Illusion of Gaia/Gameplay

Will
You start the game with this character. He is the basic character. He is also the only one who can use the Flute to play the melodies he learns in the game.

At the start you have 8 Health Points, Strength 1 and Defense 0. The Maximum is 40 HP, 29 STR and 32 DEF: that is if you killed every enemy, excluding those in Seaside Palace and Gem Mansion, and received every bonus from Jeweller. There are also two Extras in Euro by standing in the waiting line.

The Blue Points in the screen top left show your HP. The big blue point is worth 2 HP and the small blue Point is worth 1 HP. The tiny ones represent lost HP.

Freedan
Freedan the Dark Warrior will aid you starting in Edward's Castle. He is stronger than Will and also uses different skills. His attack range is also bigger so he can reach switches and enemies which Will can't reach.

Shadow
Shadow is the last and the strongest. Unfortunately you receive him late in the game, to be precise in the Pyramid. With Aura equipped he can disappear into the ground to avoid damage. In the Pyramid it's also used to sink underground. In the Tower of Babel just before the Final Battle he will learn to summon the Firebird, which is useful to attack from far away, and is the only way to defeat the final boss.

Dark Gems
Sometimes the enemies drop Gems after you've killed them. If you get 100 DG, then you receive an extra Life. If you die, then you will restart at the last door you walked through. Maximum is 999. There is no Game Over; if you die without extra lives, you'll just be sent back to the beginning of the current area.

Forces
If you kill every enemy in an area, then you will receive an Attack Force, a Defense Force or a Life Force.