Dual/Triple Techniques are cooperative techniques that involve two to three participants combining techniques to extreme effect. These are the most powerful abilities available to players!
In order to learn a Dual/Triple Technique, the characters involved must each have the Power Link trait, select a technique to contribute, and then invest TP with the other characters to combine/amplify the selected techniques.
Investing TP
Learning a Dual/Triple Technique requires investing TP into it. This TP isn’t lost from a character’s total TP but is permanently locked to the learned Dual/Triple Technique and cannot be used to learn another Dual/Triple Technique.
This investment represents the bond between the characters involved. The greater the investment, the more powerful the Dual/Triple Technique.
Encourage players to roleplay learning the new combined technique. The Dual/Triple techniques in Chrono Trigger were visual treats. It’s easy to imagine some mishaps while practicing them.
Combining Techniques into Dual/Triple Techniques
Follow the steps below to combine individual techniques into a new Dual/Triple Technique. It’s a complex process but the Game Master will handle the technical details so just focus on sounds exciting.
To do this, you will need to know all of the details for the individual Techniques being combined.
- Select the techniques to combine: Each participating character will contribute one technique.
- Select Element Amplifications: Select the amplifications that augment the Element of the Dual/Triple Technique. Note that each amplification increases the required TP investment.
- Select Category and Effect Type Amplifications: Select the amplifications that augment the Category and Effect Type of the Dual/Triple Technique. Note that each amplification increases the required TP investment.
- Select Target Amplifications: Select the amplifications that augment the Target of the Dual/Triple Technique. Note that each amplification increases the required TP investment.
- Select Special Amplifications: Select special amplifications for the Dual/Triple Technique. Note that each amplification increases the required TP investment.
- Submit Dual/Triple Technique to Game Master: Send selections to the Game Master for combining and final approval.
- Add the Finalized Dual/Triple Technique and Invest TP: Each character involved must invest the required TP from Step 2. The Game Master will mark invested TP and add the completed technique on each character’s spreadsheets.
- Use your new Dual/Triple Technique: Try it out in the next battle!
Step 1: Identify Individual Techniques to combine
First, the players must each select an individual technique to contribute to the Dual/Triple technique. This should be a collaborative process with all participating players agreeing on the final selections.
The players should think about how they want the techniques to combine…
If Ayla has a Technique where she throws a boulder and Crono has a Technique that attacks a line, their combined Technique could just be Crono attacking a line while a boulder falls on it.
But that’s not very interesting…
Much more interesting is Ayla throwing Crono instead of the boulder and his attack hitting a line that crosses the entire battlefield!
If Marle has a healing technique that targets one person and Crono has a technique where he spins his sword around really fast hitting everything nearby, their combined technique could just be Crono spinning around really fast while getting healed.
But that’s not very interesting…
Much more interesting is Crono spinning around really fast and sending Marle’s healing energy cascading over the battlefield!
If Ayla has a technique that throws an enemy and Robo has a technique that punches many times, their combined technique could just be Ayla tossing an enemy to Robo who punches it a lot.
But that’s not very interesting…
Much more interesting is the two of them tossing the enemy back and forth many times before finally slamming it into the ground.
If the Dual/Triple Technique feels like just using the individual techniques simultaneously…it’s not very interesting. The best Dual/Triple Techniques combine the individual techniques to new extreme effect.
Element(s): Determined in Step 2.
Category(ies): Determined in Step 3.
Effect Type(s): Determined in Step 3.
Action(s): Highest of Base Techniques.
Range: Lowest of Base Techniques.
Power: Determined by Base Techniques.
Attack(s): Determined in Step 3 and Base Techniques.
Partner(s): The Technique users.
Special Amplification(s): Determined in Step 5.
Base Dual/Triple Technique
Combining individual Techniques into a new Dual/Triple Technique is complex. The following steps are an attempt to simplify the process but Game Master involvement is highly recommended.
Investing Tech Points forces the players to make some interesting decisions that further differentiate the characters. Do they have many weaker Dual Technique with a wide array of partners, a couple of strong Dual/Triple Techniques with a few partners, or one extreme Triple Technique with their closest allies. This should, ideally, reflect their interactions with other players.
After the group has decided on the individual techniques to combine move to Step 2 to start selecting amplifications.
Step 2: Select Element Amplifications.
| Investment | Amplification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 TP | Same Element | The combined techniques must be of the same Element. No new benefit, no investment. |
| 25 TP | Select One | Select a Element from one base technique. The Dual/Triple technique is of that Element. |
| 50 TP | Multi-Element | The technique inherits all elements from the techniques being combined. The technique damage is divided evenly among these elements. |
| 50 TP | New Element | Select a new element for the technique. This does not need to be of the technique users’ innate elements. |
| 75 TP | Greater Multi-Element | The technique inherits all elements from the techniques being combined. The technique always acts as the Element most advantageous to the users. |
Step 3: Select Category Amplifications.
Individual techniques fall into one of five categories: damage, weapon, restore, utility, and summon. Category amplifications enhance, combine, or alter those categories for Dual/Triple Techniques.
At least one category must be selected from the individual Techniques for each Dual/Triple Technique.
