you will
see an apparition of a purple-haired girl who runs to the right. Grab the
upgrade items and the Forget spell here and climb the collapsed rubble to the
door at the upper-right.
When you enter the next room, you'll see a number of ghosts standing about.
One of them is a boy with spiky red hair (see a pattern forming here?) who
leaps into a vortex at the back of the room. Take the Diminish spell on the
left platform and follow the boy.
You may wish to save your game at the Record of Fate here. Right above the
Record of Fate is a small chamber that, as you may have guessed, will recover
your HP and status... but you'll still be hungry (grumble). Also, grab the
HellBound element and Screwy Dress armor if you wish.
Finally, you encounter the three spirits who led you here. Speak to the boy
and Jacob Marley will appear. OK, actually, it's not Marley, it's Miguel, the
man whom Marge mentioned before (he's Leena's father, if you recall). He
steps out from behind the ruins of a familiar looking bell and describes a
"Time Crash." Is time being kompressed? Kurses! It kould be. And, as is
kustomary in most RPGs, Miguel greets you with an invitation to kombat.
-- BOSS: MIGUEL -----------------------------
Innate: Miguel (White)
Miguel is another of those darned White Element guys, although he fortunately
isn't as tough as Garai. This will still be a challenge, though. Like the
Marbule Sage, he can use two Elements consecutively, although he relies
mainly on White element attacks. His physical power isn't anything to worry
about, but when his HP gets low he uses Holy, a painfully powerful group
attack. Many of his attacks inflict White status as a secondary
consideration, which can diminish your combat effectiveness. Be sure to
protect Serge with StrongMinded as soon as possible, and keep everyone's HP
high. Equip skills besides just Black attacks - Miguel is pretty handy with
his Anti-Black spell. Turnabout is fair play; if you have Trap HolyLight, you
can make your own life much easier by using it. Just be very, very careful:
when he casts WeakMinded, he's about to follow up with his HolyDragonSword
attack, which will probably kill whomever it hits. Get that person's HP maxed
as soon as you see WeakMinded used!
When you win, you will receive both a Star and a Dreamer's Scarf accessory,
and Miguel mentions that 1999 is the Year of Lavos. It seems Miguel has been
waiting 14 years for the arrival of Serge, the "Trigger" who is to be the
cause of the world's destruction. With Miguel's death, the Vortex begins to
collapse - Serge and party are fortuitously rescued by a white dragon, who
wings them to safety as the vortex explodes.
The Dragon leaves, and Serge and co. return to their boat. You can boat into
the former vortex area, which is just water now. There are three hotspots
here, but when you pass over them, your second party member mentions Wormholes
and you automatically leave.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T. "A PORTAL REOPENED"
"And the planet began to shake"
With the clearing of the Vortex, Serge again regains the ability to warp
between dimensions. Go back to the beach and use the Astral Amulet - with the
Time Crash cleared and Miguel dead, it works again.
When you arrive at the beach in Another world, you are greeted by the sight of
a kid fleeing from Lynx's shadow cats. He's even more freaked out when he
sees "Lynx," but the cats get confused and leave. Arni is now mostly
deserted, and the West half is blocked off. Seems things have changed...
especially when you hear "Serge" has been leading an uprising of monsters in
El Nido.
The Divine Dragon Falls, where Radius found the Masamune back Home, is now
open and people are seeking "Power Spots." There's a shrine or something at
the west end of the cave with flickering candelabras, but nothing seems to
affect it at the moment.
The Pass through the Fossil Valley can no longer simply be passed through;
you'll have to fight your way through. There are no new treasures here,
although shadow cats and little wizard guys have replaced the pigs and
birds. If you bring Draggy along, and go north one screen, you can get his
Level 7 skill, BigBreath.
Items in this Area:
- BigBreath [Element]
Enemies in this Area:
- ShadowCats
- TutanShaman
When you reach the other side, you'll find Lynx's mansion has been seized
by Porre soldiers - just like Home. You won't be able to enter, and even if
you sneak in through the back way you can't get in the front door. Instead, go
to Termina, which is becoming militarized by those Porre jerks.
If you visit Zappa, you'll find him being threatened by some guards, although
they turn yellow when he actually gives them a baleful look of death. Glenn's
house is occupied by soliders as well. About the only place that isn't
crawling with troops is the bar, where the owner calls you into the back room.
There, Guile is waiting for you; talk to him, then examine the back wall to
find a hidden room where Karsh and Zoah are waiting. They'll describe the
events which transpired immediately after Serge switched bodies and returned
Home - Lynx vanished with Kid, and they found Viper wounded. They give Serge
the shattered Dragon Crystal, now called the Tear of Hate, and you are given a
choice of allies - either Karsh or Zoah will accompany you. Both are great
assets; Karsh has tons of HP, and Zoah is a bruiser in terms of sheer hitting
power. There's no branch here - the events are the same no matter who goes
with
you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U. "BACK TO VIPER MANOR"
"A captive audience awaits"
MY PARTY: Serge, Karsh, Janice
When you leave town, you'll see Norris (from Another world, not Home) talk to
the soliders at the entrance. You now have access to the mansion. Step inside
with Karsh; when you enter the building, you will see Riddel being taken
captive to the dungeon. Your goal is to rescue her.
Of course, you can't just grab her and go. Go left and enter the second door
to meet Norris; after coming to grips with "Lynx's" identity, he gives the
party a key to the sewer grate. At this point, a solider will also somehow
turn the chef Orcha into a blue Orcha, which is pretty weird; apparently, he's
evil. Dare I say... smurfily evil?
Go downstairs and examine the grating on the floor outside the kitchen. It
will open, and you will enter the sewer area. You've explored parts of this
area to reach Norris at Home, but now you're entering from the upper left area
and are trying to sneak into a different place altogether. The water flow up
here is really fast and will knock you down to the lower level, to the area
you've seen before. Knock the two free-standing barrels on the platforms into
the water to create a path to the left staircase. Turn the valve in the
chamber up the stairs to close the spillway and slow the water flow that was
too fast to navigate.
While you're down here, you can take the southeast exit to reach the forest
entrance to the waterway. The path into the tree-root cave is blocked by a
grating, but if you hit the grating the insect sleeping on the treasure chest
right outside will freak out, knocking the chest to the lower level. You can
find this chest later by traveling through the woods or the well to get a
Deluge Element.
Once that's accomplished, go up the ladder against the back wall in the lower
level. You will arrive right outside the dungeon; run back to the grate that
you opened before and climb back down to the sewers. You'll be able to cross
the water flow now, which leads you to the right-hand section of the sewers.
Head up and around; leave the screen at the top-right to find a valve which
controls another floodgate, this one on the lower level. Turn it so the lower
path is unobstructed and run back around to the previous area. Head to the
center section to open another gate, which will let you run to the lower level
of the right screen through the water. Once on the right screen, walk up the
ladder and to the lower right. Go past the second floodgate that you opened
and climb the ladder to reach the valve again; turn it so the lower path is
blocked and the upper path is unobstructed. You're almost home-free, but first
you have to take care of a nasty, enormous insect that ambushes you.
-- BOSS: ROACHSTER --------------------------
Innate: Roachster (Blue)
The bug in and of itself is not terribly strong, but its little larvae are
nestled on its back and will attack in a swarm, hitting either the group or
an individual for big damage. All your Red elements work really well here; if
you have a Red character, be sure to protect him or her with StrongMinded or
HiRes Defeating the insect and its brood will net you a Star and an Elbow
Pad, in case you have a need to go skating sometime soon.
Behind the battlefield, you'll find three ladders leading up. The left ladder
leads to a cell where Glenn is being held, but he's sleeping like a rock and
won't respond to you. (Note: this is only true if Glenn was not in your party;
if you recruited Glenn, you'll find him at his home in Termina.) The middle
cell contains an old man who completely freaks out when you try to get
through. And the right cell has a cot where Fargo is taking a nap. Banging on
the grate beneath his cot wakes him up and he lets you in. Then he breaks out
of the cell, frees everyone, and beats the thunder out of the guards... not
bad for an old guy.
Save at the Record of Fate here and enter the door at the far right; you will
see Riddel, being interrogated in a less than kindly fashion by Blue Orcha.
The party busts in and decides to save her, but the giant culinary smurf seems
to have other ideas.
-- BOSS: HELL'S COOK ------------------------
Innate: Hell'sCook (Blue)
Despite being blue, this guy is a Red element. He's a bit of a pushover, too,
as he uses no attacks you haven't seen before. The only real surprise he has
is a move called SpiceOfLife, which restores about 175 HP. You'll win a Star
and a Gold Pendant for your troubles.
The soldiers run off like the lily-liver wuss-buckets that they are. Orcha
joins the party now that he's back to a healthy tan flesh tone. Riddel says
thanks and heads out of the mansion; unfortunately, the place is crawling with
soliders now. If you go left, they'll block the way to the lower levels; if
you go right, they'll do the same. In the main chamber beyond the double doors
at the back of the entrance, you will be confronted by several soldiers. When
you take them down, Grobyc (a mercenary cyborg) joins the fray.
-- BOSS: GROBYC -----------------------------
Innate: Grobyc (Black)
Grobyc isn't too terribly difficult; I'd put him at about Orcha's power
level, or perhaps slightly better. Be very careful when his HP goes critical
though; he uses a nasty Element called "Vigora" that seems to give him
double Stamina - he hit one of my characters 8 times consecutively, until
she went down. He also can use a silly but dangerous group attack called
HairCutter as well as a tough single attack. Your victory will be rewarded
with another Star, and a Defender accessory.
But wait, there's more! When Grobyc is defeated, the last soldier standing
activates the mecha standing guard at the right door (it's no longer a bronze
golem).
-- BOSS: GUILLOT ----------------------------
Innate: Guillot (Yellow)
This is a pretty easy fight. The Guillot has a tough Yellow attack, but it's
nothing to worry about if you don't have any Green characters. Just pound it
with strong attacks; if you've brought Karsh (or Zoah), use NinetyNine to
boost his hit accuracy and use 6 Stamina Points at a time for strong attacks,
then defend and attack again as soon as his Stamina reaches 7. Unfortunately,
you're going to have a Final Fantasy VIII flashback here - the mech won't
stop. Serge and his allies run across the bridge to the library with the mech
on their heels. Trapped on the balcony (geez, Serge completely forgot about
that switch...), you'll fight again. When you stun the mech again, the
Prophet reminds you of the switch. Hit it and climb the ladder.
The mecha leaps to the chandelier, but Grobyc enters and cuts it loose,
allowing the party to make their escape through the stained glass window (a
Chrono tradition, it seems) and into the stables. The stable keeper lets
loose the dragons, allow Grobyc to catch up and the party to make its escape
from the manor. Shock: Grobyc joins the party if you want (and you want, he's
a tough sonnuva biscuit).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
V. "SURPRISE ATTACK!"
"Pursuers with heavy hearts"
You have a lot of freedom now, because you've managed to acquire a boat during
your escape. There are a number of places to go now, as well as some places
that can't be explored.
The island where Radius has made his home in this world is now playing host to
some guests: Riddel, Marcy, Viper and Zoah or Karsh (the character you did
NOT choose in Termina). Speak to Marcy, who apologizes for her rudeness
toward Serge before (he tousles her hair by way of acceptance, which is
something I've never seen in a video game before). Speak to Riddel and she
will join your party; but as soon as she does, the island shakes violently.
Viper wakes up and Serge rushes outside when he hears Kid's voice, despite
Riddel's word of caution.
Kid seems not to realize that Lynx and Serge have switched bodies, and
prepares to attack the party. Her attitude is especially puzzling, as she
turns out to be in the company of Lynx, who has decked Serge's body in a
really tacky-looking approximation of his old dress uniform. The inevitable
fight is delayed, though, when Fargo swoops down and saves the day on that
bird you fought a long time ago, snatching Serge's party from the grasp of
Lynx and Kid.
The party arrives at Zelbess, and Serge's thoughts turn to his memories of
Kid. He seems a little bummed that she basically hates his guts now. And
Harle seems a little bummed that he's bummed. But first things first; go
inside the Zelbess and you'll have a serious Suikoden moment as no less than
four characters join Serge's entourage: Marcy, Viper, Fargo and Zoah/Karsh
(that is to say, the one you didn't choose to take along before).
Unfortunately, you'll also lose a character here - Harle seems torn after
the confrontation between Serge, Kid and Lynx, and despite the best efforts of
Starky to console her, she leaves the party for good (be sure to unequip her
first if she has anything good, as she takes it with her). She'll still leave
your party if you're sans Starky, although they won't have the same tearful
exchange - she simply calls herself a fool, and dematerializes in her
archetypal Harle way. If you return to the Zelbess now, you can pick up Pip,
who's in the hold. Also, if you missed NeoFio before, you can head to Viper
Manor and get her now - remember to put Norris in your party to bypass the
gate
sentries.
-- 2. GULDOVE (ANOTHER) -----------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Norris, Janice
Enemies in this Area:
- Orlha
Items in this Area:
- Blue Brooch (Key Item)
When you visit Guldove, you'll see Orlha single-handedly fighting off a bunch
of Porre soldiers. When one of the soliders recognizes Serge as "Lynx," she
assumes Serge is in cahoots with the soliders and attacks.
-- BOSS: ORLHA ------------------------------
Innate: Orlha (Blue)
This is one tough chick - don't let the pigtails fool you! She has some
powerful physical attacks, and some pretty strong Blue elements as well. When
her HP gets critical, she uses Iceburg, as well as drunken technique martial
arts. When you defeat her, the soldier discovers Serge isn't Lynx and heads
for the hills, while the party takes Orlha to see Doc. She revives and gives
Serge a brooch (key item), promising she'll join his party once he returns to
his true form.
While you're in Guldove, be sure to visit Steena. If you show the broken
crystal you received from Zoah and Karsh in Termina, she will give you an
amulet with 6 slots (key item) - it looks rather like the Dragon Statue room
at the peak of the mysterious dungeon.
-- 3. ISLE OF THE DAMNED (ANOTHER) --------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Janice, Grobyc
If you use Garai's Memento at the left mirror, you'll discover Peppor and Solt
trapped inside - they call Karsh's name. Bring Karsh into the dungeon and
you'll be able to pass through the mirror with the amulet.
As with the Garai quest, enter the cave in the center of the next room. Peppor
and Solt will initiate a flashback involving Dario, Karsh, Riddel and Dario's
little brother, Glenn (OK, is this sufficient proof that Glenn is NOT Frog?).
In days past, Riddel seemed to have been friends with all three, though she
favored Dario the most. Apparently, Karsh was overcome by jealousy and
murdered Dario in the pretext of the searching the Isle of the Damned for the
Masamune - what is it with this family and being backstabbed in relation to
Masamune? Watch out, Glenn - you're probably next! Seemingly incensed at
Karsh's trechery, Peppor and Solt attack. Again.
BATTLE: PEPPOR AND SOLT
Innate: Peppor (Yellow)
Solt (Yellow)
As always, these guys are total jokes. Put them down quickly and cleanly.
You'll receive a couple of Denodoro items for upgrading weapons as well as a
Axiomatic element for Karsh. You'll also receive a key item, the Memento
Pendant which once belonged to Dario.
- Ancient Fruit [Key Item]
- Upgrade Item x4
- Good Spine [Key Item]
- Pendragon Sigil B [Accessory]
- Tablet [Consumable]
- Life Sparkle [Key Item]
You'll finally be able to make some progress into this version of the Hydra
Marsh, at long last. You'll notice now that there are monsters on the giant
fungal stalks to the left of the swamp, some of which are picking on a
Beeba-Beeba. As much as you may hate those guys after the battle in the Home
marsh, you should be a Good Samaritan here and help the little guy. You'll
fight two SnobGoblins and a SnibGoblin, simple enough, and the Beeba will give
you a cactus of some sort (key item).
The large platform at the top has a huge hole in it now. Leap in and you'll
come to the little room where you may have met the Pentapus before. Now
there's just a little dwarf here, who summons the skeleton of a Hydra to fight
you.
-- BOSS: DEHYDRATE --------------------------
Innate: DeHydrate (Black)
This fight is so easy I almost shouldn't list it separately. It's similar to
the previous Hydra battles, except that the zombie version is a Black element
and spends the whole battle casting Gravitonne. Sadly for it, your defense
should be so high by now that you'll suffer only single-digit damage (and
zero counts as a single digit!). Just kill it as quickly as you can and
receive an accessory and a L.5 White Element that can be given to someone
you'll recruit later; it allows her to summon a Hydra in battle to attack the
enemy. Be sure to check out the small alcove on this screen after the battle
for a Pendragon Sigil B accessory.
Everything else is similar to the way it was before, except that there's no
big battle at the end - just some SnobGoblins who fight you for possession of
a chest holding a flower, called a Life Sparkle. The Life Sparkle can be used
at Another Viper Manor in the upper pool to awaken NeoFio, but first you have
to be able to get into the Manor, which requires Norris in your party. While
you're in the swamp, be sure to check inside one of the caves for a spine for
Skelly - now you just need some hips, and he should be good to go.
You can climb into the ruins here. Enter the front of the mansion and look
slightly above the main entrance to the rubble. You should see a soldier
standing on the wall. Find the hidden path to reach him through the rubble.
You can walk past him and climb into the waterway beneath the mansion now.
Note: you NEED to do this now, because if you wait until after you trigger the
event which causes the Manor to be reconstructed, you'll be unable to access
this area.
To the immediate right at the back of the area is a chest with a Revive
Element in it. These are rare and precious, so be sure to grab it. Explore a
bit more to find other items. As a trivial side note, you can use the dungeon
key that Norris gave you in Another world to open the cells in the dungeon
here. Exit through the passage to the tree-root cave that leads to the eastern
woods. When you come to the area that had the stream of bugs that you blocked
with a boulder in Another world, run to the right bottom corner of the area
directly to the right of the hole where the bugs were running. You will scare
another insect, which will hop into the hole and scare a fellow who was
looking for mushroom inside, if you missed defeating the Wraith and getting
the mushroom before. He'll give you the mushroom; now take the fungus to the
man in the waterfall cave outside in the woods (there should be several
Cassowaries walking around here). The man will turn into a bizarre mushroom
man; he gets pissed that you caused him to change (darrr, didn't HE choose to
eat a mysterious mushroom?) and decides to tag along until you can change him
back.
