Armor is an item type found in the Kingdom Hearts series, beginning with Kingdom Hearts II. They can be equipped to characters to improve their defense in a number of ways, replacing part of the function of accessories from the first game.
The main purpose of armor is to improve the defensive powers of the characters. In addition to providing a basic defense bonus, many armors also provide specific defense bonuses against one or more kinds of elemental magic, such as Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, and Darkness. Unlike accessories and weapons such as Keyblades, armors grant no additional special abilties when equipped.
It should be noted, however, that three new armors were added for Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+, including the Shock Charm, which became the only armor to have a passive ability when equipped.
Obtaining Armors
Most of the weaker armors can be purchased early on in the game during the first time through the Moogle shops in the worlds of Twilight Town, the Land of Dragons, Disney Castle, and Agrabah. Later in the game, during the second round through each world, the more powerful armors must be synthesized through Free Development. Three armors, Protect Belt, Gaia Belt and Cosmic Chain, are won through certain events in the game. The Cosmic Belt is the only armor that can be won through completing certain events.
Roxas' avaliable armors, Champion Belt and Elven Bandana, are both found in unusual ways, given Roxas cannot buy armors or synthesize them. Champion Belt is only avaliable if Roxas wins the Struggle tournament, but is not granted if he loses. Elven Bandana is one of the few armors with the privilege of being found in a chest during the game.
Armor Slots
Sora, Donald, and Goofy each begin Kingdom Hearts II with one armor slot in their equipment area. They can accumulate more armor slots through the game based on specific events and battles.
- Sora can gain two more armor slots. In order to open them, he must defeat Beast the first time through Beast's Castle and Demyx the second time through Hollow Bastion.
- Donald can gain one more armor slot by defeating the Hydra at Olympus Coliseum.
- Goofy can gain one more armor slot by defeating the Blizzard Lord and Volcanic Lord in Agrabah.
World-specific characters such as Mulan, Tron, and Jack Sparrow also have at least one armor slot, but cannot gain any more in the course of the game. In the same vein, Roxas begins the game with one slot and cannot gain more through experience.