Chrono series

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 1:  Avenging the Red Variant


After the failure of the Red team against Garai, I started a Blue variant that could restore the honor of the Color Challenge.  Blue has several advantages over Red, including healing spells from the beginning, an easily-acquired summon, the ability to steal the elemental immunity plates from the dragons, and Sprigg's starting Lagoonate transformation.


But some ways into Blue, there was a tantalizing possibility of reviving Red.  Trying to look up how placing buff Elements on higher or lower levels on the grid affected them led to a GameFAQs forum thread.  This claimed that speedrunners place buffs on level 1 if possible, since they aren't harmed by the same lower level penalty that attack spells suffer.  With this "knowledge", I immediately put several Strengthen spells on Draggy's level 1 slots and sent Red team against MegaStarky.  They managed to win shortly before UltraNova with a CoughMix after Lynx and Taurminator attacked it with Strengthen-buffed fierces.  Taurminator died as usual, but this gave some hope of defeating Garai.  This was not to be, as his White Elements were far too strong for the party.




Now that the Red team digression is over, let's start with the Blue Team's misadventures.  Serge and Kid started with the same stats in the Fort Dragonia dream sequence, but Doc was the random partner this time instead of Orcha.  (You don't even get Orcha until long after the real raid on Another World's Fort Dragonia, so that's dream logic for you!)  So apparently you can't use this prologue to directly measure stat growths.


Chrono Cross has random stat growths according to MKL122788's FAQ, but it's not as harsh as Fire Emblem's can be.  It seems to trend toward maximum, but each individual Star Level can vary.  Now to explain the stats other than HP, which should be obvious.


STR:  Used for physical attacks, calculated separately from weapon bonus.  (i.e. ATK is misleading?)

RES/DEF:  Affects damage taken from physical attacks.  RES is the base stat, DEF includes equipment.

MAG:  Governs magic damage and healing power.


M.RES/M.DEF:  Defense against magic, former is base, latter includes equipment.  Can vary a lot between characters.  

ACC/HIT%:  Melee attack accuracy can never go above 99.  As the FAQ says, "If anything, base accuracy is a better indicator of who you will want to strangle during the first playthrough".     (That means YOU, Greco!)

AGI/EVD%:  Evasion only works on regular enemy melee attacks, and Elements are what kill you in Chrono Cross.  The FAQ says "Sorry, Mojo" because his only notable characteristic is having high AGI.


Characters also have different Element Grid layouts.  Many tend to have more spell slots on the lower levels, but some like Guile are exceptions who have more charges for high levels.  You can put any spell into a slot, except for those restricted to certain colors, Elements that have a limited "plus or minus" range, or spaces reserved for level 3, 5, and 7 character-specific special moves.


HOME WORLD


Getting the 3 scales for Leena's necklace was easy, though the fights took longer without being able to cast Fireball against the Blue monsters.  MamaKomodo herself only damaged Serge for 9 after a bout of melee attacks and defending, so Cure wasn't even necessary!


To get Leena's final Technique near the end of the game, Serge picked the options "I remember" and "We'll never forget this day!" during their romantic conversation.  In so far as a character whose occupation is listed in the game as Silent Protagonist can have a conversation, anyway.    


ANOTHER WORLD


Kid used no Elements during the Cape Howl fight against Karsh, Solt, and Peppor.  The only notable event in the fight was Serge casting Cure +2 to heal for 50 after Karsh rode a dragon into him once Solt and Peppor were shaken.  Refusing Kid's offer to join the party 3 times allowed Leena and Poshul to team up instead.


Leena was the first Blue innate for this variant, in spite of being a redhead.  Element color has nothing to do with hair color or skin tone for humans in Chrono Cross.  Unlike most characters I've played with for any length of time, she was close to being a pure mage.  So her Element Grid was stuffed with AquaBeams.  


Poshul the self-proclaimed Wonder Dog was the hero of the Low Tier Characters playthrough, and she literally licked Solt and Peppor in Fossil Valley.  Her fierce attacks could deal up to 21.  Leena proved her worth here too by casting an AquaBeam +2 on Solt for 41, even with a mild Field Effect penalty from Peppor's Strengthen.  With 2 Blue, 1 Red Field Effect, Leena cast AquaBeam +1 on Peppor for 45.  The only threat in the battle was Pepporbox, which bashed Leena for 36.  Serge cast Cure +2 to both heal it and manage the Field Effect.


For the sake of variety, Nikki the rocker was chosen as the Viper Manor guide instead of Pierre the swashbuckler.  Pierre had already starred in the Low Tier Characters variant.  This meant having to navigate a mildly annoying puzzle in Shadow Forest where Serge had to guide an octopus (?) to a plant monster to wake it up.



Before that was a Star Level battle against 3 Cassowaries with the random encounter music.  The birds and Nikki took turns whacking each other until Poshul belly flopped on them and drew their attention.  Leena only bothered with weak attacks to build up enough energy to cast spells, instead of increasing the accuracy of fierce attacks like Serge and Poshul.  Leena finished them one by one with IceLances from Termina, or an AquaBeam when the Field Effect was fully Blue.  "Nikki joined your band" with worthless high AGI, but mediocre stats otherwise.  He would still be the only 2nd Blue innate until Korcha.  Nobody likes Korcha, especially those who play the "Don't Save Kid" route after Viper Manor.


Serge had not gained STR for several Star Levels, and even Leena the sorceress had 1 more than him by Star Level 4.    


Quadffid was apparently female according to the battle screen.  Who knew faceless plants had a gender?  The annoying random battle music played, and Quaddfid was as weak as the track implied.  IceLance +1 from Leena froze it to death for 72 once the Field Effect was manipulated to be Blue with throwaway Cures from Serge.  Nikki contributed some damage with 18 fierces and bonking Quadffid with his guitar in a GrandFinale for 28.  


(Why is Leena's MaidenHand a physical attack when she's clearly meant to sling spells?)


The real boss of Shadow Forest was an encounter with Zoah, Solt, and Peppor.  Solt was once again the butt of a tutorial joke when he failed to summon Golem because the Field Effect wasn't fully Yellow.  Zoah's response was "ARE YOU CLOWNS FINISHED WITH YOUR COMEDY ACT YET?"  Well, Zoah, Solt and Peppor are stand-up slapstick comedians in Home World.    


Serge's fierces dealt about 28-29 damage to the Acacia Dragoon trio.  Nikki's guitar pick fierces inflicted 18-24, not too bad for a character stuck with his default weapon instead of an Iron upgrade.  Enemy melee was a joke that only tickled the party for 1-5 damage.  Solt cast LoRes on Serge and HiRes on himself to modify DEF, but Leena took the initiative to cast AquaBeam.  I only did it to disrupt the all-Yellow Field Effect, but it had the side effect of knocking out Solt too.


