Ability

Abilities (アビリティ) are equippable skills or effects that appear in the Kingdom Hearts games. Abilities may be acquired and equipped in different ways, depending on the game in which they appear.

Types
Abilities may be categorized in a number of different ways, but the two main types are action abilities and passive abilities. Action abilities may affect weapon combos, such as Vortex or Aerial Finish, or grant whole new skills that can be used in the field, such as Dodge Roll or Guard. Passive abilities have a variety of effects, such as boosting damage dealt to enemies, enhancing weapon combos or other action abilities, and making it easier to pick up items dropped by enemies.

In some games, certain action abilities, usually ones that increase mobility, are separated from other abilities. These may include such abilities as High Jump, Mermaid Kick, Quick Run, or Glide, among others. Kingdom Hearts lists a number of action abilities as Shared Abilities, which can be used by all party members once equipped, at no cost. In Kingdom Hearts II, Growth Abilities are special action abilities that are learned and leveled up by leveling Drive Forms.

In some games, weapons may provide abilities once equipped. Additionally, some games allow multiple copies of abilities to be equipped, increasing their effect.

In Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, abilities are equipped in the main menu, at the cost of Ability Points, or AP. In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, passive abilities are activated by using enemy cards in battle, while certain action abilities are equipped by default. In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, many abilities, both action and passive, are equipped by installing Ability Panels into the panel grid, while many passive abilities are equipped by installing Ring Panels or by linking Ability Units to Gears. In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, action abilities are equipped as action commands, while passive abilities are gained through melding commands together with synthesis materials or activated during certain Dimension Links. In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, abilities may be equipped in the Stat Matrix once they are linked to a CPU, while many passive abilities can be activated through the Overclock system or by equipping accessory chips. In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, action commands return, and passive abilities can be equipped through the Ability Link system.