Element
Elements are a gameplay concept from Chrono Cross that replace Techs and Items from Chrono Trigger.
Overview
Everything and everyone in existence has an Element color. This color determines the nature of the person or object. Every character has an Element color associated with them, and this determines how and what Elements that character may use.
Elements can be special attacks, magic spells, consumable items, or summons.
Element Colors
There are six element colors:
- Red - The element color associated with Fire and Health
- Blue - The element color associated with Water and Stamina
- Green - The element color associated with Air and Nature
- Yellow - The element color associated with Earth and Electricity
- Black - The element color associated with Shadow and Destruction
- White - The element color associated with Light and Life
The elements also exist in opposition to one another:
- Red <-> Blue
- Green <-> Yellow
- Black <-> White
Every character has an innate color. A character is resistant to attacks of their own color, but weak to attacks of the opposite color. Characters are also influenced by the Field Effect.
Element Grid
Every character has an Element Grid into which they can allocate Elements. This grid varies for each character, but can be a maximum of eight spaces long, signifying the eight Element levels. As a character levels up, their Element grid expands.
Each Element has an allocation level and an offset. The allocation level indicates what level of the grid the Element is intended for. The offset indicates how many levels above or below the allocation level the Element can be set in the Element grid. For example, a 3/1 Element can be put into levels 2, 3, or 4. By putting an element into a lower level than its allocation level, it is depowered and will not be as effective. By putting an Element into a higher level, it becomes more powerful / effective.
To use Elements, characters must first "unlock" the Element grid by way of combat. At the start of combat, only 1st-level Elements are available.
Field Effect
People and objects are not the only things that are affected by an Element color. Every point in the world also has an Element color. Being the world itself, it is innately ALL Elemental colors. It is the actions of people in those areas that have an effect on the local Elemental field, called the Field Effect.
By using Elements, the Field Effect is altered. Simply using Elements changes the primary color of the local Elemental field. The local Elemental field is three levels deep. As Elements are used, their innate colors are "pushed down" in the Elemental field until they are pushed out altogether. The local Elemental field also has an effect on characters, empowering them if the local field color is partly or fully their innate color, and depowering them if its is opposite.
Completely changing the local field effect color (so that all three levels are the same color) unlocks more powerful Elements such as summons.
Element Types
There are several types of elements. (Magic, Consumable, Tech Skills, Field Effect, Traps, and Summons)
Magic
These magic spells call upon the Element of their color to either harm the enemy or buff / protect allies. They target either one or all enemies / allies.
Consumables
Consumables are the equivalent of items. They can be used repeatedly, and must be in your inventory to use. When your inventory runs out, you can no longer use consumables in combat.
Techs
Characters in Chrono Cross have Techs that are their own innate color and cannot be used by other characters. This has the same effect on the Elemental field as any other Element. Certain characters can link their Techs together to form a Double Tech and even a Triple Tech. These three Techs are learned at a certain number of stars and are auto-allocated into levels 3, 5, and 7, respectively. Character Techs are listed on each character's profile: List of Chrono Cross characters
Field Effect
These Elements alter the local Elemental field color directly.
Traps
Traps are Elements that are used to capture Elements from enemies.
Summons
Summons are rare Elements that call forth beings of incredible power. They are so powerful that the local field must be entirely of the same Elemental color as the summon, or else it will not work.
Element Lists
Below are lists of Elements in Chrono Cross, broken up by Elemental color. The attributes of each include:
- Name
- Allocation
- Type
- Target
- Description
NOTE: Elements marked with (*) can only be used by characters of that innate color.
