Chrono Cross ~ Characters, Elements, Items and Techs~

One of the most amazing RPG games to come along in years. Sony's Playstation Chrono Cross has proven to be an intiesing, time consuming game. With over 50 hours of play time for one game and 44 playable characters, you will always find something new each time you play Chrono Cross. Ever since Super Nintendo came out with Chrono Trigger, most have awaited a sequel to one of the best games ever made.

You are, Serge, a young 17 year old boy who resides in the small village of Arni. Your first mission comes from your (sort of) girlfriend Leena. She sends you to and collect Komodo dragon scales for her so she can make a necklace (all the rage amongst the girls). Once you collect the scales you are to meet her at Opassa Beach.... And that is where your adventure really begins....

Unknowingly you are thrown into another dimensional world, the same as your own but in here you do not exist. Why are you here? What pulled you through? What is your destiny?

...You have to play to find out...

As in any RPG game, go everywhere, do everything and talk to everyone you can. They will give you clues and help you along the way.

There are two world in which you will be able to travel to and from the first world is called Home World. This is the world which you are originally from and everyone in the village knows you. The other is called Another World. In this world no one knows who you are, the Serge in this world died as a young boy at the age of 7.

There are many differences in both worlds and that is why you must travel back and forth to each. What is reality in one world may not be existing in the other or it is an altered version of the other.

Along with your main mission (finding out why you have been pulled into Another World), there are many side quests along the way. While they are not really necessary and it will cut down the play time if you don't do them all. It makes for a funner game having so many sidequests along the way.

Techs
Each Character has their own special moves at level 3, 5, and 7. Some will be learned automatically while others you have to obtain through out the game. Also certain characters will be able to do double or ever triple tech with other characters.

Elements
These are basically your magic. Each person has their own elemental color that varies from person to person. The colors are Black, White, Red, Blue, Green and Yellow. You will have a grid that grows as you gain levels. It is always a smart idea to equip each character with a variety of each elements.

Element Opposites
Each element has an opposite, If you character is attributed Black then they will be more supseptable to White elemental attacks. The same goes for your foes. (This is why it is smart to equip a variety of each elements on the characters)

Black/White
Red/Blue
Green/Yellow

You must build up your elemental power in battle to be able to use the elements. Each hit builds up your elemental power.

There are also different types of elements: Attack, Healing, Supplemental, Summons and Trap.

Attack~ Obviously this one inflicts pain on a foe.

Healing~ These will heal hit points to your party and some will even remove elemental damage to your group or a single person.

Supplemental~ These ones will help you increase your defense, magical power, physical attack or turn your enemy's elemental property to another color (example~ Change a blue element into a yellow element making them weak against green elemental attacks)

Summons~ These will summon different creatures to do an attack for you (In final fantasy they are called Espers). But to be able to summon the field effect screen must be that one solid color. (Example~ You want to use the summon Salamander (a red element), you will need to have the field effect all red).

Trap~ These will trap other elements that foes try to use on you. This comes in handy against powerful bosses.

Weapons, Armor and Accessories
All of these items will have to be forged in order for you to be more powerful. In battle and treasure chests you will find a variety of forging material.

There is also a fee you have to pay when you hand over the forging material.

When you go to forge an item it will let you know what is required to make a necessary item. You will not always be able to make more powerful weapons and armor for all the characters. Just make sure you most played characters are equipped with the best stuff you can afford.

Also some characters share the same weapon so you may only have to make one, just remember to unequip it from one character to another.

Key Items
Along the way you will need "Key Items" to go further along in the game. You can find these along the way or you will obtain them from others. This is why it is important to talk to everyone and explore everything.

There is a total of 55 key items, some you will only obtain after beating the game for the first time.

Characters
NOTE: I have played the game twice now and I have had all the characters, I did need to use the strategy guide to help me with all the names and what world you need to find the characters in, it is not directly taken out from the book*

With so many characters how do you get them all? Here is your answer to that question. Keep in mind you will not be able to get all 44 characters in one game you must play it three times to be able to obtain them all.
There are choices you will have to make which will leave you without one set of characters. Who will you choose to help you get into Viper Manor (there are three different characters to choose from). The other time is when you choose weather or not to save kid (Depending on what you choose you will end up with three different characters).

All the characters will ask to join you (for the most part), you can either accept or decline their offer. I have always accepted so I do not know if you can come back and recruit later. There are a few characters that join you regardless if you ask or not. But it's always nice having a variety to choose from.

These are the first set of characters you can get

Serge~ Put disc in console and start playing. :)

Kid~ Kid will try to join you several times. Eventually you will have to say yes to her, she is another one of the main characters.

Leena~In Another World, you must refuse to have Kid join you the first time she asks. (Don't worry about refusing to have kid join, you will get two other chances).

Poshul~ There are two ways to get Poshul. The first is when you are in your Home world, you must obtain the Heckran Bone from under the bed in the restaurant and offer it to him. Other wise Poshul will automatically join you in (Another World) when Leena joins you.

