"Is this what I have been searching for all this time... No... Stop it! I am no such thing. What good is it... to possess such dark power...?" — Guile |
Guile (アルフ Arufu?) is a handsome, and enigmatic magician from the Zenan Mainland in Chrono Cross.
Profile
Appearance
Guile has green eyes and long, braided white-blue with spiked bangs at the front. He wears a golden mask, concealing the top half of his face. How he looks without his golden mask remains unknown, but judging from the Fortune Teller's ambiguous remark, he is very handsome. Contrary to his innate element, he wears a white coat with a wide black and gold collar, white trousers, and black boots. Printed on his bright outfit are golden lines. He also wears gold finger-less gloves.
Personality
Guile is a loner who is kind and laid-back. He is prone to having a bit of fun, as shown by his habit of having a toast and his bet with a fortuneteller. Guile can be seen with confidence, as noted by Kid when he says that he and the team can reach the top of Viper Manor Bluffs. However, Guile occasionally comes across as blunt and arrogant, seen as he reacts towards Sneff's invitation to work in magic shows and his lack of interest, preferring to explore the world in search of enigmas beyond human perception.
Story
A member of the mysterious Magic Guild, he came to El Nido in search of mystery and curiosity. A friend of the Fortune Teller in Termina, he soon learned of Viper Manor and its status as an impregnable fortress. Eager to disprove this myth, he entered a contest with the Fortune Teller: if he found a Dragoon's Honor item as proof of his infiltration, she would give him a Brass Rod. Otherwise, he would have to reveal his face to her. While preparing for his attempt, he met Serge and Kid, who also planned to infiltrate the manor. Judging their usefulness, he decided to accompany them, and from that point on served as a member of the party (though he briefly left while Serge was regaining his body from Lynx).
While on the quest, Guile displayed exceedingly refined and cultured behavior and speech, and also developed an Element Grid capable of using many advanced techniques. A visit with Sneff revealed that he was the "rising star" of the Magic Guild, but Guile scoffed at his invitation to perform stage-magic, noting that his only real interest was discovering the truth behind the enigmas of the world. To this end, he accompanied Serge until the final battle with the Time Devourer. He then faded into history where little else is known of him, as Guile is an enduring mystery of his own accord.
After defeating the Time Devourer, Guile recounts how interesting the journey with Serge has been, wishing him farewell.
Gameplay
Recruitment
When arriving in Termina Another World for the first time, watch a scene with the statue polisher. Afterwards, find Korcha at the bridge east of there before finding him a 2nd time down by the shrines. He agrees to take you to the destination Viper Manor Bluffs but needs a guide. Guile's at the Termina Bar and will join up without too much of a hassle. Nikki and Pierre CANNOT join if Guile does, however in new game + Guile can join the party with both Nikki and Pierre.
Tech Skills
- WandaIn - 3 Stars
- WandaSwords - 15 Stars
- LightninRod - 35 Stars
- SwordStorm (Dual Tech) - WandaSwords and SwordTrick (Sneff)
Assessment
Pros
- Inverted Tech Grid allows for many high-level Elements near the end of the game
- Learns Double Tech
- High Magic Power and Magic Defense, with a fine amount of HP
- Strongest Black Innate character available when Serge is in the party
- Techs only hit one enemy, but are hard-hitting
- Is able to attack every enemy at once using his strongest attack
Cons
- Inverted Tech Grid allows for very few Elements at the beginning of the game
- Low Accuracy and Stamina Recovery, making it harder to access high-level Tech Grid
Trivia
- During the planning stages of Chrono Cross, Guile was intended to be Magus in disguise, accompanying Serge to learn the true fate of his sister Schala. This would have paralleled his role in Radical Dreamers as the mysterious magician Gil. However, as more and more characters were added to the game, the developers felt that it would have been too difficult to represent Magus' story well among the sea of other characters. Guile's backstory was removed, and he gained his own identity as a mystifying traveler. Regardless, Guile is the same as Magus in appearance and behavior - fiercely handsome, interesting, intelligent, good-natured, eloquent, and prone to having a bit of fun. Guile especially excels at the last point in his frequent toasts to enigma and his lighthearted bet with the Fortune Teller.
Gallery
Name Etymology
Guile is an English name, meaning to deceitfully trick[1].