-- 6. FORBIDDEN ISLAND (HOME) ---------------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Grobyc, Riddel
Enemies in this Area:
- Dario [BOSS]
Items in this Area:
- Mastermune [Weapon]
The tiny island with a hut hidden in the woods houses Peppor and Solt in
Another world, but here you'll find an unexpected resident if you bring
Riddel: Dario, Glenn's brother. You'll also witness a flashback that shows
exactly what happened when Karsh "backstabbed" Dario; Karsh was acting in
self-defense. Like Radius, Dario was overwhelmed by the Masamune and attacked
Karsh. Unlike Garai, Karsh defended and persevered. Enigmatically, Lynx (the
real Lynx) took the Masamune sword for himself after this event. However, it
seems Dario is back, and possessed by the Masamune once more after the
Masamune's apparent demise at the Dead Sea.
Note: You must have battled Peppor and Solt at the Isle of the Damned and
earned the Memento Pendant, which Riddel will use to jog Dario's memories.
Also, if you're having trouble finding this island, it's NOT the same as
Hermit's Hideaway (that's what it says "Forbidden Island" rather than
"Hermit's Hideaway" above). This small island is contained in a small cove on
the eastern portion of the island's north side and therefore is west of
Hermit's Hideaway. It's where the S.S. Zelbess was anchored when you first
began sailing about Home world.
-- BOSS: DARIO ------------------------------
Innate: Dario (White)
This is one heck of a battle. Easily one of the most challenging opponents
I've ever faced in an RPG. Dario kinda reminds me of that "offensively and
defensively perfect" Angel from Evangelion - he hits extremely hard (in fact,
he has Glenn's skill Dash&Gash, which can kill almost anyone in a single
strike), and attacks once per round. To make matters worse, his physical
defense is high, but if you attack with an Element he counters automatically
with a counter-Element. It's not too bad if you use Red or Blue, but if you
hit him with a White element, you can expect to die from his counter. And if
you hit him with Black elements, he simply absorbs it and heals himself with
RecoverAll. To make matters worse, one of your characters HAS to be Riddel,
who is totally vulnerable to Black attacks (Dario's elemental affiliation).
He CAN be beaten... but not easily. I recommend a party of Serge, Riddel and
Grobyc, since Grobyc has very high HP and defense and is a Black elemental
himself. Use physical attacks and defend, defend, defend. Spread your Revive
Elements out among the party members. Give lots of healing Elements to
Riddel, as her physical attacks are almost completely ineffectual. Do NOT
attack with Elements. Caution is the word of the day here. His pattern is
easy to determine (Attack, Dash&Gash, Attack, SonicSword, repeat), but still
very difficult to survive.
Another strategy is to wait until you can equip L.8 Elements and use the
*Saints summon (have everyone cast L.1 Purify immediately after he uses Sword
Sonic to change the Field Effect to all-white without activating his
counter-attack) - not only does it heal your party for 999, I dealt Dario
1500+ HP in one shot, which took him nearly to critical status. The best part
is that *Saints doesn't count as an Element, so he won't counter-attack!
[A third strategy, courtesy of Eric Oei: apparently, you can steal an armor
item from the Black Dragon (see below) which absorbs Black Elements, like the
colored Plate armors in Chrono Trigger. Equipping this on a character will
cause Dario's strikes and counter-attack to heal the equipped character
rather than hurting him/her. Give this armor to Serge and have him pound
Dario with his strongest White Elements! This is extremely effective, and
while sorta cheap, this is a fight I don't feel bad about fighting dirtily.
Also, you only have to defeat the Black Dragon with this technique, which
means you'll have the Mastermune through the rest of the game afterwards.
Once Harle is out of your party you're good to go.]
PLEASE NOTE: I am not interested in any further "super effective" Dario
strategies. I get several a day, and none of them are more effective than
the Black Plate technique. Please stop sending them to me - I will not print
them.
When you defeat Dario, you'll receive a Weapon. Masa and Mune (aka Gran and
Leon in the Japanese game), the spirits of the Masamune, declare Serge a
warrior with a heart pure enough to wield the Masamune and team up with
Doreen, their sister. Serge's Sea Swallow becomes the Mastermune (making him
even MORE grossly overpowered compared to the rest of the party than he
already was). Dario returns with the party to the ruins of Lynx's manor and
decides to rebuild it. At this point, Riddel receives her L.7 skill which can
be equipped for future use.
A small note about the Mastermune, since I'm a geek and find this sort of
thing interesting: the Japanese name for Mastermune was "Grand Dream," which
was a play on the sword's original name, "Grandleon." Like Masamune, Grandleon
was named after the little guys who transform into the weapon (Gran and Leon)
- but unlike Mastermune, so was Grand Dream. Since Doreen and Dream are
written quite similarly in Japanese (doriin, doriimu) the weapon's name
reflected the addition of the new spirit. Just another fun fact from your
friendly neighborhood FAQ dork!
-- 7. SKY DRAGON ISLAND --------------------------
A massive white dragon is here, and tells you to collect a bunch of stuff. Or
something. Looks like he's talking about the Elemental colors to me. That
should be your cue... You can actually start collecting as soon as you return
from the Sea of Eden, but since the Dragon God battles tend to be tough, I
prefer to tackle some side quests first.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
W. "TO THE SEA OF EDEN"
"Through the hidden holes of time"
Now you need to hunt down and defeat 6 elemental dragons. This is an almost
pleasantly retro quest, reminiscent of the old days. You whippersnappers
better appreciate it!
These can be done in almost any order; only the White Dragon needs to be
approached last. Bear in mind that these dragons are named for the Elements
they represent; plan your party and equipment/Elements accordingly. Each
victory rewards you with three items: A Level 8/0 summon (which you won't be
able to use yet), a Star, and an elemental crest. You can also steal a piece
of Plate armor from each beastie if you bring along Fargo (to have Fargo,
you'll need to tackle the Black Dragon first - remember, just 'cause I list
stuff in a certain order doesn't make that the best order to proceed). And
remember: these guys absorb like Elements - Red elements won't hurt the Red
Dragon, but rather will heal him.
-- 1. THE RED DRAGON ------------------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Fargo, Karsh
Items in this Area:
- Pendragon Sigil A [Accessory]
- Poultice Cap [Accessory]
- *Salamander [Summon]
- Red Relic [Key Item]
- MagmaBomb [Element]
To find the Red Dragon, return to the Fire Cave in Another world. You'll
notice that the exit leading to FortDragoniahas collapsed, the path now
blocked by rubble. Your goal is not to pass through the cave, but to find your
way inside. This will be far easier if you acquired the Ice Breath earlier in
the game, but it's still quite feasible without it. Just bring lots of
curative items...
On the second screen into the cave, walk right and into the cave where magma
flows down and to the right. Dodge the CatBurglar and run to the down flow
(not the one headed right; it will lead back out of the cave). Turn a sharp
right here and run through the tunnel and to the back of the screen to the
exit. Run beneath the arch to the back passage. Here you'll find a large,
empty room where Salamander, an enormous fire creature, resides. But
Salamander isn't the Red Dragon - instead, you need to talk to the little guy
walking around with a pike. Speak to him and he'll challenge you to a fight.
-- BOSS: FIRE DRAGON ------------------------
Innate: FireDragon (Red)
This is a bit deceptive. The Fire Dragon seems like a pushover, as he's
almost exactly like the little Mini Dragon you fought on the way to Fort
Dragonia. However, don't blow your best Blue Elements just yet - once you've
inflicted a certain amount of damage on the dragon, it transforms into the
REAL Fire Dragon. The attacks he uses are basically pumped up versions of his
previous attacks (including attacks that hit all characters); be cautious and
heal when necessary. There are no real tricks here aside from the need to
play it safe if you bring a Blue-affinity character (keep his/her HP above
200 as much as possible), so it shouldn't be hard to win a Star, *Salamander
summon and the Red Relic.
As you return to the exit, be aware that the lava flow in the room next to the
Red Dragon's room CAN be climbed. Be sure to grab the two accessories before
you leave! Also, if you explore this same area in the Home world, you can find
a few Elements of varying value.
Inceidentally, you may be wondering how you're supposed to use a L.8/0 Summon
when you have no L.8 grid slots. Patience, young Jedi. You will have the
opportunity eventually.
You may have spoken to the Blue Dragon before, but now you need to return and
duke it out with him. Go to the Water Dragon Isle in the Home world and
descend to the lowest level. You'll notice two Sidesteppas down there, one of
which is blocking the way (one of these guys was the dungeon boss in the demo
- I had wondered when they would show up). Battle it and speak to the Blue
Dragon. He'll ask you what you wish - tell him you desire his blessing and he
will fight you.
-- BOSS: WATER DRAGON -----------------------
Innate: WaterDragon (Blue)
The Blue Dragon uses mostly Blue group attacks (surprise!). Its Ice Breath
skill is pretty weak, but watch for Iceburg, which can do significant damage.
You're better off not bringing Red Elements here - just load up your other
characters with Red skills. If you have Glenn, bring him along - his X-Strike
Tech with Serge is a Red-affinity skill which does major hurtin' the Dragon.
Again, the strategies you used with the Red Dragon should be adequate here
(but with Elements reversed, of course). You'll win a Star, the *BlueWhale
Summon and a Blue Relic for your victory.
To find the Yellow Dragon, return to the Sand Cave to the northwest of Elnid
in the Home dimension. You couldn't get past the turtle here before, but now
it has moved, opening the area beyond the sand falls. In this room, you'll see
one hole and three geysers. The hole is located right next to the ledge you
want to reach; using video game logic, you can deduce that by blocking the
geysers, the pressure will be forced to blow through the hole and enable you
to reach the ledge.
To block the holes, you must defeat the three giant turtles here. The one on
the lower level is easy; just defeat it, then examine the shell to push it
over the geyser. The turtle on the upper left is a little trickier; fight it
while it's stading on the ledge overlooking the geyser, or you won't be able
to push it off. The final turtle is at the upper right of the room, but it
will neither budge nor fight. Luckily, you have a stick of dynamite (has
anyone noticed how much wanton cruelty to animals is in this game?); set the
dynamite by the turtle, and it will launch itself onto the last geyser. Jump
into the now-geysering hole in the center of the area to reach the ledge above
and meet the Yellow Dragon. The Dragon appears to be out of the office, but
actually it's up above you and will come down to play when you examine the
sand
area.
-- BOSS: EARTH DRAGON -----------------------
Innate: Yellow Dragon (Yellow)
I really recommend bringing Karsh here. Although his Green nature will cause
him to suffer more damage from the Dragon's Yellow attacks, his HP are high
enough that he should be fine, and the added punch he gives green attacks are
well worth the risk. If you have acquired the Axiomatic Element, stick it in
Karsh's L.7 slot for some serious power. Watch for Yellow status - you may
want to equip lots of Brace elements just in case. Victory will earn you
the usual Star, summon and Relic.
You can also reach the Dragon's room in Another World now as well, but you
will be faced with a sphinx-like creature that asks you riddles involving
elements. If you make the wrong choices, he hits you with Earthquake.
Sometimes he hits you with consecutive Yellow Elements like Earthquake and
ThundaBullet, which will kill you outright (unless of course you stole the
Yellow Plate from the Yellow Dragon, which means all but one of your
characters
will be killed outright).
-- BOSS: CRIOSPHINX -------------------------
Innate: CrioSphinx
Really, this is a simple fight if you know what to do. Defend the first round
and your Element meter will automatically rise to maximum. After that, he
begins asking you about certain Elements. Respond properly and he'll move to
the next question. The order is set, and goes like this:
YELLOW, RED, GREEN, BLUE, BLACK, WHITE
When you answer each question correctly, he disappears, and you receive no
items. Of course, you can also choose to fight him - in which case you'll be
rewarded with a special item called Sunglasses, which boost your party's
attack power. However, it won't be easy to win; you'll have to weather
incredibly powerful attacks each round, and inflict 13,000 HP worth of damage
in less than six rounds. This is probably a job for New Game+...
-- 4. THE BLACK DRAGON ----------------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Grobyc, Fargo
Enemies in this Area:
- Lagoonate
- Black Dragon [BOSS]
Items in this Area:
- *GrimReaper [Summon]
- Black Relic
Now it gets a little tricky. You've probably seen the Black Dragon already,
sleeping contentedly in Another Marbule. But how to wake him up? That's the
trick. If you're like me, you'll stumble onto it completely by accident.
[NOTE: It seems that if Harle is in your party when you meet the Black
Dragon, he'll simply wake up and give you the Crest. I recommend fighting,
because you can Pilfer a great, and frankly necessary, item from him... Also,
if you skip the Black Dragon, it never leaves its cave, which means you can
never acquire the Master Hammer! Thanks to CB! for this dire warning.]
Before you can undertake this quest, I believe you need to have completed the
events on the S.S. Zelbess (see above), the Home version of the S.S.
Invincible. Once that is completed, you may proceed.
First, take the Fargo from your party to meet Home's Fargo. Another Fargo
berates his counterpart for being such a crummy dad and for being such a
self-absorbed wuss (I guess Nikki's goth habits are inherited). The Zelbess
will automatically travel to Marbule where you'll see a hilarious 70s-style
rock opera performance by Nikki and his entourage. Yeah, baby, yeah! Once this
is over, you get treated to Nikki's endless, looping cheez rawk as you travel
to Marbule and fight the Lagoonates, which are no longer ghost-like. Fargo
also acquires his innate L.7 Element Invincible, which he can equip.
Ash and Toma XIV meet you at the entrance to the town. You can then dispatch
the Lagoonates one by one. Apparently the horrid hair metal weakens them,
allowing you to clear them out. Once you've finished, you'll hear a growl
indicating someone, somewhere is displeased.
At this point, you're free to do as you wish. I recommend stopping aboard the
Zelbess; if you speak to Miki in the restaurant, she will join the party.
Eventually, you'll want to return to Another world and speak to the Black
Dragon at Marbule. It wakes up and fights you.
-- BOSS: BLACK DRAGON -----------------------
Innate: Black Dragon (Black)
This can be tough. For one thing, it auto-counters White Elements with
Anti-White. It also uses a group attack called GravityBomb, which works
almost exactly like Gravija from FFVIII - it hits you for about 3/4 your
current HP. It ALSO uses SealAll, which causes everyone to lose access to ALL
of their Element skills. You can equip the Angel Charm accessory to prevent
Anti-White, but even the Charm can't prevent being struck by SealAll. In any
case, keeping your HP high is imperative, even for Grobyc. When you win,
you'll get a Star, a summon called *GrimReaper, and the Black Relic. And for
the love of all that's good, don't forget to steal the Black Plate!
-- 5. THE GREEN DRAGON ----------------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Fargo, Riddel
By far the most complex Dragon to reach is the Green Dragon. First, visit
Hydra Marsh in Another world if you have not already acquired the cactus and
flower there. Now travel to the Home Hydra Marsh and climb the fungal stalk to
the left once more. That stupid Beeba-Beeba is blocking the way again and
challenges you to a fight. The difference is that this time you can kick his
miserable butt and not have to deal with another annoying protracted battle.
Once you've clobbered him, he gives you an Ancient Fruit (if you don't already
have one) and tells you how to summon a Wingapede to take you to Gaea's Navel.
Talk to the Beeba-Beeba just beyond here and to the right; right next to him
is where you need to stand to call the Wingapede. Summon the bug by blowing
the Beeba Flute you got long ago (while standing next to the Beeba-Beeba at
the edge of the stalk). It will take you to Gaea's Navel, the southwest island
which has been inaccessible all along.
- @Denadorite x5 [Component]
- Green Brooch [Accessory]
- *Genie [Summon]
- Green Relic [Key Item]
When you arrive, you'll discover a primitive-looking forest which is rather
reminiscent of some of the 65,000,000 B.C. areas of Chrono Trigger. And in
keeping with the prehistoric theme, a young girl clad in animal skins, named
Leah, will join you as a temporary member. Put her in your party - she's only
six, but she kicks so much butt it's hilarious. Also, make note of where you
arrive - that exact spot is the point from which you'll leave as well. And I
do mean EXACT.
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Leah, Fargo
You can go either left or right here; either way the woods wrap around. If you
go left, though, you'll follow along some large footprints. Be sure to check
high and low for items; you can climb into trees and down into the ravine
using vines. Watch for the little tribesmen - they cast a variety of status
ailments on you, including the ever-annoying Berserk. Your objective here is
to kill the three Pterodacts, perched conveniently out of the way in the
treetops, from whom you can steal ultra-rare Cloud Capes -or- Stamina Belts,
and also very occasionally drop Earring of Light accessories. Once you do away
with the Pterodacts, the Tyrano will appear.
-- BOSS: TYRANO -----------------------------
Innate: Tyrano (Red)
Pterodact (Red)
This isn't too hard. Both enemies who attack here are Red elementals. Focus
your punishment on the Tyrano, and if you use enough area effect spells like
Deluge, his Pterodact pal should go down pretty fast regardless. You'll get a
star for your very special victory.
When the Tyrano bites the dust, a monster cries out. Leah heads toward the
back of the area. Save at the left screen Save Point, and follow her. At the
next area, you will meet the Green Dragon.
