CHRONO CROSS GUIDE & FAQ
By ToastyFrog 
(J. Parish - tfrog@camalott.com)
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REVISION 1.9.5
Sept. 23, 2000
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PLEASE READ BEFORE USING THIS GUIDE:

Before you use this guide, I have three simple requests:

1. I'm still playing through the US version - until I'm done (revision 2.0),
PLEASE DON'T FILL MY INBOX WITH CORRECTIONS. There are many holes and
inaccuracies in this guide, but I need to fill them myself. Anything submitted
before Rev. 2.0 will be deleted without being read.

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 currently have 900 Chrono Cross related emails from people who aren't.
Almost all of them have been ignored, because I simply DO NOT have time to be
a help line.

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.

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CONTENTS:

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
V. CHARTS
 A. ELEMENTS
 B. SUMMONS
 C. COMBINATION TECHS
 D. WEAPONS
 E. ARMOR
 F. ACCESSORIES
 G. TRADING
 H. KEY ITEMS
 I. CHARACTERS (POSSIBLE SPOILERS!)
 J. MORPHS
 K. BEASTIARY
 L. BOSS BEASTIARY
 M. STOLEN ITEMS
 N. SOUNDTRACK LISTING
VI. FAQs
VII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, ETC.
 A. REVISION HISTORY
 B. LINKS
 C. MUCHAS GRACIAS
  
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PART I: ABOUT THIS FAQ

The ultimate goal for this Guide is to be a comprehensive resource for the
game Chrono Cross. Now that the English game is out, there should be no
inaccuracies (in theory, but I'm only human). 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 guide,
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. 

This Guide may be distributed, reproduced, copied, folded, spindled or
cited, so long as you credit me and don't change the text. If you don't
like the way I write, feel free to create your own guide - all I ask is
that you respect my intellectual property and investment of time! This
Guide may NOT be distributed for profit, under penalty of, uh... death, or
something. Thanks. 

The most recent version of this document will always be available at
http://www.toastyfrog.com and http://www.gamefaqs.com. Please compare it to
the latest version before writing to me!

And finally, there are going to be spoilers 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.

  [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  Whenever you see this indicator, I'm making a note of a connection to the 
  original game. That way, those of you who haven't played Chrono Trigger  
  (shame on you!) will know what you're missing out on. Act of kindness, or 
  cruel taunt? You make the call.
  
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PART II: ABOUT THE GAME

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A. KNOWN GAME DETAILS (PRE-RELEASE)
   A preview of sorts

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. Erm, anyway.

The battle system is similar to, yet shockingly different from, the system
in Chrono Cross. 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 -------------------------

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, check the charts I've made at
http://www.toastyfrog.com/ Anyway, 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 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.

-- 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 seems to have an Elemental affinity; while they can cast
spells of various kinds, it seems the spells for which they have the most
affinity will be more effective. For instance, Serge is White/Cosmic, 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.
      
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 heals automatically after
battle. Each condition can 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 basic 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 lose some
of that Element's power, which will be 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 dropping it into 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:

- Ivory (Bone)
- Bronze (Copper)
- Iron
- Mythril (Silver)
- Denadoro (Denadorite)
- Prism (Rainbow Shell & "Shiny" materials)

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:

 - Shiny Leaf (Green)
 - Shiny Ember (Red)
 - Shiny Sand (Yellow)
 - Shiny Salt (White)
 - Shiny Dew (Blue)
 - Shiny Soot (Black)
 
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. 

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  In Chrono Trigger, the most powerful weapons and accessories could be forged 
  from a rare item called the Rainbow Shell. However, it could only create a 
  very limited number of items (a sword, Sunglasses, and your choice of 
  helmets or vests), and acquiring the Shell was a subquest in itself (which 
  involved the Guru Melchior, a trip through a hidden cave, and a rigged 
  criminal trial intended to do away with King Guardia). Prism equipment is a 
  LITTLE easier to come by in Chrono Cross... but not by much.

-- 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?)

 [FLASHBACK POINT: RADICAL DREAMERS]
  The opening dialogue in the ancient fort is remarkably similar to the 
  opening dialogue from Radical Dreamers, though the third character (who was 
  Magil in Radical Dreamers) is chosen randomly.

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.

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  The victory theme in Chrono Cross is a more boisterous rendition of Lucca's 
  Theme from Chrono Trigger.