With a maxed-out Blue Field Effect, Leena tossed a 75 IceLance +1 at Peppor and made him flee.  The best Zoah could do was a 17 damage DragonRider against  Leena.  More IceLances from Leena and Nikki gave Serge his first STR Star Level!  If I don't forget, I'll post Serge's base stats at Star Level 20 to compare them with the dream prologue.


Stats and Equipment Star Level 5
 

Serge


HP:  129
ATK:  25
DEF:  23
MGC:  9
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  20
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10
 
Weapon:  Steel Swallow
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Ivory Helmet
Accessory2:  Silver Loupe
Accessory3:  Power Glove
 

Leena

HP:  126
ATK:  19
DEF:  17
MGC:  13
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  10
M.DEF:  19
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Spatula Ca20
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory:  Ivory Helmet
 

Nikki
HP:  112
ATK:  19
DEF:  12
MGC:  10
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  12
M.DEF:  11
STAMINA RECOVERY:  9
 
Weapon:  Porcelain Pick
Armor:  Ivory Mail
Accessory:  Ivory Helmet


(There's an explanation for Nikki and his sister Marcy being Blue innates:  their mother was a mermaid.  This means Irenes of the gratuitous ümläüts is their aunt.  Fargo being Blue also ensures their elemental genetics.)

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 2


Viper Manor's first "boss", the 2 Neo-N-Bulbs, was as easy as ever.  Nikki's guitar strumming took down the first after an 80 damage IceLance +2 from Leena.  A Cure +2 from Serge was there to increase the Field Effect rather than healing.  Even with all 3 Blue terrain slots, Nikki's IceLance +1 only pierced a Neo-N-Bulb for 65.  And then the Field Effect was partially broken with a 9 damage Bushwhacker spell cast on Leena.  Another IceLance chilled the enemy for 70, followed by a Serge medium melee KO.


The difference in M.DEF between Nikki and the others became obvious in the optional battle against the Man-at-Arms and the Men-of-War when Black Rain drenched him for 33, while Serge and Leena only took 12-18.


It was nice to get an Antitoxinal Cap as a random encounter drop, because there would be no way to use Antidotes in battle during this playthrough.


Marcy and Nikki had special dialogue just before the next boss fight.  Nikki wondered aloud if Marcy was his long-lost sister, while Marcy dismissed him with a "What-EVER!!!" in her characteristic Valley Girl dialogue.  Although she was Blue too and had a resistance to the party's spells, IceLances still had a respectable 50s-60s damage range. 


The battle was easy until Marcy was at low health and started casting IceBlast, which Froze both Serge and Leena.  Freeze effectively takes any afflicted units out of the battle, and is the main reason why I don't attempt solo runs in Chrono Cross.  Well, that and Black instant death spells.  (Boss battles in PSX RPGs often take too long to base a playthrough on chance, unless you have a fast-forward emulator or something.  I'm playing on a PS3.)


Nikki's version of "3 chords and the truth" was a critical fierce for 42 damage.  Not bad for a resisted attack with a default weapon!  Trying to be cheeky and ending the fight by conking Marcy on the head with a GrandFinale failed and only dealt 31 damage.  A fierce after Marcy's melee attack succeeded.  Marcy dropped an IceBlast after victory, which was of course equipped on Leena's level 4 Element Grid slot.


Lynx cast the MAG debuff Imbecile on all 3 party members throughout the next fight, ruining attempts to set up a pure Blue Field Effect.  At least it wasn't HellBound!  Serge Cured Nikki after a 43 damage Gravitonne pressed him.  Various AquaBeams and an IceLance soaked the cat's fur for 29-57, depending on the caster and Field Effect status.  Leena's IceBlast made a Lynx popsicle for 109 damage, but didn't end the fight.  A 54 power Serge fierce gets the credit for that.


To fulfill the ideal of the Blue Challenge, Serge and friends chose the Save Kid route, gaining the ability to return to Home World earlier because Korcha didn't hold the Astral Amulet hostage. 


(Not that Korcha will ever be used if I can help it.  He's the most annoying playable character and failed to stand out in battle even in the Low Tier run.) 


Stats and Equipment Star Level 8
 
Serge

HP:  169
ATK:  27
DEF:  26
MGC:  12
HIT%:  90
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  20
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10
 
Weapon:  Steel Swallow
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Antitoxinal Cap
Accessory2:  Silver Loupe
Accessory3:  Dragoon’s Honor
 

Leena

HP:  160
ATK:  21
DEF:  19
MGC:  15
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  10
M.DEF:  20
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Spatula Ca20
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory:  Ivory Helmet
 

Nikki

HP:  150
ATK:  22
DEF:  15
MGC:  11
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  12
M.DEF:  13
 
Weapon:  Porcelain Pick
Armor:  Ivory Mail
Accessory1:  Ivory Helmet
Accessory2:  Silver Pendant
Accessory3:  Power Glove


Serge's STR growth continues to disappoint, since Leena and even Nikki have caught up to him.  Oh well, a mediocre Serge is still better than many other characters.  And Blue Team has the luxury of being able to fight longer battles than Red Team because of Cure.

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 3


HOME WORLD


The only antidote available for Kid was a Hydra Humor, and Hydras were extinct in Another World's version of El Nido.  Only Kid's Astral Amulet could send Serge back to Home World.  If the party had chosen to leave Kid behind, Korcha would have scolded them about failing to help a friend immediately after saying that finding a Hydra Humor was probably impossible!


As soon as Korcha temporarily joined, he was placed on the bench for the rest of the game.  His stats were as lacking as his personality.  Even the mediocre Nikki could sneer at Korcha, because he at least had style.


The umbrella-wielding Beebas in Hydra Marshes were easy to kill because they never disturbed the Field Effect with different Elements.  They still had decent HP and dragged out the battle by summoning more Beebas.  Anyone reading this who speaks Japanese should tell me what the Beebas say in the original script.  (Probably some joke that only residents of an obscure Osaka neighborhood understand.)  Richard Honeywood's translation gives them lines like "Leave it to Beeba", and "Hasta la vista, Beeba!".


The dwarves defending Hydra Marshes failed the Snow White audition because there were only 6.  This was still enough to make them cast Hi-HoChorus for 18, 36, and 51 Yellow damage to Serge, Leena, and Nikki respectively.  Serge and friends concentrated on the one labeled Dwarf, because killing one enemy would disrupt their song.  This was accomplished with Leena's 159 damage IceBlast.  Inferior enemy spells like Hi-HoWarCry pounded the party's eardrums for 15-32 damage, and any realistic threat of a Game Over was finished when the first Dwarf perished.  One IceLance glitched out the graphics, so the label on the screen only said "+1" with a long blank in front.


