Lavos falls and Zeal rises

Objective: Help Ayla counter the Reptite attack and reach Tyranno Lair.

1. Wake in Ayla's hut, learn that the Reptites attacked Laruba, and cross the burned village.
2. Find the Laruba survivors in the northwest forest. Ayla obtains the Dactyls despite the elder's objections.
3. Ride from the Dactyl Nest to Tyranno Lair with Ayla locked in the party.

Objective: Rescue Kino, defeat Azala, and witness Lavos's arrival.

1. Open the prisoner cells, rescue Kino, and use the switches and trapdoors to advance through Tyranno Lair.
2. Defeat Nizbel II using the same Lightning-discharge cycle, then climb to the throne room.
3. Defeat Azala and Black Tyranno. Escape by Dactyl as Lavos falls; enter the Gate left in the crater.

Major encounter: Focus Azala first while Black Tyranno counts down. When Black Tyranno drops defense for its charge, unload your strongest Techs, then heal before the release.

Objective: Explore Zeal, charge Marle's pendant, and expose the Ocean Palace plan.

1. Use the Skyways to visit Enhasa, Kajar, and Zeal Palace. Talk broadly: several NPC clues seed later side quests.
2. In Kajar, learn the Nu's scratch point and use it on the Nu in the magic room for a Magic Tab.
3. At Zeal Palace, touch the Mammon Machine to charge the pendant, open the sealed door, and confront Queen Zeal. Dalton expels the party and seals the Gate.

Objective: Use the charged pendant and acquire the Epoch.

1. Backtrack through 600, 1000, and 2300 A.D. to open sealed doors. For upgradeable chests, inspect and refuse them in 600, open the upgraded item in 1000, then return for the original.
2. Cross the future to Keeper's Dome, follow Belthasar's sealed recordings, and activate the machine at the rear.
3. Take the Wings of Time, name the Epoch, and fly to the surviving Earthbound settlement in 12,000 B.C.

Objective: Rescue Melchior from Mt. Woe.

1. Descend Terra Cave through Algetty, defeat the Mud Imp with its Red and Blue Beasts, and climb the chain to Mt. Woe.
2. Use Rubbles for Tech Points where practical and collect treasures before moving between the chained islands.
3. Defeat Giga Gaia by disabling both arms before concentrating on the body; free Melchior and return to the village.

Major encounter: Area attacks damage both arms; keep them down to suppress the strongest combo, then focus the head/body before the arms regenerate.

Objective: Return to Zeal Palace and enter the Ocean Palace.

1. After Dalton takes Schala, use the Skyways and return through Zeal Palace.
2. Answer the Kajar Nu carefully if buying the new stock, then prepare elemental/status gear.
3. Defeat Dalton in the throne room and follow him into the completed Ocean Palace.

Major encounter: Dalton's Iron Orb halves current HP rather than killing outright. Heal after it lands and use strong dual Techs.

Objective: Reach the Mammon Machine and survive the Ocean Palace disaster.

1. Descend the Ocean Palace wings, operate both switches, and ride the central elevator while collecting its one-pass treasure.
2. Defeat the Golem Sisters/Twins and confront the Mammon Machine with the Ruby Knife.
3. The ensuing Lavos encounter is scripted as overwhelming in a normal first playthrough. Crono sacrifices himself; the surviving party is captured.

Major encounter: For Golem Sisters, use one element repeatedly so both copy the same manageable attack, or rely on physical/non-elemental damage with resistance gear.

Objective: Escape the Blackbird, recover the Epoch, and decide Magus's fate.

1. Crawl through the Blackbird vents, recover each party member's equipment from marked rooms, and climb onto the wing.
2. Destroy the wing's turrets and fight Golem Boss if it remains; Dalton's control attempt gives the Epoch flight.
3. At North Cape, choose whether Frog fights Magus. Decline the duel to recruit Magus; accept to defeat him permanently.

Major encounter: Golem Boss is afraid and may do little; Dalton Plus is removed by his own summoning mistake after you reclaim the Epoch.