Red Elements
- Main article: Red (Element)
Blue Elements
- Main article: Blue (Element)
Green Elements
| Name | Allocation Level |
Type | Target | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TurnGreen | 1/7 | Magic | Single Enemy/Ally | Turn enemy's attribute / ally's attacks green |
| Bushwhacker | 1/7 | Magic | Single Enemy | Slices enemy with a cloud of whirling leaves |
| Antidote | 2/0 | Consumable | Single Ally | Heals poison and green status effects |
| Heal | 2/6 | Magic | Single Enemy/Ally | Restores HP (Small) |
| AeroSaucer | 2/6 | Magic | Single Enemy | Throws blades of razor-sharp air to slice enemy |
| AntiYellow (*) | 3/5 | Magic | Single Enemy | Temporarily seals yellow Elements |
| Bushbasher | 3/5 | Magic | Single Enemy | Encases enemy in a cage of thorny brambles. Inflicts Poison. |
| HealAll | 4/4 | Magic | All Allies | Restores HP (Medium) |
| EagleEye | 4/4 | Magic | Single Ally | Temporarily increases your attack Hit% |
| BatEye | 4/4 | Magic | Single Enemy | Temporarily decreases enemy's attack Hit% |
| AeroBlaster | 4/4 | Magic | Single Enemy | Shoots a sonic blast at your enemy. Inflicts Afraid. |
| GreenField | 5/3 | Field Effect | All Enemies & Allies | Colors all field attributes green |
| Carnivore | 5/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch Carnivore Element |
| Carnivore | 5/3 | Magic | All Enemies | A humongous Venus Flytrap devours enemies. Inflicts Poison. |
| HealPlus (*) | 6/2 | Magic | Single Enemy/Ally | Restores HP (Large) |
| InfoScope (*) | 6/2 | Magic | Single Enemy | Detects your opponent's HP data |
| Tornado | 6/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch Tornado Element |
| Tornado (*) | 6/2 | Magic | All Enemies | Causes a cyclone that batters enemies to bits |
| Sonja | 7/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch Sonja Element |
| Sonja (*) | 7/2 | Summon | All Enemies | Summons a forest dryad to sprinkle poison dust. Inflicts Poison. |
| Genie (*) | 8/0 | Summon | All Enemies | A wind djinn blows your enemies away with a twister |
Yellow Elements
| Name | Allocation Level |
Type | Target | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TurnYellow | 1/7 | Magic | Single Enemy/Ally | Turn enemy's attribute / ally's attacks yellow |
| Uplift | 1/7 | Magic | Single Enemy | Cuts out and drops a block of stone on enemy |
| Brace | 2/0 | Consumable | Single Ally | Heals sprains and yellow status effects |
| ElectroJolt | 2/6 | Magic | Single Enemy | Shocks enemy with an electrical discharge |
| Capsule | 3/0 | Consumable | Single Ally | Restores HP (Medium) |
| AntiGreen (*) | 3/5 | Magic | Single Enemy | Temporarily seals green Elements |
| Upheaval | 3/5 | Magic | Single Enemy | Spears enemy with shards of shattered earth. Inflicts Sprain. |
| HiRes | 4/4 | Magic | Single Ally | Temporarily increases your defense |
| LowRes | 4/4 | Magic | Single Enemy | Temporarily decreases your opponent's defense |
| ElectroBolt | 4/4 | Magic | Single Enemy | Hurls a lightning bolt down on your opponent. Inflicts Dizzy. |
| YellowField | 5/3 | Field Effect | All Enemies & Allies | Colors all field attributes yellow |
| Earthquake | 5/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch Earthquake Element |
| Earthquake | 5/3 | Magic | All Enemies | Crushes enemies beneath giant stone pillars. Inflicts Sprain. |
| PhysNegate (*) | 6/2 | Magic | Single Ally | Temporarily nullifies enemy's physical attacks |
| ThundaStorm | 6/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch ThundaStorm Element |
| ThundaStorm (*) | 6/2 | Magic | All Enemies | Causes a series of thunderbolts to occur |
| Golem | 7/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch Golem Element |
| Golem (*) | 7/2 | Summon | All Enemies | Summons an earth giant to stomp on your enemies |
| ThundaSnake (*) | 8/0 | Summon | All Enemies | An electric serpent zaps anything in its path |
Black Elements
| Name | Allocation Level |
