Techniques, or Techs, are special abilities that characters can use. These abilities may be mundane, supernatural, or anything in between.
Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross featured a diverse array of Techniques that were, often, unique to the individual character. Techniques are best when they are personalized to the character. To this end, each time a player character gains a new Technique they ‘build’ it with Game Master involvement using the rules below.
Technique Basics
Techniques can, essentially, be of any source the player imagines. They might be an impressive feat of physical strength, a secret martial art, a photon emitter, a grappling hook put to new purpose, or simple magic. The flavor is entirely up to the player and the character.
There are some basics that are true for techniques of all types.
- No Friendly Fire: Techniques do not harm allies (unless specifically stated).
- Actions Cost: Techniques take 1 to 3 actions to use. Techniques that require more actions are more powerful but may take the player’s entire Turn to use.
- Point of Origin: It is the designated square within the technique’s range where the technique ‘activates.’
- Line of Sight: Techniques usually require light of sight to the point of origin.
- Tech Points: Techniques are learned as the character acquires TP.
- Character Level: Most Techniques incrementally increase in power as the user’s stats improve with each level up.
- Magic: Techniques can only be ‘magic’ if the character has the Magical Aptitude trait and has an Elemental stat of 20 or above.
- Cooperative Techniques: Dual and Triple techniques can only be learned by characters with the Power Link trait. This requires the characters learning the Dual/Triple technique to invest TP.
Acquiring Techniques
Characters learn up to eight techniques as they gain Tech Points. As in Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross, characters do not start knowing a technique but learn their first one very early on.
| TP Total | Techniques Known |
|---|---|
| 5 | 1 |
| 90 | 2 |
| 150 | 3 |
| 400 | 4 |
| 500 | 5 |
| 600 | 6 |
| 800 | 7 |
| 1000 | 8 |
Building Techniques
Building new techniques is the most complex part of this system. It’s also the most important mechanic for establishing the unique feel of a character.
The purpose of all of this is to let players make techniques that are as unique, versatile, and dynamic as those seen in Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross.
Let’s preview the steps of building a new Technique.
- Select Primary Technique Category: Pick one of the following.
- Weapon: This category augments a Strike with your equipped weapon.
- Damage: This category deals damage independently of your weapon.
- Restore: This category restores HP, ends status effects, and/or revives from KOed.
- Summon: This category summons a barrier, ally, or terrain effect.
- Utility: This category offers utilitarian effects like moving characters and causing status effects.
- Select Element/Effect Type: By default, you can only build techniques of your Innate Element or Physical/None.
- Select 1st Tier Qualities: Each type has a different list of qualities to choose from. Select three 1st Tier Qualities for your Technique. If you stop here you will have created a Technique that can be used with 1 Action.
- Select 2nd Tier Qualities (Optional): If you are of the required level, you may select three 2nd Tier Qualities for your Technique. If you stop here you will have created a Technique that can be used with 2 Actions.
- Select 3rd Tier Qualities (Optional): If you are of the required level, you may select three 3rd Tier Qualities for your Technique. If you stop here you will have created a Technique that can be used with 3 Actions.
- Magic Qualities (Optional): If your character has a Elemental stat of at least 20 and the Magic Aptitude trait, you may select one Magic Quality for each Technique. If so the Technique is considered Magic.
- Submit Technique to Game Master: Send your selections to the Game Master for combining and final approval.
- Add the Finalized Technique: Record the completed technique on your character sheet.
- Use your new Technique: Try it out in the next battle!
As players build their first technique they may ask, “Where’s the damage math?” It’s intentionally obfuscated to keep the process as simple as possible and to allow players to focus on what looks cool.
Dual/Triple Techniques
Characters with the Power Link trait can combine their techniques to extreme effect. In fact, Dual/Triple techniques are the most powerful abilities available to players! But that power comes with restrictions and requires a significant commitment.
- The characters must within Range of the other participants and have Line of Sight with each other to use a Dual/Triple technique. This is the Range listed for the Dual/Triple Technique.
- Each character must contribute the required number of actions. The required actions are always equal to the individual technique with the most required actions.
- The characters must invest equal amounts of TP to learn the Dual/Triple Technique.
- Dual/Triple techniques are combined techniques. Their effects are altered and augmented, sometimes even to new effect, but they should reflect the techniques being combined.
In order to learn a Dual/Triple Technique, the characters involved must each select a technique to contribute and then invest TP with the other characters to combine the selected techniques.