-- BOSS: GREEN DRAGON -----------------------
Innate: Green Dragon (Green)
This fight isn't hard if you're careful, but it can take a while. The Green
Dragon fights primarily by using his poison breath attack, which inflicts
cumulative status conditions. However, watch out for when he uses GreenField,
which changes the Field Effect condition to all-green; he follows it up a few
moves later with Carnivore, which hits your party for a huge amount of
damage. You do NOT want to be hit by Carnivore, so don't let the Field Effect
stay all-green! Whenever he uses GreenField, disrupt the Field Effect status
IMMEDIATELY by using a non-green Element, even if it's some worthless L.1
skill like PhotonRay or Tablet. This will minimize the damage you suffer. And
be careful healing - if you use too many Heals or HealAlls, you'll just be
helping to set yourself up for Carnivore. On the other hand, this appears to
be the ONLY battle in the game from which you can reliably trap Carnivore, so
if you have the Element traps and the patience, be sure to stock up.
Once you win, you'll receive a Star and the *Genie summon, as well as the
Green Relic. Additionally, the fifth dragon you defeat will open up the unique
L.7 skills for Serge and Leah, as well as a few other characters. Also, Leah
will join as a permanent member now.
-- 6. THE WHITE DRAGON ----------------------
Now, return to Sky Dragon Island (Another). The Sky Dragon will take note of
the 5 crests you have brought and challenge you for possession of the 6th.
Items in this Area:
- White Relic [Key Item]
- *Saints [Summon]
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Fargo, Leah
-- BOSS: SKY DRAGON -------------------------
Innate: SkyDragon (White)
This guy doesn't fool around. He casts Magnify to boost the effectiveness of
Elements during battle. This is worse for you than for him, because he uses
Elements a bit more freely than you. Generally he follows up Magnify with
Holy Breath; expect it to hurt. You can counteract Magnify with Diminish,
which will restore the Mana level to normal. Wear him down, and be careful;
Serge is especially vulnerable as a Black elemental. When the White Dragon
becomes critical, he uses WeakMinded on two party members consecutively to
make them even more vulnerable to his magic. When you defeat the White
Dragon, he gives you the final Relic, a Star and the *Saints summon, then
flies off.
-- 7. IN THE FLESH? -------------------------
Next stop: Guldove (Another) to show Direa the shattered crystal you received
from Karsh and Zoah a while back, if you have not done so already. She will
give you a six-slotted amulet. Take this amulet to Guldove (Home) and show it
to the guard outside Steena's tent; he'll step aside and let you in. Steena
will now join the party. She tells you to go to Fort Dragonia once more, so
head east and past the Fire Cave. If you haven't beaten Dario yet, this would
be a good time to go to the Hermit's Hideaway with Riddel.
-- a. AN OLD FAMILAR FACE -------------------
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Grobyc, Steena
Enemies in this Area:
- Dark Serge [BOSS]
You should be familiar with this dungeon by now; you've been here at least
twice. You will have to activate all the switches here if you have not already
done so; see above information for a walkthrough. Once you raise the central
shaft and head toward the elevator, you will be confronted by Lynx, still
dressed as Serge.
BATTLE: DARK SERGE
- Innate: Dark Serge (Black)
Dark Serge kicks butt. I'm sure Serge is thinking, "Damn! I didn't have that
many HP when I was using that body!" Oddly, Dark Serge is a Black character
rather than White, so Serge in Lynx's body has a good defense against him.
Steena, on the other hand, is pretty vulnerable. However! Steena's White
Element attacks hit him hard - be sure to give her good skills like L.6
MeteorShower, and the L.5 Hydra summon you received from the Hydra Frame. And
lots of healing magic for her and everyone else; you're going to need it.
Dark Serge has all of Lynx's skills (GlideHook, FeralCats and the painful
ForeverZero), plus access to all of the L.6 group attack Elements (Tornado,
Volcano, ThundaBullet, etc.). Hopefully you have lots of group recovery
spells in your L.4+ slots, and all three of the Revive spells you've been
able to find so far. Put Serge in the first position, since that seems to be
the party position on whom Dark Serge focuses most of his physical abuse.
When he starts using his L.6 attacks, try to keep your healers' Elements
boosted so they have immediate access to a strong group heal spell. He tends
to use an Element, then attack physically once or twice, then use another
Element. It's a tough fight, but when you win you'll get the usual Star, an
accessory, and a L.8 slot for many characters! Now you can use the L.8/0
Summons you earned fighting the Dragons.
Once Dark Serge is defeated, he disappears and you will have free access to
the rest of the tower. Travel to the teleporter and open the main doors at the
peak of the dungeon. Serge will enter the chamber alone.
Examine the pedestal in the center and the room will activate. A spirit will
hover about, talking to Serge and describing how much humans suck. Once it's
said its peace, Serge will be surrounded by a bubble, staggering to the floor.
The bubble dissolves him and allows him to be reborn as his old self - and
quite naked, I might add. I have now seen more of Serge than I ever wanted to
see. Once the transformation is complete, the crystal shatters, and Serge
fortunately whips out a set of his old clothing (convenient how he had them
with him).
At this point, your entire party from before the Lynx/Serge switch will
rejoin, and you will receive the Tear of Love, the counterpart to the Tear of
Hate. Also, Serge has access to his White status once more, including his new
L.7 skill, FlyingArrow. Steena mentions something called the "Chrono Cross,"
but more importantly it's time to head to the Sea of Eden.
Miscellaneous notes: If you go back to Guldove now and had defeated Orlha in
combat before, she will join your party when you show her the broach she gave
you. Also, if you didn't grab Kid's Element Grid from Mel, you can talk to
Korcha to get it now that you're Serge.
-- b. SWITCHOVER ----------------------------
Now it's time to move to the next quest. Go to the Sea where the Time Crash
used to be in your Home world and approach any of the three circles that were
left there after the Vortex disappeared. When you enter the area, Serge's boat
will warp to the same spot in Another world, and you will be asked to switch
discs. NOTE: The game does NOT ask you to save when you switch, meaning that
those of you playing the import with the swap method may be in for a rough
ride... sorry, I don't know how to swap discs without a mod chip or Japanese
system.
Now that you're in a previously inaccessible area, be aware you can return to
the rest of the world at any time using the three circles that correspond to
the warps which brought you here. If you visit the Bend of Time now, you'll
note two new light pillars - the one on the top row, furthest to the left
contains an enemy called a Gizmotoid, who occasionally drop Power and Magic
Seals. You might want to hang around for a bit, and fight a few - Power Seals
boost your attack power by 5, while Magic Seals boost your magic power by 4.
At this stage in the game, with the difficult bosses coming up, every point
counts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. "THE ARBITER OF TIME"
"On whom the three Fates smile"
MY PARTY: Serge, Riddel, Janice
-- 1. THE THREE FATES ------------------------
Enemies in this Area:
- Vita-1/2/3 [BOSS]
This bit is pretty easy. There are three islands around an enormous triangular
waterfall (an island is at each vertex of the triangle). On each island is a
statue of one of the three Fates: Clotho, the spinner of threads; Lachesis,
who measures them; and Atropos, who cuts the threads of fate when a mortal's
life ends. I'm not certain if you have to visit each statue in order, but I
did (does anyone know if this works out of order?). Clotho is the statue of
the young woman at the southern tip of the waterfall. Examine the Save
Point-like object before her statue and it will fly away. Now continue around
the waterfall in a clockwise fashion and examine the other two Save Point
items. When you activate Atropos' pyramid, you will be attacked by a giant
mask.
-- BOSS: VITA-1/2/3 -------------------------
Innate: Vita-1/2/3 (1: Red/2: Green/3: Blue)
Vita (the number and color are determined by which of the fates you visit
last) isn't terribly difficult. However, as you inflict damage on it, Vita
gradually adopts stronger and stronger attacks, activating a mode
corresponding to each Fate (much like the Sun Facer from waaaaaay back).
While Clotho's attacks will barely scratch you (Laser? Pshaw!), Atropos can
deal some serious hurt. When it activates Atropos mode, use your best
attacks. You probably won't be able to use a Summon here, as Vita-3 attacks
frequently with numerous Element types, but you should be fine without
summons. As the name changes depending on which of the Fates statues you
contact first, so does its attack pattern; Vita-2 starts off hard but becomes
easier, but Vita-3 starts off easy and becomes harder as you go. However,
there's nothing about any of its modes that will cause any real need to
panic.
Defeating Vita-3 will earn you a Star and a Diva Dress, a decent female-only
bit of armor. Defeating Vita-2 will earn the incredibly rare and useful
Element "Vigora." It will also cause the waterfall to retract, exposing a city
on an island. This is the city of Chronopolis, and it's where the plot
thickens.
When you first enter Chronopolis, the PA system will activate and make some
announcements (and mention some familiar names like Zenan and Medina as well).
The ghost-like creatures in the lobby will discuss some things that
conveniently help clarify bits of the plot. There's a small bridge leading
into the main portion of the building, but when you cross it you will be
attacked by a large robot.
-- BOSS: POLIS POLICE -----------------------
Innate: PolisPolice (White)
This is a pretty freakin' tough robot. It uses a skill called MegatonPunch
(cue screaming old man here) that can deliver massive damage to a single
character. Luckily, it's pretty vulnerable to skills like FlyingArrow and so
forth, so hit it hard and don't hold back. I recommend using a strong party
for this area, such as Karsh and Viper. With allies like them around, the
Polis Police should fall pretty quickly. Win a Star and a PhysNegate Element
when you triumph.
Beyond the bridge is another room, although you can run left and beneath the
bridge first to reach a Broach item in a chest. In the second room is a door
at the left of the room that is locked. You will need to open the hatch at the
right side of the room (check the cabinet at the back for a Potion) to descend
to the sewers beneath the building. Well, they're kinda tidy for sewers, but
you get the idea.
Right above the ladder is a red switch that will extend a bridge to the back
of the room. However, you still have to traverse a gap, and the other switch
is across the room through a watery depression. You are unable to enter the
depression due to some security gates, but you can activate a remote drone
with the panel at the far left. Use the Triangle key to cancel the drone.
Drive the drone along the raised areas - if you fall in the deep water, you'll
have to start over. Be sure to grab the chest in the upper left-hand corner;
it contains a CureAll Element, which is a very powerful new healing Element
that can only be equipped by Blue users. Maneuver the drone to the upper
left-hand corner and activate the red switch there to complete the circuit
(notice the drone can move through the security gates...) and walk across the
gates to reach the back ladder, which takes you to the back half of the room
from which you accessed the sewers. Now you can unlock the door that blocked
your progress from the lobby before, allowing you to exit and enter freely.
The Gizmotoids patrolling these areas, incidently, drop items of varying
degrees of usefulness - anything from MeteorShower Elements, to @Denadorite
components, to Power and Magic Seals, so it would behoove you to fight as
many as possible.
In the next area you'll find an elevator which is innaccessible (Level 2
Security Lock). There are 5 floors in this area, B1 to 4. You begin on 1 and
your ultimate goal is B1. Most floors have three doors - left, right and
elevator (central).
a. FIRST FLOOR --------------------------
In the left door is a watery area with a Save Point and one of this area's
ubquitous ghost-like guys (hereafter referred to as "ghosts" for my
convenience). To the right is a stairwell patrolled by roaming, non-aggressive
security drones. Be sure to grab the chest beneath the stairwell. The stairs
lead to floor 2, but the way to floor 3 is locked.
b. SECOND FLOOR ------------------------
Entering the second floor will activate a laser tripwire, but the drone it
activates is easily avoided. Behind the drone, which resets if you leave, is a
door leading to a room with five empty lockers, a coffin/case, and a locked
door. The lockers can be opened and shut, and then you need to input a code
that corresponds to the doors. Advice: shut them all and enter zero as your
number. You'll get a Nostrum. If Grobyc is in the party, have him examine the
coffin-like case as the party leader and he'll receive his L.7 skill.
In the other direction is the elevator and the left room, which features a
ghost or two standing over a projection of the El Nido archipelago. Well...
sort of. If you activate the switches, the projection changes to show the area
in its original form.
While you're in the map room, examine the computer at the upper-left to
deactivate the security lock on the elevator. You still can't reach B1, but
everything else is accessible.
c. THIRD FLOOR -------------------------
The left area houses a display room with images of what appears to be various
forms of Lavos, as well as pictures of humans and Reptites. There's a
holographic projection of a double helix here, and DNA compounds such as
guanine and cytosine are the hot topic. Hello Biology majors! Be sure to visit
the backroom to get the piece of Rainbow Shell there.
In the right room is a discussion about cloning, and a HellBound Element
guarded by another Combot.
d. FOURTH FLOOR ------------------------
The right room shows a holographic event involving a black hole. You can go
out the right exit into the Stairwell to grab an item, although the third
floor partition is unmovable.
The left door is blocked for anyone without B-Level access. To open the door,
go back to the Save Point room on the first floor and talk to the ghost. It
will leave the area; when you return to the 4th floor, the left door is
unblocked.
Inside the door, you'll learn about Chronopolis' main computer, Fate.
It seems Chronopolis is attuned to both Home and Another worlds, watching them
and their discrepancies. There seems to be a paradox of some sort that is of
concern to the creators of the city. Mother Brain (remember her, from Chrono
Trigger?) is mentioned, and there are several inert Save Points here. This
will probably remind you a LOT of Xenogears, but without the whiny hero and
crappy gameplay.
When you defeat the Combot in the left chamber, grab the elevator Card Key in
the chest and press the switch.
Now that you have the Card Key, you can access the basement.
e. BASEMENT 1 --------------------------
The walkway in the basement leads right up to a large dome right out of Akira,
labelled "PROJECT KID." The door is locked, but when Serge examines the panel
at the left, the machine confirms his DNA match and calls him the Chrono
Trigger. The door opens...
Inside are Kid and Lynx (still in his Dark Serge guise). It seems this is
why Lynx was after Serge's body - he wanted the DNA match to access PROJECT
KID. Kid herself is unconscious on the floor. After a brief bit of the usual
villain-revealing-his-evil-plot stuff (which involves the tragic deactivation
of Prometheus), Lynx transforms into Fate, the central computer.
-- BOSS: FATE -------------------------------
Innate: Fate (Black)
Fate is no pushover. It behaves a bit like the Black Tyrano from Chrono
Trigger, in that it counts down from 5 to 1 and launches a massive attack at
0. Unlike the Tyrano, though, it also attacks after each number. There's a
pattern to it - after 5, it uses Diminish to weaken the Element effect in
the area. After 4 and 3, it uses Black Element attacks. After 2 it uses
FreeFall. After 1 it uses GravityBlow twice (not a problem). At zero, Fate
uses Dark Energy, which hits the party hard. Please don't bring any White
Elements to this point besides Serge, eh? It'll just make things harder.
Your best bet is to use Saints immediately after Dark Energy. Build up
Serge's Element meter before Dark Energy and keep his HP above 400. Have
Serge use a weak White Element like Laser immediately after Dark Energy, then
have the next two characters do the same thing. Have Serge use a weak attack
to boost his Element meter back to 8, then unleash Saints immediately. You
should be safe here, because after using Dark Energy, Fate's next move is a
physical (non-Element) attack, so you have a little longer to crank up the
Field Effect to all-White. Saints will slam Fate and totally restore your
party's HP. Very nice. At most, Fate should only be able to use Dark Energy
twice before you take it down, which will net you a Star and a Magic Shell
accessory. Of course, you could always play it cheap and give Serge the Black
Plate armor, which means you practically cannot lose this fight...
Lynx/Wazuki/Dark Serge/Fate disappears, and Kid reawakens. She seems driven,
and Harle confronts her. Kid activates the enormous spherical device here and
awakens the Dragon Gods, who fly to Chronopolis and merge rather violently as
Sky Dragon Island crumbles and gives way to a massive floating device which
rather resembles the Black Omen. Harle disappears, summoned to join the
Dragons. The party regroups at the Invincible, and Terra Tower (the Black
Omen-like construct) is now a map point.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. "CHRONO CROSS"
"The point where destinies meet"
Go to Divine Dragon Falls north of Arni in Another world with Steena. She will
utter the funniest exclamation ever ("By the Great Dragon Gods!" - not only
does she look like a comic book character from the '70s, she talks like one
too), and the two braziers will begin to react. Set the two broken crystal
Tears on the brazier and you will receive the Chrono Cross, a Key Item whose
use is at this point a bit opaque. It's mysterious, see, since no one has seen
that lost seventh Element in so long. You will also receive Chrono Cross the
Element, which is instrumental for uncovering some of the game's secrets. When
you have the Element equipped, you will notice musical chimes after every
Element you use - a different note for each color. I believe (though I'm not
certain) that using Chrono Cross in battle replenishes your expended Elements,
which can be very useful if correct.
NOTE: You are not able to acquire the Chrono Cross until AFTER completing
the Chronopolis quest.
-- 1. ASHES OF MEMORIES ------------------------
The appearance of Terra Tower is the initiation of the final leg of the game.
However, if you follow Viper's advice and visit Radius, you will initiate a
side quest which will restore Kid's health and unveil a bit of her past as
well.
MY PARTY: Serge, Leah, Janice
First, you must have defeated Dario to receive the Masamune. Visit Radius and
he will tell you that Kid is here, resting on the bed in an unconscious state.
Speak to her and Masa, Mune and Doreen will call Kid the "princess." They warp
you into the past, inside of Lucca's house, in order to let you help Kid.
The house, which has been converted into an orphanage, is burning. You can
speak to Gato, who sadly is on his last legs. If you fight the large fire
monsters here, you will be able to rescue the children in the orphanage, who
will reward you with items and Elements. But you should help them because it's
the right thing to do, not for the treasures!
The room beyond the entrance area is a stairwell. Be sure to examine the
debris where the monster is standing to rescue a child. The door at the back
leads nowhere, because burning debris blocks the way. The left stairs lead to
a balcony with armor; the left back room contains a note from Lucca. Choose
the first option to receive an Ice Gun, which you will need. When you take the
gun, though, Mastermune's spell weakens and one of your party members will
slip back into the present. If you take the right stairs and walk out onto the
balcony, you can rescue another kid. The room at the right rear has a hatch at
the back; choose the top option to climb down and bypass the debris you
encountered earlier, but first, check under the bed for yet another orphan who
has gifts of cash money and prizes for you. Or another item.
