Chrono Cross: How to recruit Glenn, and if you should Save Kid

Glenn is by far one of the most beloved playable characters in Chrono Cross, especially with the  How can he not be, when the excellent dual tech X-Strike is locked behind recruiting him? However, recruiting Glenn to your Chrono Cross party comes at a price, and it’s definitely one of the hardest choices you’ll have to make in the game.

Fans of Chrono Trigger will have another motive to recruit Glenn, too - he’s a clear reference to Frog, one of the most beloved party members in that game. It’s just one of many ways that Chrono Cross connects to and references Chrono Trigger.

So, do you save Kid or not? Plus, what’s gated behind that decision and unlocking Glenn? We’ll explain how to get Glenn to join your party, with some spoilers included, along with the achievements and Tech he can net you. For this sort of advice for the rest of the cast, check out our full Chrono Cross character recruitment guide, which covers every playable character.

Chrono Cross Glenn Recruitment: Viper Manor, Kid, and unlocking Glenn

As with many of the party members in Chrono Cross, Glenn is optional - so you have to take certain specific steps in order to get him on your side. Here’s how to recruit him:

Early on, when you first enter Termina, you’ll meet Glenn trying to buy flowers for his brother's grave. If you thoroughly explore Fossil Valley (Another World) before making it to Termina, you’ll find the Bellflower - which you can give to him at the east end of Termina. This might not be required, but it will get you a good scene with him and Ridell that will flesh out his character motivations.

After the events of Viper Manor, when Lynx poisons Kid, you’ll be left with a choice: Save Kid or don’t. If you’ve been playing RPGs for years, or just have human decency, you’d naturally jump at the opportunity to save the first friend you made after becoming stranded in this strange new world. However, slow down before making any hasty decisions because, depending on your choice, you may lock Glenn out from ever joining your party.

If you’re okay with the game making you feel like a monster for a bit so you can recruit Glenn, do not save Kid. Korcha will ask you three times, and you have to turn him down each time.

Don’t worry about what happens to Kid; someone else will share a Hydra Humor and save her, leading to her eagerly rejoining with no grudge. It's worth noting that this period without Kid is one of the branch points for one of the Chrono Cross endings, but only in new game plus.

After returning to Termina, play the game like normal until Glenn approaches you to ask for a boat to take him to Fort Dragonia. Let him join, and you’ve now recruited one of the best characters in the game.

Depending on your preferences, there are some negatives to getting Glenn. While his route allows you to recruit him and Macha (Korcha’s mother), you cannot ask Korcha and the fairy, Razzly, to join the party later on. You leave Razzly to a… rather horrible fate, but recruiting her could negatively affect your enjoyment of the story. 

And, depending on how thorough you are when recruiting Kid, it’s possible to miss a special event with her after the events of Water Dragon Isle. Without this event, you’ll never learn about her past or motivations.

It’s a difficult moral dilemma, one of the hardest in the game when you know the rewards for both choices. 

The Noble Knight and Twin Einlanzers - Glenn's Achievements

As we mentioned before, Glenn tagging along opens the door to somewhat tempting Tech. In an apparent reference to Chrono Trigger’s Frog, Glenn can use X-Strike with Serge, just as Frog (whose real name is Glenn) could use that very same skill with Crono. As well as being a sweet reference, it’s a good skill - making him worth the recruitment hassle.

The new remaster of Chrono Cross features achievements and trophies, at least on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. There’s two achievements directly related to Glenn that are tied to having him around.

For the first trophy/achievement, you simply need to have Glenn join your party, as described above. Completing that recruitment will unlock The Noble Knight achievement.

The second achievement/trophy, Twin Einlanzers, is a little more complicated, but not too painful. Simply put, you just need to get your hands on two Einlanzers, which is tied to one of Glenn’s optional side quests.

To get the two Einlanzers, go to Home World’s Isle of the Damned. You’ll find the first Einlanzer at Garai’s Grave, and the second in Termina at Dario’s Grave. Once you have them both, you’ll unlock the Twin Einlanzers trophy.