Serge's Star Level 9 was subpar, with HP +12 and RES +1.  Leena had a smaller HP +3, but she got STR, RES, MAG, and M.RES too.  Nikki's was weak with HP +3, and +1 to RES and MAG.


Like the dwarves, the Hydra was Yellow innate.  The most melee managed to do to its thick hide was about 22 damage from a Serge fierce.  MaidenHand and GrandFinale dealt a pathetic 12-13, but those were used to build up the Field Effect.  Hydra didn't disrupt Blue magic for most of the fight, instead preferring 17-22 damage melee swipes.  AquaBeams, IceLances, and an IceBlast cooled the Hydra's body temperature for 54-180.  Clearly this wasn't a fight meant for physical characters.  


Late in the fight, Hydra broke the Stamina rules by casting 2 spells in a row:  WaveOfFear to debuff the party's DEF, and SpiritsUp to buff its own DEF.  It then combo attacked Serge for 2 hits of 24 damage.  Nikki made the Hydra species extinct in Home World's El Nido with one of his AquaBeams.


Star Level 10 was terrible for Serge because he only gained +8 HP.  Leena and Nikki got both STR and MAG, though there was the prospect of being unable to use them for a while once the Lynx segment of the game began.


ANOTHER WORLD


Korcha attempted to force Kid to propose marriage to him in exchange for being able to use his boat.  As if you needed any more reason to hate him.  Once obtained, the boat allowed Serge to visit the drought-stricken Water Dragon Isle and upgrade Nikki's weapon and armor with the Iron found there.  Harle in Hermit's Hideaway was considerate enough to drop her 25% damage reduction Moonglasses without too many resets.  



The first true hurdle for this variant may be the Blue innate boss of Fort Dragonia, if it absorbs Blue spells instead of merely resisting them.  (It's harder to find exact boss data for Chrono Cross compared to some of the Final Fantasy games.)



Stats and Equipment Star Level 10
 
Serge

HP:  198
ATK:  26
DEF:  28
MGC:  11
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  20
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10
 
Weapon:  Steel Swallow
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Antitoxinal Cap
Accessory2:  Silver Loupe
Accessory3:  Moonglasses
 

Leena

HP:  181
ATK:  25
DEF:  21
MGC:  19
HIT%:  90
EVD%:  10
M.DEF:  22
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Spatula Ca20
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Ivory Helmet
Accessory2:  Dragoon’s Honor
 

Nikki

HP:  165
ATK:  28
DEF:  22
MGC:  14
HIT%:  91
EVD%:  12
M.DEF:  17
 
Weapon:  Iron Pick
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Ivory Helmet
Accessory2:  Silver Pendant
Accessory3:  Power Glove


Look at the Star Level 11 Stats for Red Team's Serge and compare them to Blue Team Serge at Star Level 10.  You'll really notice the difference in ATK, even accounting for the fact that Red Team Serge had the minor boost from Dragoon's Honor.  Blue Team Serge has superior M.DEF, however.

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 4


As soon as Serge put on the Moonglasses, I took them off and put them on Nikki's face instead.  He was the frailest of the Blue Team members and needed the extra defenses.


Serge's low STR didn't hinder him much when battling the Black innate Men-Of-War on the S.S. Invincible deck.  For those who studied math more than I did, this link explains the damage formula.


The only notable action Polly took against the party was to Flap its wings for 72 damage to Nikki, which Serge easily Cured.  Blue spells were more worthwhile against the Red boss than Serge's 25 damage fierce, as they drenched Polly for 103-141 damage.  


It was funny when Leena slapped Fargo with a 27 damage MaidenHand because it was obvious he was reeling from the blow.  Even with Fargo's Blue innate resistance, an IceBlast with 2 Blue and 1 Red circle on the Field Effect gave him 122 damage frostbite.  Fargo's tactic was to buff himself with Strengthen and occasionally attack with his sword.  One instance of this dealt 2 hits of 26 to Serge.  Like in the Polly fight, Nikki had the honor of finishing off Fargo with an AquaBeam.


Fending off the ghosts and skeletons below decks on the S.S. Invincible was tedious and took about half an hour.  What is it with Japanese RPGs and annoying ships?  The key placement needed to get to the deck seemed to be random, and I had to talk to the crew multiple times to activate the event flag.


The repetitive battles weren't entirely a waste of time because Serge finally bothered to gain a point of STR in a "mini-level" after one fight.  Leena found an AquaBall Element somewhere, and some of the enemies dropped Iron for future crafting.


DeadHead the Black innate boss was more annoying than dangerous.  Diminish reduced the power of Blue spells by half, but did not affect the physical Elements MaidenHand and GrandFinale, which dealt 33-45 damage.  Good thing Leena splashed a 129 power AquaBall +1 before DeadHead cast that debuff!  Death'sOdor stuck Serge with the Curse status, and a 34 damage DarkBreath lowered Leena's melee accuracy with the Darkness ailment. 


As if DeadHead didn't make it clear enough that players were meant to win with physical attacks, the boss cast Imbecile on Serge to lower his MGC.  When he cast AquaBeam +3, it only sent 13 damage droplets.  Nikki rocked out with a melee combo to end the battle and gain Star Level 11.  Now that the S.S. Invincible segment was cleared, the shops had new Elements for sale.  This would come in handy for the Mt. Pyre and Fort Dragonia gauntlets.


Serge

HP:  214
ATK:  29
DEF:  30
MGC:  11
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  20
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10
 
Weapon:  Steel Swallow
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Antitoxinal Cap
Accessory2:  Silver Loupe
Accessory3:  Power Glove
 

Leena

HP:  191
ATK:  27
DEF:  21
MGC:  21
HIT%:  90
EVD%:  10
M.DEF:  22
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Spatula Ca20
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Ivory Helmet
Accessory2:  Dragoon’s Honor
 

Nikki

HP:  184
ATK:  27
DEF:  24
MGC:  14
HIT%:  91
EVD%:  12
M.DEF:  17
STAMINA RECOVERY:  9
 
Weapon:  Iron Pick
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Ivory Helmet
Accessory2:  Silver Pendant
Accessory3:  Moonglasses

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 5


Serge and his two redheaded Blue innate companions bought a few new Elements after saving the S.S. Invincible from undead monsters.  Iceberg and FrogPrince traps were available in Marbule, which could help in a Fort Dragonia boss battle.  CurePlus and AquaBalls sold in Lisa's shop in Termina were upgrades for Cure and AquaBeam/IceLance, so the old Elements were replaced with the new spells.


