Abilities in Kingdom Hearts and the Kingdom Hearts Final Mix version are used to grant Sora and his party members active and passive skills, and can be equipped by allocating limited Ability Points (AP). These abilities either have a supportive nature, working passively in the background to influence a character's stats and qualities, or an active nature, being usable at a specific time at the cost of Magic Points (MP). All characters posses a number of common passive abilities, which can affect either themselves or the whole party, as well as their own unique active abilities. Donald is the sole exception for the latter, as he instead uses magic which does not cost AP to equip. Sora is also the sole character with unique passive abilities, being the sole playable character. There are also 'shared' abilities, which are equipped to the entire party and affect their mobility. They do not cost AP, but are only unlocked by progressing through the plot.
Abilities serve primarily to let the player 'build' Sora or a party member to suit their own playstyle, as there normally is not enough AP to equip every ability. Due to this players can decide to cater to a specific archetype, such as focusing on offense, defense, supportive, or something general in between. Aside from abilities, the player can also customize a companion's fighting style on the 'Customize' screen in the pause menu.
Abilities are normally gained by leveling, with a handful also acquired after completing certain challenges. Companions limited to specific worlds are unique in that all their abilities are available at the start, but they also cannot acquire anymore. Donald and Goofy gain fixed abilities upon leveling, whereas Sora's are dependent on the dream weapon he choose at the start of the game in Dive to the Heart. Final Mix also added several new unique abilities to Sora's total, as well as one each for Donald and Goofy. 1.5 ReMIX did much the same, further adding two new ones to Sora's total.
Lastly, it is possible to use rare AP Up items to increase a character's AP, but this is generally only available to reliably acquire and achieve at the end of the game through synthesis.
Abilities[]
Common[]
| Ability | AP (FM) | Inventory description (Mechanics) |
Usable by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berserk | 1 | Boosts attack power when HP is critically low. Combine with a weapon skill for more power. | Sora, Donald, Goofy, Tarzan, Beast |
| Cheer | 1 | Increases the summons' MP gauge, giving them more time and attacks per battle. Equip to entire party to boost effect. | Sora, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, Jack Skellington |
| Critical Plus | 3 (2) | Increases odds of dealing critical damage. Equip more to boost effect. | Sora, Tarzan, Aladdin, Peter Pan, Beast |
| Jackpot | 2 | Receive more munny and HP/MP balls in battle. Equip to entire party to boost effect. | Sora, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, Jack Skellington, Peter Pan |
| Lucky Strike | 3 (2) | Raises luck so that enemies drop rare items more often. Equip to entire party to boost effect. (Each instance of Lucky Strike increases the base drop rate of an item by 50% of its initial value, ensuring a drop rate multiplier of 2.5 if all three are active.) |
Sora, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, Ariel, Peter Pan |
| MP Haste | 3 | Boosts MP recovery rate in battle, allowing more spellcasting. | Sora, Donald, Goofy, Ariel, Peter Pan |
| MP Rage | 2 (3) | Recover MP whenever you're hit in battle. Heavier damage restores more MP. Equip more to boost effect. | Sora, Donald, Goofy, Jack Skellington, Ariel, Beast |
| Second Chance | 2 | Keep 1 HP even after taking a critical hit. | Sora, Donald, Goofy, Tarzan, Beast |
| Second Wind | 3 | Recover from KO status quickly with HP fully restored. | Donald, Goofy, Tarzan, Ariel, Beast |
| Treasure Magnet | 2 | Attract nearby HP/MP balls, munny, and items. Equip two to attract them from even further away. | Sora, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, Jack Skellington, Peter Pan |
| Leaf Bracer[a] | 5 | Stop enemies from breaking Cure ability on self. | Sora, Donald |
[]
| Ability | Inventory description | Available after |
|---|---|---|
| High Jump | Powers up your jump, allowing you to reach higher places. | In a treasure chest in Monstro's mouth after defeating Parasite Cage. |
| Mermaid Kick | Swim faster and more powerfully. In Atlantica, press the  button repeatedly to accelerate.
|
Defeat Ursula for the first time in Atlantica |
| Glide | While in the air, press the button to ride the air currents. Hold down the button to remain aloft.
|
Lock the Keyhole at Neverland. |
| Superglide | While in the air, press the  button to fly at high speed. Hold down the button to remain aloft.