When you exit the storage room, Mastermune's spell weakens again and your
other party member disappears, leaving Serge all alone. Take a moment to look
at the
drawings here - it seems Kid (who appears in a picture with Lucca) has quite
an artistic streak! For a six-year-old, anyway.
The room to the right of the drawings is blocked by more flames, but the Ice
Gun you grabbed can quench them. Run to the back room, where you'll see young
Kid unconscious on the floor, and Lynx standing next to a pair of broken
glasses. Harle appears and they vanish. Serge grabs Kid and leads her out
of the house, and then comforts her as they watch the house burn (choose the
top option to express your condolences). Sadly, Serge vanishes into thin air
as well when Mastermune's spells fails, leaving Kid alone in the night...
When you return to the present, Kid awakens and rejoins the party. Radius
suggests you go to Viper's mansion to see Luccia, which you should do.
Luccia gives Kid a letter from Lucca. Kid also receives a rare @Rainbow Shell
which falls from the letter.
-- 2. ODDS AND ENDS AND LEVEL 7 SKILLS, OH MY! -------------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Kid, Zoah
While you're here, take care of anything in the mansion you may have missed.
If Zoah is with you, he can open the chest in his room to receive his L.7
skill. The poisonous gas in the hidden room accessed with the snake statues
and armor knights can be deactivated by pressing the panel on the wall where
the guard stood before. You'll receive an Pendragon Sigil and Viper's Venom,
which is a sword only Viper can equip, and is extremely powerful, despite
looking ridiculously impractical. Finally, you can finally go across the
right bridge opposite the library, as it is no longer being blocked. Push
the snake statues into the recesses to reveal a chest. Don't open the chest
from the front, though, as it's a trap door - open the chest from behind.
Apparently, all that's there is a note to Karsh from Peppor and Solt,
telling Karsh to meet them at the Island of the Damned (if you go there, you
can fight them and receive Karsh's L.7 skill).
MY PARTY: Serge, Kid, Draggy
If you take Draggy to see the dragon skull in Fossil Valley (Another), he will
receive his L.7 skill BigBreath (which summons the spirit of his mother, the
dead dragon in the valley, to attack the enemy). Poshul can get her L.7 skill
from Leena (Home) by speaking to her. You can also recruit Turnip by using
Lucca's Ice Gun item on the bare patch outside Radius' hermitage on the
solitary island (Another). Use the Ice Gun while standing on the page, then
cross dimensions and return to the same location. You'll find a plant has
sprouted here. If Poshul is in your party, she can dig up the plant which
turns out to be Turnip, a tiny vegetable swordsman.
You can speak to the Beeba-Beeba in Hydra Marsh (Home) to get another cactus
fruit as many times as you need. Stand at the same point as before and use the
Beeba Flute to summon a Hydra to travel to the primitive island. I have not
determined if there's anything to be done on the island in Another world,
short of stocking up on Denadorites, and playing Whack-A-Pterodact.
Finally, if you give the second reply twice to the Element trader outside
Doc's hut in Guldove (Another), you will receive Skelly's hips. When you have
all of Skelly's parts, return to the house at the upper-right corner of
Termina (Another) and Skelly will return to life. He's pretty downright
stupid-looking, but isn't that part of his charm? Leave the house, return and
speak to him again and Skelly will join the party. He can get his Level 7
Skill if you bring him to Home Termina's bar, and order some squid gut pasta.
Head to Marbule (Home) and the city has been restored and repopulated. Even
Bro of G's has a swanky shop, and Toma XIV turns out to be a bit randy. Most
importantly, talk to the guy in the former Black Dragon cave and buy his
Master's Hammer for 10,000 (it's sooooo worth it). Now equip the Master Hammer
on Zappa and take him to meet his counterpart in Another world, and they will
forge their first Rainbow item. From now on, you can build Prism/Rainbow
equipment at any smith's or with the Smith Spirit... provided you can afford
the price and have enough components, that is.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. "TERRA TOWER"
"Caught in the echo of time"
Once you've tackled all the extras you want, it's time to head to the Terra
Tower. Unfortunately, the Terra Tower is flying high overhead and - contrary
to RPG tradition - you have no airship. Fortunately you have an
extraterrestrial, who doesn't need no steenking airship to fly.
-- 1. UNDER THE SEA -------------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Kid, Orlha
RECOMMENDED: Serge, Kid, Starky
Enemies in this Area:
- Puffy
- SideSteppa
- RoyalJelly [BOSS]
Items in this Area:
- @Rainbow Shell x2 [Component]
If you haven't recruited Starky yet, now would be the time to do so. Refer
to the information in an earlier section for details. Once he's in your party,
head to the southern triangle of rocks in Another world. You'll see a small
boat with people warning you of monsters - pay them no heed and descend into
the water. Be sure to bring a Red Elemental or two along, as you'll need their
skills.
The underwater area isn't too terribly different than the one at Home, except
that the ultimate goal here isn't a chest with a Starfish, but a crashed UFO.
The enemies here frequently give CureAll Elements, so be sure to fight and
steal whenever you can to build a really amazingly effective Blue healer.
Descend to the underwater area at the back of the first screen and make your
way to the ship. Unfortunately, it's guarded by a massive jellyfish.
BATTLE: ROYAL JELLY
Innate: RoyalJelly (Blue)
This guy is resistant to all attacks except Red Elements. Physical blows do
no harm, and neither do other Elements. Pummel him with Heat, Volcano, and
Salamander if you wish (Salamander and X-Strike hit for 1300+ HP - it's
almost unfair!). He doesn't really have any new or devastating tricks, so
this shouldn't be much of a challenge. You'll get a Star and a Resist Vest
for your abuse.
If Starky is with you, he'll open up the UFO (if not, go back to the
surface and switch party members). There will be an automatic sequence where
Starky removes the UFO's Anti-gravity device and repairs it at Chronopolis.
Once it is installed on the boat, you'll automatically fly to the Star Tower.
-- 2. TERRA TOWER PT. 1 ----------------------
MY PARTY: Serge, Kid, Orhla
The platform on which the boat lands is enemy-free. You can save your game at
the Record of Fate here, and you can return to the world map at any time by
boarding the boat. You may end up returning here a few times. Also, the tower
interior is a good place to use Summons to get plenty of Shiny components for
making Prism equipment...
Immediately inside the Tower is a yellow glowing sphere. When you try to pass
it, the sphere absorbs you and forces you into combat.
-- BOSS: TERRATOR ---------------------------
Innate: Terrator (Yellow)
This is the first of six elemental battles - guardians who protect the
Tower. These fights are REALLY easy if you've been tracking down the various
sidequests, so spend your time Trapping some of their attacks to boost your
skill set. Terrator uses Earthquake sometimes, as well as summoning *Golem.
These battles are one of the very few ways to acquire the L.7 Summons, so
use the appropriate Trap when the Field Effect turns a solid color! Watch for
Omega Yellow, a powerful Yellow attack which hits a single character pretty
hard. Regular attacks work well here; Summons work even better. When you win
you'll get a Star and the YellowField Element, which allows you to change the
Field Effect to all-yellow.
Now you can enter the central tower area, which is a series of multi-leveled
walkways around the tower's perimeter. Centuries of undersea existence have
made the interior a bit dilapidated, so you'll have to find an indirect route
to the top.
You can grab a Nostrum by running counter-clockwise along the entry level. To
the left of the entrance is a slab of stone which can be knocked over to cross
the gap beside it. Head out the left south door and descend through the next
room. Whether you go down to the left, right, or in the flowing water, you'll
end up in a basin of water at the bottom of the Tower. Climb up onto the coral
and make your way to the lower left-hand corner of the screen above the floor
and enter the door there. Go up and around to the chest at the left - as you
walk across the narrow plank beside the chest, your footing will become
dislodged, dropping you to the underside of the tower. Luckily Serge and co.
snag onto some coral here and avoid plummeting to a watery grave.
Work your way to the left, where a mysterious woman will speak to you with a
disembodied voice. Re-enter the Tower at the far left and climb up the coral.
Be sure to grab all the great gadgets in the chests here (including some Cards
for Sneff or anyone else who uses Shot - these are actually as poweful as
Prism Pellets - in the chest out the right door). As you climb, you will come
to a series of coral strands growing on alternating sides of the Tower -
right, left, right, left, right, left. Beyond here is the central Tower area
again. Knock both of the planks into place and climb to the center and up.
You'll arrive at a series of platforms and ramps. There's a HealLeaf Element
at the upper-left, a very powerful Green group healing Element you don't want
to miss!
When you're ready and equipped with lots of Blue Elements, challenge the
glowing red sphere for the second Tower Guardian battle.
-- BOSS: PYROTOR ----------------------------
Innate: Pyrotor (Red)
Pyrotor is similar to Terrator, except Red! Imagine. He uses a skill
called Omega Red (hmm, isn't that gig trademarked?) which can wreak havoc on
any Blue characters you may have along. After he uses three consecutive
Tablets, he'll often summon *RedWolf - be sure to Trap this L.7 summon! When
you win you'll acquire a Star and RedField, which changes the Field Effect
meter to solid Red.
The next area is a series of hubs patrolled by those goofy little Cupoid guys.
Be sure to grab the Prism Glove here. Prism is the most powerful level of
equipment, but is very hard to acquire, so every single one you can find is a
big help. Once you get to the ruined stairs, be sure to grab HolyHealing at
the upper right, which is a combination of RecoverAll and Purify. Then run out
the door to the left.
Bizarrely, you'll find yourself on the west bridge of Viper Manor here -
run across to the Library and meet the librarian again, as well as the three
Chrono Trigger kids from before. It turns out the "Prophet" is in fact none
other than Belthasar, one of the three Magi of Enhasa from 12,000 B.C., the
Guru of Time exiled to the ruined world of A.D. 2300. He tells you that in
addition to the six regular Elements, there is a 7th Element - which is
represented by the Chrono Cross. "Melody and harmony" is an important clue
here, and should help shed a little light into the mysterious chimes the
Chrono Cross creates as you use Elements in combat. The four time travelers
disappear, but before you head back across the bridge be sure to grab the
Black Hole Element on the inner balcony.
Oh yeah - before you talk to him, check out the bookcase behind him. There's a
secret opening, which leads to a familiar-looking machine, a stammering
BeachBum and the Porre's Furnace Window Theme.
When you return to the Tower, the way to the library is sealed shut, but a new
door in the upper wall of the stair chamber is open. Within are several large
crystals which chime in the same tones as the Chrono Cross. Make note of these
tones, as they'll come into play later.
Past the crystal bridge, you'll encounter the Green guardian.
-- BOSS: ANEMOTOR ---------------------------
Innate: Anemotor (Green)
I was unable to provoke Anemotor to use the *Sonja Summon, but perhaps you'll
be luckier. You may want to bring some Carnivore Traps as well, since it
seems to enjoy using that annoying spell. Like Pyrotor and Terrator, it can
use a powerful Element called Omega Green - watch for it. When you win,
you'll get a Star and GreenField.
A teleport platform will appear here above the floor. Walk up the stairs and
access the platform from the narrow catwalk on the second level.
-- 3. TOWER PT. 2 ----------------------------
Past the Save Point here is the upper portion of the Tower - unfortunately,
the entrance is sealed shut by two energy beams. Head either left or right and
avoid/fight the enemies (errant gusts of wind will shove you into the sentries
on the right section, while you can easily dodge the vagrant cherubs at the
left). Each side is guarded by another Guardian, each of which can be reached
with the aid of a teleporter/catapult.
-- BOSS: LUXATOR ----------------------------
Innate: LUXATOR (White)
The White Guardian in the right section is probably the biggest pain in the
butt among all the Guardians, simply for the fact that it uses Magnify
immediately before Omega White and can nearly annihilate your whole party in
one move. Use Diminish to prevent Magnify from boosting its power, and
use a few other Elements to subtract some White from the Field Effect meter
to lower its power. If you're lucky, I think Luxator will summon *Unicorn,
although it never happened for me. You may want to use a Trap anyway, just in
case. When you win you'll receive a Star and - sorry, not WhiteField -
UltraNova, a L.7 White group attack that makes HolyLight look like a gentle
slap. Speaking of HolyLight, Luxator has been known to use it - you may want
to Trap it as well.
-- BOSS: GRAVITOR ---------------------------
Innate: Gravitor (Black)
To the left is Gravitor, the Black counterpart to Luxator. He represents
the biggest threat to Serge's welfare, since he uses a lot of strong
single-attack Black Elements (FreeFall, OmegaBlack). He tends to focus his
abuse on the lead party member, so switch Serge to the second or third
position for better chances of survival. You'll come away from the fight with
a Star and BlackHole. As always, sticking the Black Plate on Serge is likely
to save his bacon.
Once those two are defeated, the door in the center will open. Step inside to
teleport to the top of the Tower once you've defeated the final Elemental
Guardian - Aquator.
-- BOSS: AQUATOR ----------------------------
Innate: Aquator (Blue)
There shouldn't be any surprises here. It will summon *FrogPrince,
interestingly enough, even though you already have the *FrogPrince Summon (I
suppose you can Trap a second *FrogPrince if you REALLY want). Kick its sorry
butt with *Salamander and *RedWolf and win yourself a Star and BlueField.
At the top of the Tower, your party will climb a long staircase to arrive at
the Frozen Flame. No matter who tries to touch it, the Flame will be too
powerful and the TimeDevourer (the fused Dragon Gods, including Harle) will
attack.
-- BOSS: TIMEDEVOURER -----------------------
Innate: TimeDevourer (All Elements)
Comprised of every Element, the Fused Dragon gives you a nice, lengthy fight.
It begons as a White creature, then warps you to the lairs of each of the six
Dragons and adopts their attributes after taking a certain amount of damage.
The transformations match the sequence of the crystals from inside the Tower:
Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Black and White again. Each form has access to the
entire gamut of Elemental spells from weak L.1 attacks to L.8 Omega skills.
When it transforms to an Element opposite that of a particular party member,
work quickly to switch its affiliation to minimize damage. The best way to do
that is to use an Earth skill or simply three quick L.1 Elements (Tablet,
Cure, WeakMinded-3, etc.) followed by a Summon. It's a lengthy battle, though
not terribly difficult. Enjoy the music, though, as it's right snappy.
My recommended party for this battle is Serge, Leena and Glenn. Although if
you don't have Glenn, that's OK, but he makes the fight MUCH easier. This
party will give you access to four Elements' worth of powerful attacks to
take out several of the opposite-attribute forms of the Devourer in a flash
(Leena can summon *BlueWhale and *FrogPrice against the Red form, Serge can
summon *Saints and *Unicorn and use UltraNova aginst the Black form, Glenn
can call *Genie and *Sonja against the Yellow form, and the Red-attribute
X-Strike Tech against the Blue form will cause the Devourer to shift
attributes in a single hit, and is in fact yields the most damage of any
attack I've seen in the game). This means you'll have to work to get rid of
the White and Green forms, but it shouldn't be too hard when you can pound
the other forms into jelly in an instant.
When the Time Devourer is defeated, it disappears and Gash makes a sudden
entrance to give you a Time Egg to resolve the true purpose of the game. The
Dragon's spirit fuses with the Frozen Flame, evolving into the Devourer's true
form and causing Terra Tower to revert to its original state.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. "FOR ALL THE DREAMERS"
"Our planet's dream is not over yet"
MY PARTY: Serge, Kid, Marcy
Once you've escaped the Tower, you're free to do as you please. The Terra
Tower transforms and sets root in the ocean, though I am unable to determine a
means by which to access it again. (In fact, in the US version there's no
location text, which leads me to believe it simply cannot be accessed again,
despite the rumors of being able to get Harle to lead your entire party to the
structure). The Anti-grav device no longer seems to function for the boat, so
stick to the ground.
-- WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD --
If you return to Serge's Home world, you'll notice something new on Opassa
Beach after you warp: a glowing purple spot and the three Chrono Trigger kids.
Speaking to them helps tie up a few loose plot ends, including one very
important thread from Chrono Trigger: Schala. I won't spoil it here, but
remember that at the end of the revised Chrono Trigger for Playstation, Lucca
adopted a baby wearing a pendant just like Schala's and who appeared from
nowhere in the woods...
At this point, you can enter the purple Gate by using the Time Egg, where you
will battle Lavos.
-- BOSS: TIMEDEVOURER (EVOLVED) -------------
Innate: TimeDevourer (White)
That's right - this entire game is nothing more than a Chrono Trigger
miniquest to resolve the final CT plot thread: what happened to Schala after
she betrayed her mother and helped hold Lavos' power at bay? Now you know -
she's been trapped by Lavos in the Time Stream. That noise you hear is the
sound of a thousand Chrono Trigger continuation fanfics suddenly becoming
obsolete.
This battle is a cross between the Adel/Rinoa fight from FFVIII and the
battle with Richter from Symphony of the Night. You can simply kill Lavos, or
you can try to rescue Schala, and your actions determine which ending you'll
see. I will describe the strategy for the former and then the latter.
- TACTIC 1: DEFEATING TIMEDEVOURER
TimeDevourer is surprisingly easy - apparently he's feeling a little tired
after vaporizing Crono and getting his butt kicked by Schala. It uses no
attacks you haven't seen before, relying exclusively on Elements (MagNegate
will take you far). While his spells range from BushWhacker to OmegaRed, I
actually found him easier than the Fused Dragons. Use as many summons as you
can - they'll all do 900-1300 HP damage, even Saints (despite Lavos being a
White Element). When defeated, the Devourer and Schala dissolve back into the
Time Stream, to merge with Lavos and plot the destruction of mankind or
whatever.
- TACTIC 2: REPAIRING TIME
This is a major spoiler, so stop reading now if you want to find the secret
for yourself. Thanks to JL Lee for unraveling this.
