Game:Larxene



Larxene appears as a boss in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, its remake, and Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. While she is first fought by Sora because she is merely "playing with him", Larxene faces him a second time with a goal of elimination in mind after she learns of Axel's betrayal. Fading away after the second battle with Sora, Larxene appears to him a year later as both an Absent Silhouette and a Data Rematch.

First battle
For the first battle against Larxene, the player should make sure they have a relatively even amount of HP and CP. This should be done to make sure that Sora will not only have a decent amount of cards in his deck, thus shortening the time spent reloading and worrying about an eventual lack of cards, but also that he will not be defeated by Larxene's first few attacks. So long as one knows when to heal and takes the necessary precautions, they will defeat Larxene with only moderate difficulty.

At the start of the battle, Sora can begin to attack Larxene with Sleights and either Magic or Attack Cards. Be wise when carrying out these attacks, especially when Sora's cards are being used in Sleights. Larxene will mainly use cards of a relatively low value, so her slashing attacks can be easily Card Broken. If not stopped they will hit multiple times, however, Sora may then need to use a Donald card (in the hopes that he uses Cure or one of its upgrades) or a Cure card to heal himself immediately afterwards. Using the Donald card is risky, however, as he may cast Thunder on Larxene, which will heal her. Larxene may also use an Attack Card to throw her Foudre Knives at Sora, but this tactic can be avoided by simply running out of the way. Larxene's Magic Cards cause her to cast a Thundaga spell at Sora, something easily avoided through Dodge Roll or a Card Break. Larxene will only use one Sleight to counter, Lightning Bolt, which causes her to shoot lightning from the tips of her Foudre at Sora, drawing him closer to her and stunning him for a time, which opens him up to an attack. When Larxene's HP dwindles, her Magic Card will change so that she can bombard Sora with slashes and then a Thunder spell, something best avoided through a Card Break.

While the battle with Larxene will be tedious, Enemy Cards such as Oogie Boogie and Jafar can make the battle a lot easier. Make full use of the special bonuses these Enemy Cards grant.

Second battle
Larxene takes a final stand against Sora and has higher HP. This not only means the battle will be a lot longer, but that Larxene will be much more powerful. Donald and Goofy return to aid Sora during the battle, meaning Friend Cards can be used again. Sora's arsenal of Sleights will most likely have expanded, so be sure to use them. Enemy Cards like Jafar, Captain Hook, Maleficent, and Oogie Boogie will also be useful, and before the player activates the cutscene that leads to the battle by talking to a defeated Riku Replica, be sure to head back to the Destiny Islands and save the game. This will restore Sora's HP and allow the player to restart the battle with Larxene. Donald will also restore Sora's HP before the second battle with Larxene, regardless of whether the player chose to save or not.

In this rematch, Larxene's attacks will be the same as those used in the first battle. She only has access to one new Sleight, Teleport Rush, a deadly attack comprised of multiple slash attacks. This can easily deplete Sora's HP to zero or at least the Alarm Zone if one is not careful, so be sure to Card Break this Sleight once Larxene activates it. Use offensive attacks and defense abilities such as Curaga evenly, and Larxene will fall with relative ease.

First battle
The first battle against Larxene should not be that much of a challenge. Friend Cards will be available during the battle, so they should either be saved for Sleights or individual use as Sora starts to run out of cards (only if they are of a high value). The Oogie Boogie and Jafar Enemy Cards will come in handy during this battle, so make sure Sora has enough CP to equip at least one, if not both. Otherwise, he should have a wide value range of Attack and Magic Cards within his deck, one or two cards with a value of zero, an Item Card such as a Potion with a high value to fully restore all used cards to Sora's deck if necessary. The player also will need to make sure they have at least one Cure Card with a high value in Sora's deck, as well.

At the start of the battle, immediately Lock-On to Larxene to keep track of her fast movements. She may attempt to slash Sora, but this attack can be avoided with either a Dodge Roll or a Card Break. Her Magic Cards still will cause a barrage of lightning to rain down on Sora, this avoidable only through a Card Break. If Larxene stocks two Magic Cards and one Attack Card into a Sleight, prepare for her to use the powerful Mega Volt ability as a result. This Sleight will cause Larxene to throw her Foudre to the ground and bombard Sora with lightning. A Card Break or Sleight of a higher value is the best way to avoid this attack. As Card Breaks will lower Larxene's defenses, this will be the time to attack her with physical combos, magic, or Sleights. Larxene will also simply throw her Foudre at Sora. These projectiles can either be jumped over, dodged with Dodge Roll, or stopped with a Card Break.

As Larxene's HP starts to dwindle, she will gain access to a new and potentially deadly Sleight, Teleport Rush. During Teleport Rush's execution, Larxene will teleport rapidly to Sora's location and slash him several times. With good timing, each combo can be dodged with Dodge Roll, but it is best to Card Break this attack before Sora's HP hits the Alarm Zone. At low HP, Larxene's Attack Cards will allow her to slash Sora and then hit him with lightning. Dodge Roll can be used to avoid the combo, but again, it is best if it is Card Broken. Larxene may activate the Yellow Opera Enemy Card, which will increase the damage dealt by her lightning-based attacks.

