Abilities Guide (KH2 work in progress)

[AegisReflector]

Abilities are special moves a character can perform by equipping them in the Abilities Menu. However, they cost AP Points. You need the required amount of AP Points to equip an ability. Abilities are obtained usually after Leveling Up at a certain Level, but others are obtained by meeting other requirements. Most abilities occur automatically after you equip them, but some of them consume MP as well.

Key:

* = Equip more to boost effect/double the effect.

I will first explain the basic abilities for Sora. As I go on to other characters, the abilities that are already listed for another character will only have the name, not the description.:

Sora's Abilities

Air Combo Plus
AP: 1
Extends aerial combo attack by one step.*

Berserk
AP: 1
Boosts attack power when HP is critically low.

Cheer
AP: 1
Increases the summons' MP gauge, giving them more time and attacks per battle.*

Combo Plus
AP: 1
Extends ground combo attack by one step.*

Dodge Roll
Dive and roll to evade attack by pressing the (Square) button.

Scan
AP: 1
View an enemy's HP gauge during battle.

Vortex
AP: 1
Close the distance to nearby enemies with this powerful spinning attack.

Aerial Sweep
AP: 2
Leap at an airborne enemy and strike with a mighty blow.

Counterattack
AP: 2
Strike back after parrying an enemy blow. Succesful counterattacks restore MP.

Guard
AP: 2
Guard an enemy attack by pressing the (Square) button.

Jackpot
AP: 2
Receive more munny and HP/MP balls in battle.*

MP Rage
AP: 2
Recover MP whenever you're hit in battle. Heavier damage restores more MP.*

Second Chance
AP: 2
Keep 1 HP even after taking a critical hit.

Treasure Magnet
AP: 2
Attract nearby HP/MP balls, munny, and items. Equip more to attract them farther away.

Blitz
AP: 3
Strike enemies ahead of you with a powerful finishing combo.

Critical Plus
AP: 3
Increases odds of dealing critical damage.*

Lucky Strike
AP: 3
Raises luck so that enemies drop rare items more often.*

MP Haste
AP: 3
Boosts MP recovery rate in battle, allowing more spellcasting.

Sonic Blade
AP: 3
Slash an enemy while running past. Select follow-up attack at right time for a combo. [Mid-range attack. Cost: 2 MP]

Strike Raid
AP: 3
Hurl the Keyblade at an enemy. Select follow-up attack at right time for a combo. [Long-range attack. Cost: 2 MP]

Ars Arcanum
AP: 4
A formidable attack. After a combo, select follow-up attack again for a double combo. [Short-ranch attack. Cost: 3 MP]

Ragnarok
AP: 4
After aerial combo, select follow-up attack at right time to unleash Ragnarok. [For airborne targets. Cost: 3 AP]

Trinity Limit
AP: 5
Channel the party's remaining MP to crush surrounding foes. Minimum 3 MP. [With companions nearby. Cost: All MP]

Sora learns most of his abilities through Leveling Up. However, depending on what weapon you pick during Sora's Awakening (The Prologue of the game), you gain certain abilities through different levels. However, some abilities of Sora's are learned through other requirements. I will first list what abilities Sora gains during a certain level (depending on the weapon you chose).

Sora's Level Up Abilities

Lvl.                      Sword                      Wand                      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]          None
33                  Treasure Magnet [1]      MP Rage [1]                  Blitz
36                    Guard                            Berserk                    MP Rage [1]
39                      None                    Lucky Strike              Treasure Magnet [2]
42                        None                        None                    Combo Plus [1]
45                          MP Haste                    None                  Vortex
48                  Critical Plus [1]              Second Chance            Berserk
51                  Second Chance              MP Rage [2]              Critical Plus [1]
54                            None                  Jackpot                      None
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]              None                        None
75                  Air Combo Plus [2]        Air Combo Plus [2]            Combo Plus [2]
78                  Combo Plus [3]            Combo Plus [2]          Air Combo Plus [2]
84                  Combo Plus [4]            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]

Sora's Learned Abilities

Dodge Roll
Goofy will give you this after you defeat Guard Armor in Traverse Town.

Cheer
After fulfilling certain requirements in each mini-game in the Hundred Acre Wood, talk to Owl.

Sonic Blade
After defeating Cerberus at Olympus Coliseum, speak to Cloud.

Ars Arcanum
Defeat Captain Hook in Neverland.

Ragnarok
Defeat Riku (2nd time) at Hallow Bastion.