Trading unwanted Elements for materials in Guldove provided the necessary Carapace for Leena's new Iron weapon.  Chrono Cross's crafting system is friendly to players and easy to understand, unlike many other RPGs that have them.


HOME WORLD


To get the Water Dragon's breath needed to climb Mt. Pyre, Blue Team had to return to Home World and take a ferry to Water Dragon Isle.  After having been driven out of Hydra Marshes, the dwarves thought it would be best to murder the fairies here.  It was ridiculous seeing their dialogue about how humans weren't "in tune with nature" when they brought a tank.  And the fairies still blamed the humans instead of the dwarves for this incident.  Chrono Cross may have many good qualities, but its plot is not one of them.


(The story is often what causes people to hate Chrono Cross, particularly its unceremonious disposal of the heroes from Chrono Trigger.  You'll probably enjoy the game if you think of it more as a precursor to Baten Kaitos than a Chrono Trigger sequel.)


The dwarves' Hi-HoChorus sounded for 9-30 damage to everyone at the beginning of the fight.  A 217 damage IceBlast +1 toppled the Dwarf after a round of melee from Leena.  AquaBalls and melee eliminated the rest.  Star Level 12 gave the following stats:


Serge:  +2 HP, +1 STR, MAG, RES
Leena:  +6 HP, +1 STR
Nikki:  +3 HP, +1 STR


It was satisfying to hear the clanging metal sound whenever Leena struck a dwarf with her melee.  One unfortunate enough to meet her in a random encounter took a 140 damage critical thrashing.  Hey, the dwarves invading Water Dragon Isle said the world was built on dead species or something, so the humans returned the favor.


The Hi-Ho Tank was much easier with Blue Team than Red Team.  Not just because of healing either, but due to the higher damage output.  Leena and Nikki slaughtered the 2 Dwarves with MaidenHand and GrandFinale to prevent them from healing the machine.  HiRes's DEF buff didn't save it from IceBlast and AquaBall rust.  These spells dealt anywhere from 89-233 damage.  Leena's fierce late in the fight bashed the Hi-Ho Tank for 49.  Although Nikki finished the fight with an AquaBall, he deserved a dishonorable mention for whiffing several weak melee attacks in a row.  Star Level 13 had this stat distribution:


Serge:  +6 HP, +1 STR, RES
Leena:  +8 HP, +1 STR, RES
Nikki:  +13 HP, +1 STR, MAG, RES


The dwarves' protest of "Is there no land on this planet where we can live in peace?" was hypocritical considering their war on the fairies.  The sad Miguel music playing in the background made me think the player was supposed to sympathize with the dwarves a bit.


The Water Dragon was generous and provided a free FrogPrince summon in addition to the item needed to cross Mt. Pyre.  However, the party had no level 7 Element Grid slots yet and therefore could not summon.


ANOTHER WORLD


Blue spells drenched Solt and Peppor, though it was Leena's fierce attacks that clanged them to death.  The FireDragon wasn't much tougher.  MaidenHand and GrandFinale were used to build up the Blue Field Effect, and smacked the dragon for 57-72.  The only noteworthy action the boss took was an 81 damage FieryBreath roasting for Serge.  Nothing that a CurePlus -2 couldn't treat.  Leena's fierce struck for 49, while Serge only tickled the boss for 33 with his version.  It was weird seeing Leena the mage as the best fighter!  An IceBlast +1 pierced FireDragon for 274, and an AquaBall +2 from Nikki finished the fight.  Star Level 14 went like this:


Serge:  +16 HP
Leena:  +7 HP, +1 RES
Nikki:  +5 HP, +1 MAG, RES


Blue Team's battle with Karsh, Marcy, and Zoah played out quite differently from Red Team's version.  Instead of being both a threat and an easy target, Marcy was an unintentional ally.  At least when it came to maintaining the Blue Field Effect.  Karsh was first on the hit list, and his AxialAxe sliced the party for 29-42 damage near the beginning.  Serge's melee wasn't as wimpy this time and managed to get a 76 damage critical fierce.  Nikki's AquaBalls took down the Green innate Acacia Dragoon in spite of their relative weakness compared to Leena's spells.


Zoah's Gyronimo spun into Leena for 46 damage.  Leena returned the favor with a 249 damage IceBlast +1 that secured the KO after a few rounds of attacks.  Marcy loved to tell the party how much she hated them when she kicked in melee.  Her special Elements included an 18-32 StringPhone to the party, and a Cat'sCradle that only dealt 22 damage to Nikki. . .when the Field Effect was entirely Blue.  Hooray for the Moonglasses!  Nikki's habit of concluding boss battles continued when his 91 power AquaBall (level not remembered) defeated his sister.  Star Level 15 gave the following boosts:


Serge:  +12 HP, +1 STR, RES, MAG
Leena:  +9 HP, +1 STR, RES
Nikki:  +8 HP, +1 STR, MAG


Finally, a decent Serge level after many disappointments.


Stats and Equipment Star Level 15

Serge

HP:  260
ATK:  32
DEF:  32
MGC:  13
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  21
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10

Weapon:  Steel Swallow
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Antitoxinal Cap
Accessory2:  Silver Loupe
Accessory3:  Power Glove


Leena

HP:  225
ATK:  35
DEF:  24
MGC:  22
HIT%:  92
EVD%:  10
M.DEF:  22
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11

Weapon:  Ladle Fe26
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Ivory Helmet
Accessory2:  Dragoon's Honor
Accessory3:  Magic Ring


Nikki

HP:  220
ATK:  30
DEF:  24
MGC:  17
HIT%:  91
EVD%:  12
M.DEF:  19
STAMINA RECOVERY:  9


Weapon:  Iron Pick
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Ivory Helmet
Accessory2:  Silver Pendant
Accessory3:  Moonglasses

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 6


GiantGloop in Fort Dragonia turned out NOT to be immune to Blue spells.  I had an alternate plan involving melee and stocking everyone's Element Grid with CurePlus charges in that worst-case scenario.  Fortunately, Leena's IceBlast +1 hardened the liquid boss for 183 power.  AquaBalls were the other main source of damage.  Nikki was TakenIn for 42 damage and the Flu status ailment, which decreased his already below-average STAMINA RECOVERY.  This didn't matter when GiantGloop started casting CureAll on my entire team, healing them for 286.  Was this boss actually a tragic character who tried to befriend the party after first contact with humans went badly?     Star Level 16 had these stats:


Serge:  +15 HP, +1 STR, RES, M.RES
Leena:  +11 HP, +1 RES, MAG, M.RES
Nikki:  +14 HP, +1 STR


Serge and Leena gained another point of STR after a random battle too.  Mini-levels sometimes give much better rewards than just +1 HP.


