Stats

As in other role-playing games, the various traits of a ' character are measured by their stats'''. Stats measure attributes such as the magnitude of damage dealt by the character's attacks, the number of abilities they can equip, or how many spells they can cast consecutively. Stats generally grow throughout the course of each game, as characters level up or complete certain objectives.

Level
A character's level represents their overall growth, and most stats grow in tandem with the level; a low-level character will generally have less stamina and strength than a high-level character. The character's level will go up each time they obtain set amounts of experience points; normally the level is automatically increased, while in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, the player is instead awarded Level Up panels or chips that they can choose to equip. This generally provides the character with an assortment of bonuses to their other stats, with the exception of Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, in which the player chooses one of three bonuses upon leveling up.

Leveling up may also grant additional bonuses besides stat increases. In Kingdom Hearts, leveling up may grant a new ability, an additional slot for items, or an additional equipment slot for accessories. In Kingdom Hearts II, leveling up may grant a new ability. In Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, one of the bonuses available to Sora after leveling up may be a new sleight.

In Kingdom Hearts II, Drive Forms and summons gain experience and level up independently of Sora's level.

Hit Points (HP)
Hit Points, Health Points, or HP, represent a character's or enemy's health. When damage is taken in battle or in the field, the damage is taken out of the current HP. Once HP falls to zero, the character is knocked out and can no longer fight. In the case of the main character, losing all HP results in a Game Over. HP can be restored by collecting HP Prizes, or with healing items like Potions and Elixirs, Cure magic, or some abilities.

A character's current and maximum HP are indicated on-screen by the green HP gauge, which typically accompanies an image of the character. An enemy's HP gauge will appear on-screen if the Scan ability is equipped. The exception is Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, in which the enemy gauge automatically appears.

Boosting maximum HP
In Kingdom Hearts, maximum HP may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some accessories also boosts maximum HP. Sora's initial maximum HP is 18, and Donald's initial maximum HP at level one is 12.

In Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, HP starts at 80. Upon leveling up, the player may choose to increase maximum HP by 15. HP will eventually max out at 560.

In Kingdom Hearts II, maximum HP will be increased by gaining Bonus Levels. Sora starts out at 20 HP and each Bonus Level HP increase increases Sora's maximum HP by 5 and after acquiring all Bonus Level HP increases, HP will max out at 120. On Critical Mode, each increase only improves HP by 2 and it will max at 60.

In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, equipping Level Up panels raises maximum HP, with the amount depending on the character. Maximum HP may also be boosted by equipping certain ring panels.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, increases in maximum HP are awarded for winning certain battles or completing certain tasks. Additionally, equipping the HP Boost ability also boosts maximum HP.

In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, equipping Level Up, Trophy, or HP + Stat Chips in the Stat Matrix increases maximum HP, up to 400. Maximum HP may be affected by Cheat Tuners.

In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, increases in maximum HP are awarded for winning certain battles or completing certain tasks. Additionally, equipping the HP Boost ability also boosts maximum HP.

In Kingdom Hearts III, maximum HP will be permanently increased by gaining Bonus Levels. HP can be temporarily boosted by eating meals created with the assistance of Little Chef in Le Grand Bistrot. Critical Mode reduces the maximum HP of each character significantly.

Magic Points (MP)
Magic Points, or MP, represents a character's ability to cast magic and use certain active abilities in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-, and Kingdom Hearts III. Every time a spell or ability is used, the cost is taken from the character's current MP. MP can be restored with healing items like Ethers and Elixirs, or with some abilities. In Kingdom Hearts, the maximum MP determines the strength of magic spells, such as the amount of damage inflicted by magic, the amount of HP restored by Cure, or the length of Aero, though it does not affect special abilities such as Sonic Blade, as they rely on the Strength stat to calculate their damage. Later games have this instead be determined by a separate Magic stat.

A character's current and maximum MP are indicated on-screen by the blue MP gauge, which appears alongside their HP gauge.