Trinity Limit
Win the Hades Cup (Sora and Friends) in Olympus Coliseum.

Donald's Abilities

Berserk
Cheer
Jackpot
MP Rage
Second Chance
Treasure Magnet
Lucky Strike
MP Haste
Second Wind
AP: 3
Recover from KO Status quickly with HP fully restored.

Donald's Level Up Abilities
(Unlike Sora, all of the following allies only have 1 order set of abilities, no matter what weapon you choose in the Prologue)

Lvl.
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

Donald's Learned Abilities

Cheer
Defeat Maleficent at Hallow Bastion.

Goofy's Abilities

Berserk

Rocket
AP: 1
Leap at an airborne enemy and attack with shield. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Charge
AP: 2
Charge and knock out an enemy with shield. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Jackpot
MP Rage
Second Chance

Tornado
AP: 2
Whirl after an enemy, using shield to attack. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Treasure Magnet
Lucky Strike

MP Gift
AP: 3
Give up MP to give 3 MP to a friend. [Support skill. Cost: 1 MP.]

MP Haste
Second Wind

Goofy's Level Up Abilities

Lvl.
9  -->  Rocket
12  -->  Jackpot
15  -->  Charge
18  -->  Treasure Magnet [1]
21  -->  Tornado
27  -->  Lucky Strike
30  -->  MP Gift
33  -->  Second Wind
36  -->  Second Chance
39  -->  MP Rage [1]
42  -->  Treasure Magnet [2]
45  -->  MP Rage [2]
51  -->  MP Haste
54  -->  Berserk

Goofy's Learned Abilities

Cheer
Defeat the Parasite Cage (first time) in Monstro.

(The following allies don't gain any ability by Leveling Up.)

Tarzan's Abilities

Berserk

Asp's Bite
AP: 2
Knock out an enemy with a powerful blow. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Raging Boar
AP: 2
Thrash surroundig enemies with spear, blowing them out of the way. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Second Chance
Critical Plus

Healing Herb
AP: 3
Recharge HP with an energizing herb. [Defense skill. Cost: 1 MP.]

Second Wind

Wind Armor
AP: 3
Protect yourself with a cloak of air. [Defense skill. Cost: 2 MP.]

Aladdin's Abilities

Cheer

Crescent
AP: 2
Jump straight up to attack enemies overhead. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Jackpot

Sandstorm
AP: 2
Strike at enemies while charging through them. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Treasure Magnet
Critical Plus
Lucky Strike

Ariel's Abilities

Spiral Wave
AP: 1
Charge at a target with a spinning attack. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

MP Rage

Aero Potion
AP: 3
Use potions packed with Aero power. [Defense skill. Cost: 2 MP.]

Cure Potion
AP: 3
Use potions packed with Cure effect. [Defense skill. Cost: 1 MP.]

Lucky Strike
MP Haste
Second Wind

Thunder Potion
AP: 3
Use potions packed with Thunder power. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Jack's Abilities

Applause!
AP: 1
Upstage foes with this dramatic, long-range sliding attacks. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Cheer

Blazing Fury
AP: 2
Blast enemies with scorching fire. [Special attack. Cost: 1/2 MP.]

Icy Terror
AP: 2
Freeze enemies with a bone-chilling blizzard. [Special attack. Cost: 1/2 MP.]

Jackpot
MP Rage
Treasure Magnet

Bolts of Sorrow
AP: 3
Call lightning down to shock enemies. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Ghostly Scream
AP: 3
Summon dark powers to crush enemies. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Peter Pan's Abilities

Hummingbird
AP: 2
Dart in to rain countless blows upon the enemy. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Jackpot
Treasure Magnet
Critical Plus
Lucky Strike
MP Haste

Storm's Eye
AP: 3
Wrap yourself in a protective whirlwind. [Defense attack. Cost: 2 MP.]

Time-Out
AP: 4
Freeze time for enemies, halting their movement. [Special attack. Cost: 2 MP.]

Beast's Abilities

Berserk

Ferocious Lunge
AP: 2
Lunge at an enemy from a distance. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

MP Rage
Second Chance
Critical Plus

Furious Bellow
AP: 3
Knock out surronding enemies with a raging bellow. [Special attack. Cost: 1 MP.]

Second Wind

Shared Abilities
Shared Abilities don't consume any AP, and are essential to your adventure.

