when u have tons of the equipment, and many maxed stats the men have a distinct advantage because they can equip nova armor and haste helms and still have their status protected, whereas the females cannnot without a vigil hat/amulet--so the combination of the prism dress and haste helm on ayla usually leaves her unprotected--however when she has the bronze fist, she is the most destructive attacker in the game...i usually take magus, crono, and ayla intot he finall fight because of the need to use the triple kick on the left bit--and the strenght of her attackign power--however it must be noted that when both magus and lucca have full magic (stat) flare is much stronger than dark matter---only the nature of luccas finall weapon keeps her from being one of the most useful characters in the game
the first time through--when u only have a certain number of haste helms--which crono is most likely wearing--i equip the girls with vigil hats and use lucca and marle or marel and ayla--because their double techs antipode 3 and cube toss are the most destructive in teh game