Abilities (KHBBS)

The Abilities screen in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. Shown are the Prize and Status abilities.

The Ability system in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is very similar to that of Kingdom Hearts II, while also drawing inspiration from the Esper/Materia-based systems of the Final Fantasy series. While the abilities present in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep parallel those of earlier games, only passive abilities are found in the Abilities menu, as active abilities are implemented through the Deck Command system.

Instead of requiring AP to activate abilities, the system in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep has the player attach a set ability to the Deck Commands that they create through the Command Meld process. Each command recipe has a certain set of abilities that can be attached to the finished product, with the result depending on the synthesis material applied to the ingredients.

Once an ability is attached to a command, it is activated by adding that command to the Command Deck. Once the command is mastered, the ability is permanently added to the list of abilities, even if the command is removed from the deck, and it can be freely turned on or off. It is possible to acquire multiple copies of many abilities by repeating this process.

The Abilities list is divided into Prize abilities, Stats abilities, and Support abilities. Prize abilities, produced by Abounding and Hungry Crystals, increase the amount of prizes dropped by slain enemies, or make it easier to pick them up. Stat abilities, produced by Fleeting, Pulsing, Shimmering, or Soothing Crystals, increase the power or effectiveness of the character's various forms of offense or defense. Finally, support abilities, produced by Abounding, Pulsing, Soothing, or Wellspring Crystals, provide miscellaneous supporting effects.

A number of abilities are not implemented in the Abilities menu; rather, they are activated during Dimension Links. These abilities are not listed below.

Prize abilities

Ability	Max	Description	Synthesis material
Treasure Magnet (ドロー, Dorō, lit. "Draw")	5	Automatically scoops up nearby prizes for you. Multi-install the ability to increase range.	Hungry Crystal
HP Prize Plus (HPプライズアップ, HP Puraizu Appu, lit. "HP Prize Up")	3	Increases the number of HP prizes enemies drop. Multi-install the ability for even more prizes.	Hungry Crystal
Link Prize Plus (リンクプライズアップ, Rinku Puraizu Appu, lit. "Link Prize Up")	3	Increases the number of D-Link prizes enemies drop. Multi-install the ability for even more prizes.	Abounding Crystal
Lucky Strike (ラックアップ, Rakku Appu, lit. "Luck Up")	5	Increases the number of prize boxes enemies drop. Multi-install the ability for even more prizes.	Abounding Crystal

Stats abilities

Ability	Max	Description	Synthesis material
HP Boost (HPアップ, HP Appu, lit. "HP Up")	3	Increases your HP. Multi-install the ability to bump it up even further.	Soothing Crystal
Fire Boost (ファイアアップ, Faia Appu, lit. "Fire Up")	3	Increases the damage dealt by your Fire commands. Multi-install the ability to deal even more damage.	Shimmering Crystal
Blizzard Boost (ブリザドアップ, Burizado Appu, lit. "Blizzard Up")	3	Increases the damage dealt by your Blizzard commands. Multi-install the ability to deal even more damage.	Shimmering Crystal
Thunder Boost (サンダーアップ, Sandā Appu, lit. "Thunder Up")	3	Increases the damage dealt by your Thunder commands. Multi-install the ability to deal even more damage.	Shimmering Crystal
Cure Boost (ケアルアップ, Kearu Appu, lit. "Cure Up")	3	Increases the amount of HP you recover with Cure commands. Multi-install the ability to recover even more.	Shimmering Crystal
Item Boost (アイテムアップ, Aitemu Appu, lit. "Item Up")	3	Increases the effectiveness of recovery item commands. Multi-install the ability for an even larger improvement.	Soothing Crystal
Attack Haste (アタックヘイスト, Atakku Heisuto)	5	Shortens the reload time for all attack commands installed in your deck. Multi-install the ability for even quicker reloading.	Fleeting Crystal
Magic Haste (マジックヘイスト, Majikku Heisuto)	5	Shortens the reload time for all magic commands installed in your deck. Multi-install the ability for even quicker reloading.	Fleeting Crystal
Combo F Boost (コンボFアップ, Konbo F Appu, lit. "Combo F Up")	2	Increases the damage dealt by the last blow of your combos. Multi-install the ability to deal even more damage.	Pulsing Crystal
Finish Boost (コマンドFアップ, Komando F Appu, lit. "Command F Up")	2	Increases the damage dealt by your Finish command. Multi-install the ability to deal even more damage.	Pulsing Crystal
Fire Screen (ファイアガード, Faia Gādo, lit. "Fire Guard")	2	Increases your resistance to Fire attacks. Multi-install the ability to bump it up even further.	Shimmering Crystal
Blizzard Screen (ブリザドガード, Burizado Gādo, lit. "Blizzard Guard")	2	Increases your resistance to Blizzard attacks. Multi-install the ability to bump it up even further.	Shimmering Crystal
Thunder Screen (サンダーガード, Sandā Gādo, lit. "Thunder Guard")	2	Increases your resistance to Thunder attacks. Multi-install the ability to bump it up even further.	Shimmering Crystal
Dark Screen (ダークガード, Dāku Gādo, lit. "Dark Guard")	2	Increases your resistance to darkness-based attacks. Multi-install the ability to bump it up even further.	Shimmering Crystal
Reload Boost (リロードブースト, Rirōdo Būsuto)	1	Shortens the reload time for all commands installed in your deck whenever your HP falls below 25%.	Fleeting Crystal
Defender (ディフェンダー, Difendā)	1	Increases your Defense whenever your HP falls below 25%.	Soothing Crystal

Support abilities

Ability	Max	Description	Synthesis material
Zero EXP (EXPゼロ, EXP Zero)	1	Prevents you from gaining any EXP when you defeat enemies.	N/A
Combo Plus (コンボプラス, Konbo Purasu)	3	Adds one stroke to your ground combos. Multi-install the ability for even longer combos.	Wellspring Crystal
Air Combo Plus (エアコンボプラス, Ea Konbo Purasu)	3	Adds one stroke to your aerial combos. Multi-install the ability for even longer combos.	Wellspring Crystal
EXP Chance (EXPチャンス, EXP Chansu)	1	Doubles the EXP you receive whenever your HP falls below 25%.	Abounding Crystal
EXP Walker (EXPウォーク, EXP Wōku, lit. "EXP Walk")	1	Awards you 1 EXP for every step you take.	Abounding Crystal
Damage Syphon (ダメージアスピル, Damēji Asupiru, lit. "Damage Asper")	1	Restores some of the Focus Gauge when you take damage.	Soothing Crystal
Second Chance (ラストリーヴ, Rasuto Rīvu, lit. "Last Leave")	1	Ensures you always retain 1 HP after an attack that would otherwise finish you off, unless you are already down to 1 HP.	Pulsing Crystal
Once More (コンボリーヴ, Konbo Rīvu, lit. "Combo Leave")	1	Ensures you always retain 1 HP throughout a combo that would otherwise finish you off, unless you are already down to 1 HP when the first attack hits.	Wellspring Crystal
Scan (ライブラ, Raibura, lit. "Libra")	1	Displays the HP of the targeted enemy.	N/A
Leaf Bracer (リーフベール, Rīfu Bēru, lit. "Leaf Veil")	1	Prevents you from taking damage while using Cure commands.	Pulsing Crystal