Endgame Content Overview

Congratulations, Chrono Trigger adventurer! The defeat of Lavos is a monumental achievement, but your journey through time doesn't have to end there. Chrono Trigger offers a wealth of optional endgame content, providing new challenges, powerful equipment, and deeper insights into its rich world. This section will guide you through maximizing your post-game experience.

New Game+ and Multiple Endings

Upon completing the game, you unlock New Game+. This allows you to restart the adventure from the Millennial Fair in 1000 A.D. with all your earned levels, equipment, Techs, and Gold carried over. This is crucial for experiencing Chrono Trigger's numerous alternate endings.

Accessing Endings: The ending you receive is determined by when you defeat Lavos. With New Game+, you can challenge Lavos at almost any point in the story by interacting with the bucket at the End of Time or the Black Omen.
Recommended Strategy: For a comprehensive experience, aim to defeat Lavos at various key story points. For instance, try defeating Lavos immediately after acquiring the Epoch, or after recruiting each party member. Some endings are humorous, while others offer profound insights into the characters and world.
Ultimate Equipment Farming: New Game+ is also ideal for acquiring multiple copies of unique equipment like the Red Plate or the Apocalypse Arm (though the latter is often restricted in challenge runs).

The Black Omen Revisited

Even after its initial defeat, the Black Omen can be re-entered at any point in time (except pre-history) to battle its formidable inhabitants again. This is an excellent location for:

Experience and Tech Point Grinding: The enemies within the Black Omen, particularly the Lavos Spawn, yield significant experience and Tech Points, making it an efficient spot to level up your characters and master all their Techs.
Item Drops: Many enemies here drop valuable items, including rare accessories and consumable items.
Challenging Bosses: The bosses within, such as the Mega Mutant and Queen Zeal, remain challenging and can be re-fought for practice or simply for the satisfaction of victory.

Optional Side Quests for Legendary Gear

Several side quests become available or are best tackled in the endgame, offering some of the most powerful equipment in the game. Ensure you have completed these before facing the ultimate challenges.

Ozzie's Fort (600 A.D.)

After defeating Magus, return to 600 A.D. and visit Ozzie's Fort, located near Magus's Castle. This dungeon is filled with traps and challenging fiends.

Objective: Defeat Ozzie, Flea, and Slash in their final forms.
Key Rewards:
- Ozzie's Pants: A powerful accessory.
- Flea Vest: Another useful accessory.
- Slasher 2: A strong sword for Crono.
Strategy: Be prepared for multiple boss encounters. Ensure your party is well-equipped and has a good mix of healing and offensive Techs.

The Sun Stone (65,000,000 B.C. and 2300 A.D.)

This quest involves moving the Sun Stone across different time periods to charge it.

Retrieve the Moon Stone: In 65,000,000 B.C., find the Moon Stone in the Sunken Desert (the area where the Reptites lived).
Place in Sun Keep: Take the Moon Stone to the Sun Keep in 65,000,000 B.C. and leave it there.
Charge in 2300 A.D.: Travel to 2300 A.D. and retrieve the now charged Sun Stone from the Sun Keep.
Final Destination: Return to 1000 A.D. and take the Sun Stone to the Elder's House in Porre.

Key Rewards:
- Sun Shades: An accessory that boosts critical hit rate.
- Wonder Shot: A powerful weapon for Lucca.
Strategy: The most challenging part is navigating the Sunken Desert and dealing with the enemies there.

The Rainbow Shell (600 A.D. and 1000 A.D.)

This quest involves retrieving a legendary shell and crafting powerful items from it.

Giant's Claw: In 600 A.D., head to the Giant's Claw dungeon. Navigate through it to find the Rainbow Shell. You'll need to defeat the Rust Tyranno to access it.
Guardia Castle (1000 A.D.): Take the Rainbow Shell to Guardia Castle in 1000 A.D. and speak to the King.
Trial of the King: You'll be framed for stealing the shell. You must prove your innocence by finding the real thief (the Chancellor) in the castle's basement.
Crafting: Once cleared, the King will allow you to choose two items to be forged from the Rainbow Shell.

Key Rewards:
- Rainbow: Crono's ultimate weapon, with a high critical hit rate.
- Prism Dress: Female characters' ultimate armor, offering high defense and magic defense.
- Prism Helm: A powerful helmet.
Strategy: The Rust Tyranno is a formidable foe; consider bringing characters with strong physical attacks and healing. The trial in Guardia Castle requires careful exploration.

Faire's Bell (1000 A.D.)

This short quest involves helping a young girl in the Millennial Fair.

Speak to the Girl: In 1000 A.D., at the Millennial Fair, talk to the girl near the bell stand.
Retrieve the Bell: She will ask you to retrieve a lost bell. Head to the Norstein Bekkler's Tent and win the game there to get the bell.

Key Reward: Nova Armor, a strong piece of armor.
Strategy: Winning Norstein Bekkler's game can be tricky; observe the patterns carefully.

The Lost Sanctum (DS/Mobile Exclusive)

For players on the DS or mobile versions, the Lost Sanctum offers a significant new area with unique challenges and rewards.

Access: The Lost Sanctum can be accessed from either 65,000,000 B.C. or 600 A.D. by finding a shimmering portal.
Structure: This area involves a series of fetch quests and monster hunts for the Nu and Reptite inhabitants. You'll travel between the two time periods to complete tasks.
Key Rewards:
- Dragon's Tear: An accessory that boosts stats.
- Valiant Knife: A powerful dagger for Frog.
- Elemental Aegis: A strong accessory that reduces elemental damage.
- Apocalypse Arm: Robo's ultimate weapon.
- Numerous other rare items and capsules.
Strategy: Be prepared for extensive backtracking and challenging enemy encounters. The final boss of the Lost Sanctum, the Archdemon, is a formidable opponent.

Dimensional Vortex (DS/Mobile Exclusive)

Another exclusive to the DS and mobile versions, the Dimensional Vortex is a series of challenging dungeons that delve deeper into the game's lore.

Access: After completing the game once, portals to the Dimensional Vortex will appear in various locations across time (e.g., Guardia Castle in 1000 A.D., the Denadoro Mountains in 600 A.D.).
Structure: Each vortex is a multi-floor dungeon with unique enemies and puzzles. They culminate in powerful boss battles.
Key Rewards:
- Dreamseeker: Crono's second-best weapon.
- Shadow Blade: Magus's ultimate weapon.
- Schala's Amulet: A powerful accessory.
- Other rare equipment and stat-boosting capsules.
Strategy: These dungeons are designed for high-level parties. Ensure your characters are well-equipped and have mastered their best Techs. The bosses are particularly challenging and often require specific strategies.

The Dream's Beginning (DS/Mobile Exclusive)

After conquering all three Dimensional Vortexes, a new ending and a final, ultimate challenge await.

Access: Once all Dimensional Vortexes are cleared, a new option will appear at the End of Time, leading to the Temporal Vortex and the ultimate boss.
Objective: Face the Dream Devourer, a being connected to Schala and the true origin of Lavos.
Key Reward: A unique ending that expands upon the Chrono Trigger narrative, particularly concerning Schala.
Strategy: The Dream Devourer is arguably the toughest boss in the entire game, surpassing even Lavos. Max out your characters' stats, equip your absolute best gear (Rainbow, Prism Dress, Elemental Aegis, etc.), and prepare for a long, strategic battle. Focus on powerful Triple Techs and consistent healing.

By tackling these endgame challenges, you'll not only acquire the most formidable gear in Chrono Trigger but also uncover every secret and truly master the flow of time!