Taurusoid's wrestling moves BodyPress, ChokeSlam, and BackDrop slammed Serge and Nikki in the 50s-80s range.  One illegal Element chain against Nikki reduced him to 86/240 HP.  Leena's IceBlast scored 213 damage against the boss, and one AquaBall from her secured the KO.  Star Level 17 looked like this:


Serge:  +14 HP, +1 STR, RES
Leena:  +5 HP, +1 STR, MAG
Nikki:  +10 HP


SunOfAGun may have been even easier for Blue Team than for Red Team.  Its only facial expressions were Happy, Happy, Frown in that order.  KissyWissy failed to put either Nikki or Leena to Sleep.  Regular fierce attacks only dealt 5-7 damage, as did Serge's weak and medium.  If my understanding of the damage formula is correct, Chrono Cross has a "damage floor", explaining why Blue Team's physical moves could succeed at all.


In spite of SunOfAGun's high defenses, an IceBlast +1 from Leena dealt a shocking 156 damage.  And this was with the boss messing with the Field Effect by being able to cast 2 White spells in a turn.  When SunOfAGun was in its final Frown mode, the most it did was lower Leena's M.DEF with WeakMinded.  An AquaBall from Leena put out the miniature star.  Star Level 18 had these results:


Serge:  +5 HP, +1 STR, RES, MAG, M.RES
Leena:  +14 HP, +1 RES
Nikki:  +4 HP, +1 MAG


A 76 damage fierce from Leena followed by a 303 power IceBlast +1 rapidly shifted Bunyip from Red to Black.  CurePlus healing was needed to deal with stronger enemy spells.  Leena went into a FreeFall and lost 154 health, and DevilThunda lasers zapped the whole party for 59-120.  GravityBlow, however, dealt a pathetic 21 to Nikki.  AquaBalls made Bunyip's eye water for 140-175 damage, though Serge had opportunity to finish it off with a fierce.  Star Level 19 looked like this:


Serge:  +10 HP, +1 RES
Leena:  +10 HP
Nikki:  +5 HP, +1 STR, RES


I removed rare equipment and Elements such as Moonglasses and IceBlast from the party before sending Blue Team to fight General Viper and Lynx.  Didn't want to lose those for the hardest part of the game!


Viper's melee combo attacked Leena for 28 and 35, slammed her with G-Force for 78, and sent an AirForce gale to the entire party for 50s-80s.  Nikki's new level 5 Technique ChillOut must have been based on MAG/MGC, because this song flash-froze the boss for 225.  AquaBalls and melee combos dealt most of the damage afterwards, and Leena finished the fight.  Star Level 20:


Serge: +9 HP, +1 STR, MAG
Leena:  +3 HP, STR, RES
Nikki:  +10 HP, STR, RES, MAG, M.RES


Lynx's 46 per hit melee combos and 88-113 GlideHook special move required Serge to play the healer with CurePlus.  ChillOut music screeched for 194, and AquaBalls were commonly used afterwards.  Lynx even decided to join the fun by casting his own AquaBall, thus maintaining Blue Team's Field Effect.  Leena may have beaten Lynx with an AquaBall, but she couldn't save Serge from the body swap cutscene.  Star Level 21 was almost irrelevant for 2 characters considering they wouldn't return for at least 1/3 of the game.  Serge still got a bad deal:

 
Serge:  +5 HP
Leena:  +3 HP, RES, MRES
Nikki:  +7 HP, STR, RES


FROM NOW UNTIL MUCH LATER IN THE STORY, SERGE WILL BE CALLED "LYNX".


Sprigg joined Lynx in the Dimensional Vortex, which looked like it should have been a location in Mira from Baten Kaitos 1.  (Considering the games share some development staff, that shouldn't have been surprising.)  Sprigg came with the Lagoonate transformation, a monster that wouldn't appear until a late game sidequest. 


Sprigg is what Gau should have been in Final Fantasy 6.  No Berserker-style loss of control, some decent abilities are available as soon as she joins, and it's not nearly as painful to finish monsters with her melee to acquire new forms as cycling through Veldt random encounters.

 
Harle inherited most of the Blue spells, at least until a Blue innate replacement character joined.  Escaping the Dimensional Vortex landed the party in a familiar location. . .



Stats and Equipment Star Level 21
 
Lynx

HP:  329
ATK:  39
DEF:  37
MGC:  15
HIT%:  87
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  23
 
Weapon:  Steel Swallow
Armor:  Iron Mail
Accessory1:  Moonglasses
Accessory2:  Dragoon Gauntlet
Accessory3:  Antitoxinal Cap


This is what Lynx looked like when he fell into the Dimensional Vortex.  Sprigg put on his Moonglasses shortly afterward.

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 7


HOME WORLD


Lynx and friends fell out of the Dimensional Vortex wormhole into Hydra Marshes.  Why the developers chose this location is unknown to me, considering Opassa Beach was used for warping between Home World and Another World.  The game even gave that place the Latin term Angelus Errare.


Back in Arni Village, Marge was surprisingly understanding when she found out her son switched bodies with a cat.  She explained the history behind the Dead Sea area, which may have been the cause for the whole plot.  Radius challenged Lynx to a Star Level battle, though he didn't put up much of a fight. 


Sprigg made sure to Doppelgang into Lagoonate as soon as she built up to Element Grid level 5 and pounded Radius with 137 power per fierce and a Just4Kicks special for 157.  Harle spent her time casting AquaBalls, which were disappointing compared to Leena's magic from the first part of the game.  I forgot to give Lynx his spells before the battle, since I didn't realize they were removed from the Element Grid before.  He still managed to win with a fierce.  Star Level 22 went like this:


Lynx:  +14 HP, +1 MAG
Sprigg:  +4 HP, +1 STR, RES, MAG, M.RES
Harle: +14 HP, +1 STR, RES


Sprigg would have loved Lynx's or Harle's HP gain.  She was easily the most fragile character, with almost 100 less health than the rest of the Chrono Cross cast.  This HP applied even when transformed, like Ditto from Pokemon. 