To rescue Schala, you must use the Chrono Cross. "Melody and harmony" - for
the Chrono Cross to work, you must cause the Elemental chimes to sound in the
same sequence you heard in the Star Tower and when you battled the Fused
Dragons. Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Black, White. This is of course more
easily said than done, but once you have the tones set up properly, use the
Chrono Cross, and Schala will be freed of the TimeDevourer. Enjoy the ending,
verbose as it may be...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E. NEW GAME+
Once you have finished the game, you are given the option of saving a Game
Data file (top choice is yes). To use the New Game+, simply choose to Continue
from the title screen, then select the Data file (the one in which your Star
total is in yellow rather than white), then choose to start a New Game or
Continue a current game with New Game+ stats added. To use Continue+, choose
"Continue+" and then select the clear data you wish to use. You may then merge
the Clear Data file with a game save from your first time through the game
(i.e., not New Game+). It will merge the equipment and stats from your Clear
Data into your old game, which can help you acquire rare items much more
easily.
When you begin a new game this way, your stats will carry over, as will many
of your weapons (eschewing the Mastermune and Einlanzer). Please note that you
lose all Key Items here, and weapon shops revert to selling their previous
stock. If you want Denadorite or Prism equipment, buy it before fighting the
Devourer or else your party will be tremendously unbalanced (not that it
REALLY matters, since you're so massively powerful in New Game+ that you can
breeze through). You will keep all of your Elements except Summons and the
Chrono Cross. Your party will be empty again, although who you have found will
be kept in memory for later.
You begin with three Key Items: A Relief Charm which allows other characters
to fight in Serge's place during combat (although Serge will be the one to
appear during exploration and story events), a Time Shifter (lets you adjust
game speed, very handy), and the Time Egg (once you awaken in Arni), which
allows you to battle Lavos through the beach Gate any time.
To use the Time Shifter, hold down the L2 or R2 buttons to activate
the speed at which the game advances. Man, I wish Xenogears had one of these!
Disc Two would have flown by. L2 will slow the game (great for dramatic
attacks, but not much else) and R2 will accelerate the game - text, battles,
exploration, everything. It looks kinda silly, but it really helps speed
things along. The only thing that doesn't speed up are the battle transitions,
which CAN'T speed up due to the speed of the Playstation's CD-ROM. Oh well, we
can't all be perfect.
The backstage pass-like item is useful as well. Use it at any time while
exploring to allow someone to take Serge's place in combat. While Serge will
still lead the party during exploration, during combat his role will be filled
by his replacement. This is nice in that it allows you to diversify your
combat roster and vary battle strategies. Of course, in New Game+ you don't
really NEED strategies... oh well.
Here's something sucky: it seems you lose all weapons, armor, accessories and
Elements that are equipped by characters who aren't in your active or reserve
parties when you finish the game. This may not matter so much initially, but
if you beat the game in New Game+ during the Lynx sequence, it appears you
will lose EVERYTHING the characters who are loyal to Serge have equipped, and
so forth. I could be wrong, but having permanently lost a Prism Dagger and
Glove because I gave them to Kid and Orhla during the opening dungeon sequence
and then finished the game without them, I think I'm right.
If you return to the Bend of Time, you can find some special battles. Beyond
the door which previously had been inaccessible, you'll find a large land
octopus who makes a familiar request of you - walk three times around the
room, clockwise. Once you've done so, you'll face three old foes from the Time
Stream: Soy Sauce, Mayonnaise and Vinegar (aka Slash, Flea and Ozzie).
-- BOSS: SLASH, FLEA and OZZIE --------------
Innate: Slash (Blue)
Flea (Red)
Ozzie (Green)
I'm still working on a good strategy for this fight. It's a bit tricky since
Ozzie uses a spell that basically functions like MagNegate AND PhysNegate for
the entire enemy party! Slash is the least dangerous character here - he
just uses a special sword attack every once in a while. And Flea is downright
annoying, as she/he uses a group attack that not only is strong but also can
cause EVERYONE in the party to go Berzerk. So what seems like a simple, quick
battle becomes an exercise in frustration rather quickly. My advice is to take
out Flea first, since she (he?) hits the hardest.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
F. ENDINGS
So, you've beaten the game, and now you want to find all the extra endings, eh?
Well, you'll have to look elsewhere - I'm not chronicling them here, as I've
never bothered to find them all. Other people have done a magnificent job of
writing them up, so hey - give their guides a go. Just remember that, as in
Chrono Trigger, finishing the game early during playthrough (using the Time Egg
at Opasa Beach) will yield different endings depending on where you are in the
game when you defeat the Time Devourer. There's a special ending for winning
with Serge alone, but be sure to equip the Green Plate and a charm to prevent
Freeze status effects before you tackle it alone. Also, don't use the Chrono
Cross for these endings - just beat down the Time Devourer and Schala with it.
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
PART V: CHARACTERS
This used to be the Charts section, but I've removed them, because they were
wasting space and making the FAQ all bloated and stuff.
Chrono Cross has no less than 44 different playable characters. Some of whom
look, ahhh... very, well, interesting. You can check for yourself at the GIA
(http://www.thegia.com) where you'll find tons of sketches, some of which will
probably astound and horrify you.
So here, in no particular order, are the characters. OK, actually it's
mostly alphabetical order. I've moved this to the end of the FAQ because
some of the characters who join could be considered spoilers. Caution is
advised!
Until I figure all this stuff out, check CB!'s amazing, wonderful, incredible,
astonishing, staggering, wonderful character FAQ at GameFAQs for more thorough
details.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SERGE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The hero. You can tell he's the hero because he never talks and he wears a
bandanna, just like McDohl, and Locke, and Stinger. OK, so probably Serge
doesn't want to be ranked among the likes of Stinger, or anyone else from
Shadow Madness. Anyway, he's apparently very heroic, being the hero and all.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Swallow
INNATE: White
ORIGIN: Arni Village (Home)
OCCUPATION: Silent Protagonist
BUILD: Average
RACE: Human
AGE: 17
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-Handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Dash&Slash - a quick dashing strike with the Swallow
L.5: Luminaire - Like Crono's Luminaire - Serge rises into the
air and blasts the enemy with luminous power.
L.7: FlyingArrow - Serge projects his spirit, which fires a
powerful bolt of energy at a single enemy. Try it with
different weapons for nifty effects!
FOUND: At the beginning of the game, of course. He's the hero.
CONDITIONS: Automatic
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Serge, as the hero, tends to be a bit overpowering1.
While usually not possessing the absolute highest ratings in
each category, he excels in just about every stat aspect. The
drawback is that most of the major enemies in the game tend to
be the opposite of his innate Elemental color, which can make
for tough battles.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KID
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She dresses like a "bad girl," but Kid is actually a good guy. Er, girl. Or so
it seems anyway; she's more than happy to throw in her hand and help Serge in
his darkest hours... almost obsessively so. If you dont' let her join your
party, she's stalk you for the rest of the game until you finally relent. Sort
of disturbing, really, but it just goes to show the things that women can get
away with in this world of injustice. If Serge doggedly followed Kid for the
whole game, he'd be a creepy psychopathic perv, but when Kid does it she's
just "enigmatic" and "determined." Feh.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Dagger
INNATE: Red
ORIGIN: Unknown (Another)
OCCUPATION: Mysterious Traveler
BUILD: Slender
RACE: Human
AGE: 16
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Ambidextrous
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Pilfer - Kid snags a valuable item from an enemy
L.5: RedPin - Flight of the golden wasps! Curtain of death! Kid
flings a handful of needles at the enemy, damaging the whole
party. Not the same as Frog & Lucca's RedPin Double Tech, but
close enough.
L.7: HeatShot - Kid smacks a single enemy with one of Lucca's
zany devices.
L.7 Found: Press the correct button sequence at the equipment
in the main room of Lucca's house. The details are found
upstairs.
FOUND: At Cape Howl (Another)
CONDITIONS: Automatic (if you refuse her at the grave, she
joins in Termina)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Kid doesn't excel at anything in particular, but her
Pilfer skill is very useful (at least, until you recruit Fargo
or Mel). While not the best combatant, she's not especially
weak, and her Pilfer skill is quite a virtue.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DARIO (NPC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glenn's older brother who died under mysterious circumstances. His connections
to other characters will make him a key figure later in the game.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOC
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may be able to persuade this healer to break his Hippocratic Oath and do
harm unto others. It would just be the latest in a long line of his failures
to be an effective medic, if Doc is to be believed. Maybe tagging along with
the party will turn that frown upside-down.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Shot
INNATE: White
ORIGIN: Zenan Mainland (Another)
OCCUPATION: Village Physician
BUILD: Ordinary
RACE: Human
AGE: 27
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Left-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: HighFive - A single knife undergoes asexual reproduction
in mid-air and smashes into the bad guys.
L.5: Gnarly - It's a stupid name, but it damages a single
enemy pretty well.
L.7: HangTen - Heals all characters. A lot. Good ol' Doc.
L.7 Found: The Library of the Dead Sea's Geddon Station (Home)
FOUND: Guldove (Another)
CONDITIONS: Take Macha's path and speak to him after acquiring
the boat.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Forthcoming.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DRAGGY (DRAGONCHILD)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surprisingly enough, this character appears to be a child-like dragon. Sadly
for the section of the world's population that adores cuddly li'l things like
Draggy, he seems to be the last of his kind. Quite possibly the most powerful
infant character ever to appear in a video games (not that infants are
commonplace, but hey).
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Red
ORIGIN: Fort Dragonia (Home)
OCCUPATION: Cute Baby Dragon
BUILD: Tiny
RACE: Dragonian
AGE: 0
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Front-Left-Clawed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: CoughDrop - A small fire ball blasts an enemy
L.5: CoughMix - Fans tiny breath to hit all enemies.
L.7: BigBreath - The spirit of Dragon Child's mother toasts the
baddies.
L.7 Found: Take Draggy to the skull at the valley of Dragon
Bones (Home).
FOUND: Basement of Fort Dragonia (Home).
CONDITIONS: Place the egg found in Dinosaur Bone Valley on the
glowing recess.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: For being one of the game's "cute" characters,
Draggy's not too shabby. He tends to have enormously high HP,
and his attacks are pretty respectable.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FARGO (FARGA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A big, hulking brute. Like Faris, he's a pirate captain. However, he's not a
woman. And he smokes. Son of a submariner! We've come a long way since the
days under Nintendo's iron fist.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Sword
INNATE: Blue
ORIGIN: Unknown (Another)
OCCUPATION: Pirate Captain
BUILD: Macho
RACE: Human
AGE: 40
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Pillage - Rush 'N' Snag. Steal an item from an enemy.
L.5: CannonBalls - a long range volley of cannonballs from the
S.S. Invincible smacks the enemy. Sorta like Cid's "Highwind"
attack, but without the cursing.
L.7: Invincible - A powerful sword strike. Supposedly an
ultimate technique, but sheesh, it's not THAT tough.
L.7 Found: During the concert event.
FOUND: On Zelbess (Another)
CONDITIONS: Rescue and recruit Riddel.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Not as tough as I'd expect. But he can steal from
baddies, which is always a plus. Not one of my favorite
characters, but not a total loss.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FUNGUY (KINOKO/MASH)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Man or Mushroom Man? Imagine if Super Mario's Toad grew up and decided to kick
butt. That's Funguy: a cautionary tale of what happens if you love exotic food
a little too much and don't research rare, exotic wild mushrooms before you
eat them.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Axe
ELEMENT: Yellow
ORIGIN: Termina (Home)
OCCUPATION: Mushroom Man
BUILD: Light
RACE: Demihuman
AGE: Unknown
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Axe Attack - Smashes enemy repeatedly with his axe.
L.5: Spores - Blows poisonous spores at the enemy, inflicting
Yellow status.
L.7: Miconoids - Little Funguys attack. BLARGH.
L.7 Found: Return to the cave where you met Funguy. Examine
the little mushroom growing there and choose NOT to eat it.
FOUND: In a small cave in Shadow Forest (Home).
CONDITIONS: Give him the mushroom you find in the cave beneath
the tree leading to the mansion's well.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Probably a joke character, but he's actually pretty
strong. His main draw is really the novelty factor, but Funguy
isn't a total joke, either. Stupid name, though.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GARAI (NPC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glenn and Dario's father and Radius' former comrade-in-arms in the Dragoon
corps. Like Dario, he died under suspicious circumstances and his fate is tied
into the story.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GLENN
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No, he's not the same Glenn we know and *ribbit* love. But he's still a nice
guy, a polite young man, and as strong as Serge by the end of the game. It's
very possible not to recruit him (his availability is contingent on the
actions you take in Guldove), but he's very much worth tracking down if you're
into the whole "brutal devastation of enemies" thing.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Sword
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: Termina (Another)
OCCUPATION: Noble Knight
BUILD: Average
RACE: Human
AGE: 20
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Dash&Gash - A dashing sword attack. Which is to say he
dashes, not that he's dashing.
L.5: SonicSword - Just like Dario's attack, it flings a beam
of energy at an enemy.
L.7: Dive&Drive - Glenn proves to a single enemy that he really
kicks patootie.
FOUND: Termina (Another)
CONDITIONS: Take the Macha branch and speak to him at the
entrance to town.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: OK, he's NOT FROG. But he's still pretty nifty. For
one thing, he is the first character in the game to provide a
Double Tech with Serge. My only complaint is that to get him
in your party, you have to ditch Kid and let Razzly suffer
an unknown and rather depressing fate.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GRECO (JILLBERT)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greco: the pro-wrestling priest! Now there's an archteype for you. I'm sure
there's probably some sort of logical explanation why an ex-wrestler would
become a man of the cloth (even is said cloth is a bit garish and covers the
better part of his face), and no doubt it has something to do his deceased
friend Ghetz. It's still sort of weird, though.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Red
ORIGIN: Zenan Mainland (Another)
OCCUPATION: Psychic Ex-wrestler
BUILD: Heavy Weight
RACE: Human
AGE: 33
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-Handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Clothesline - Greco uses a lariat attack on an enemy
L.5: Flip-Flop - He's no Mary Lou Retton, but this gymnastic
attack will still make you hungry for a big bowl of Wheaties.
L.7: GraveDigger - Greco brings his friend's grave along into
combat and attacks an enemy. Sweet mercy, ths is stupid.
L.7 FOUND: Have him visit his home in the Home world.
FOUND: In Termina at the shack near Glenn's memorial to Dario,
following the mansion sequence (Another)
CONDITIONS: Speak to him and choose the first option.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Another brawny guy who's not as brawny as he could
be. I was disappointed by his surprisingly mediocre attack
power. There's nothing to recommend Jillbert over, say, Zappa,
making him fairly useless.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GROBYC (GYARADUN)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looks like Lucca's been disregarding the prime directive... her "research" in
the 24th century appears to have yielded some interesting results in the 11th
century, like this here cyborg. No explanation is offered as to why,
precisely, he looks like a cross between Mac Tonight and Strider Hiryu,
though.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Black
ORIGIN: Unknown (Another)
OCCUPATION: Cyborg Assassin
BUILD: Bionic
RACE: Cybernetically-enhanced human
AGE: 26
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: RocketPunch - Grobyc's mechanical arm detaches and strikes
an enemy.
L.5: HairCutter - A beam of energy emerges from his head and
hits the entire enemy party.
L.7: StrongArm - Fires an "ultimate weapon" which was banned
from the Porre army.
L.7 Found: Check the "coffin" at Chronopolis.
FOUND: Viper Manor (Another)
CONDITIONS: Battle him and the Porre mecha, and he will help
you escape.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: I like this guy! He's strong, has tons of HP, and
looks cool. He's also a Black element, which helps round out
the party most of the time.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GUILE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not like the Street Fighter played by Van Damme, but much, much better. Guile
stepped straight of the Masquerade scene from Labyrinth. He's a decent fighter
and a butt-kicking mage whose major limitation is the Element Grid. And no,
he's not who you think he is. I promise.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Rod
INNATE: Black
ORIGIN: Zenan Mainland (Another)
OCCUPATION: Masked Magician
BUILD: Tall & Slender
RACE: Human
AGE: 26
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: WandaIn - Causes his rod to appear inside an enemy for a
gruesome, powerful attack.
L.5: WandaSwords - Transforms his rod into twins swords, which
slice the foe.
L.7: LightninRod - Guile uses his rod to disprove the notion
that lightning never strikes the same place twice.
FOUND: Termina Inn (Another)
CONDITIONS: Speak to him in the Termina bar and accept his
request to help win a bet.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Not a terribly strong fighter, nor is he the
strongest magic user around. But, he has some extremely cool
attacks that dish out big hurting. The biggest problem is that
his Element Grid grows slowly, meaning he can't use much magic
in combat... for protracted battles, this is a major drawback.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARLE (TUKIYOMI)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lynx's jester, who seems to have ze interest in Serge, oui? Iz she merely a
flirt, or iz there something more to her comments? Zut alors, iz by Square!
C'est vrai, more motives are to be found.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Shot
INNATE: Black
ORIGIN: Unknown
OCCUPATION: Enigmatic Jester
BUILD: Unknown
RACE: Humanoid
AGE: 18
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: MoonBeams - Harle calls upon the power of the moon to
attack enemies.
L.5: MoonShine - Harle shields the party from damage.
L.7: Lunairetic - Massive damage to entire enemy party, plus various
random status ailments.
FOUND: In the freaky Van Gogh painting.
CONDITIONS: Automatic.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: She's cute, she's cool, and she has an amusing French
accent in the English version. Her attack power is poor, but
her magic is strong, and her innate skills are incredibly
useful. Alas, she's also a Black element, which makes her
redundant while she's in the party...
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRENES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A mermaid who doesn't seem to have any qualms about flopping about on land,
using her tail as legs. She's the kind of character you add to your party out
of sympathy ("She looks so lonely sitting their in my inactive list all the
time!") or to help balance battles when Serge and Glenn are having a go.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Pick
INNATE: Blue
ORIGIN: The Ocean (Home)
OCCUPATION: Late Zelbess' Sister
BUILD: Mermaid
RACE: Demihuman
AGE: 16
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: WaterBreath - Attacks enemy with a burst of water.