Type | Target | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TurnBlack | 1/7 | Magic | Single Enemy/Ally | Turn enemy's attribute / ally's attacks black |
| GravityBlow | 1/7 | Magic | Single Enemy | Blows away enemy with a ball of pure gravity |
| BlackOut | 2/0 | Consumable | Singly Ally | Removes black status effects |
| HellSoul | 2/0 | Magic | Single Enemy | Attempts to remove the soul from enemy's body |
| AntiWhite (*) | 3/5 | Magic | Single Enemy | Temporarily seals white Elements |
| Gravitonne | 3/5 | Magic | All Enemies | Crushes enemies with a supergravity field |
| Genius | 4/4 | Magic | Single Ally | Temporarily increases your magical power |
| Imbecile | 4/4 | Magic | Single Enemy | Temporarily decreases your enemy's magical power |
| HellBound | 4/0 | Magic | Single Enemy | Sends your enemy on a trip to hell. Inflicts Cursed. |
| Revenge (*) | 5/3 | Magic | Single Enemy | Shifts your status effects onto enemy |
| FreeFall | 5/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch FreeFall Element |
| FreeFall | 5/3 | Magic | Single Enemy | Drops enemy from the sky at supersonic speed |
| Nostrum | 6/0 | Consumable | Single Ally | Restores HP (Large) |
| Diminish | 6/2 | Magic | All Enemies & Allies | Temporarily halves Elemental damage |
| SealAll (*) | 6/2 | Magic | All Enemies & Allies | Temporarily stops everyone's Elements |
| BlackHole | 6/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch BlackHole Element |
| BlackHole (*) | 6/2 | Magic | All Enemies | Sucks everything in the area into a super-vacuum |
| MotherShip | 7/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch MotherShip Element |
| MotherShip (*) | 7/1 | Summon | All Enemies | Contacts a spaceship to blast enemies to pieces |
| GrimReaper (*) | 8/0 | Summon | All Enemies | Summons Death to wreak doom and destruction |
White Elements
| Name | Allocation Level |
Type | Target | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TurnWhite | 1/0 | Magic | Single Enemy/Ally | Turn enemy's attribute / ally's attacks white |
| Revive | 1/7 | Magic | Single Ally | Recovers friend from incapacitated status |
| PhotonRay | 1/7 | Magic | Single Enemy | Shoots a bright laser beam at your opponent |
| WhiteOut | 2/0 | Consumable | Single Ally | Removes white status effects |
| Meteorite | 2/6 | Magic | Single Enemy | Drops a comet down on an unsuspecting enemy's head |
| RecoverAll | 3/5 | Magic | All Allies | Restores HP (Medium) |
| AntiBlack (*) | 3/5 | Magic | Single Enemy | Temporarily seals black Elements |
| PhotonBeam | 3/5 | Magic | Single Enemy | Bombards enemy with an extra-powerful laser. Inflicts Fatigued. |
| Panacea | 4/0 | Consumable | Single Ally | Revomes all status effects |
| Purify | 4/4 | Magic | Single Ally | Removes all status effects |
| StrongMinded | 4/4 | Magic | Single Ally | Temporarily increases your magical defense |
| WeakMinded | 4/4 | Magic | Single Enemy | Temporarily decreases your enemy's magical defense |
| MeteorShower | 4/4 | Magic | All Enemies | Hurls several large asteroids at enemies. Inflicts Fatigued. |
| FullRevival (*) | 5/3 | Magic | Single Ally | Recovers incapacitated status and heals all HP |
| HolyLight | 5/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch HolyLight Element |
| HolyLight | 5/3 | Magic | All Enemies | Casts a holy circle (annihilates undead). Inflicts Fatigued. |
| HolyHealing (*) | 6/2 | Magic | All Allies | Restores all HP and removes status effects |
| Magnify | 6/2 | Magic | All Enemies & Allies | Temporarily increases Element damage by 1.5 |
| MagNegate (*) | 6/2 | Magic | Single Ally | Temporarily nullifies enemy's magic attacks |
| UltraNova | 6/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch UltraNova Element |
| UltraNova (*) | 6/2 | Magic | All Enemies | Causes an explosion of high-density energy |
| Unicorn | 7/0 | Trap | All Enemies | Set trap to catch *Unicorn Element |
| Unicorn (*) | 7/1 | Summon | All Allies | Holy horse's prayer raises Def & M.Def |
| Saints | 8/0 | Summon | All Enemies & Allies | Army of angels attacks enemies and heals party |