The category selection here will determine the primary effect of the Dual/Triple Technique.
| Investment | Amplification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 TP | Same Category | The combined techniques must be of the same category. No new benefit, no investment. |
| 25 TP | Select One | Select a new effect type for the technique. This does not need to be of the technique users’ innate elements. |
| 50 TP | Multiple Choice | The Dual/Triple technique inherits two categories of your choice from the base techniques. |
| 75 TP | All of the Above | The Triple technique inherits all three categories from the base techniques. |
From the examples above…
- Falcon Hit is still a Weapon technique. Crono is thrown by Ayla dramatically increasing his Range/Damage but he is still hitting things with his sword.
- Aura Whirl is still a Restore technique. Crono is spinning around with his sword but it’s spreading healing rather than dealing damage.
- Beast Toss is still a Damage technique. Ayla and Robo toss an enemy back and forth, using force to pummel the enemy rather than their weapons.
Based on the categories selected the Dual/Triple technique will also inherit Effect Type (if any).
| Investment | Amplification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 TP | Same Effect Type | The initial effect type is retained. No new benefit, no investment. |
| 25 TP | New Effect Type | Select a new effect type for the technique. This replaces the initial effect type. |
| 50 TP | Greater New Effect Type | Select a new effect type for the technique. This is in addition to the initial effect type. |
Step 4: Select Target Amplifications.
If the base technique providing the Target includes a quality that sets the Target to a certain size permanently that cannot be increased in a Dual/Triple Technique.
| Investment | Amplification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 TP | One Normal Target | Select a category from one base technique. The Dual/Triple technique uses that Target. |
| 50 TP | One Extreme Target | Select a category from one base technique. The Dual/Triple technique uses that Target but the Target size is increased to extreme. |
| 75 TP | Multiple Normal Targets | The Dual/Triple technique inherits two Targets of your choice from the base techniques. |
| 200 TP | All | The Dual/Triple technique Target is changed to ‘all allies’, ‘all enemies’, or ‘both’ depending on category. (Note: This cannot be used with certain technique categories such as Summon.) |
Step 5: Select Special Amplifications.
Dual/Triple Techniques are not simply 1+1+1=3 additions of individual techniques. In the areas where they really stand out they are multiplicative! These
This step is special as you can select as many Special Amplifications as you want. Provided that you’re willing and able to invest the required Tech Points.
| Investment | Amplification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 25 TP | Move Before | All participants may take a Move action after using the Technique. |
| 50 TP | Move Before and After | All participants may take a Move action before using the Technique and another Move action after using the Technique. |
| 75 TP | Inherit 1st Quality | Inherit a 1st Tier Quality from a Base Technique. This can be selected up to 3 times. |
| 125 TP | Inherit 2nd Quality | Inherit a 2nd Tier Quality from a Base Technique. This can be selected up to 3 times. |
| 125 TP | Inherit Magic Quality | Inherit Magic Quality from a Base Technique. The Dual/Triple Technique is considered Magic. |
| 150 TP | Extreme Power | This dramatically increases the Power of the Dual/Triple Technique. (Note: this cannot increase damage over the damage cap of 9999.) |
| 150 TP | Absorbing Summon | If this Dual/Triple Techniques is a Summon technique that ‘summons ally’ the resulting ally ‘drains’ all ‘Elemental Damage’ but is weak to Nonelemental damage. |
| 150 TP | Mirror Wall | If this Dual/Triple Techniques is a Summon technique that ‘creates obstacle’ the resulting obstacle ‘reflects’ all ‘Elemental Damage’ but is weak to Nonelemental damage. |
| 150 TP | Thousand Strikes | If the Dual/Triple Technique includes Weapon Strikes, that number increased based on the number of participants. |
| 175 TP | Inherit 3rd Quality | Inherit a 3rd Tier Quality from a Base Technique. This can be selected up to 3 times. |
| 200 TP | Full Restore | If this Dual/Triple Technique restores HP it restores HP to 100%, ends all status effects, and revives from KOed to 100% HP. |
| 200 TP | Altered Formula | This changes the damage formula in an unusual way. The end result is more situationally more useful than the normal stat based formula. Some are examples are ‘based on total HP’, ‘based on current Round number’, etc. |
| 200 TP | Double/Triple Damage | If the Dual/Triple Technique is a Damage technique it deals damage once per participant (as the damage is separate, this allows the total damage to exceed the damage cap of 9999). |
| 200 TP | Ultimate Damage | If the Dual/Triple Technique deals damage that damage cannot be reduced, nullified, evaded, or reflected by any means. (Note: This will deal normal damage even through boss protective abilities). |
| -50 TP | Costs One More Action | The Dual/Triple Technique takes one more Action to use but decreases the TP investment. (Note: This can increase the number of Actions required to 4. This would mean the Dual/Triple Technique is only usable when all users are under a Haste effect.) |
Step 6: Submit Dual/Triple Technique to Game Master
Before proceeding to Step 6, all of the participants should take a look at what they are about to submit and make certain that they’re happy with the result. Once all of the participating players approve of the Dual/Triple Technique send the selections to the Game Master for combining and final approval.
Step 7: Add the Finalized Dual/Triple Technique and Invest TP
The Game Master will take each itemized decision made by the participating players and apply the math to make it work.
After the Game Master complete this process, they will mark the invested TP off each player’s character spreadsheet and then add the completed technique on each character’s spreadsheets.
Step 8: Use your new Dual/Triple Technique
The final step, perhaps the best one, is using that new Dual/Triple Technique in battle for the first time.
Remember that you must within Range of the other participants, have Line of Sight with each other, and contribute the required number of actions in order to use a Dual/Triple technique.