Damage Formulas & Gimmick Weapons

Chrono Trigger's damage system looks simple on the surface but has some quirks worth understanding - especially if you're using the game's four gimmick weapons. This page covers how attack and defense values are calculated, plus detailed breakdowns of Crisis Arm, Wondershot, Bronze Fist, and Doomsickle.

Attack Value

The Attack number on your status screen comes from different formulas depending on the character. Males use Power + Weapon. Lucca and Marle use Hit + Weapon. And Ayla uses Power + Level (she doesn't equip weapons).

Example: Crono at level 1 with a Wood Sword (power 3) and 5 Power has an Attack of 8. The formula gives 8.33, which rounds down.

Damage Calculation

Base damage equals Attack × 4. But that's just the starting point. The game adds a random bonus based on your stats, then reduces damage based on enemy defense.

Most enemies have 127 defense, which means roughly half damage. Physical defense caps at 256 (full immunity). Magic defense works similarly but divides by 102.4 instead of 256 - so 100 Magic Defense blocks all magic damage.

Gimmick Weapons

Four weapons in Chrono Trigger have unique damage mechanics that ignore the normal formulas. They're situational but can deal massive damage when used correctly.

Crisis Arm (Robo)

Robo's Crisis Arm multiplies damage by the last digit of his current HP. At 999 HP, the last digit is 9 - maximum multiplier. At 1000 HP, the last digit is 0 - zero damage. Keep Robo healed but watch that ones digit.

Bronze Fist (Ayla)

Ayla gets Bronze Fist automatically at level 96. It has a 10% critical hit chance (lower than Iron Fist's rate), but crits deal 9,999 damage - the damage cap. One-shots almost everything in the game.

The catch: you need level 96. That's a lot of grinding. But if you're going for max stats anyway, Bronze Fist turns Ayla into a boss killer. Pair her with Prism Specs or other crit-boosting gear.

Wondershot (Lucca)

Lucca's Wondershot changes damage based on the last digit of your play time (seconds). The multiplier cycles as time passes, so damage is essentially random unless you're pausing to manipulate the timer.

Wondershot is inconsistent but has the highest ceiling of Lucca's weapons when it rolls 3×. Use it if you don't mind the variance; stick with consistent weapons otherwise.

Doomsickle (Magus)

Magus's Doomsickle gets stronger when party members die. One dead ally doubles damage. Two dead allies triple it. Risky but powerful if you're running a solo Magus strategy or just had a rough fight.

Not worth letting allies die on purpose. But if they're already down, Magus hits like a truck until you revive them.

Defense

Defense reduces physical damage taken. The formula is straightforward: damage × (256 - defense) ÷ 256. At 128 defense, you take half damage. At 256, you'd take none - but that's unreachable.

Max Physical Defense

Want to minimize physical damage? Here's the optimal setup:

Males (SNES): Ozzie Pants + Moon Armor + Power Seal = 229 Defense

Males (DS): Ozzie Pants + Saurian Leathers (or Regal Plate) + Power Seal = 232 Defense. Magus can hit 234 with Shadowplume Robe.

Females: Ozzie Pants + Prism Dress + Power Seal = 243 Defense (both versions)