Arris Dome - Vendor
The closest thing you'll find to a population center in this world, Arris Dome is one part town and one part dungeon. The folks in here don't have much to say, other than to comment that one of them has gone into the basement and hasn't returned. Use the Enertron in the north, speak to the little girl behind the boxes in west for wares, and use the western save point as needed. Then head down the ladder in the center of the room.
The first room in the basement contains two doors and a control panel. You can't do much with the control panel right now, and the right door is inaccessible, so go through the left door. This will take you out onto a ceiling beam path that leads gradually north. There's a rat statue along the way with a little message that you should keep in mind...
... as there's trouble waiting when you reach the north end of the beams.
Guardian
HP:
- 1,200 (Guardian)
- 200 (Pods)
Immunity: Fire (Guardian)
Yep, boss time already. The Guardian and its two Pods work together as a team, punishing your party if you attempt to wage this war in the wrong order. They use the following attacks:
- Single-target missle and laser attacks (Pods)
- Amplifier, a single-target beam attack (Guardian and one Pod)
- Delta Attack, an elemental field that strikes your whole party (Guardian and Pods)
When the battle starts off you'll get hit by a combination of single-target attacks from the Pods on their own and the Guardian acting in tandem with the Pods. If you decide to strike the Guardian while both Pods are active they will collectively use Delta Attack, while smacking the Guardian with only one active Pod will trigger Amplifier. Once both Pods are gone the Guardian will begin a countdown, reviving both Pods when the countdown reaches zero.
Start by wiping out the Pods with regular attacks, as your Techs aren't terribly effective against them. Don't bother healing unless it's an emergency. Focus every move on bringing the Pods down. Once the Guardian is isolated you'll have five rounds to deal as much damage to it as you can muster. Use this time to heal with Aura Whirl, then bring everyone to bear on the Guardian. If you paid a visit to the Abandoned Sewers you can finish this fight before the Guardian manages to revive the Pods even once.
Once the Guardian is gone you can enter the storage room it was guarding to trigger a cut scene. Check the body inside this room for a note regarding the rat statue you passed earlier, then insecfor a Mid-Ether. Head back the way you came.
Back on the ceiling beams you'll discover that rat 'statue' is actually alive. Chase it down (simply keep directly on its tail and keep tapping the button 'til you catch the rascal) and it will give you a code to get through the door in the next room. The code changes depending on your copy of Chrono Trigger:
- For the SNES and DS versions you'll have to hold L and R, then press A
- For the PlayStation version you'll have to hold L and R, then press X
- For the PC version you'll have to press A, Y, and B, in that order (or the equivalent keybindings)
Enter the code into the computer console in the first room of this dungeon. Note that you need to press the confirm button (a, x, whatever it happens to be), then enter the code. Each time you enter the proper button you'll hear a chime. If you enter the whole code correctly you'll gain access to the door on the right. Head back upstairs to use the Enertron, if need be, then go through the door you've opened.
Arris Dome - Enemies
The door will take you into the depths of Arris Dome. Straight ahead in the next room you'll find an Exterminator circled by two Rats. The Exterminator will shoot the Rats for you, so feel free to focus on the robot. North of this little band you'll find a chest containing a Mid-Ether.
Jog along the walkway on the left side of the room and you'll run into two bands of Bugs. They're pretty standard enemies. Keep following the path as it winds south and onto the right walkway to find the route out of this area. You're almost done.
The next large area has a number of intertwining paths, filled with enemies, and they will all lead you gradually north. If you want to avoid battles you should stick to the walkways on either side of the main path. If you want to get into fights you'll go up against Version 2.0s, which are tough - but straightforward - robots, along with more Bugs, Exterminators, and Rats. You'll also run into more Shadows from Site 16, which, again, can only be defeated with elemental Techs (Wind Slash or Flamethrower).
There are two paths you can take as you head north:
- As the main path sweeps west you'll see a walkway on your left. If you get onto it and follow it north and then east you'll wind up at your destination.
- If, on the other hand, you stick to the main path, you'll wind up at another control console. Enter the same code you used to get into this area (look above, for reference) you'll create a path to a mysterious black door. It's sealed, so you can't get inside just yet. Some day...
Ultimately you'll need to take the first, outer path to the door in the north. Beyond the door is a cut scene revealing just where the party wound up, setting the stage for the rest of the game.
Head back upstairs, to the populated section of Arris Dome. Another cut scene follows, and once it's done you'll be finished with the dome. (Until you can open that door in the basement, anyway.) Doan, the leader of the inhabitants of Arris Dome, will give the party a Jetbike Key on the way out. You can use it to get past the next section of the wastelands. Heal up at the Enertron, then head out.
Part Nine: Site 32 and Proto Dome, 2300 AD
Part Nine: Site 32 and Proto Dome, 2300 AD