After going through the annoying S.S. Zelbess conversations and cutscenes, the Sage of Marbule fought Blue Team with his mop and illegal "Dualcast" of TurnBlue and FirePillar.  Maybe all the enemies in Chrono Cross mastered the Red Mage job.      Harle's IceBlasts bought from the Termina shop hit for 130s to 140s, while Lagoonate jabbed for 140s.  Lynx's medium attack beat the Sage of Marbule into submission and won the party the Fiddler Crab needed to visit the Dead Sea.  Star Level 23 had these gains:


Lynx:  +12 HP, +1 STR, RES
Sprigg:  +3 HP, +1 AGI, MAG, M.RES
Harle:  +15 HP, +1 MAG, M.RES


Harle's stats were now irrelevant because she would never be used for the rest of the game.  Irenes the mermaid joined the team with stats similar to Nikki's:  high AGI for evasion and mediocre. . .everything else.  Nikki's aunt even had the same "Pick" weapon class.  Although she played a harp instead of a guitar.  (Maybe "Pick" really means "Instrument".  "Glove" might as well be "Miscellaneous".)  Irenes did have 11 STAMINA RECOVERY vs. Nikki's 9, making her the superior spellcaster.


Random battles in the El Nido Triangle were tough enough that Sprigg died at least once.  Many enemies ganged up right at the Star Fragment treasure chest, resulting in a few fights the party couldn't realistically Run Away from.


MegaStarky survived long enough to cast UltraNova, but Team Blue won with everyone at double digit HP thanks to CurePlus charges.  Irenes's IceBlast +2 cooled the alien for a disappointing 164 damage.  Lagoonate was the true star with 150-165 fierces and a 264 critical. 


It took about 4 minutes to speed through the Isle of the Damned and the pre-battle cutscenes.  Lynx dodged Garai's first melee attack, an auspicious beginning for this battle.  He couldn't escape the dual swords forever, and was forced to take a 3 hit combo in the high 60s to 70s per strike.  Lagoonate's fierces crossed Garai for 130-159, and Lynx's version slashed for 108.  Irenes's harp plucked for only 31.  TripleCuts gashed Irenes for at least 142.


But it was WillBreaker that nearly destroyed Blue Team.  Both Lynx and Lagoonate died to it, and that was with the help of some CurePlus healing.  This attack is why I think any "almost no healing in battle" variant like Red qualifies as Chrono Cross's version of an Insanity Challenge.  Irenes survived thanks to her level 5 single target healing special MerMelody.  A 122 power WaterBreath special followed by an IceBlast -1 put Garai to rest.  Star Level 24 was strange:


Sprigg:  +12 HP, +1 STR, RES, MAG
Irenes:  +7 HP, +1 STR, RES, MAG


It was understandable that Lynx got no bonus because he died in battle.  But how did Sprigg get a Star Level?  The penalty must have some loophole that involves Sprigg dying as a monster instead of her demi-human form.  Either way, she was happy to have 12 HP!


Stats and Equipment Star Level 24
 
Lynx

HP:  363
ATK:  45
DEF:  41
MGC:  17
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  26
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10
 
Weapon:  Silver Swallow
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Dragoon’s Honor
Accessory2:  Dragoon Gauntlet
Accessory3:  Antitoxinal Cap
 
Sprigg

HP:  225
ATK:  41
DEF:  31
MGC:  17
HIT%:  87
EVD%:  14
M.DEF:  17
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10
 
Weapon: Silver Staff
Armor:  Energizer Suit
Accessory1:  Moonglasses
Accessory2:  Bronze Helmet
Accessory3:  Silver Pendant
 
Irenes

HP:  297
ATK:  37
DEF:  31
MGC:  17
HIT%:  91
EVD%:  18
M.DEF:  22
 
Weapon:  Mythril Pick
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Sea Charm
Accessory2:  Magic Ring
Accessory3:  Resistance Ring


One other thing that should be mentioned:  Sprigg can cheat STAMINA RECOVERY, since her Stamina resets to 0 when she uses Doppelgang after a melee combo, instead of going into negative numbers.

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 8


The Dead Sea provided more of a connection to Chrono Trigger than previous portions of the game.  Ruins of buildings that seemed to come from 1999-2300 were littered throughout an ocean whose waves and currents were frozen in time. 


Highwayman the Black innate robot was surprisingly difficult for a boss that had nothing to do with the plot.  Its ExhaustGas blinded everyone and lowered their melee accuracy into the 40s.  Unlike most RPGs where spells can be cast at any time, Chrono Cross requires building up to the appropriate spot on the Element Grid by hitting enemies with a weapon.  You can see why Darkness status presented a problem to Blue Team. 


Fortunately, if they managed to get a few hits, Just4Kicks and IceBlasts were guaranteed to connect.  Just4Kicks occupied level 1 slots too.  Highwayman's Rampage special slaughtered Irenes for 312, more than her maximum HP.  According to GameFAQs, Highwayman's routine makes it use Rampage every 4th or 5th turn, but the boss didn't get another chance.  Lagoonate scored a 238 critical after all 3 hits of an enemy combo missed.  It was unfortunate that Irenes missed out on Star Level 25, but it could be dealt with:


Lynx:  +12 HP
Sprigg:  +4 HP, +1 STR, RES, MAG


One area of the Dead Sea had a Stamina Ring which Lynx received.


Miguel, or Home World Leena's father, was far more troublesome.  Every Chrono Cross player dreads an encounter with him even in a normal playthrough, let alone one with self-imposed restrictions.  It's generally recommended to use Diminish to reduce his Elements' power, but that spell is Black and was therefore banned.


According to Shotgunnova's guide, Miguel's attack pattern above low HP goes like this:


AntiBlack, StrongMinded, WeakMinded, HolyDragSwd, melee, TurnBlack, PhotonBeam


If accurate, this meant there was no hope of the AI randomly deciding to pick weaker spells or melee more often.  AntiBlack was a free turn because this team permanently had that status effect via the Blue challenge.  StrongMinded prevented IceBlasts from doing maximum damage, but Just4Kicks still hit for triple digits. 