Boosting maximum MP
In Kingdom Hearts, maximum MP may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some accessories and weapons can boost, or in some cases lower, maximum MP. Sora's initial maximum MP will be 3 if he chooses the Dream Rod in the Dive to the Heart, and 2 otherwise. In Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, by using certain keychains at low levels and/or selecting something other than the Dream Rod in the Dive to the Heart, Sora's maximum MP can be reduced to 1 or even zero. In Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Sora's maximum MP is 19 if the Dream Rod was selected, or 17 otherwise, after reaching a very high level and equipping three accessories that increase maximum MP by 2.

In Kingdom Hearts II, maximum MP will be increased by gaining Bonus Levels. Sora's MP starts at 100, each Bonus Level MP increase increases Sora's maximum MP by 10, and after acquiring all Bonus Level MP increases, MP will max out at 140. On Critical Mode, each increase only improves MP by 5 and it will max at 120.

In Kingdom Hearts III, maximum MP will be increased by gaining Bonus Levels.

Ability Points (AP)
Ability Points, or AP, determine the number of abilities that a character can equip in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, and Kingdom Hearts III. While an ability is equipped, its AP cost is deducted from the character's available AP.

Boosting AP
In Kingdom Hearts, maximum AP may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some accessories also boosts maximum AP. Using an AP Up will permanently increase maximum AP by one. Sora's initial maximum AP will be lessened if he gives up the Dream Rod in the Dive to the Heart.

In Kingdom Hearts II, maximum AP may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some accessories also boosts maximum AP. Using an AP Boost will permanently increase maximum AP by one. Initial maximum AP can be increased by 1 by acquiring between 650 and 1040 Munny, and by 2 by acquiring between 1050 and 1850 Munny with Roxas on Day 2.

In Kingdom Hearts III, AP can be increased via leveling up, or an AP Boost. As in previous games, an AP Boost will permanently increase AP by one.

Strength
The Strength stat determines the amount of damage that can be inflicted by weapon attacks, including normal attack combos and attack commands. In Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory, it instead determines the chance of stunning enemies that must be attacked multiple times.

Boosting Strength
In Kingdom Hearts, Strength may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some accessories also boosts Strength. Using a Power Up will permanently increase Strength by one. Sora's initial Strength will be greater if he chooses the Dream Sword in the Dive to the Heart, and lessened if he gives it up. It can reach a maximum of 99.

In Kingdom Hearts II, Strength may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some accessories also boosts Strength. Using a Power Boost will permanently increase Strength by one. It can reach a maximum of 152.

In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, equipping Level Up panels raises Strength, with the amount and growth rate depending on the character. Strength may also be boosted by equipping certain weapon panels or ring panels.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Strength may increase upon leveling up, with the amount and growth rate depending on the character.

In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, equipping Level Up, Trophy, or Strength + Stat Chips in the Stat Matrix increases Strength, up to 200.

Magic
The Magic stat determines the amount of damage that can be inflicted by offensive magical attacks, including standard magic and magic commands. It also determines the efficacy of healing magic.

Boosting Magic
In Kingdom Hearts, Magic is determined by the user's maximum MP, and is increased by leveling up. Certain accessories can increase or decrease the user's maximum MP. The higher the user's maximum MP, the stronger their magic abilities are. Choosing the Dream Rod will increase Sora's initial MP, and leaving it behind or giving it up would have him start with less MP.

In Kingdom Hearts II, Magic may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some accessories also boosts Magic. Using a Magic Boost will permanently increase Magic by one. It can reach the maximum of 154.

In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, equipping Level Up panels raises Magic, with the amount and growth rate depending on the character. Magic may also be boosted by equipping certain weapon panels or ring panels.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Magic may increase upon leveling up, with the amount and growth rate depending on the character.

In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, equipping Level Up, Trophy, or Magic + Stat Chips in the Stat Matrix increases Magic, up to 200.

Defense
The Defense stat determines a character's resistance to damage from enemy attacks. The higher Defense is, the less damage is taken.

Boosting Defense
In Kingdom Hearts, Defense may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some accessories also boosts Defense. Sora's initial Defense will be greater if he chooses the Dream Shield in the Dive to the Heart, and lessened if he gives it up. It can reach a maximum of 99.