High Jump
Powers up your jump, allowing you to reach higher places. (Obtained in Monstro)

Mermaid Kick
Swim faster and more powerfully. (Obtained in Atlantica)

Glide
While in the air, press the (Circle) button to ride the air currents. Hold down the (Circle) button to remain aloft. (Obtained in Neverland)

Superglide
While in the air, press the (Square) button to fly at high speed. Hold down the (Square) button to remain aloft. (Obtained in End of the World)

 

[AegisReflector]

This is the guide of the abilities in KH2.

Sora's Abilities

Guard
AP: 2 -
Blocks and shoots back enemy attacks using a parrying action with the Square button.

Upper Slash
AP: 4 
Knocks a target into the air during a combo with the Square button.

Horizontal Slash
AP: 2 
Attacks a target from left to right during a midair combo with the Square button.

Finishing Leap
AP: 5
Jumps high into the air while attacking at the end of a combo with the Square button.

Retaliating Slash
AP: 3 
When knocked down, quickly regains balance and counterattacks with the Square button.

Slapshot
AP: 2 
Rapidly attacks a target.

Dodge Slash
AP: 2 
Unleashes an attack that deals damage to nearby enemies.

Slide Dash
AP: 2 
Instantly closes in on and attacks a far target.

Guard Break
AP: 3 
Unleashes a powerful finishing combo move that pierces through a target's guard.

Explosion
AP: 3 
Unleashes a finishing combo move that knocks down several enemies. Damage dealt is relative to magic skill.

Aerial Sweep
AP: 2 
Unleashes a powerful leaping attack on targets in midair.

Aerial Spiral
AP: 2 
Closes in on far targets in midair and unleashes spinning attacks.

Aerial Finish
AP: 3 
Unleashes a powerful finishing combo move to a single target in midair.

Counterguard
AP: 4 
Counterattacks nearby enemies with Attack while performing Guard.

Auto Summon
AP: 2 
When a friend is down, automatically sets the Reaction Command to Summon, in the column that contains Summon, if Summon is usable.

Trinity Limit
AP: 5 
A Limit Command that uses teamwork to unleash the powerful Trinity attack. Consumes all of Sora's MP.

Scan
AP: 2 
Inspects the target's current HP. (never remove it)

Aerial Recovery
AP: 2 
Quickly regains balance with () when knocked down.

Combo Plus
AP: 1 
Increase maximum combo by 1 when on the ground. Equip more to enable more combos.

Air Combo Plus
AP: 1
Increases maximum combo by 1 when in midair. Equip more to enable more combos.

Combo Boost
AP: 3
Increases the damage of the finishing move on the ground relative to the number of hits in the combo.

Air Combo Boost
AP: 3
Increases the damage of the finishing move in the air relative to the number of hits in the combo.

Reaction Boost
AP: 2
Increases damage dealt by Reaction Commands.

Finishing Plus
AP: 5
Unleash successive finishing moves after combos.

Negative Combo
AP: 2
Decreases maximum combo on the ground and in midair by 1.

Berserk Charge
AP: 5
Increases strength during MP Charge and enables combos to continue endlessly. The combo finishing move is not available while this is active.

Damage Drive
AP: 3
Restores the drive gauge ever time damage is taken. The amount restores to the Drive Gauge is relative to the damage received.

Drive Boost
AP: 3
Allows greater restoration of the Drive Gauge during MP Charge.

Summon Boost
AP: 5
Increases the amount of time the Summon will stay.

Combination Boost
AP: 4
Increases the amount of time spent for Limits.

Experience Boost
AP: 3
Increases the amount of experience gained when defeating an enemy in a tight situation.

Leaf Bracer
AP: 1
Casting Cure on yourself will continue even when attacked.

Magic Lock-On
AP: 1
Automatically locks to a target when casting Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, or Magnet.

Draw
AP: 3
Draws in and obtains nearby orbs. Equip 2 to obtain far orbs.

Jackpot
AP: 4
Increases drop rate of munny, HP and MP orbs. Equip to the whole Party to further increase the drop rate.

Lucky Lucky
AP: 5
Will bring luck by increasing the drop rate of items. Equip the whole Party to further increase the drop rate.

Fire Boost
AP: 3
Increases damage done by fire-based attacks.

Blizzard Boost
AP: 4
Increases damage done by blizzard-based attacks.

Thunder Boost
AP: 5
Increases damage done by thunder-based attacks.

Item Boost
AP: 2
Increases effects done by healing items on the field.

MP Rage
AP: 3
Restores MP relative to the amount of damage taken. Equip more to increase the effect.