Second battle
Larxene returns with more HP and a new Enemy Card (she now has both the Larxene and Yellow Opera Enemy Cards) and a new Sleight, Blade Storm. Larxene will use many attacks from the first battle, including her slashing combo, the lightning barrage, and the Foudre throwing technique. Her Mega Volt and Teleport Rush Sleights also make a return. Each of these attacks can be avoided with the same strategies used during the first battle. Her new Sleight Blade Storm, has Larxene throw her Foudre to all areas of the battlefield, which then fire several beams of lightning in all directions. The beams will move slowly and will lift Sora off the ground and stun him when he lands.

The second battle against Larxene should not be any different than the previous battle. It is important, as with the last battle, that the player attack only when Larxene is reloading her deck or recovering from a Card Break. This way, Sora will not take damage from an immediate counterattack. The also player should use Curaga if necessary, as well as make full use of the Oogie Boogie, Jafar, Maleficent, or even Vexen Enemy Cards. Lastly, the player should make sure not to abuse Sleights, allowing Sora a greater number of cards to use throughout the battle. Should Larxene activate her Enemy Card, her speed will greatly increase.

Absent Silhouette
In Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Larxene appears as an Absent Silhouette, found at the entrance of Isla de Muerte in Port Royal during Sora's first visit. Due to the absence of card-based combat, her moveset is completely different from the one she utilized in Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories.

At the start of the battle, Larxene will begin charge and surround herself with damaging lightning. Sora will immediately have to quickly dodge or block three copies of her as they rush in his direction. Utilize High Jump LV2, Reflect, or a well-timed Guard to avoid taking damage. Larxene with reappear with a clone of herself, and proceed to attack Sora at intervals. If Sora successfully hits Larxene or her clone with a ground or aerial combo finisher, the Reaction Command "Merge" may appear. If Merge is used, Sora will grab Larxene by the wrist and throw her into the air. He then will grab her clone and spin her around, lifting her up off the floor. He will then hurl the clone at the original Larxene as she falls back down, causing them to forcibly merge, stunning her for a short time. This will consequently open Larxene up for more damage, but the player must remain cautious, as Larxene may come back to her senses and bombard Sora with lightning. It is not advised to fight Larxene during Sora's first trip to Port Royal, as this portion of the fight requires a dodging ability that Sora most likely does not have at the time. Reflect, a chain of Dodge Rolls, or Quick Run LV2 can be used to avoid this lightning attack, as well as any Thunder spells she attempts to hit Sora with. Sora can interrupt her in-between attacks, though he should be quick when moving in.

After about two bars have been depleted from Larxene's total HP, her clones will begin to attempt a ground assault. Several will rush at Sora either in a straight line with a long delay, or from all directions with a shorter delay. Guard or Reflega should be used to avoid the incoming clones. They may also attempt to slash Sora in droves. A well-timed Guard or Reflect will protect him. Not only will the Reflect prevent damage, but it may also deal damage to Larxene. If she vanishes and the screen blackens, the player must prepare for a rather deadly desperation attack. During this tactic's execution, the Larxene clones will surround and slash Sora, before encircling and rushing at him. The true Larxene will then attack Sora from above with a downward slam and a lightning strike. At least 3 timed Guards are needed to avoid damage; one for the assault, one for the encircling attack, and one for the downward slam, though Reflect magic is a good option. Should one get caught in it, immediately cast Cure or use any kind of healing item, Elixirs and Hi-Potions recommended. Larxene will then proceed to reuse previously seen attacks until her HP starts to dwindle.

When Larxene's HP has been depleted to its second-to-last bar, she will charge power and surround herself with lightning as she usually does. However, instead of teleporting away to perform a rush attack with her clones, Larxene will levitate, shining with lightning energy. She then will begin to spin in place as she executes her most devastating attack, which involves her firing long columns of lightning spheres from her arms in a straight line. These spheres deal damage when touched, so the best way to avoid them is to either stay airborne or remain within the gaps between the two lightning orb columns, or if either Donald or Goofy have not been downed, initiate a Limit, as it will nullify all incoming damage and may even damage Larxene should it outlast the attack. Though this attack has a strong chance of dropping Sora's HP into the Alarm Zone, and if Donald and Goofy either have no items or have been knocked out, prioritize healing Sora immediately. Larxene will often rush at Sora with her copies immediately after this destructive desperation attack, so be prepared to Guard or cast Reflect. From this point forward, Larxene will use all previously seen attacks (including the lightning sphere columns).

It is important that the player not cast any Thunder spells during the battle, as Larxene will just absorb the attack. One should utilize Merge if possible, as this will not only open Larxene to more damage, but it also will cause her clones to vanish for a time. Equip Sora with plenty of healing items, especially Elixirs and Megalixirs, and also ensure that he has the Cure and Reflect spells in his magic shortcut menu for easy defensive and recovery use. The player should make sure Sora is of a relatively high level and that they have maxed out the levels of his Drive Forms, equipping their unique abilities so he can dodge Larxene's attacks with greater success. Sora, Donald, and Goofy should also be equipped with armor such as the Thunder Trinket or the Petite Ribbon and Grand Ribbon to minimize the damage caused by Larxene's lightning-based attacks.

Data Rematch
The battle against Larxene's Data Rematch will flow quite similarly to the battle against her Absent Silhouette. The only differences will be the amount of HP she has and the pattern in which she uses her attacks. All the player must do is recall the strategy used in the Absent Silhouette battle and use the Merge Reaction Command if necessary. Sora also should be of a relatively high level, using spells such as Curaga and Reflega, as well as Drive Forms and a powerful Keyblade such as the Ultima Weapon. Defeat Larxene's Data Replica, and a Lost Illusion will be obtained.