L.5: MerMelody - Cures a single member of the party for many
HP. Possibly Irenes' sole redeeming factor!
L.7: SirenSong - Irenes' lousy harp playing angers the gods,
who attack with a giant tidal wave.
L.7 Found: Speak to the person inside the first hut in Marbule
(Home) once the town has been liberated.
FOUND: On Nikki's ship (dressing room) next to the Zelbess.
CONDITIONS: Meet her in Marbule, then follow the event sequence
on the Zelbess. Speak to her after Nikki and his entourage
leave for rehearsal.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Not much to speak of. She's a decent magic user, but
her defense and offense are horrible. She's a respectable
healer, but beyond that there are many better Blue characters
you could have in your party.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JANICE (JYANESS)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Janice is a strangely fascinating demi-human with a knack for monster
training. If you can out-perform her beasties in the Grand Slam, she'll add
her formidable power to your team. Her magic is sort of weak, but she hits
hard and there's something oddly attractive about her. Must be the tail.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Carrot
INNATE: Red
ORIGIN: S.S. Zelbess (Home)
OCCUPATION: Bunny-Girl Trainer
BUILD: Plumpish
RACE: Demi-human
AGE: 22
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: BeatIt - Janess smashes an enemy with her drum.
L.5: 14Carrots - Ryo-Ohki would be so proud. She hits an enemy
with carrots, fired like missiles.
L.7: WhatsUpDoc - A rockin' drum beat causes geysers to rise.
L.7: Speak to the Land Octopus in The End of Time.
FOUND: Zelbess Grand Slam Arena (Home)
CONDITIONS: Defeat her in the tournament in three rounds.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: She may not look it, but she's one of the strongest
characters in the game. Her "Carrot" weapon can hold its own
against Denadorite weapons, and once she has Betta Carotene
she's downright ferocious. The localization team needs a good
scolding for making such self-indulgent and painfully punnish
names for her skills, though.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KARSH
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He's weak as an enemy, but strong as an ally. He has about the highest HP of
anyone in the party, and he's no slouch when he swings that Axe, either. A
great asset.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Axe
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: El Nido (Another)
OCCUPATION: One of the 4 Devas
BUILD: Solid
RACE: Human
AGE: 27
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: DragonRider - Mounts a dragon, mows down enemy.
L.5: AxialAxe - flings axe like a boomerang to hit all enemies.
L.7: Axiomatic - a powerful single-enemy attack.
L.7 Found: Fight Peppor and Solt in the Bone Cave (Another).
FOUND: Termina (Another) or Solitary Island (Another)
CONDITIONS: Choose him in Termina before rescuing Riddel, or
he'll join automatically later.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: This guy is TOUGH. High HP, high attack, high
defense. He seems to have poor magic defense, but if you keep
him away from Yellow enemies he and his skills are a great
asset to the party.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KENJA (NPC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The chief of Marbule in Another world, in Serge's Home world he's just a
janitor. Still, he knows a lot about certain secrets, kind like Dilbert's
garbage collector.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KORCHA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A creepy little boy who wears nothing but a vest and those tight shorts
that Japanese school girls have to wear to gym class. Son, listen - you've
got to leave a little more room down there, or you'll be singing soprano at
age 30. Just a friendly word of advice. Be nice to him, though - he
provides the party with a boat.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Fishing Rod
INNATE: Blue
ORIGIN: Guldove (Another)
OCCUPATION: Fisherman & Ferryman
BUILD: Thin
RACE: Human
AGE: 16
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Headbutt - Korcha leaps into the air and smacks his head
against an enemy's noggin.
L.5: Hook&Sinker - Korcha casts his rod and snags an enemy. The
power of this attack seems to depend either on an enemy's HP
or weight.
L.7: BigCatch - Korcha reels in a big 'un, which smacks the
enemy.
L.7 Found: Check the covered tank where Korscha first
appeared, then look for a mermaid near Greco's hut (Another).
FOUND: After mansion event (Another).
CONDITIONS: Ask him to join once he takes you to Termina. He
will leave the party whenever you visit his hometown.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: For a scrawny little guy, Korcha is a respectable
fighter. Not the greatest character, but acceptable. Probably
most useful during the Fort Dragonia sequence, as he's one of
the few Blue characters you can use at that point to summon
*FrogPrince.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEAH (LEEA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A little blond cave girl. Why, she would be just about the right age to be
Ayla's child! Except apparently she's not (try defeating the final boss with
her to discover the incredibly stupid truth). Leah joins late in the game, but
considering that she has the highest HP and attack ratings of any fighter,
there's not much reason to complain.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Axe
INNATE: Yellow
ORIGIN: Gaea's Navel (Home)
OCCUPATION: Cave Girl
BUILD: Infantile
RACE: Human
AGE: 6
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Ambidextrous
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: RockThrow - Leah throws several boulders at an enemy.
L.5: TailSpin - Leah whirls her costume's tail, causing a
vortex.
L.7: TripleKick - Leah kicks an enemy 3 times.
L.7 Found: During the Gaia's Navel event while hunting the
Green Dragon (Home).
FOUND: Gaea's Navel (Home).
CONDITIONS: Joins automatically during the Green Dragon quest.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Good grief, this little kid kicks butt. High attack,
high HP, high defense, terrible magic. She's basically a
pint-sized Ayla. If you're not in desperate need of magic
attacks, Leah should be in your front line as a pure physical
fighter.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEENA (RENA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serge's childhood sweetheart... or at least, the alternate reality version of
her. She secretly thinks Serge is a delusional schizoid, but she's too polite
to make a fuss of it.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Utensils
INNATE: Blue
ORIGIN: Arni (Another)
OCCUPATION: Sweet Country Gal
BUILD: Ordinary
RACE: Human
AGE: 16
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: MaidenHand - Strikes an enemy with a glowing piece of
houseware.
L.5: MaidenHeart - Leena recharges her own elements.
L.7: MaidenFaith - Chance of instant resurrection. Also causes
99% hits.
L.7 Found: Speak to her grandmother at the house in Another
world. You have to answer her questions correctly at the
beginning of the game (that you remember her promise and all
that mushy rubbish)
FOUND: Arni Village (Another)
CONDITIONS: Fight alone until after you meet Kid, and refuse to
let Kid join at Serge's grave (3 refusals). Leena and Poshul
will join soon thereafter.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Leena starts off pretty weak, and while she never
gains a respectable attack power rating (she's attacking with
a broom, for crying out loud) she's one of the strongest magic
users in the game. Additionally, her MaidenHeart skill makes
her incredibly useful, as it effectively doubles the number of
Elements at her disposal - making her indespensible as a
healer for protracted battles. Add to that a respectable magic
defense rating and Leena becomes one of the more surprisingly
effective characters in the game once you learn to play to her
strengths.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LISA (NPC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She runs the shop in Termina (Another). She's not important, but she does have
a portrait, so, uh... there you go.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LUCCIA (LUTIANNA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A young voman who seems to take fashion advice from Rufus Shinra. Also a
mad scientist by day, who likes to work as an adoptive mother when she's not
manipulating plant DNA to violate the rules of god and nature.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Shot
INNATE: Black
ORIGIN: Zenan Mainland (Another)
OCCUPATION: Scientific Genius
BUILD: Thin
RACE: Human
AGE: 28
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: PinUpGirl - Luccia performs a sort of painful shiatsu on
an enemy.
L.5: Mix&Match - A kooky konkoktion krashes into the enemy and
inflikts a status kondition.
L.7: TestAmoeba - Luccia's Test Amoeba secretes digestive
enzymes or somesuch, leaving an enemy half-digested. Er, yeah.
L.7 Found: Enter the sewage grate in the kitchen of the Viper
Mansion and search the large blob in the tunnels there
(Another).
FOUND: In Lynx' mansion after returning to Termina.
CONDITIONS: Return to the mansion and speak to her on the third
story balcony. Then follow her to the lab and select the first
option. It may be necessary to defeat the NeoBulbs that
were rampaging through her office during the mansion sequence.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Luccia is interesting as a character, ho ho ho, but
not much in combat. You'll really have to work to get any of
her ratings to the point of being even average.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LYNX (YAMANEKO)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lynx's evil, sure, but you do see him in battle in a fashion you'd
probably never expect...
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Scythe
INNATE: Black
ORIGIN: Unknown
OCCUPATION: Feline Demihuman
BUILD: Solid
RACE: Demihuman
AGE: Unknown
GENDER: Unknown
DEXTERITY: Unknown
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: GlideHook - Lynx leaps into the air and slashes into a
single enemy.
L.5: FeralCats - Lynx summons hundreds to cats who slash and
claw the enemy party.
L.7: ForeverZero - creates a singularity which dishes out pain
to the whole enemy party.
FOUND: It's a secret to everyone
CONDITIONS: It's much more fun to learn on your own...
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: I don't want to comment here so as not to spoil
Lynx's role in the story. I think you can probably figure out
what to do once you find him though.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MACHA (MAMACHA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Korcha's mother. She's very motherly, and, uh... well, there's really not much
more to say about her. She's not really built like a fighter. Personally, I
always feel sort of weird making a middle-aged lady in a muumuu fight the dark
forces of Lynx and the undead, so I really never use her. Your mileage may
vary.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Utensils
INNATE: Red
ORIGIN: Guldove (Another)
OCCUPATION: Gutsy Mother of 2
BUILD: Stout
RACE: Human
AGE: 38
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-Handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: BottomsUp - Macha sets a bad example for her kids by
butt-bashing a baddie.
L.5: Folding - Macha confuses an enemy for laundry.
L.7: DirtyDishes - Macha breaks some plates on an enemy. I
would too - it's easier than washing them.
FOUND: Termina (Another)
CONDITIONS: Will join automatically if you choose not to find
medicine for Kid.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Forthcoming.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCY (MARCELLA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She's 9 and evil. Did William Peter Blatty become a scenario writer for
this game while I wasn't paying attention? I think this is who Kefka had in
mind when he called Celes a "vicious brat." It should be noted that she's half
the age of her brother and about twice as powerful. I'd be a moody
glam-rocker, too, if my 9-year-old sister could whomp my arse.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Blue
ORIGIN: Zenan Mainland (Another)
OCCUPATION: The 'Diva' of the 4 Devas
BUILD: Smallish
RACE: Human
AGE: 9
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Left-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Cat'sCradle - Strikes a single enemy with her wire.
L.5: StringPhone - Hits all enemies with an electrical current
sent along a wire.
L.7: WebSurfer - A watery earthquake-like spell slams evil!
FOUND: Solitary Island (Another).
CONDITIONS: Automatic, once she apologizes to Serge.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: An impressively strong magic user, and a decent
fighter. While not as useful for spell-casting as Leena, she's
still pretty respectable... plus some of her attacks pack a
punch. If you don't feel comfortable with the physically
weaker Leena, Marcy is a good substitute.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEL
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Korcha's kid sister will join the party, but only if you track her down after
she steals Kid's Element Grid. Annnnnnnd that's about all there is to say
about her.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Fly
INNATE: Yellow
ORIGIN: Guldove (Another)
OCCUPATION: Doodling Brat
BUILD: Skinny
RACE: Human
AGE: 9
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Snatch - Mel snags an item.
L.5: Doodle - Mel draws pretty pictures on an
enemy with markers.
L.7: Tantrum - Mel throws a fit, damaging all enemies.
FOUND: Guldove (Another)
CONDITIONS: Track her down and retrieve Kid's Element Grid.
Later in the game, she will join your party when you speak to her.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Forthcoming.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIGUEL (NPC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leena's father. He was lost in a storm at sea several years ago. His fate is
central to the story's plot.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIKI
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the world of Chrono Cross, women fight most effectively when they're
wearing bikinis! For a rock music dancer, she's pretty tough. I'm sure the
Spice Girls wish they had half Miki's chutzpah.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Red
ORIGIN: S.S. Zelbess
OCCUPATION: Dancer Extraordinaire (Home)
BUILD: Slender
RACE: Human
AGE: 19
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: HeadStomp - Riverdancing from hell! Yeargh!
L.5: SexyWink - Wounds an enemy with a chance of inflicting
Confusion.
L.7: DanceOnAir - Miki makes like in that concert.
FOUND: On Zelbess (Home) after the concert
CONDITIONS: Speak to her after clearing Marbule of the
Lagoonates.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Not too bad, not too great. Used as a supplemental
character she can hold her own, so play her as a Red
magic-user against a strong Blue or Yellow fighter.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MOJO (LUCKY DAN)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His name is "Mojo" in the US version, but we know the truth: he's really Lucky
Dan. I'm going to keep calling him Mojo, mainly because I've got way too
much work invested in calling him by that name. Mere words cannot describe the
immense coolness of this guy, but words are all we mortals have. For a
thorough biopic, check http://www.toastyfrog.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Black
ORIGIN: Far East (Another)
OCCUPATION: Cursed VooDoo Doll
BUILD: Waistless
RACE: Magical
AGE: Unknown
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Dominant Arm Unknown
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: VooDooDance - Mojo dances around an enemy, laughing in a
disturbing manner.
L.5: Cartwheel - Mojo giggles and begins rolling in a
cartwheel, dispensing respectable damage to the entire enemy party.
L.7: HoodooGuroo - A nasty bit of impalement involving a voodoo
spike. Somewhere, Vlad Tepes is smiling.
L.7: Speak to the cat statues at the shrine in the following
order: Left, Right, Middle (Another).
FOUND: In alternate version of Arni fishmonger's basement.
CONDITIONS: Give Shark Scale Pendant to Kiki's father (Another)
after Kid has joined.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Admittedly, Mojo is a worthless fighter, with some of
the worst stats in the game (he's a straw doll, after all).
But, he's hilarious, and simply exudes coolness. How can you
not love the guy?
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEOFIO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A living flower. Think Peco, but with radishes instead of onions. She's what
you might call "utterly adorable," but unfortunately "adorable" isn't the same
thing as "skilled in combat."
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: Viper Manor (Another)
OCCUPATION: A 'Flower Child'
BUILD: Undefinable
RACE: Demihuman
AGE: 5
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Omnidextrous
HANGS OUT: Hermit's Hideaway (Home)
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: PopPopPop - Shoot itty-bitty, teensy-weensy lady-like
bullet seeds at all enemies.
L.5: SlurpSlurp - Shoot roots at the enemy to suck their life
force. Yum!
L.7: BamBamBam - Smack an enemy into the ground repeatedly.
L.7 Found: Help the butterfly that the Land Octopus at
Another Sky Dragon Island is trying to catch.
FOUND: Viper Mansion (Another)
CONDITIONS: Place the Life Sparkle in the pond on the
upper-level balcony.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Forthcoming.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NIKKI (SLASH)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nikki's name was Slash in Japanese, but thanks to the wacky-fun
Slash/Flea/Ozzie trio in CT, his name was changed to Nikki (presumably because
it's cloyingly cutesy when he hangs with Miki, and because there was a hair
metal singer named Nikki Sixx once upon a time, thus keeping the musical
theme). I'm mad about this whole name-thing, because now all of my Slash jokes
sound stupid.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Pick
INNATE: Blue
ORIGIN: S.S. Zelbess
OCCUPATION: Rockin' Bard Superstar
BUILD: Thin
RACE: Half-demi-human
AGE: 18
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Left-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: GrandFinale - Headbangs at the enemy. Apparently they
die laughing; then he smacks his guitar over their heads.
L.5: ChillOut - Nikki puts an enemy on ice. He's sooooo
cool! Sugoi!!
L.7: ShockNoise - Nikki's music becomes so terrible that the
enemy is stricken with pain.
L.& Found: Have the two Nikkis meet up and chat. Kakkoii!! ^^
FOUND: In forest east of Termina (Another).
CONDITIONS: Speak to his entourage at the boat in Termina
first. Witness the event with Miki. Help Nikki in the forest
and give him affirmative replies in the waterfall cave.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Nothing special. He's pretty goofy in combat, and
doesn't have any real strengths or weaknesses.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORRIS (ISHITO)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norris seems sort of waifish and insubstantial, but somehow he's managed to
work his way up in the ranks of the Porre army. He's one of those swell guys
with a heart of gold and suchlike, with morals that fly in the face of the
actions of his brothers in arms.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Gun
INNATE: Yellow
ORIGIN: Porre, Zenan (Home)
OCCUPATION: 'Black Wind' Leader
BUILD: Average
RACE: Human
AGE: 26
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: SpiralBeam - Fires a spiral beams of energy.
L.5: Sunshower - Fires a beam of energy into the sky, which
lands on the enemy with extra punch.
L.7: FullShot - A super-duper strong attack. Yowza!
L.7 Found: Have Norris speak to his counterpart in Another
world.
FOUND: Dungeon beneath Lynx's mansion (Home).
CONDITIONS: Automatic.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: As you might expect from a soldier (even one that
looks like a sissy), Norris is a good combatant. His special
attacks are pretty strong, and while he doesn't really excel
at any one aspect of combat, he's a good all-rounder and helps
fill out your party adequately.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORCHA (OCHA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A large, bare-chested chef. What is it with Japanese games and warrior chefs,
anyway? But hey, if you think HE looks like a goof, wait'll you get a load of
FFIX's take on the theme.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Utensils
INNATE: Red
ORIGIN: Guldove (Another)
OCCUPATION: Fiery Cook
BUILD: Chubby
RACE: Human
AGE: 44
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: SpiceOfLife - Orcha heals the party.
L.5: MysteryMenu - Orcha pretends to be Quina Quen.
L.7: DinnerGuest - Gargamel beware when Orcha goes smurfy!
L.7 Found: Have him talk to his brother, the chef in Arni
(Home).
FOUND: Lynx's manor (Another).