Defender
AP: 3
Increases defense in a pinch.

Once More
AP: 4
Ensures 1 HP remains after taking damage from a combo.

Sora's Level Up Abilities

You pick the weapons with Roxas in the prologue. However, Sora retains them after the prologue.

  Lvl.  |      Sword        |      Shield      |        Staff        |

|  4  |        Scan              | Scan              | Scan              |
|  7  | Combo Boost        | Item Boost        | Experience Boost  |
|  9  | Experience Boost  | Combo Boost        | Item Boost        |
|  12  | Magic Lock-On      | Magic Lock-On      | Magic Lock-On      |
|  15  | Reaction Boost    | Damage Drive      | Fire Boost        |
|  17  | Item Boost        | Experience Boost  | Combo Boost        |
|  20  | Leaf Bracer        | Leaf Bracer        | Leaf Bracer        |
|  23  | Fire Boost        | Reaction Boost    | Damage Drive      |
|  25  | Drive Boost        | Drive Boost        | Draw              |
|  28  | Draw              | Drive Boost        | Drive Boost        |
|  31  | Combination Boost  | Defender          | Blizzard Boost    |
|  33  | Damage Drive      | Fire Boost        | Reaction Boost    |
|  36  | Air Combo Boost    | Jackpot            | Negative Combo    |
|  39  | Blizzard Boost    | Combination Boost  | Defender          |
|  41  | Lucky Lucky        | MP Rage            | Thunder Boost      |
|  44  | Negative Combo    | Air Combo Boost    | Jackpot            |
|  47  | Drive Boost        | Draw              | Drive Boost        |
|  49  | Finishing Plus    | Second Chance      | Berserk Charge    |
|  53  | Thunder Boost      | Lucky Lucky        | MP Rage            |
|  59  | Defender          | Blizzard Boost    | Combination Boost  |
|  65  | Berserk Charge    | Finishing Plus    | Second Chance      |
|  73  | Jackpot            | Negative Combo    | Air Combo Boost    |
|  85  | Second Chance      | Berserk Charge    | Finishing Plus    |
|  99  | MP Rage            | Thunder Boost      | Lucky Lucky        |

Sora's Learned Abilities

Aerial Recovery
Defeat the Dusks in Day 3 of the Prologue.

Guard
Defeat the Twilight Thorn in the Prologue.

Slide Dash
Clear out the Heartless in the Village Cave in the Land of Dragons.

Aerial Sweep
Defeat Shan-Yu in the Land of Dragons.

Upper Slash
Defeat the Thresholder in Beast's Castle.

Retaliating Slash
Defeat the Dark Thorn in Beast's Castle.

Dodge Slash
Defeat Ceberus at Olympus Coliseum.

Aerial Spiral
Clear Phil's Barrel Minigame at Olympus Coliseum.

Trinity Limit
Defeat Pete at Olympus Coliseum.

Auto Summon
Once you guide Minnie to the Throne Room at Disney Castle, you will gain the ability.

Slapshot
Complete Timeless River.

Aerial Finish
Defeat Captain Barbossa in Port Royal.

Explosion
Defeat the Fire and Blizzard Lords in Agrabah.

Horizontal Slash
Defeat the Hostile Program at Space Paranoids.

Guard Break
Complete The Battle of 1000 Heartless in Hallow Bastion.

Summon Boost
Defeat the Grim Reaper at your second trip to Port Royal.

Counterguard
Defeat Hades in your second trip to Olympus Coliseum.

Finishing Leap
Defeat Dr. Finklestein's Experiment in your second trip to Halloween/Christmas Towns.



Working in progress...

 

[Toshirohokkaido]

This will help immensely in KH 2 FM. Thanks! ^_^

 

[Muggshotter]

I'll list some KH2 Final Mix ones if no-one minds. 

-- Active abilities --

Spoiler

Aerial Dive
Gained by clearing the Maniac Training at Olympus Coliseum. Consumes 2 AP.
Joins the aerial-assault family. Should your target be above you, use this to have good overall range for reaching it. Three diagonal slashes.

Flash Step
Gained by defeating Prison Keeper in Halloween Town. Consumes 2 AP.
A modified version of Slide Dash. Less range, but goes through guards. Used with Slide Dash and Slapshot this is a great offensive tool.

Magnet Splash
Gained by clearing Underworld's second visit (Hades). Consumes 3 AP.
An aerial finisher. Sora attracts enemies like Magnet spells and then blasts them away. A very good tool for Cavern of Remembrance's final scripted Nobody fight, combined with Combo Master.