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?

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  The game Chrono Trigger opened with a very similar scene: Crono's 
  mother woke him up, opened the shades and gave him an allowance of 200G.

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...

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  Toma XIV is presumably descended from Toma Levine, an errant adventurer from 
  the year 600. Toma encountered Crono and his party at various places and 
  offered useful advice (in exchange for having his sake, errr, SODA poured 
  over his gravestone).

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  The Zenan Mainland (and surrounding area) was where the events of Chrono 
  Trigger transpired. The only actual mention of "Zenan" in the game was a 
  large bridge that connected Guardia to the southern area of the continent 
  (which was the site of a major battle for Crono and co.), but apparently the 
  entire landmass has retroactively been dubbed in honor of the bridge.

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.

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  The Heckran was a powerful monster whose body was highly resistant to 
  physical damage but weak to magic. Crono, Lucca and Marle battled it in 
  order to reach their home after a bit of a mishap.

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

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  The overworld music, and several other themes in the game, include the 
  "Chrono Main Theme" motif from the original game's opening.

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. 

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  Porre was a small town in Chrono Trigger at the southernmost point of Zenan. 
  The mayor of Zenan was a greedy, heartless man, but Crono was able to alter   
  his personality by traveling back in time and teaching the mayor's ancestors 
  the value of sharing. Hooray for moralizing! Apparently, though, that lesson 
  didn't stick, as Porre seems to have developed into quite a fearsome 
  military power.

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.

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  BeachBums look remarkably similar to Nus, strange creatures in Chrono 
  Trigger who were often found in unsual places throughout time. Nus, however, 
  were a heckuva lot tougher than 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.

-- 3. LIZARD ROCK ----------------------------

Enemies in this Area:

 - KomodoPup
 - SandSquirt
 - BeachBum
 - MamaKomodo [BOSS]

Items in this Area:

 - FireBall [Element]
 - Silver Loupe [Accessory]
 - Tablet [Consumable]
 - Ivory Helmet [Accessory]

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.

-- 2a. CAPE HOWL (ANOTHER) --------------------

Enemies in this Area:

 - BeachBum
 - SandSquirt

Items in this Area: 

 - @Bone [Component]
 - ElectroJolt [Element]
 - Tablet [Element]
 
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.

-- 1. HYDRA MARSH PART 1 ---------------------

Enemies in this Area:

 - Potpourri
 - SwampBug

Items in this Area:

 - Tablet [Consumable]
 - BushWhacker [Element]
 - ElectroJolt [Element]
 - Survey Group Gear [Key Item]

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. 

-- 2. CAPE HOWL -------------------------

Enemies in this Area:

 - BeachBum
 - SandSquirt
 - Karsh [BOSS]
 - Solt [BOSS]
 - Peppor [BOSS]

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. 

-- BOSS: KARSH, PEPPOR, SOLT ----------------
 
 Innate: Karsh (Green), Peppor (Yellow), Solt (Yellow)

 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). 

Enemies in this Area:

 - BubbaDingo
 - MamaDingo
 - Dodo
 - Drongo
 - Peppor [BOSS]
 - Solt [BOSS]

Items in this Area:

 - 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. 

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  Glenn was the real name of the CT character Frog. CT's Glenn was an aspiring 
  knight whose closest friend Cyrus was killed by the then-villainous Magus, 
  and Glenn himself was transformed into a man-sized frog. Frog's speech was 
  characterized by extremely formal and archaic English; while CC's Glenn does 
  not speak with the same medieval tongue as CT's Frog, the two characters  
  actually have quite a bit in common. Glenn's relationship with Dario is very 
  similar to Frog's relationship with Cyrus: both are young but noble spirits 
  standing in the shadow of their heroic elder. However, the two Glenns are 
  NOT the same character, so if you go around saying they are, I will beat you 
  with a stick.

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.