|
Defeat Chernabog at the End of the World. |
Unique[]
Sora[]
| Ability | AP (FM) | Inventory description (Mechanics) |
|---|---|---|
| Combo Plus | 1 | Extends ground combo attack by one step. Equip more to extend it further. |
| Air Combo Plus | 1 | Extends aerial combo attack by one step. Equip more to extend it further. |
| Scan | 1 | View an enemy's HP gauge during battle. |
| Dodge Roll | 1 | Dive and roll to evade attack by pressing the button.
|
| Guard | 2 | Guard against an enemy attack by pressing the button.
|
| Counterattack | 2 | Strike back after parrying an enemy blow. Successful counterattacks restore MP. |
| Vortex | 1 | Close the distance to nearby enemies with this powerful spinning attack. |
| Aerial Sweep | 2 | Leap at an airborne enemy and strike a mighty blow. |
| Blitz | 3 (2) | Strike enemies ahead of you with a powerful finishing combo. |
| Tech Boost[a] | 2 | Increase the amount of Tech Points acquired. (Each instance of Tech Boost multiplies the Tech Points gained by 2, 3, 4, or 5, respectively if all four boosts are active.) |
| Encounter Plus[a] | 1 | Increase the rate of spawning and encountering Heartless. (Decreases the amount of area changes required for Heartless to respawn from two to one.) |
| Sliding Dash[a] | 1 | Rush and strike a distant enemy. |
| Slapshot[a] | 1 | Rapidly strike enemies ahead of you. Occasionally deals critical damage. (The critical damage bonus amounts to an increase of four Strength.) |
| Hurricane Blast[a] | 2 | From an aerial combo, unleash an extremely powerful finishing combo attack to the enemy below. |
| Ripple Drive[a] | 3 | Unleash a powerful finishing combo attack upon surrounding enemies. Attack power is relative to max MP value. |
| Stun Impact[a] | 2 | Has a 30% chance of unleashing a finishing combo attack that renders surrounding enemies unconscious. |
| Gravity Break[a] | 2 | Has a 30% chance of unleashing a gravity-based finishing combo attack that deals damage equal to a % of the target's HP. (The % of damage dealt is equal to 40% plus Sora's Strength stat.) |
| Zantetsuken[a] | 2 | Has a 30% chance of unleashing a finishing combo attack that can destroy a weaker enemy. (Its damage is Gravity-based, dealing an equivalent of 250% of the enemy's HP.) |
| EXP Zero[b] | 0 | Entire party gains no EXP. (Aside from the zero EXP effect, this ability also lets finishers deal bonus damage to off-set the lack of damage due to the lack of levels. Due to an apparent bug this also results in any magic-based attack after a finisher gaining the bonus damage effect, up until a new combo is started. The bonus damage becomes most apparent with Mushu, who easily outperforms any other type of attack in the game.) |
| Combo Master[b] | 3 | Deliver combo attacks even if attacks do not land. |
| Sonic Blade | 3 | Slash an enemy while rushing past. Select followup attack at right time for a combo. [Mid-range attack. Cost: 2 MP.] |
| Strike Raid | 3 | Hurl the Keyblade at an enemy. Select followup attack at right time for a combo. [Long-range attack. Cost: 2 MP.] |
| Ars Arcanum | 4 | A formidable attack. After a combo, select followup attack again for a double combo. [Short-range attack. Cost: 3 MP.] |
| Ragnarok | 4 | After aerial combo, select followup attack at right time to unleash Ragnarok. [For airborne targets. Cost: 3 MP.] |
| Trinity Limit | 5 (1) | Channel the party's remaining MP to crush surrounding foes. Minimum 3 MP. [With companions nearby. Cost: All MP.] |
Goofy[]
| Ability | AP | Inventory description |
|---|---|---|
| Rocket | 1 | Leap at an airborne enemy and attack with shield. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Charge | 2 | Charge and knock out an enemy with shield. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Tornado | 2 | Whirl after an enemy, using shield to attack. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| MP Gift | 3 | Give up MP to give 3 MP to a friend. [Support skill. Cost: 2 MP.][c] |
| Evolution[a] | 3 | Give up MP to grant 30 HP to all characters in the party. [Support skill. Cost: 3 MP] |
Tarzan[]
| Ability | AP | Inventory description |
|---|---|---|
