Item synthesis

Item synthesis is a part of gameplay found in the Kingdom Hearts series that allows Sora to make powerful items, armor, weapons, and accessories using materials collected throughout the various Worlds. Many rare items, including Sora's most powerful weapon, the Ultima Weapon Keyblade, can only be obtained through synthesis.

In both games, item synthesis is exclusively the realm of Moogles, and so can only be accessed through them in one form or another.

Using Item Synthesis
Once the option in the game is opened, Sora must collected the needed items for the Moogles to make new things out of, which is exclusively provided through items dropped by the Heartless and Nobodies for common items, and occasionally chests for the rarer items such as Orichalcums. In the beginning, only a few items will be avaliable for the Moogles to synthesize. By creating more items, however, the Moogles (and Sora) gain access to lists of items that are more powerful, but also require even rarer materials to make.

Kingdom Hearts
In Kingdom Hearts, synthesis is made avaliable after Sora gains the Green Trinity in Agrabah, as he needs it to reach the ladder in the roof of Cid's Accessory Shop that leads to their store.

New lists of potential items are unlocked by making a certain number of items on each of the list before:


 * List II - Make four out of six unique items on List I
 * List III - Make ten unique items between Lists I and II.
 * List IV - Make fifteen unique items between Lists I, II, and III.
 * List V - Make each item at least once on Lists I, II, III, and IV.

Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II has synthesis avaliable nearly from the beginning of them game; usually as soon as Sora and his party come across the first Moogle shop in Hollow Bastion, the ability to synthesize has been opened. However, synthesis is structured quite differently than it is in the first game. New items are no longer gained by making a certain number of lesser items, but can instead be obtained through Recipes, found throughout the Worlds, as well as through Free Development. By collecting more unique materials and improving the Moogles ranking, Sora will unlock further items to create. Having five types of materials opens Free Development and synthesis, while gaining 20 types of items unlocks new items on that list.

In addition, for every item made, the Moogle will gain experience, which in turn unlocks new abilities the Moogle can use to further refine items. Most notably, this involves the "class" of bonus items a Moogle can use in item creation, and the ability to cut the cost of creating items of each rank in half:


 * Level 1 (Amateur Moogle) - Recipe and Free Development items can be created.
 * Level 2 (Novice Moogle) - Brightness or Energy Materials can be used in recipes.
 * Level 3 (Junior Moogle) - Serenity Materials can be used.
 * Level 4 (Skilled Moogle) - Two kinds of special materials (Brightness, Energy, or Serenity) can be selected at a time.
 * Level 5 (Senior Moogle) - Rank C items are at half-cost.
 * Level 6 (Artisan Moogle) - Rank B items are at half-cost.
 * Level 7 (Master Moogle) - Rank A items are at half-cost.
 * Level 8 (Superior Moogle) - The strongest items in Free Development are unlocked.
 * Level 9 (Primo Moogle) - Rank S items are at half-cost.