Chrono Cross is the follow up to the hugely successful Chrono Trigger. Contrary to popular believe however, the development team behind the game do not consider it to be a direct sequel. The is perhaps evidenced by the sweeping changes found in Chrono Cross - not to mention the completely unrelated storyline. One of the biggest differences between the titles is the number of available party members. While Chrono Trigger features a rather modest 7, Chrono Cross has no fewer than 45 playable party members.
Some are introduced as part of the game's main story, but the majority must be sought out and recruited by the player. With so many characters to keep track of, it can be difficult to know which characters are worth recruiting. Although some of the characters' usefulness can be situational, there are certain characters who stand out from the crowd. Whether because of their exceptional stats or their unique techniques, these characters are the most useful found throughout Chrono Cross' world.
Updated March 3, 2022 by Tom Bowen: It may not have been the new Chrono game that many fans had been hoping for, but that's not to say that the recently announced Chrono Cross remaster isn't still exciting news for the franchise. The Radical Dreamers edition will be released for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC in early April 2022, allowing a brand-new generation of gamers to experience the epic adventure for the first time. Unlike Chrono Trigger, however, there are a ridiculous number of playable characters that can be recruited throughout the game, which means some potentially difficult choices for players. These are arguably the twelve best party members in Chrono Cross though, and so players should set about recruiting them as soon as possible where required.
12 Norris
Norris isn't the flashiest character in Chrono Cross, but his high strength and ability to learn double techs make him one of the best party members in the game. Granted, his small grid does hold him back a little, but, when paired with a strong elemental user like Harle or Guile, this shouldn't really be too much of an issue.
Players will be able to recruit Norris when Serge visits the Viper Manor ruins while still in Lynx's body. Norris will quickly realize that something is amiss and will offer to help the stricken hero to regain his original form. For most players, he'll serve as a more than welcome addition to the party and should help them to safely navigate what ends up being one of the game's toughest sections.
11 Kid
When it comes to finding a party member who can steal, players have a few different options. Fargo and Mel are both fine, but Kid just about edges them out due to her ability to learn Pilfer, her high accuracy, and her large element slot. That said, there will be large portions of the game when she's unavailable, meaning that players will need a solid plan B.
The first chance that players will have to recruit Kid comes shortly after the battle with Karsh, Solt, and Peppor. It's worth noting, however, that if players do choose to recruit kid at this point, Leena will be lost to them forever. As a result, many players choose to recruit Kid later on in Termina instead, which actually happens automatically after players speak with the statue polisher.
10 Poshul
Poshul is the first character that the player is able to recruit and her yellow magic is incredibly useful against the many green enemies found in the early stages of the game. She has very high HP and her attack power isn't too bad either.
The player can recruit Poshul by giving her the Heckran Bone located in Arne Village. It can be found hidden underneath the bed in the room above the village restaurant. Poshul can also be recruited later in the game by turning down Kid's offer to join the party.
9 Orlha
Orlha is a fighter. She has very high strength & defense stats and some very useful tech skills. At the right level, she'll be strong enough to carry your party through most encounters although her poor magic stat and her lack of high level elemental slots make her usefulness somewhat situational.
In order to unlock Orlha, players will need to defeat her in Guldove while playing as Lynx. Once Serge has returned, giving Orlha the Sapphire Brooch will lead to her joining the party.
8 Pip
Pip is able to evolve into five different forms providing him with a wide range of element colors. He also has unique techniques depending on his current stage. Unfortunately, Pip can be a little underwhelming until fully evolved meaning players will need to invest quite a lot of time into him in order to make him a viable option. His evolutionary progress is also reset when starting a new game+ playthrough.
In order to recruit Pip, players will need to unlock his cage while exploring Luccia's lab. He can then be found on the S.S. Invincible and will agree to join the party after Serge chases him around the cargo hold.
7 Leena
Leena's MaidenHeart tech has a one in three chance of recharging all used elements, making her an incredibly useful party member. She can also learn the DeltaForce triple tech, although using it will require having both Serge and Razzly in the party. She has high magic and a large element grid, but this is perhaps offset by her low defense and HP.
Leena will join the party if the player turns down Kid's invitation at Cape Howl. As an added bonus, Leena's dog Poshul will also join the party if the player hasn't already recruited her.
6 Guile
Guile really comes into his own towards the end of the game thanks to his inverted tech grid. If paired with Serge, Guile is also the strongest black innate character in the game and this is backed up by high magic attack and magic defense stats. Unfortunately, his inverted tech grid is something of a double edged sword as the lack of elements can really hold him back in the early stages of the game.
In order to unlock Guile, players will first need to convince Korcha to take the party to Viper Manor Bluffs. After doing so, Guile can be recruited at the Termina bar. Doing so will prevent the player from recruiting both Nikki and Pierre unless playing in new game+ mode.
5 Karsh
Karsh is a brawler. His high strength, high HP, and high defense make him a specialist in physical attacks. He can take quite a lot of punishment before going down and learns some very strong single tech skills (axiomatic is one of the better techniques in the game).
In order to recruit Karsh, players will need to complete the Dead Sea section of the game. After doing so, Karsh can be recruited by returning to the back room of the shop in Termina. If the player chooses Karsh to help rescue Riddel, he will join immediately. If the player chooses Zoah, Karsh will not be available until after Riddel has been saved.
4 Riddel
Riddel has a lot of strong defensive techniques, but she can also pack quite a punch. Her magic stat is the highest in the game and she has a large element grid to back it up. Her 3-unit stamina attack also allows her to attack all enemies at once, which can be incredibly useful in certain situations. Her low HP makes her something of a glass canon, but if players can keep her alive she's a great addition to the party.
Riddel will join the party after Serge rescues her from Viper Manor. It's part of the main storyline so is impossible to miss. Unfortunately, however, it doesn't take place until about halfway through the game meaning players may well have already settled on a party before she becomes available.
3 Harle
Harle is a strong all-rounder with no obvious weaknesses. She has a large element grid too making her the obvious choice for a third party member while she's available. Unfortunately, she's only available at certain points in the game.
Harle joins the party while in the temporal vortex, but leaves not long after the party's ride on the S.S. Invincible. It's possible to get her back in new game+ by using the Chrono Cross between escaping Sprigg's dimension and saving Riddel.
2 Glenn
When equipped with both Einlanzer swords, Glenn is the strongest green innate character in the game. His defense stat is okay, but it's in attack where he really excels. His accuracy and strength stats are both high and he's able to use the fantastic double tech X-Strike with Serge.
In order to unlock Glenn, the player must choose not to help Kid. When Macha leads Serge into Termina, Glenn can then be found waiting outside the entrance. After observing his conversation, players can recruit him by returning to the boat where Macha is.
1 Serge
Serge is an all-rounder and can learn both double and triple techs. His large element grid makes him incredibly versatile and he's also the strongest white innate character. He can learn more tech skills than any other character and his FlyingArrow technique is one of the most powerful in the game.
As the game's main protagonist, Serge is available from the very beginning of the game and will likely be a party mainstay throughout. Although it's possible to swap him out, he and Glenn are in a league of their own so to do so would be somewhat counterintuitive.