The problem was that Miguel could ignore Stamina like other bosses.  TurnBlack was immediately followed with PhotonBeam to exploit the new weakness to White, which could hurt for 139 while Defending.  WeakMinded followed by HolyDragSwd was enough to kill any character from full HP.  Here's how hard Miguel was for Team Blue:


RUN AWAY FROM BOSS COUNT:  1

DEATH COUNT:  2


The DEATH COUNTs were harsh because Miguel had a long unskippable cutscene.  Run Away allowed healing out of battle before another try, but any victory would be too close to avoid taking risks.  On Take 3, Lynx managed to get Miguel down to critical HP after fighting solo when Lagoonate and Irenes died to HolyDragSwd.  Miguel's new AI routine explained why Lynx croaked:


MeteorShower, HolyLight, repeat other AI script


MeteorShower and HolyLight were both high damage all-target White spells.  A White Team would have had an advantage here due to slightly resisting Miguel's attacks with Starky and being able to trap HolyLight.  Red Team would have never succeeded without an improbable amount of critical hits.  On Take 4, Lynx and Lagoonate somehow managed to survive.  Was it a low damage roll, the effects of trying to keep the Field Effect on Blue Team's side with healing, IceBlast and Just4Kicks, or equipping slightly better armor on Sprigg?  Perhaps it was Lynx's critical fierce that ended the battle.  A well-earned Star Level 26 looked like this:


Lynx:  +9 HP, +1 RES, MAG, M.RES
Sprigg:  +9 HP, +1 STR, RES, M.RES


Miguel dropped the Dreamer's Scarf, an accessory that would start its wearer at Element Grid level 1 at the beginning of a fight.  Sprigg got it because she needed to get to spell level 5 to transform as soon as possible.



Stats and Equipment Star Level 26
 

Lynx

HP:  387
ATK:  45
DEF:  41
MGC:  18
HIT%:  89
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  26
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Silver Swallow
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Dragoon’s Honor
Accessory2:  Dragoon Gauntlet
Accessory3:  Stamina Ring
 

Sprigg


HP:  241
ATK:  43
DEF:  36
MGC:  18
HIT%:  87
EVD%:  14
M.DEF:  21
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10

Weapon:  Silver Staff
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Moonglasses
Accessory2:  Bronze Helmet
Accessory3:  Resistance Belt
 

Irenes

HP:  302
ATK:  38
DEF:  30
MGC:  17
HIT%:  92
EVD%:  18
M.DEF:  24
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Mythril Pick
Armor:  Screwy Dress
Accessory1:  Sea Charm
Accessory2:  Dragoon’s Honor
Accessory3:  Resistance Ring

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 9


Once Miguel was defeated, the FATE computer controlling El Nido destroyed the Dead Sea in a flashy FMV, only for the Sky Dragon to save Blue Team for another agenda.  (There's a reason the cliche about RPG heroes unwittingly helping villains is called "Way To Go, Serge".)


Lynx and friends scavenged Fort Dragonia for some Denadorite needed to upgrade weapons and armor.  Chrono Cross is generous about crafting materials because the developers actually expected players to use many of the characters. . .in a game where the party size is 3 and the hero can never leave before New Game Plus.  (Why do Square PSX RPGs have 3 character parties?  Was it a technical limitation?)


ANOTHER WORLD


Lynx clipped through the sand in Opassa Beach to return to Another World because the programmers didn't want to give him a universe-warping FMV.  The Porre Empire had conquered Termina and Viper Manor while the Acacia Dragoons were away.  Fortunately, Lynx's body was the perfect disguise as the real one had worked with Porre in the backstory.  Karsh and Zoah wanted him to rescue Viper's daughter Riddel.  Viper himself was still alive, if injured after the Fort Dragonia fiasco.


Zappa met his alternate universe counterpart in the smithy, which began the Rainbow Shell forging quest.  Since Zappa will never fight, this doesn't affect the Blue variant.  Sidequests where non-Blue characters ARE required to fight will be off-limits, such as using Riddel to fight Dario to get the Mastermune.  Besides, to craft Rainbow Shell equipment, you need to save Marbule, which requires Fargo the Blue pirate to be on the team.  So only a Blue version of this challenge can have that.


EDIT:  Acquiring the Mastermune also requires fighting Solt and Peppor using Karsh on Another World's Isle of the Damned, so it's banned for any strict color variant.


Every RPG needs a frustrating sewer dungeon, and Chrono Cross delivered with the Viper Manor sewers.  Fighting the random encounters took a while due to their high HP, and because they sometimes occupied narrow paths. 


Playing with valves opened the path to the next boss, the Blue innate Roachester.  Its most dangerous special was JitterBug, which swarmed the entire party for 94-131 depending on Field Effect.  BugKamikaze stung Lagoonate for 118, and both Lynx and Irenes had to CurePlus to keep Sprigg's transformation healthy.  Fierce attacks dealt anywhere from 86-108, with Lagoonate being the heavy hitter and finisher.  Star Level 27 had these values:


Lynx:  +13 HP, +1 STR, RES, M.RES
Sprigg:  +5 HP
Irenes:  +10 HP, +1 STR, RES, MAG


A bizarre plot development ensued when Riddel refused to cooperate with her Porre torturers' interrogation.  So they used Quadffid seeds on Orcha the cook to turn him into the Red innate Hell's Cook!  Supposedly these seeds brought out his "dark side", according to the dialogue.  His weakness to Blue made even Irenes's harp play a sharp note for 84.  IceBlasts of varying levels gave him 189-267 frostbite.  Lagoonate's claws jabbed for 219-243, and a Just4Kicks knocked Orcha back to his senses at the end.  Besides moderately dangerous melee combos, Hell's Cook cast FirePillar for 103 to Burn Lynx, and a wimpy Fireball for 72 to Lagoonate.  Star Level 28 looked like this:


Lynx:  +11 HP, +1 STR, RES
Sprigg:  +4 HP, +1 STR, M.RES
Irenes:  +2 HP, +1 STR, RES, M.RES


The battle gauntlet continued with White innate Porre, and more importantly the Black innate Grobyc.  His robotic specials were a 91 RocketFist to Lagoonate, and a 80s-130s HairCutter.  No, he didn't trim their hair, but rather sliced them with his.  He could also attack for 2 hit melee combos, and more if he had the Stamina-preserving buff Vigora active.  Grobyc once tended to his mechanical parts with HealAll, but that couldn't stop 130s-160s Lagoonate fierces.  Grobyc yielded Star Level 29 once defeated:


Lynx:  +3 HP, +1 STR
Sprigg:  +8 HP, +1 RES
Irenes:  +10 HP, +1 STR, MAG


Porre still had one more robot to throw at Blue Team:  Guillot the Yellow innate.  Guillot's Element color didn't matter at all because it never used spells or specials in either fight, only melee.  Lagoonate's fierces struck the sword-wielding robot for 116, but its M.DEF must have been weaker, since it took 209-219 IceBlasts from Irenes and Lynx.  Once the second round was finished with a Just4Kicks, Grobyc scrapped Guillot in a cutscene.  Lynx and company burst out of the stained glass windows and released the dragons in the stable to stampede on the Porre troops.  The next step was Hermit's Hideaway, where Sprigg and Irenes would soon be replaced with new Blue characters.