CONDITIONS: Defeat his evil form to rescue Riddel and allow him
to join.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: A character I frankly don't care about. You want more
description? Tough tookie.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORLHA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite the fact that she wears armor which protects everything but her heart
(to show off her cleavage, y'see), she's a sensible fighter who can kick butt
and take names. Though there's a sad bit of history in her family's past.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Blue
ORIGIN: Guldove
OCCUPATION: Gladiatrix Barkeep
BUILD: Muscular
RACE: Human
AGE: 24
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: MultiPunch - Beats down an enemy with multiple hits. Thus
the name. GEDDIT!?
L.5: PunchDrunk - Orhla bobs and weaves in an irregular
fashion, striking an enemy.
L.7: SisterHoods - Orlha and her missing sister team up for
a dual attack. Hurts so good, baby.
L.7 Found: Speak to Doc (Another).
FOUND: The bar at Guldove (Another).
CONDITIONS: Defeat her when she attacks you while Porre troops
are in the area. Once you've fulfilled her requirements, come
back and return the brooch she gave you.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Orlha's cool. She's not as strong as Leah, but
dogonnit, she's got style. Her innate skills are respectably
clobber-some, and she has decent stats all around. And
cleavage!
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PEPPOR & SOLT SHAKER (SUGAR & SALTON)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Karsh's bumbling henchmen. The Biggs and Wedge of Chrono Cross? Could be...
These guys aren't playable, but they deserve a salute nevertheless.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PIERRE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you choose Pierre for your party instead of Guile, you're either very
brave or very stupid. He's what you call a "joke character." Like Chrono
Trigger's Tata, he's a wuss who seems to think owning a hero's medal makes him
a hero rather than simply a schmuck with a hero's medal.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Sword
INNATE: Blue
ORIGIN: Termina (Another)
OCCUPATION: Self-Proclaimed Hero
BUILD: Weakling
RACE: Human
AGE: 23
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Medalsome - Pierre holds his shiny badge aloft to restore a
meager amount of HP to himself.
L.5: FoiledAgain - Pierre actually manages to deliver a decent
amount of damage with this double-strike technique.
L.7: SlapOfCyrus - Pierre uses a skill made famous by Cyrus. Or
tries to, anyway.
L.7: Give Pierre ze Prop Sword, mon ami.
FOUND: In back room of Zappa's Smithy, Termina (Another).
CONDITIONS: Give him the badge proffered by the boy in the
training yard directly outside Pierre's home.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: OK, Pierre's a joke, but he's an amusing sort. I
wouldn't brave his path until New Game+ though....
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PIP (TUMALU)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pip is a genetically engineered fighting machine wrapped in a Pokemon's skin.
Or something like that.
Pip can somehow evolve over the course of the game, like a Tamagotchi. The
types of magic used in combat determine Pip's final form. I HIGHLY recommend
checking out boko-kun's incredibly comprehensive guide on the topic; it will
tell you more than you thought you could ever know about the little
pompadour-bedecked puffball.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: White
ORIGIN: Viper Manor Lab (Another)
OCCUPATION: Guinea Pig Experiment
BUILD: Unknown
RACE: Sentient Beast
AGE: Unknown
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Dominant Paw Unknown
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Pounce - Tail-launched attack. Zounds!
L.5: Soothe - Mugu mugu? Heals entire party.
L.7: Pounce+4 - Plain ol' Pip
HeavenCalls - Archangel Pip
Hell'sFury - Archdevil Pip
CanonCannon - Archetype Pip
FOUND: Fargo's ship (Another).
CONDITIONS: Catch and speak to it in the ship during the Ghost
Ship event.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: I haven't experimented with Pip's transformational
skills, but apparently his value in combat rises dramatically
as you change him. According to boko-kun's FAQ, the Angel type
is a superlative mage while the Devil type rules as a fighter.
Like Sprigg, Pip becomes more useful the longer he fights.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POSHUL
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sort of a cross between Barkley the dog from Sesame Street and Tails from
Sonic. And Thylvethter the Cat.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Yellow
ORIGIN: Arni (Home/Another)
OCCUPATION: The 'Wonder Dog' ???
BUILD: Roly-Poly
RACE: Sentient Pooch
AGE: Unknown
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Dominant Paw Unknown
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: K9-Ball - Poshul bounces up to an enemy and whacks 'em.
L.5: DoggyDunnit - Those poo-burying instincts take over as
Poshul kicks up a sandstorm.
L.7: Unleashed - Poshul's Pretty Miracle Power X kicks in when she whips off
her collar and weilds it at the foe.
L.7 Found: Speak with Leena at the docks (Home).
FOUND: In west section of Arni Village (Home).
CONDITIONS: Give her the Heckran Bone and she'll offer her
"Pretty Miracle Power X!" to help you. If you pass her by and
recruit Leena, Poshul will join with Leena - no Heckran Bone
required.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: I'm not a big Poshul fan, but hey. If you're into
cute, bounding fluffballs, here ya go. Incidentally, she has
the second-highest attack power for the early portions of the
game, if that makes any difference to you. As a matter of
trivia, Poshul is the only character who can be recruited in
either dimension (but not both, 'K?).
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RADIUS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The chief of Arni VIllage. He seems to have a number of connections,
thanks to his former ties to the army. In Another world, he lives alone on
a distant island.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Staff
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: Zenan Mainland (Home)
OCCUPATION: Arni Village Chief
BUILD: Thin
RACE: Human
AGE: 62
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: LongShot - Uses his staff to project a blast of energy at
the enemy.
L.5: QuickDraw - Similar to Serge's Dash Attack.
L.7: VitalEnergy - Similar to Viper's Air Force, but, uh, more
geezerly.
FOUND: Arni Village (Home).
CONDITIONS: Defeat him in combat after failing to activate the
warp on the beach.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Well, he's sort of weak, like you'd probably expect
from an old geezer. But he's not a total embarrassment, so you
won't rip out your hair during the sections of the game where
he has to tag along.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAZZLY
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Razzly is delicate and dimunitive, and ohh sooo kawaaaiiii ^_^;; Sadly for
her, she's been blown by the wind to land far from her home on Water Dragon
Isle.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Rod
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: Water Dragon Island (Home)
OCCUPATION: A lost fairy
BUILD: Tiny
RACE: Faerie
AGE: Unknown
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY:
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Raz-Star - A really freaking huge star smacks an
enemy.
L.5: Raz-Heart - Like the Razzly Star, but with a big
heart.
L.7: Raz-Flower - Shields allies, similar to Harle's L.5.
L.7 Found: If Rosetta dies after the Ice Breath quest (i.e.,
if Razzly is in your character list, but not in your active
party), you will receive this skill by searching the tree that
begins to grow in the faerie village. Or something like that.
The specifics comprise one of CC's greatest mysteries.
FOUND: In Hydra Marsh, beneath the fungal platform (Home).
CONDITIONS: Unlock her cage and defeat the land kraken if you
take the Hydra Marsh quest to heal Kid. You gots to save her
before you fight the PentaPus or she's mollusk meal.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Razzly is extremely weak to Yellow attacks and has
poor defense and HP ratings. But her magic rocks, so she's not
a total loss.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RIDDEL
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Riddel is everybody's sweetheart. She's demure, delicate, and any other
feminine adjectives you can think of that start with D. She's also dismally
wussy, but her magic sort of makes up for it.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Rod
INNATE: White
ORIGIN: El Nido (Another)
OCCUPATION: Lady of El Nido Manor
BUILD: Slender
RACE: Human
AGE: 24
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: SnakeEyes - Restores HP to entire party
L.5: SnakeSkin - Riddel casts a protective shell upon an ally.
L.7: WhiteSnakeSeal - Recharges a bucket o' Elements.
L.7 Found: Defeat Dario.
FOUND: On the Solitary Island (Another).
CONDITIONS: Accept her as a member of your party after rescuing
her from the Porre troops in Viper's mansion.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Repeat after me: "weak, weak, weak!" That being said,
her magic is anything BUT weak. Unfortunately, she's a
compulsory character for the hardest fight in the game, but
you may learn to like her anyway.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SKELLY (SKARLL)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Serge assembles a party, he literally assembles a party! Skelly is
nothing more than a skull when you meet him, but if you locate all of his body
parts, you will be able to recruit him as a party member - simultaneously
macabre and goofy.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Black
ORIGIN: Zenan Mainland (Another)
OCCUPATION: Skeleton Clown
BUILD: Boney
RACE: Former human
AGE: 32
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Left-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: JugglerVein - Bubbly balls attack the enemy.
L.5: BalloonLoan - Annihilates an enemy with compound interest.
No, wait - a balloon heals him and boosts his attack power,
making him an almost decent fighter.
L.7: OnARoll - Rolls on a giant ball toward the enemy. Scary.
L.7: Visit the bar in Termina (Another).
FOUND: All over the place
CONDITIONS: Find his body parts and take them to the old lady
at the upper right of Termina's main square (Another).
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: For all the trouble it takes to recruit Skelly, he's
pretty lame. Oh well - he's funny, so if you want to make a
party with him and Mojo, have a field day. Don't expect to win
any battles, though...
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SNEFF
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A talented stage magician and a poor gambler. He makes his living entertaining
visitors at the Zelbess. He's also freakin' UGLY.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Cards/Shot
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: S.S. Zelbess (Home)
OCCUPATION: Aged Illusionist
BUILD: Ordinary
RACE: Human
AGE: 58
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Left-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: BigDeal - Snef hits an enemy with a barrage of cards.
L.5: HPShuffle - Snef shuffles his cards to determine his HP -
anywhere from 000 to 999.
L.7: SwordTrick - Practices unsafe magic by stuffing enemy into
a box and ramming swords into it.
FOUND: In the dressing room of the Zelbess.
CONDITIONS: Speak to him after returning to human form.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: If only we could tap into Snef's colossal ugliness as a source of
power... unfortunately, he's a bit worthless. His HP Shuffle skill can come
in handy at times, and it can also suck massively.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPRIGG (SPRIGGAN)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An ancient creature of the woods who can mimic other monsters. Or as the
in-game text says, a lovable old lady. Er, yeah.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Staff
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: Dimension Vortex
OCCUPATION: Lovable Old Lady
BUILD: Dwarfish
RACE: Demihuman
AGE: 227
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Left-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: (no L.3 skill)
L.5: Doppelgang - Sprigg transforms into another kind of
monster. Most of her choices are pretty weak, but they may
improve as he defeats new enemies, sort of like a Blue Mage.
To acquire new Morphs, Sprigg has to be the one to deliver the
killing blow. OR, someone wearing the Forget-Me-Not Pot has to
do the deadly deed instead.
L.7: (no L.7 skill)
FOUND: In the Dimension Vortex.
CONDITIONS: Sneak into her hut when she runs to grab the fruit
from the tree above. She will join automatically when you
exit.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: While Sprigg starts out pretty weak, she acquires new
Morph skills every time she kills an enemy (she has to deliver
the final blow). You can also have other characters teach her
new skills if that person makes a killing blow while wearing
the cap you discover in Chronopolis. Additionally, there are a
couple of special enemies in New Game+ mode who can be
mimicked by her as well... The more you use Sprigg, the better
she gets. The Bend of Time is her friend.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STARKY (STARCHILD)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starky crash-landed his spacecraft, the Hutch, in the middle of the El Nido
Triangle. Now he grows to giant size and beats up people who find the debris
of his ship.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Gun
INNATE: White
ORIGIN: Another Planet (Home)
OCCUPATION: A Stray 'Gray'
BUILD: Alien
RACE: Alien
AGE: Unknown
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Ambidextrous
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: StarLight - Sentai fun!
L.5: StarBurst - Sentai fun with more powerful! EX+Alpha!
L.7: MeteorZap - Even of more Sentai fun! Go! Go!
L.7: Check his spaceship again (Another).
FOUND: Sky Dragon Island (Home).
CONDITIONS: Following the Vortex scenario, find the Star
Fragment, then visit Sky Dragon Island (Another) and defeat
the massive alien that attacks.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Starky's not so bad, but he's not so great either.
Another cutesy fighter to round out your party o' cuddliness.
Does all this vagueness give you the hint I don't use Starky
much?
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEENA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By the great dragon gods! This lady looks like Dazzler. In Another World she's
the assistant shrine maiden in Guldove, but in Serge's Home World her
ambitions helped bump off that annoying Direa lady so Steena could rise to the
top.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Sword
INNATE: White
ORIGIN: Guldove (Home)
OCCUPATION: Shrine Maiden
BUILD: Tall & Slender
RACE: Human
AGE: 24
GENDER: F
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: DireaShadow - Direa is dead, dead, deader than disco
dead in the Home dimension, but she still kicks butt.
L.5: HydraShadow - the spirit of a Hydra attacks the enemy.
L.5 Found: Defeat the Hydra Frame (Another).
L.7: GaraiShadow - And now for some real cleansing action:
summon Garai and say good-bye to tough enemy stains!
L.7: Return to where you defeated Garai (Home).
FOUND: Guldove (Another)
CONDITIONS: Speak to her after completing the Dragon crest
quest. You will need the six-slotted amulet to enter her tent.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Great mage; pitiful fighter. Well, no, compared to
Riddel she downright rocks. You acquire her rather late in the
game, so you probably won't get much use out of her.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TURNIP (KABU)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He looks like an egg, but Kabu is a turnip. As you might expect from a tiny
walking vegetable, he really really really really sucks.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Sword
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: Hermit's Hideout (Home)
OCCUPATION: A Total Vegetable
BUILD: Round
RACE: Demihuman
AGE: 3
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-rhizomed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: VegeChopper - Jump and slam. The tables are turned when
vegetables begin to pare humans.
L.5: VegeMight - Turnip pretends to be the gopher from
Caddyshack. Do not use this attack vs. Bill Murray.
L.7: VegOut - A gigantic Tunip head appears. I don't know how
the attack ends, because I turn off my PSX when the big Turnip
appears. So scared ;_;
L.7 Found: Take Turnip and Fio to the balcony of Viper Manor
(Another).
FOUND: The solitary island (Home)
CONDITIONS: Use Lucca's Ice Gun on the bare patch of ground
outside Radius' hut. Then return to the same place in the Home
world and pull up the sprout. You may need Poshul to help
unearth Turnip.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: I don't really see much use for this guy. Considering
it's impossible to get him until the very end of the game,
you'd expect him to have amazing stats. But no... he sucks.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leena's kid sister (brother? this kid is creepily androgynous), who carries
around a sack of laundry or something. Not recruitable.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VAN (BANCLIFFE)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A boy after my own heart: a sarcastic, cynical artist. Unlike me, though, he's
actually useful in combat, thanks in large part to the fact that he's one of
the games very few boomerang users.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Boomerang
INNATE: Green
ORIGIN: Termina (Home)
OCCUPATION: Penny-wise Artist
BUILD: Smallish
RACE: Human
AGE: 14
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Left-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: JumpThrow - Two boomerangs converge on an enemy.
L.5: WetPaint - Flings paint into the air, causing the field
effect to become a single random color.
L.7: PiggyBoink - Flings a piggy bank at the enemy. The more G
you've put into his bank at home, the more damage it does (and
the more likely it is to break).
FOUND: Termina (Home)
CONDITIONS: Speak to him in his home.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Not much of a fighter, but his skills are solid.
Additionally, his strong basic attack hits all enemies, which
is a useful trick.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIPER (JYAKOTU)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This guy looks like a geriatric version of Alucard. He's the beloved lord of
the EL Nido archipelago, and a former warrior who once fought alongside Zappa
and Radius. Unlike Radius, though, Viper still kicks butt.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Sword
INNATE: Yellow
ORIGIN: El Nido (Another)
OCCUPATION: Lord of El Nido
BUILD: Solid
RACE: Human
AGE: 57
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: G-Force - leaps into the air and slams the enemy with a
sword attack.
L.5: AirForce - smacks an entire enemy party with a chi attack.
Or something.
L.7: FlagOfViper - The flag of El Nido gives everyone a tingly,
patriotic sensation and restores their HP.
L.7 Found: Take him to Termina's Bar (Home).
FOUND: On Zelbess (Another).
CONDITIONS: Rescue and recruit Riddel.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: A pretty solid character with decent physical stats
(less decent magic stats, though). A good choice for most
situations.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WAZUKI (NPC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serge's father, who disappeared at sea with Miguel.
ZAPPA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A brawny blacksmith living in Termina. Weasels ripped his flesh.... RRRZZZ! Ye
ken? Even if you never use Zappa in combat, you'll want to have him for the
fact that he can help forge Prism equipment.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Hammer
INNATE: Red
ORIGIN: Zenan Mainland (Home)
OCCUPATION: Obstinate Blacksmith
BUILD: Solid
RACE: Human
AGE: 52
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: Hammerblow - Zappa clobbers an enemy with his hammer.
L.5: Hammerthrow - Zappa spins into the enemy party.
L.7: BallsOfIron - *giggle* Sorry, I can't take this skill
seriously with that name.
FOUND: In Termina at the Smithy.
CONDITIONS: Speak to him in the Home version of Termina.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Pretty strong. He's worth recruiting for the Spirit
Smith alone, but he's no slouch in combat either. What d'ya
expect from a man with BALLS OF IRON? OK, I'll stop now.
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZOAH
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HE WEARS LITTLE MORE THAN BRIEFS AND A HELMET, BUT HE STILL MANAGES... ack,
that's getting old. Ahem: he still manages to having an incredibly strong
constitution. Not as powerful an attacker as you might expect, but his body is
about as durable as a slab of (half-naked) granite.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON: Glove
INNATE: Yellow
ORIGIN: El Nido (Another)
OCCUPATION: Once of the 4 Devas
BUILD: Mammoth
RACE: Human
AGE: 28
GENDER: M
DEXTERITY: Right-handed
---------------------------------------------------------------
L.3: DragonRider - Zoah charges an enemy on Dragonback.
L.5: Gyronimo - Zoah spins into the air and crashes down on an
enemy.
L.7: Toss&Spike - Hits an enemy with a lighting attack.