| Raging Boar | 2 | Thrash surrounding enemies with spear, blowing them out of the way. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Asp's Bite | 2 | Knock out an enemy with a powerful blow. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Healing Herb | 3 | Recharge HP with an energizing herb. [Defense skill. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Wind Armor | 3 | Protect yourself with a cloak of air. [Defense skill. Cost: 1 MP.] |
Aladdin[]
| Ability | AP | Inventory description |
|---|---|---|
| Crescent | 2 | Jump straight up to attack enemies overhead. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Sandstorm | 2 | Strike at enemies while charging through them. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
Ariel[]
| Ability | AP | Inventory description |
|---|---|---|
| Spiral Wave | 1 | Charge at a target with a spinning attack. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Thunder Potion | 3 | Use potions packed with Thunder power. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Cure Potion | 3 | Use potions packed with Cure effect. [Defense skill. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Aero Potion | 3 | Use potions packed with Aero power. [Defense skill. Cost: 1 MP.] |
Jack Skellington[]
| Ability | AP | Inventory description |
|---|---|---|
| Applause! | 1 | Upstage foes with this dramatic, long-range sliding attack. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Blazing Fury | 2 | Blast enemies with scorching fire. [Special attack. Cost: Little MP.] |
| Icy Terror | 2 | Freeze enemies with a bone-chilling blizzard. [Special attack. Cost: Little MP.] |
| Bolts of Sorrow | 3 | Call lightning down to shock enemies. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Ghostly Scream | 3 | Summon dark spheres to crush enemies. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
Peter Pan[]
| Ability | AP | Inventory description |
|---|---|---|
| Hummingbird | 2 | Dart in to rain countless blows upon the enemy. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Time-Out | 4 | Freeze time for enemies, halting their movement. [Special attack. Cost: 2 MP.] |
| Storm's Eye | 3 | Wrap yourself in a protective whirlwind. [Defense skill. Cost: 2 MP.] |
Beast[]
| Ability | AP | Inventory description |
|---|---|---|
| Ferocious Lunge | 2 | Lunge at an enemy from a distance. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
| Furious Bellow | 3 | Knock out surrounding enemies with a raging bellow. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.] |
Ability availability[]
Sora[]
Sora gains abilities starting at level 9, and will gain another at almost every three successive levels, all the way up to 96. In the Final Mix version they instead start at 6, and end at 100 (with the 100th level being the only odd one out for the successive level rule). The abilities he gains are dependent on the dream weapon chosen at the start of the game in Dive into the Heart, generally resorting to a specific archetype; offense, defense, and magic. However, as his total abilities are finite and he is guaranteed to have the same at level 100 no matter what, the main choice rather becomes which abilities the player desires to have faster than the other, and which they can forego to obtain later, or not at all if the player decides to not level past the sixties (generally the point people reach when they have accomplished everything possible).
Due to the additions of new abilities in Final Mix most of the list got drastically altered, resulting in different results entirely depending on the version that is played. The 1.5 ReMIX edition also added two new abilities unique to Sora, one of which is EXP Zero, which requires the player to start at Proud difficulty.
Sora also has the most abilities by far that are unlocked outside of leveling, these most commonly being rewards for specific accomplishments such as excelling in the Olympus Coliseum. Final Mix further develops on this mechanic by moving a few abilities that were previously level-locked to being achievable by completing the event requirement. It also added a few new ones in this manner.