Stats and Equipment Star Level 29
 

Lynx
HP:  426
ATK:  52
DEF:  43
MGC:  18
HIT%:  90
EVD%:  9
M.DEF:  27
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Stone Swallow
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Dragoon’s Honor
Accessory2:  Dragoon’s Gauntlet
Accessory3:  Stamina Ring
 

Sprigg

HP:  263
ATK:  44
DEF:  37
MGC:  18
HIT%:  87
EVD%:  14
M.DEF:  22
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10
 
Weapon:  Silver Staff
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Moonglasses
Accessory2:  Bronze Helmet
Accessory3:  Resistance Belt
 

Irenes

HP:  333
ATK:  41
DEF:  32
MGC:  19
HIT%:  92
EVD%:  18
M.DEF:  25
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Mythril Pick
Armor:  Screwy Dress
Accessory1:  Sea Charm
Accessory2:  Dragoon’s Honor
Accessory3:  Resistance Ring

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Chrono Cross Blue Challenge Part 10


All the real Lynx had done while using Serge's body was to put on goth clothes and terrorize El Nido offscreen.  Now Dark Serge decided to be a threat for a change and "surround" the party with himself and Kid who couldn't tell the difference as soon as "Serge" started talking in the Fort Dragonia incident.    


Conveniently, Fargo sent Polly to pick up Blue Team and deliver them to the S.S. Invincible as thanks for saving him from DeadHead's monsters and Viper Manor's prison.  He also joined the team along with General Viper, Riddel, Marcy, and Karsh.  Only Marcy and Fargo were eligible Blue members.  Marcy was a dramatic improvement on Irenes in terms of STR and MAG, but Irenes had the HP advantage.  Fargo was more of a melee fighter, though he had utility no other character could boast at this point:  being a thief.  Specifically, being able to steal elemental absorption armor from the dragons.


HOME WORLD


Fargo commandeered the S.S. Zelbess and renamed it the Invincible.  The demihumans on board were happy to row the boat to Marbule, play Nikki's fake Elizabethan language rock opera, and help Blue Team kick out the Lagoonates infesting the town.  (That's why Sprigg's starter Doppelgang is overpowered early on; you don't fight Lagoonates until now.)  Just4Kicks used against BlueTeam only set up the Field Effect needed for Marcy to summon FrogPrince for 470s damage.  Defeating all the monsters in Marbule woke BlackDragon. . .



ANOTHER WORLD


In the other Marbule, Lynx and his chums faced their most drawn-out battle yet.  When they lost to Miguel, he at least had the courtesy to kill them quickly with his White spells.  Marcy died early in the fight to a 3 hit melee combo.  Unfortunately, she was carrying the CureAll party heal spells, and there was no way to Revive her with only Blue spells.  Marcy at least stung BlackDragon with a 190 damage StringPhone before falling.


Most of this boss fight consisted of melee combos and frequent CurePlus casting.  Fargo was the winner here with a 178 damage critical late in the battle.  So many CurePlus charges were used that both Lynx and Fargo had nearly exhausted their supplies.  Fargo would have died once if not for a Nimble casting causing his EVD% to become high enough to dodge one blow from a 3 hit combo. 


When both Lynx and Fargo were in good health, they attacked with a 203 power IceBlast, a 229 Invincible, or a 159 CannonBalls.  BlackDragon retaliated with 90-121 DarkBreaths to the party, 48-64 Gravitonnes to the group, a Genius buff followed by a 110s GravityBomb, or a 230 FreeFall gravity piledriver.  DarkBreath  A weak Lynx melee won BlueTeam a well-earned Star Level 30:


Lynx:  +11 HP, +1 MAG
Fargo:  +12 HP, +2 STR, +1 RES, MAG


+2 to anything except HP is rare in Chrono Cross, so it was nice to see Fargo make up for Marcy getting nothing for dying in the BlackDragon battle.  The Black Plate armor Fargo Pillaged was perhaps the most valuable of the elemental armor set because of FATE.


Next was the FireDragon.  The first phase was similar to the battle before Fort Dragonia, with the same diminutive appearance.  Once Marcy's kickboxing took away 162 HP after a few rounds, FireDragon revealed the much larger true form.  Only then could Fargo Pillage the boss's Red Plate.  Casting Blue offensive spells and using techniques like a 367 power Invincible and a 285 damage IceBlast +2 seemed like a good idea at first. Then I realized it countered with a roughly 60s damage FieryBreath every time Blue Team did that.  FireDragon took more turns than BlackDragon too, so FrogPrince could never be summoned in the Field Effect tug-of-war.


Marcy's CureAll saved Blue Team multiple times against scorching 151-262 FireBreaths.  Not to be confused with
FieryBreath, which only hit a single target and was weaker.  Anyway, the real restriction of the variant seemed to be the lack of the Black spell Diminish's magic damage reduction, which is normally what makes the late game of Chrono Cross easy.  Inferno was comparable in strength to FireBreath, though Strengthen was laughable because FireDragon wasn't nearly as much of a melee monster as BlackDragon.  Fargo's fierce attacks were the way to go when his slashes struck for around 160.  Star Level 31 had these results:


Lynx:  +13 HP, +2 STR, +1 RES, +1 M.RES
Fargo:  +4 HP, +1 RES
Marcy:  +14 HP, +1 STR, +1 RES


It must have been Lynx's apology for his underwhelming performance early in the story.


Stats and Equipment Star Level 31
 

Lynx

HP:  460
ATK:  52
DEF:  45
MGC:  20
HIT%:  90
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  29
STAMINA RECOVERY:  11
 
Weapon:  Stone Swallow
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Dragoon’s Honor
Accessory2:  Star Fragment
Accessory3:  Stamina Ring
 

Fargo

HP:  362
ATK:  52
DEF:  48
MGC:  17
HIT%:  86
EVD%:  8
M.DEF:  23
STAMINA RECOVERY:  10
 
Weapon:  Stone Sword
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Dragoon Gauntlet
Accessory2:  Silver Loupe
Accessory3:  Defender
 

Marcy


HP:  320
ATK:  53
DEF:  39
MGC:  24
HIT%:  93
EVD%:  18
M.DEF:  25
 
Weapon:  Granite Glove
Armor:  Mythril Mail
Accessory1:  Sea Charm
Accessory2:  Dragoon’s Honor
Accessory3:   Dreamer’s Scarf


Maybe Marcy would have gained the BlackDragon's Star Level if I had remembered to put the Moonglasses on someone while swapping out party members.  She would have benefited from the Defender's DEF, EVD%, and M.DEF bonuses too.  


Fargo's Silver Loupe is there to correct his questionable base ACC.  Lynx equipped the Star Fragment to ward off status ailments like Flu, Burn, Sprain, and Poison.