L.7: Check the chest in his room with Zoah at the front of the
party.
FOUND: In Termina (Another) or Solitary Island (Another).
CONDITIONS: Automatic; chose him in Termina or he'll join
later.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Very reminscent of Karsh, but he seems to be weaker
than Karsh as well. Go figure.
---------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
PART VI: FAQS
Here are some of the most frequent questions I've received - yeah, there are
SPOILERS here. Careful now!
-- 1. GENERAL FAQS ---------------------------
a. WHERE CAN I FIND THE ENGLISH VERSION OF CHRONO CROSS?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Check a local store, unless you live in Europe, in which case you'll have to
import it. You have my sympathy.
b. SO WHERE DO I GET THE JAPANESE VERSION?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
I bought mine at Tronix (http://www.tronixweb.com), but there are many other
importers of varying reputability out there - www.ncsx.com, www.buyrite1.com,
www.animenation.com, www.gamecave.com, and so on and so forth. Remember that you
need a Playstation capable of playing imports!
c. DOES CHRONO CROSS HAVE MOD-CHIP LOCKOUT PROTECTION?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
No, it doesn't. Maybe Square is getting smart and realizing that the lockouts do
nothing to curtail piracy, but simply annoy and inconvenience the importers who
typically are their biggest fans. Wouldn't it be weird if a gaming company
actually took its customers into consideration for once?
d. HOW MANY DISCS IS CHRONO CROSS?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Two. While it has fewer cinematics than Final Fantasy VIII, there's still a ton
of gameplay, so don't worry about getting a Parasite Eve-length game with just
two discs.
e. WHAT NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED BETWEEN THE JAPANESE AND U.S. VERSIONS?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Here a list of Japanese characters and place names with their English
counterparts. If you happen to come across a mistaken name that I forgot to
change, this is why.
Tukiyomi Harle
Yamaneko Lynx
Starchild Starky
Slash Nikki
Lutianna Luccia
Bancliffe Van
Alf Guile
Lord Jyakotu Lord Viper
Ridel Riddel
Sugar Peppor
Salton Solt
Lucky Dan Mojo
Jillbert Greco
Rena Leena
Grenn Glenn
Ocha Orcha
Norris Norris
Jyanes Janice
Dragonchild Draggy
Gyaradun Grobyc
Lazully Razzly
Cape of Howling Wind Cape Howl
Tokage Rock Lizard Rock
Gardov Guldove
Mabure Marbule
Shadow Cut Woods Shadow Forest
Death Volcano Mt. Pyre
Palepori Porre
-- 2. GAMEPLAY FAQS --------------------------
a. I DID SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOUR GUIDE SAYS. DIFFERENT
EVENTS, DIFFERENT CHARACTERS. WHAT GIVES?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Chrono Cross has branching gameplay paths, so you can do many different things
during the game. I've marked all the places that spawn branches with a warning,
so you'll know. Remember, you don't have to play in the order I've written
things up - one of the more enjoyable aspects of Chrono Cross is that you're
rarely forced into situations or sequences, but rather have the freedom to move
about as you desire.
b. WHY DOES MY TV GET ALL FLICKERY WHEN I GO TO THE MENU SCREEN?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
The menu screen uses PlayStation's 640x480 pixel interlaced high-resolution
mode, which means everything looks nice (check the Status menu character models
- mmm, Dreamcast-quality) but the refresh rate is weird. At least the English
menu screen text is readable; I thought I was going to go blind trying to read
the teensy hi-res Japanese text.
c. IS IT POSSIBLE TO ACQUIRE CHARACTERS YOU'VE MISSED LATER ON? IS IT POSSIBLE
TO HAVE ALL 44 CHARACTERS IN ONE PLAY-THROUGH?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Some characters can be acquired later in the game if you miss them at first.
However, there are certain either/or sets of characters in the game. There IS a
way to acquire all the characters, but only in New Game+ mode. The following are
the "character sets":
SET ONE
-----------------------------------------------
Either: Guile Or: Nikki Or: Pierre
SET TWO
-----------------------------------------------
Either: Glenn Or: Korcha
Macha Razzly
Doc Mel
Basically, you're given a choice between sets each time you play and have to
choose the characters from one column of each set (determined by the story
branch you choose). You CAN merge a previous game's party into your current
party in New Game+ mode by traveling to the Dimension Vortex with the Time Egg
and visiting the shrine there. I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard it even
allows you to fight the Dragon God with Harle, or to have Kid through the middle
portion of the game. No promises, though.
d. DOES CHRONO CROSS HAVE MULTIPLE ENDINGS?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Yes... I know of several. There are others - refer to Zane Merritt's Chrono
Cross Ending FAQ at http://www.gamefaqs.com for further details (or at least
until I find them myself; I've avoided spoiing them for myself, because extra
endings are the best part!).
e. DOES CHRONO CROSS HAVE A NEW GAME+ MODE?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Yes, although you cannot keep your characters or Summons in New Game+ mode. You
have to locate them all over again.
f. WHAT IS A TRAP ELEMENT?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
A Trap Element not only prevents a specific Element from being used, but also
allows you to acquire that particular skill if an enemy uses it. Traps are the
ONLY way to acquire certain high-level skills, particularly Summons.
Unfortunately, you can only use a Trap once, although there is a shop that sells
them later in the game.
g. WHAT KIND OF COMBO ATTACKS ARE THERE BESIDES X-STRIKE?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Quite a few. To find Combos, try combining characters who have complimentary
story roles or natural relationships.
h. HOW DO I REPLENISH MY STARS?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
Sleep. Go to an Inn or anywhere else where you can rest and recover and your
Stars will be recharged. Handy, eh?
i. WHERE DO I FIND ALL OF SKELLY'S BONES?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are six parts to Skelly. Here are their locations (all are in Another):
Heavy Skull........... Fossile Valley, near the dragon skull.
Good Spine............ Found hidden in a shallow cave in Hydra Marsh.
Bone Fragments........ In the cave on the Island of the Damned.
Angry Scapulas........ Found beneath the waterfall in Shadow woods where
you can meet Nikki.
Sturdy Ribs........... Found in the Water Dragon Isle.
Pelvic Bone........... Acquired from the Element trader in Guldove, right
outside Doc's hut.
j. HOW DO I CREATE PRISM GEAR?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
It's tricky, but Hot Pepper (jolee@exchange.ursinus.edu) passed along the
following tips to acquiring Prism gear:
First you have to buy master's hammer after (event spoiler omitted). After that
get Zappa to equip it and talk to other Zappa in Another. He will learn the way
to make the best weapons and armors. The components to make them are very
rare...in fact you have make them. Whenever you kill monsters with
summoned monster, you will get the upgrade item that has the same element with
the summoned monster you used. you will need every kinds element items for any
weapon you are going to make.
These special items are called "shiny elements" in English, and to forge Prism
gear you need shiny elements of every color. You will sometimes, but not always,
acquire shiny elements after using a Summon Element in combat. You can find much
more information on this near the beginning of this FAQ, or in CB!'s Character
FAQ.
k. WHAT DOES THE RELIEF CHARM DO?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
In New Game+ mode, the Relief Charm allows you to use characters besides Serge
in combat. Serge will still appear on the exploration screens, but in battle the
character you replace him with will fight in his stead.
l. WHAT'S THIS ABOUT A CHRONO TRIGGER REMAKE?
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------
About a month before Chrono Cross was released in Japan, Square reissued Chrono
Trigger for Playstation. Like Final Fantasy Anthology, it's largely emulated
rather than reprogrammed, but unlike FFA it has barely any slowdown and battle
transitions are extremely quick. Additionally, there are several anime scenes
added to the beginning, the end and - gasp! - throughout the game. Much to the
world's amazement, Square decided to shore up their sorry excuse for a mid-2001
release list with this remake, repackaged with a retranslated Final Fantasy IV
as "Final Fantasy Chronicle." The US version is a bit buggier than the Japanese,
but it's still the same old game you know and love with a few new anime scenes
and a couple of minor text differences. And endings. Go play it, kids.
-- 3. STORY FAQS (MAJOR SPOILERS) -------------
Hi kids, I've bumped all the story FAQs into a my Flashback Guide. Refer to
version 2 of that for the dirt.
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
PART VII: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, ETC.
A. REVISION HISTORY --------------------------
Rev. 2.0: Trim, slim, and DONE. Don't ever mention this guide to me again. As
far as I'm concerned it never happened.
Rev. 1.9.6: A year after disaowing all knowledge of this guide, I've decided to
dust it off, trim it down and make it suck less. To this end, I've begun
removing redundant information, like the flashbacks (available in my
Flashbacks Guide) and the bestiary, which can be found in a billion other
guides. Expect more trimming and tucking once I finish my Klonoa guide.
Rev. 1.9.5: Sept. 23, 2000
I finally got off my lazy butt to do corrections. MASSIVE thanks to CB! for
some much-needed editing. If you see weird words like "gank" and such, it's
probably her fault. All equipment charts complete. Fully reorganized the
walkthrough by chapter names. Table of contents now reflects actual
sections. Guide no longer completely sucks. Character descrioptions
rewritten. Some useless stuff trimmed out to save space.
Rev. 1.9.4: Sept. 1, 2000
Unreleased version; changed format on enemy data
Rev. 1.9.3: August 27, 2000
Tons added to the charts. Charts reformatted. While the new format may
or may not be nicer-looking than the old format, it's MUCH easier to
read, and that's all that matters.
Rev. 1.9.2: August 24, 2000
More info added.
Rev. 1.9.1: August 20, 2000
Lots o' chart data added. Big thanks to Ed McGlothlin for his
magnifantastical work on the Steal list. Corrected many names.
Rev. 1.9: August 18, 2000
Having BLOWN THROUGH this game like a man possessed, I've made massive
revisions to the walkthrough. Still bringing it up to speed, so it's far
from done. Also added Flashback Points for those poor souls who have never
experienced Chrono Trigger.
Rev. 1.5: July 21, 2000
Major, major improvements and additions being made - I'm so cool. The FAQ
has bloomed from 340 K to about 420 K in the past few revs. Yowza. Part of
that is my refined formatting style, which should make things much easier to
read than they were before. Hey, it's a learning experience.
Rev. 1.4: July 17, 2000
I'm beginning to go back and clear up nagging details and inaccuracies to
make the transition to the English version easier. OY!
Rev. 1.3.3: July 7, 2000
Made some corrections for some stupid errors in the last rev.
This is the last update until the English version comes out.
Also added comments on character strengths and weaknesses.
Rev. 1.3.2: July 6, 2000
Fine tuning; final update before US release.
Finally added info on Macha's branch and the Frost Breath quest.
A few more English names added, including confirmation of a certain sword's
name...
Rev. 1.3.1: June 23, 2000
More name corrections thanks to my Deep Throat contact.
Rev. 1.3: June 21, 2000
Started changing Japanese names to English (Lynx, Starkey, Luccia, etc.)
Tune-ups, corrections, etc.
Rev. 1.2.1: Jan. 16, 2000
Slowly, slowly translating names and places
Corrected Mash's name (formerly Kinoko)
Added OST track listings
Rev. 1.2: Jan. 10, 1999
Little bits-n-pieces
Rev. 1.1: Dec. 29, 1999
General revisions
Rev. 1.0.1: Dec. 19, 1999
Added more on New Game+
Minor corrections
Added "My Party" information
Rev. 1.0: Dec. 18, 1999
Added final section of walkthrough
Future revisions will be less frequent and less substantial!
Moved FAQs to the end to minimize spoiler damage
Corrected some names
Rev. 0.6.1: Dec. 13, 1999
Added walkthrough for the burning house
Major Element list overhaul
Added info on how to get Orlha to join
Rev. 0.6: Dec. 12, 1999
Added some info on Dario and the Jinjirx
Began Disc Two walkthrough
Rev. 0.5.2: Dec. 8, 1999
Made a few important corrections (esp. the Green Dragon guide)
Added what to do after acquiring the six Dragon crests
Rev. 0.5.1: Dec. 6, 1999
Added info on how to find Kinoko
Detailed quest for the 6 Dragons (Part P)
Rev. 0.5: Dec. 3, 1999
Added Part O to the walkthrough
Added detailed strategy for the Grand Slam
Added FAQs and Gameplay tips
Revised a lot of information everywhere!
Rev. 0.4.2: Dec. 1, 1999
Added Vortex walkthrough
Added info on Starky and DragonChild
Corrected Harle's name (d'oh!)
Rev. 0.4.1: Nov. 29, 1999
Additional walkthrough information
Rev. 0.4: Nov. 28, 1999
Huge walkthrough update
Large character update with reformatting
Rev. 0.3.4: Nov. 23, 1999
Hydra Marsh quest walkthrough added
Various data updated
Rev. 0.3.3: Nov. 22, 1999
Post-mansion odds and ends
Characters updated, list moved to end of FAQ
Rev. 0.3.2: Nov. 21, 1999
Further information on Nikki's branch
Rev. 0.3.1: Nov. 21, 1999
Added walkthrough for Lynx's mansion
Added walkthrough for Pierre's branch
Magic data reformatted; changed class-type names
Rev. 0.3: Nov. 20, 1999
Added to walkthrough
Character data expanded and revised
Update key Items
Rev. 0.2: Nov. 19, 1999
Began walkthrough
Updated Magic Classes
Added new characters
Format changes
Added information on Menu Screen
Added post-battle details
Added information on Stars
Rev. 0.1: Nov. 18, 1999
Pre-release information
B. LINKS -------------------------------------
ToastyFrog Jump! http://www.toastyfrog.com/ A shameless plug. Yet a valid one,
for I have much Chrono Cross media and information at my site. Huzzah!
The Mojo Fan Club http://www.toastyfrog.com/psi/random_crap/lucky_dan_01.shtml
Mojo! Mojo! Join the cult! Now defunct, but still beautiful.
Chrono Cross coverage at GIA http://www.gaming-intelligence.com/psx/cc/cc.html
Comprehensive information from my close, personal friends at GIA. Go and click
their banners a few times - they deserve your love. Tell 'em ToastyFrog sent ya
and receive 10% off your first order!
Square Soft http://www.squaresoft.com/ Makers of Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy,
and the most absolutely annoying webpages to try and navigate.
Game Music Online http://www.gamemusic.com They'll be selling the Chrono Cross
soundtrack when it's available in December - in the meantime, I recommend the
Xenogears OST, also composed by Mitsuda.
Compact Disc Database http://www.cddb.com A great place to find import CD
tracklistings. Of course, someone has to input the names first.
C. MUCHAS GRACIAS ----------------------------
Chrono Cross is the property of Squaresoft, Inc. and will be licensed by Square
Electronic Arts LLC in the USA. Everything detailed and described here is
theirs. The names and logos and suchlike described in this FAQ (c) and (tm)
1995-1999, Squaresoft, Inc.
Big thanks to Tronix (www.tronixweb.com) for getting this game to me quickly and
at a fair price. If you're looking to buy it for yourself, Tronix carries my
unsolicited recommendation.
Credits:
- BWA for help deciphering the combo system.
- Brian Glick of Gaming Intelligence (www.thegia.com) for help
deciphering the combo system and for information on opprtunities in the
mansion.
- tennin for pointing out the Stamina drain caused by Element attacks.
- Zane and Nokusu for help with the Field Effect System.
- GameCat for translation advice. A winner is he! Visit his page!
- Jonathan V. Bernaldez for pointing out that I'm a careless idiot
(although he phrased it more tactfully than that).
- Andrew Vestal of Gaming Intelligence (www.thegia.com) for some early
pointers as well as some story details.
- Robert Estel for a message board post mentioning how to find the switch
in the mansion's anteroom. Stupid invisible hotspots...
- Exolegacy - For pointing out the alternate path for Nikki.
- JL Lee for some corrections and information, and for pointing out my
"Chrono Trigger" typo as well as things I've missed. Also for the secret of
the Chrono Cross.
- Ed S. for the secret of the reaction on the beach.
- Strife for info on Freeze Breath.
- J.T. Kauffman for a plethora of info, including how to find Leena and
Skelly's real (Japanese) name.
- Tenoh & James Sheldon for how to acquire DragonChild
- Aphel for info about branching paths and Kinoko.
- Peter Bartholomew for some corrections and details.
- White Tyger for some odds and ends.
- Mayo Ibarra for some info on the Lucca scene.
- Eric Oei for a good alternate strategy for Dario.
- Hot Pepper for info on Kabu, Fio and certain L.7 skills.
- David Su (boko_kun@neteze.com) - General info on details.
- Adam Ismail (adam.ismail@utoronto.ca) - Gambling cheats.
- Alvin Chua (tlchua@brookes.ac.uk) - TONS of L.7 skills discovered.
- David Su (boko_kun@neteze.com) - info on status ailments, and other info.
- Feryl (feryl@pacific.net.sg) - a bunch of combo attacks
- CB! for being such a lovable, cuddly pal. Also, I think some of the info
people sent me was ripped off from her Character FAQ, so that deserves
mention.
- rapier (wade@siliconmagazine.com) for Mojo's new name...
- A mysterious stranger with a reviewable copy for lots of info.
- Ed McGlothlin (ed@thegia.com) for various things, like the Pilfering tips.
- The official game guide, which I have used to double-check names and
information (not to gather info, however; this FAQ is
copyright-infringement free). Incidentally, the official guide, unlike
most, is actually worth buying - it's well-designed and well-written, and
seems fairly accurate from what I've seen (barring some typos).
- Many other people for small tidbits. Sorry if I've forgotten your name or
what you've helped with.. it's hard to keep track with all the feedback
I've gotten on this.
This FAQ is written by J. Parish, who holds the copyright for this text. It may
not be distributed for profit, although you're welcome to distribute it freely
so long as the entire FAQ remains intact and I receive my due props. Please do
not modify or edit this FAQ in any way, even if you think the lame asides are
really annoying. Tiresome as they may be, it makes plagiarism a bit easier to
spot (it happens, sad to say).