In Kingdom Hearts II, Defense may increase upon leveling up. Additionally, equipping some pieces of armor also boosts Defense. It can reach the maximum of 153.

In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, with the amount and growth rate depending on the character. Defense may also be boosted by equipping certain weapon panels or ring panels.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Defense may increase upon leveling up, with the amount and growth rate depending on the character.

In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, equipping Level Up, Trophy, or Defense + Stat Chips in the Stat Matrix increases Defense, up to 200.

Critical %
Critical % determines the likelihood of the next hit being a critical hit. Equipping Level Up panels raises Critical %, with the amount and growth rate depending on the character. Critical Rate may also be boosted by equipping certain weapon panels or ring panels.

Crit Bonus
Crit Bonus determines the additional damage inflicted upon gaining a critical hit compared to a normal hit. Equipping Level Up panels raises Crit Bonus, with the amount and growth rate depending on the character. Critical Bonus may also be boosted by equipping certain weapon panels or ring panels.

Elemental Resistance
In most appearances, Elemental Resistance works alongside Defense and reduces the amount of damage received by elemental attacks by a set percentage in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and Kingdom Hearts III. There are resistances to, , and , as well as resistance to in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, and Kingdom Hearts III, and resistance to  in Kingdom Hearts Re:coded. Kingdom Hearts 3D introduces resistances to and.

A character's elemental resistance is determined by equipping accessories in Kingdom Hearts, armor in Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts III, Screen-type Stats abilities in ' and ', and Elemental Resistance Stat Chips in Re:coded. In Re:coded, each elemental resistance can be increased up to 100%.

In Kingdom Heart 358/2 Days, Elemental Resistance on playable characters only instead provides protection against status affects associated with each element. There are resistances to, , , , , , , , , , , , and. Resistances can be provided by certain accessories. Additionally, most characters possess an innate resistance to a specific element that increases by 10% every 10 levels.

Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
Due to the unique battle system of Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, Sora and Riku are given a revised array of stats, with only HP carrying over. The damage Sora deals in battle is now determined by the stats of the battle cards he uses, instead of a Strength or Magic stat.

Card Points (CP)
Card Points, or CP, dictate the number of cards that can be put into Sora's deck. Each card costs a certain amount of CP to be placed in a deck, depending on card type, card value, and whether the card is a Premium Card. Maximum CP starts at 275, and it can be increased by 25 after leveling up, up to a maximum of 1900 in Chain of Memories or 1625 in Re:Chain of Memories.

Attack Power (AP)
Attack Power, or AP, determine the amount of damage Riku can inflict when attacking. AP starts at 10, and it can be increased by 1 after leveling up. AP can only be selected every 5 levels, and will reach a maximum of 30.

Dark Points (DP)
Dark Points, or DP, determines how long Riku can stay in Dark Mode. Maximum DP starts at 8, and it can be increased by 2 after leveling up at any point in Chain of Memories or once Dark Mode becomes available in Re:Chain of Memories. In the latter game, if a high enough level is reached and the first two level up options are exhausted, the ability to increase Dark Points is unlocked regardless of if Dark Mode is unlocked. If increased fully, DP will cap at 99 in Re:Chain of Memories. In Chain of Memories, there is no limit to how high DP can go, only being limited by the maximum level.

Luck
Luck increases the probability of enemies dropping items upon defeat, akin to the Lucky Lucky ability.

Raising Luck
Luck can be increased by installing rare Lucky Strike chips into the Stat Matrix.

In the Avatar Menu, increasing Happiness to its maximum value will double Data-Sora's Luck; getting this boost is the only way to raise his Luck to its maximum of 28.

Elemental Proficiency
Elemental Proficiency increases the amount of damage dealt by a character's elemental attacks by a set percentage in Kingdom Hearts Re:coded. There are proficiencies in, , , and Cure, the last of which boosts the amount of HP recovered by Cure commands and Esuna.

A character's elemental proficiency is determined by equipping Elemental Proficiency Stat Chips, and it can be increased up to 100%.

Elemental proficiency is similar in function to the Fire Boost, Blizzard Boost, Thunder Boost and Cure Boost abilities.

Notes and references
Stufe HP PC AP