Mojo~ While you are in Arni (Home World), talk to the fisherman in the basement in one of the homes. He will give you a shark tooth that he carried for good luck. Then when you are in Arni in Another World, go down with Kid or Leena in your party and talk to the same man. Give him the shark tooth and then when you start to leave Mojo will join up with you.


Here are the first set of optional characters you will get to choose from, these are all in Termina, in Another World (that is what it is called in the game):

Guile~ When you are in Termina you will need to talk to the gentleman polishing a statue at the top of the stairs. Then you will find Guile in the bar, ask him to take you to Viper Manor. (he is an optional character).

Nikki~ You will need to go to the Magical Dreamer's boat. When you are in the dressing room talk to Nikki's manager and the Dynamite Dancer Miki. If you Agree to search for Nikki in the Shadow Forest, you will find him there dazed. You have to rescue him from monsters and fallow him underneath the waterfall. He will then join your group and show you a way into Viper Manor.

Pierre~ You will need to talk to the man polishing the statue first and then when you go to Zappa's Smithy (the only smith shop in Termina), you must go to the back room and through there to talk to the little boy running in circles in the yard. You will get the Hero's Medal that belongs to Pierre that he found. Give it to Pierre, talk to him again and he will then join you and take you to Viper Manor.

After you choose to go with one of them the other two will not be an option in the game any longer. This is why you will have to play three times to get all the characters (there is a way to have all the characters in your game at once (with two exceptions) I will explain a bit later.

After choosing your guide to Viper Manor these are the other characters you will be able to recruit along the way.

Lynx~ When the time is right you will know when it is needed to recruit Lynx.

Norris~ When you visit Viper Manor (Home World), you have to have Radius in your party. Just find Norris in the basement.

Viper~ When you return to Hermit's Hideaway (Another World) after you rescue his daughter Riddel from the Porre Army. When you are on board the ship SS Invincible, he will join up with you there.

Riddel~ After you rescue her and return to Hermit's Hideaway she will join you along with her father.

Karsh~ After The Dead Sea, go into the back room in the bar (Termina Another World). There you will choose between Karsh or Zoah to go back with you into Viper Manor to rescue Riddel. If you do not choose Karsh here he will join you on the SS Invincible.

Zoah~ Same as what is stated in Karsh. I recommend taking Zoah in with you to rescue Riddel. He will be able to get a treasure in the Manor that you were unable to open before. You will end up with both of them anyway.

Marcy~ She will also automatically join you when upon the SS Invincible.

Luccia~ She will tell you to come back and ask her to join you later, you must go back to Viper Manor soon after other wise you will not get her. To find her in the manor you must go up the stairs and you will find her on the balcony, talk to her and fallow her back into her lab. Then you will ask her to join you and she will accept.

* This is another list of optional character you will get depending on what way you choose to go*
The first group you may get is Korcha, Razzly and Mel, the A group. The other set you can get are Macha, Glenn and Doc, the B group. Both have their advantages to them.

The reason for having two different sets you can get is there is a part in the story that you must choose. When you were in Viper Manor the first time, Kid got hurt and now she needs your help. If you choose to help Kid you will get the first set of characters. If you choose not to help Kid you will get the second set. Don't worry if you choose not to help her, she will be OK either way and she shows no hard feelings for not helping her out either.

Group A

Korcha~ He is your ferry man in the beginning and he had also taken a liking to Kid, so if you choose to help Kid he will ask to join you when he ferries you back to Termina, to search for a cure.

Razzly~ When you are in the Hydra Marshes (Home World), you fallow the "ghost" you see of her. After fighting the Wingapede, don't listen to your group and walk on the crack created on the ground after the battle. You will fall down the hole upon to the Pentapus. You must save Razzly from becoming the Pentapus's snack. She will then join you after you defeat the Pentapus

Mel~ After going back to Guldove, where Kid is. Choose to chase
after Mel and get back what she has taken from you. (If you do not do this you will not get Mel). Catch her and get your stuff back. For now you will not get her you must come back later in the game and recruit her.

Group B

Macha~ Since you refused to help Kid, Korcha refuses to let you use his boat, the only boat you had! You must go to the Residential Tower and talk to Korcha, Macha (his Mother) will come up and tell him what for! She will then offer to take you back to Termina in Korcha's boat. After speaking to Glenn in Termina, go back and talk to Macha again.

Glenn~ When in Termina, you will find Glenn talking to the flower merchant. Listen to what he has to say and then go back to where Macha is. He will be looking for a way to get a boat and he will ask if you want to share yours.

Doc~ He will join you after Kid is all better, just go and talk to him anytime after.

After that group of optional characters there are no more like that. But this shows you why you must play the game several times before you can get all the characters in one game.

Zappa~ Visit Zappa Smithy Shop in Termina (Home World). You must have Radius in your party when you do so.

Orcha~ He will join you in Viper Manor (Another World) after the party rescues Riddel.