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  Guardia Kingdom was the focal point of much of Chrono Trigger. It was the 
  land of which Marle was princess, and the land whose queen Frog protected in 
  the past. At the end of Chrono Trigger '99, the marriage of Crono and Marle 
  is shown, presumably meaning Crono would become King in the future. Guardia 
  seems to have suffered some unknown, unhappy fate in the time of Chrono 
  Cross.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

 [FLASHBACK POINT: RADICAL DREAMERS]
  The excursion into Viper Mansion is the part of the game most clearly lifted 
  from Radical Dreamers. In RD, Serge and Kid and a fellow named Magil (whom 
  Guile closely resembles - see FAQs at the end of this guide for more info) 
  planned to infiltrate Lynx's mansion to reclaim the Frozen Flame. Of course, 
  in Chrono Cross, the manor doesn't belong to Lynx but rather to General 
  Viper, and there's a bit more to the game than just the infiltration...

1. BRANCH ONE
*****************************************************************
   GUILE'S PATH

RECOMMENDED: Serge, Guile, Leena (or Kid)

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  Guile is extremely reminscent of CT's Magus, though the two are not the same 
  person. For more about the history of Guile and Magus, check the FAQs 
  section near the end of this guide.

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.

-- 1. OVER THE HILL -------------------------

Enemies in this Area:

 - Loch Nest
 - Gobbledegook
 - Acacia Soldiers [BOSS]
 - KingMaoman [BOSS]
 - RedMaoman [BOSS]
 - BlueMaoman [BOSS]

Items in this Area:
 
 - Heal [Element]
 - PhotonRay [Element]
 - Meteorite [Element]
 - Tablet [Consumable]
 - FreeFall [Element]

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.

-- BOSS: KINGMAOMAN, REDMAOMAN, BLUEMAOMAN --

 Innate: KingMaoman (Black)
         RedMaoman (Red)
         BlueMaoman (Blue)

 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.

 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  The Hero Medal you give to Pierre played a small role in Chrono Trigger as 
  well - it was formerly Cyrus', but taken by a young lad named Tata who 
  thought himself a hero despite being a bit of a wuss. Sort of like Pierre, 
  actually. When equipped along with the legendary sword Masamune, the Hero 
  Medal gave Frog a power boost. Pierre doesn't use anything nearly as cool as 
  Masamune, though, so the badge just boosts his Evade % a bit.

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. 

-- a. SHADOW WOODS --------------------------

Enemies in the Area:

 - Cuscus
 - Bulb
 - Cassowary [BOSS]
 - Zoah [BOSS]
 - Peppor [BOSS]
 - Solt [BOSS]

Items in this Area:
 
 - AeroSaucer [Element]
 - Uplift [Element]
 - Heal [Element]
 - Aroma Pouch [Key Item]
 - Angry Scapula [Key Item]
 - Skullduggery [Window Theme]

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. 

-- BOSS: ZOAH, PEPPOR, SOLT -----------------

 Innate: Zoah (Yellow), Peppor (Yellow), Solt (Yellow)

 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.

-- b. INSIDE - FIRST AREA -------------------

Enemies in this Area:

 - Man-Of-War
 - Man-At-Arms
 - Will-O-Wisp
 - PortalGheist
 - BigBoxer
 - Li'lBoxer
 - Roborg
 - Potty
 - Neo-N-Bulb [BOSS]

Items in this Area:

 - TurnGreen [Element]
 - Silver Pendant [Accessory]
 - TurnBlack [Element]
 - Hero's Shield [Key Item]
 - Bronze Sword [Weapon]
 - Bronze Mail [Armor]
 - Silver Earring [Accessory]
 - Revive [Element]
 - Dragoon's Honor [Accessory]

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).
 
 [FLASHBACK POINT: CHRONO TRIGGER]
  Fun fact: the "villain" of Chrono Trigger, Magus, also used a scythe.

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. 

-- c. HYDRA MARSH (HOME) ---------------------

   RECOMMENDED: Serge, Korcha, Guile
                Serge, Korcha, Greco

Enemies in this Area:

 - Potpourri
 - Swarmp Bug
 - Dwarf
 - DaggyDwarf
 - DaffyDwarf
 - Beeba
 - Wingapede
 - Pentapus

Items in this Area:

 - @Feather [Component]
 - @Bone x 2 [Component]
 - Medicine [Consumable]
 - Brace [Consumable]
 - BushBasher [Element]
 - Antidote [Consumable]
 - RecoverAll [Element]
 - Beeba Flute [Key Item]
 - Hydra Humour [Key Item]

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. 

-- BOSS: HI-HO DWARVES ----------------------

 Innate: DaggyDwarves x3 (Yellow)
         DaffyDwarves x3 (Yellow)

 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. Us