Round Break
Gained by defeating Hostile Program at Space Paranoids. Consumes 3 AP.
This one works as a combo starter. If you have enough objects around you, you can start your combo with this handy move that covers Sora 360 degrees, hitting anyone near it.

This can also save the trouble of Reflecting Sephiroth's darkness balls. Yes, it works there. Neat.

Auto-Limit
Gained by having Limit Form's level at 2. Consumes 1 AP.
A reaction command for triggering Limit Form appears if low on health. Quite useless like the rest of Auto-triggers.

-- Growth abilities --

Spoiler

Dodge Roll
Sora learns this move from Limit Form with levels 3, 5 and 7. Consumes 3 AP.
The return of a classic method of evasion.

The buttons you press on your DualShock 2 are analogical. A simple tap triggers Dodge Roll. If you hold it for any longer, the game takes it as Quick Run if you have both of the abilities equipped simultaneously.

You can see the Dodge Roll animation for the first few frames, it changes to Quick Run afterwards if square button is held.

-- Support abilities --

Spoiler

Combo Master
Gained by defeating Roxas at The World That Never Was. Consumes 4 AP.
Should your attack whiff, you would still be able to proceed with any further attacks in your combo, except for Finishing Leap and Horizontal Slash. A very useful tool overall.

Drive Converter
Sora learns this ability at LV 41 if Roxas chose a sword on Day 3, LV 99 if Staff was chosen or at LV 53 if Shield was chosen. Consumes 5 AP if equipped.

Converts munny to Drive Orbs. Useful for leveling up Master Form. Try farm some money from Gamblers with this ability on.
Sweet Memories -keychain has this ability attached to it, replacing Lucky Lucky from the regular version.

Crisis Half / Damage Control / Defender that is bettah
Sora learns this ability at LV 99 if Sword was chosen on Day 3, 53 if Staff or 41 if Shield. Consumes 5 AP.
Halves the damage taken if near death.

Kingdom Key has this ability attached to it.

Zero Experience
Roxas learns this ability on Day 3 before the Twilight Thorn battle on Critical Mode. Consumes 1 AP.
This ability lets you play the game through at LV1, controlling your level progress in the game.

Winner's Proof -keychain has this ability attached to it. This keychain is gained from clearing all twelve Mushroom XIII mini-games.

Light & Dark
This ability is exclusive to Two Become One -keychain. If Sora wears this keychain and uses a Drive form OTHER than Final, the game throws a retarded 50-50 roulette for Final and Anti form. Feeling lucky enough to play around with your Drive bars?

-- Limit Form --

Spoiler

With a new form a batch of new abilities were introduced. Here they are.

Zantetsuken
Acts as your ground finisher. The most powerful single move in the game, hands down.
Sora uses this move as a ground finisher in 358/2 Days if you have Zero Gear equipped.

Counter Zantetsuken
Limit Form's vision of Counter Attack. Zantetsuken is a killer even as a counter.

Ripple Drive
A finisher. Covers Sora in a red aura, launching enemies mid-air. A very powerful crowd controller.

Hurricane Period
Acts as your aerial finisher. Sora does some backflips with the keyblade. Don't know what it's all about? Sora uses this move in 358/2 Days if you have Zero Gear equipped.

Odd enough, this ability was in KH1 Final Mix, but was absent in the regular KH2 again.

Reflect Combo
It seems you can just attack right through, you can guard during a combo.

HP Gain
With every successful hit from a Limit, you gain health. Simple as that.
The enemy doesn't have to be hurt / flinched from your Limit in order to get some of that health, just connect it.

-- Limits --

All of these work as finishers. Use one of these for an epic finish for a hard battle.

Sonic Blade
Ah, a classic. Consumes 60 MP.
Seven quick Keyblade thrusts around the field. You can mash the timing now since it is a reaction command.

Ars Arcanum
Consumes 75 MP.
A huge assault with a Keyblade. Time the reaction commands for further smackdown laying.

Strike Raid
Consumes 65 MP.
Five hurls with a Keyblade.

Ragnarok
Consumes 80 MP.
A short combo, followed with a huge group of homing shots afterwards. Needs to be timed correctly. If pulled too late, the shots end up being push-overs like if mashed right away.

And Goofy can have ability Protect / ra / ga via weapons gained from Mushroom XIII mini-games. The damage can be reduced by 10 , 20 or 40 % respectively.