Radius~ With Lynx in your Party go to Opposa Beach, travel to Home World, first speak with Marge in Arni Village and then you will have to do battle with Radius and defet him before he will join you.

Fargo~ Along with all the others who joined you upon the SS Invincible, he will decide to join you too.

Miki~ After the concert and defeating all the monsters on Marbule (Home World). Return to the SS Zelbess and find Miki in the restaurant. She will then join you.

Harle~ She will automatically join you when the time is right.

Janice~ She is not easy to get and I admit I have not gotten her in my party (I'm on my third game too). When you are aboard the SS Zelbess (Home World), you must fight her monsters in the ring. They are stronger then normal so it's not easy. You will need to have Sprigg (equipped with the Forget-Me-Not-Pot) in your party to be able to defeat her and have her join. This will take time to do since you have to have Sprigg in your party to learn all the monsters you have fought.

Draggy~ Take the egg that is in Fossil Valley (Another World) and then you will eventually go to Fort Dragonia (Home World). Take the elevator down to the incubators and place the egg in one of them. It will then hatch into Draggy.

Starky~ You need to find the Star Fragment in the El Nido Triangle (Home World). Then go to the Sky Dragon Isle (Home World), fight and defeat magistracy and then he will join your party.

Sprigg~ In the game you will be sent into the Dimensional Vortex. You must go up and shake the berry tree to make the fruit fall out of it. Quickly go into Sprigg's house and she will offer you a place to rest when you are leaving she will join you and help you get out.

Turnip~ After getting either the Ice Breath or the Ice Gun, use one of them to cool down the hot spot at Hermit's Hideout (Another World). You will then need to go to Hermit's Hideaway (Home World) and have Poshul in your party. Look at the plant that has now grown in the same spot you cooled in Another World. Poshul will dig up Turnip and he will then join your group.

NeoFin~ You need to find the Life Sparkle in the Hydra Marshes (Another World) and then go to Viper Manor (Another World). Go to the balcony where you found Luccia and use the Life Sparkle on the flower in the pool.

Greco~ After you fight Lynx in Viper Manor (Another World) go down to the shrine in Termina (Another World). Fallow Greco into his home he will then join you.

Skelly~ You must find all the pieces of Skelly to have him join you. The first piece you find is the Heavy Skull in Fossil Valley (Another World, all the pieces in Another World). The rest of the pieces will be found in Shadow Forest, Guldove, Hydra Marshes, Water Dragon Isle and Isle of the Damned. You will then have to go to Skelly's Grandma, in the house next to the statue in Termina (Another World). He will reassemble, you will then need to leave and come back and then ask him to join you.

FunGuy~ There will be a man in the cave under the waterfall in Shadow Forest (Home World). You will then need to towards the underground passage that leads to Viper Manor. If you choose to find Nikki this is the path you followed to get into Viper Manor. You will need to go to the spot where there is a boulder it may or may not be blocking the hole. Either way, there is a man there you will need to help get out. After you do he will give you a special mushroom. Go back to the man under the waterfall and give him the mushroom. He will then turn into FunGuy and ask to join you.

Irenes~ If you agree to help them out at Marbule (Home World), Irenes will join your group when you go to Nikki's dressing room.

Leah~ Automatically joins you in Gaea's Navel (Home World)

Van~ In the Home World go to Van and Gough's house past Zappa's Smithy. Talk to Van in his room, and then watch the scene with the landlord. Tell them you are serious about finding the Frozen Flame and he will join you.

Sneff~ Speak with him in the dressing room after you defeat the Sage on SS Zelbess.

Steena~ Defeat all six Dragon Gods, then go to the Shrine Maiden's tent in Guldove (Home World) and you will find Steena there.

Grobyc~ You will fight him when you go to rescue Riddel at Viper Manor (Another World). While escaping, Grobyc will help you out with a battle and then afterwards ask to join with you.

Orlah~ With Lynx in your party, you will have to defeat Orlah at Guldove (Another World). She'll then give you a Sapphire Brooch for the time being. After Serge is reborn return to Guldove and show her the Brooch.

Pip~ When you are in Viper Manor (Another World), free Pip from Luccia's lab. Later in the game aboard the SS Invincible chase Pip until he stops and talks to you. He will then join your party.


How to get all characters in one game
After you do a New Game+ or Continue+, go to Sprigg's home (you will be able to go there through the Hydra Marshes (Home World)), use the Chrono Cross as an item. It will then summon the characters from you first game that you had when you defeated the final boss.

In conclusion
This game is full of many surprises and it is hard to tire of this game soon! If you enjoyed Chrono Trigger, I think you will enjoy Chrono Cross.

There are several different endings, not the same one with a little twist (like in Chrono Trigger). I am still enjoying the game and I'm sure that I will still enjoy it no matter how many times I play it.

I would also recommend getting the Chrono Cross Official Strategy Guide, it is full on much more great info and if I didn't have it there would have been quite a bit of stuff I would have missed.

Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it