Levels[]
| Lvl | Dream Sword | Dream Rod | Dream Shield |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Combo Plus (1) | Scan | Guard |
| 12 | Vortex | Treasure Magnet (1) | Scan |
| 15 | Scan | MP Haste | Lucky Strike |
| 18 | Blitz | Counterattack | Second Chance |
| 21 | Berserk | Critical Plus (1) | Counterattack |
| 24 | Counterattack | Guard | Jackpot |
| 27 | Air Combo Plus (1) | Aerial Sweep | Treasure Magnet (1) |
| 30 | Aerial Sweep | Treasure Magnet (2) | — |
| 33 | Treasure Magnet (1) | MP Rage (1) | Blitz |
| 36 | Guard | Berserk | MP Rage (1) |
| 39 | — | Lucky Strike | Treasure Magnet (2) |
| 42 | — | — | Combo Plus (1) |
| 45 | MP Haste | — | Vortex |
| 48 | Critical Plus (1) | Second Chance | Berserk |
| 51 | Second Chance | MP Rage (2) | Critical Plus (1) |
| 54 | — | Jackpot | — |
| 57 | MP Rage (1) | Vortex | Air Combo Plus (1) |
| 60 | Treasure Magnet (2) | Air Combo Plus (1) | Aerial Sweep |
| 63 | Jackpot | Blitz | MP Haste |
| 66 | MP Rage (2) | Combo Plus (1) | MP Rage (2) |
| 69 | Lucky Strike | Critical Plus (2) | Critical Plus (2) |
| 72 | Combo Plus (2) | — | — |
| 75 | Air Combo Plus (2) | Air Combo Plus (2) | Combo Plus (2) |
| 78 | Critical Plus (2) | Combo Plus (2) | Air Combo Plus (2) |
| 84 | Combo Plus (3) | Combo Plus (3) | Combo Plus (3) |
| 90 | Critical Plus (3) | Critical Plus (3) | Critical Plus (3) |
| 96 | Combo Plus (4) | Combo Plus (4) | Combo Plus (4) |
| Lvl | Dream Sword | Dream Rod | Dream Shield |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Sliding Dash | Stun Impact | Slapshot |
| 9 | Scan | Treasure Magnet (1) | Berserk |
| 12 | Slapshot | Ripple Drive | Tech Boost (1) |
| 15 | Counterattack | Scan | Guard |
| 18 | Tech Boost (1) | Hurricane Blast | Stun Impact |
| 21 | Combo Plus (1) | MP Haste | Scan |
| 24 | Guard | Air Combo Plus (1) | Lucky Strike |
| 27 | Hurricane Blast | Tech Boost (1) | Leaf Bracer |
| 30 | — | — | Treasure Magnet (1) |
| 33 | Blitz | Guard | — |
| 36 | Treasure Magnet (1) | Aerial Sweep | Second Chance |
| 39 | Ripple Drive | Leaf Bracer | Sliding Dash |
| 42 | — | MP Rage (1) | Jackpot |
| 45 | MP Haste | Air Combo Plus (2) | Counterattack |
| 48 | Second Chance | Lucky Strike | Critical Plus (1) |
| 50 | Combo master | — | — |
| 51 | Stun Impact | Sliding Dash | Hurricane Blast |
| 54 | — | Combo master | Combo master |
| 57 | Vortex | Counterattack | Treasure Magnet (2) |
| 60 | Aerial Sweep | Berserk | Blitz |
| 63 | MP Rage (1) | Jackpot | Combo Plus (1) |
| 66 | Combo Plus (2) | — | — |
| 69 | Leaf Bracer | Slapshot | Ripple Drive |
| 72 | Air Combo Plus (1) | Treasure Magnet (2) | MP Haste |
| 75 | Treasure Magnet (2) | MP Rage (2) | Critical Plus (2) |
| 78 | Berserk | Blitz | Vortex |
| 81 | Tech Boost (2) | Tech Boost (2) | Tech Boost (2) |
| 84 | Critical Plus (1) | Vortex | Aerial Sweep |
| 87 | MP Rage (2) | Combo Plus (1) | Combo Plus (2) |
| 90 | Lucky Strike | Second Chance | MP Rage (1) |
| 93 | Combo Plus (3) | Combo Plus (2) | Air Combo Plus (1) |
| 96 | Air Combo Plus (2) | Critical Plus (1) | Combo Plus (3) |
| 99 | Critical Plus (2) | Combo Plus (3) | Air Combo Plus (2) |
| 100 | Jackpot | Critical Plus (2) | MP Rage (2) |
Events[]
| Ability | Available after |
|---|---|
| EXP Zero | Received at level 1 upon starting the game on Proud difficulty in Final Mix. |
| Dodge Roll | Received from Goofy after defeating Guard Armor in Traverse Town. |
| Cheer | Received from Owl at Pooh's house after completing all Hundred Acre Wood minigames with the right score.[d] |
| Sonic Blade | Received from Cloud after defeating Cerberus at Olympus Coliseum. |
| Combo Plus (FM) | Received after winning the Phil Cup solo in the Olympus Coliseum. |
| Tech Boost (FM) | Received after winning the Phil Cup time trial in the Olympus Coliseum. |
