Catiua. This one's hard to talk about with diving head-first into critical main story spoilers. But sometimes, that's just how Tactics Ogre: Reborn likes to roll. We're going to do our best to keep things relatively vague, but we're talking about the closest thing the plot has to a lead heroine, and newcomers might blink just by realizing her full-fledged recruitment is purely optional.
Successfully adding Denam's surrogate sister to the roster isn't hard, so much as precise. There aren't a lot of steps, but trip over any one of them, and you'll miss out on an excellent combatant — and more.
How To Recruit Catiua
The first thing you've got to do is make it all the way to Chapter 4. That's right there in our article title, we know, but the point is, it is going to be a long time. Truly, the fourth and final chapter of Tactics Ogre: Reborn is, in some ways, when the game begins. Almost all its optional content is backloaded, and so many character recruitments as well.
Our quest begins in earnest early in Chapter 4, shortly after the fifth battle. When the character of Mreuva inquires with Denam whether our stalwart hero has the will to fight her, you can go with either answer, though it will change the mechanics of an upcoming battle, as well as partly alter the story dynamic in general.
Carry on through Tactics Ogre: Reborn per normal for now, until Barnicia Castle. If Denam told Mreuva that yes, he will do what he must, Catiua is a combatant here alongside Lanselot and a ton of Templars. If he said no, he cannot fight his own sister, she won't be.
We'll link you directly to our Chapter 4 guide for details on the fight as soon as it's up. The important part, albeit a predictable one, is that you must not kill Catiua. Your goal is to bring down Lanselot, so the battle will end upon your doing so. If you find that Catiua is causing any issues, try to block her off with a Knight's (or White Knight's) Rampart Aura or similar fare.
Divergence Point
The remainder of your effort to return Catiua to Denam's side comes down to a conversation. However, the context and answers of that conversation will entirely shift depending on whether you had to fight her.
Was Catiua present in the fight with Lanselot? If so, here's what you need to say:
- "I did only what I had to do."
- "You are my sister, and I love you."
If Catiua was not an active combatant in the Lanselot fight, here are the alternative responses:
- "I never abandoned you."
- "I took no joy in our parting."
You're just about finished. Catiua will not join automatically. You will, however, have spared her from a grim fate that locks the game into a darker ending (albeit with the perk of Denam receiving the Lord Class, so it's worth exploring this route later on). At Phidoch Castle, Catiua finally joins. Be sure to revel in the glory of her exclusive Princess class; it's one of the game's best by far.
Wait, did we call her Catiua again? Surely, she has a more royal nomenclature...