| Strike Raid | Received after winning the Pegasus Cup in the Olympus Coliseum. |
| Ars Arcanum | Received after defeating Captain Hook in Neverland. |
| Critical Plus (FM) | Received after winning the Hercules Cup solo in the Olympus Coliseum. |
| Gravity Break (FM) | Received after winning the Hercules Cup time trial in the Olympus Coliseum. |
| Encounter Plus (FM) | Received after synthesizing fifteen items at the Item Workshop. |
| Tech Boost | Received from Pongo and Perdita after returning 90 out of the 99 puppies. |
| Ragnarok | Received after defeating Riku for the second time at Hollow Bastion. |
| Trinity Limit | Received after winning the Hades Cup in the Olympus Coliseum. |
| Zantetsuken (FM) | Received after defeating Kurt Zisa at Agrabah. |
Donald[]
Donald only learns an ability every five levels, starting at level ten, all the way up to 55. In Final Mix this was changed by starting at 9, and ending at 59, adding the new Leaf Bracer ability. He otherwise possesses no unique abilities, and only has the standard passives that support either only himself or the party. This is off-set by the new magic spells he gains whenever Sora acquires a new one, or upgrades an old one. He also gains the Cheer ability after Maleficent's first defeat at Hollow Bastion.
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 10 | Berserk |
| 15 | MP Haste |
| 20 | MP Rage (1) |
| 25 | Second Chance |
| 30 | Treasure Magnet (1) |
| 35 | Second Wind |
| 40 | MP Rage (2) |
| 45 | Treasure Magnet (2) |
| 50 | Jackpot |
| 55 | Lucky Strike |
| — | Cheer |
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 9 | Berserk |
| 14 | MP Haste |
| 19 | MP Rage (1) |
| 24 | Treasure Magnet (1) |
| 29 | Second Wind |
| 34 | Leaf Bracer |
| 39 | Treasure Magnet (2) |
| 44 | Lucky Strike |
| 49 | MP Rage (2) |
| 54 | Jackpot |
| 59 | Second Chance |
| — | Cheer |
Goofy[]
Goofy learns an ability every three levels, starting at level 9, all the way up to 54. He is primarily geared towards a physical melee offense, his innate weapon type acting as his only defense option. He also has several standard personal and party passive abilities, as well as the rare MP Gift and the unique Evolution skills with which he can sacrifice 1 MP to give 3 to someone else, or 30 HP to the whole party respectively. He also automatically acquires Cheer after the defeat of Parasite Cage for the first time inside Monstro.
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 9 | Rocket |
| 12 | Jackpot |
| 15 | Charge |
| 18 | Treasure Magnet (1) |
| 21 | Tornado |
| 24 | MP Gift |
| 27 | Lucky Strike |
| 33 | Second Wind |
| 30 | MP Gift |
| 36 | Second Chance |
| 39 | MP Rage (1) |
| 42 | Treasure Magnet (2) |
| 45 | MP Rage (2) |
| 51 | MP Haste |
| 54 | Berserk |
| — | Cheer |
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 9 | Rocket |
| 12 | Jackpot |
| 15 | Charge |
| 18 | Treasure Magnet (1) |
| 21 | Tornado |
| 24 | Lucky Strike |
| 30 | Evolution |
| 33 | Second Wind |
| 36 | Second Chance |
| 39 | MP Rage (1) |
| 42 | MP Gift |
| 45 | Berserk |
| 48 | MP Haste |
| 51 | Treasure Magnet (2) |
| 57 | MP Rage (2) |
| — | Cheer |
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 This ability does not appear in the original Kingdom Hearts, and was instead included in the Final Mix version.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 This ability was not included in either the original Kingdom Hearts, nor the Final Mix version. It instead was added in the HD 1.5 Remix version.
- ↑ Only 1 MP in the original version.
- ↑ Pooh's Hunny Hunt; 100 licks or more, Block Tigger; 150 points or more, Pooh's Swing; 40 yards or more, Tigger's Giant Pot; 30 seconds or less, and Pooh's Muddy Path; five minutes or less.