Spirit

The Spirit System is a game mechanic in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. It involves the creation and training of Spirit Dream Eater companions that act as party members to Sora and Riku.

Ability Link

The Meow Wow's Ability Link Screen in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.

The Ability Link (アビリティリンク, Abiriti Rinku) is a board where the player can acquire new Commands and Abilities. Each Spirit-type Dream Eater has a different Ability Link which includes different commands and abilities, which can be redeemed with Link Points (リンクポイント, Rinku Pointo) (LP) by the player. New commands must be installed from the Command Deck menu, while new abilities are automatically installed. Stat Abilities only stay active while the Spirit from which they were acquired remains in the party.

An Ability Link is composed of various icons connected by colored paths, each one being a bonus, with the needed LP to acquire them on their bottom right. The Keyhole icon shows where the Ability Link starts, which is initially connected to a single bonus. After purchasing a bonus, adjacent bonuses will break out of their crystal shields and a pink line will extend to the icon, indicating that it is now available for purchase as well. Some paths are unlocked only if the Spirit is in a certain Disposition, indicated by colored arrows. There are also door-like icons that block the path to other bonuses until a certain quota is met. These can require the player to have a certain amount of a certain item, level up the Spirit to at least a certain level, or even Link with the Spirit a certain number of times.

Link Points can only be acquired if the Spirit is currently in the party. In combat, each enemy defeated earns one Link Point. Certain Training Toys will reward additional Link Points, namely the Water Barrel and certain kinds of Treats.

Affinity

Affinity is a stat representing Sora and Riku's bond with a Spirit. It has a max level of 9.

Petting

On the Spirit menu, players are able to interact with their Spirits. They can pet their Dream Eaters by touching the Nintendo 3DS's touchscreen, or the PlayStation touchpad in Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD. Petting Spirits in specific areas enough times can change their Disposition.

Disposition

The personality of a Dream Eater is determined by its Disposition (性格, Seikaku). Each Spirit has one of four dispositions, assigned semi-randomly during Spirit creation. Petting or poking the Spirit in certain areas, as well as having them eat certain types of treats, will cause it to switch to another disposition. Dispositions can only be changed once while in the Dream Eaters menu, and in order to change it again, one should go back to the main menu then back to the Dream Eaters menu.

The disposition controls which commands are available for Spirits to use on the battlefield and their relative frequency of use. In addition, a Spirit's disposition determines its eye color and shape and may unlock hidden paths on its Ability Link. While they do not have dispositions of their own, Nightmare Dream Eaters have access to the same attacks as a Spirit with a Type I (purple eyes) disposition, excluding abilities that grant positive status effects.

Creating Spirits

Spirits are synthesized via Dream Pieces, which are obtained via Treasure Chests, rewards for completing certain tasks such as Portals, or by defeating Nightmares. The Spirit menu allows synthesis of Spirits. Each Spirit requires a certain amount of certain Dream Pieces, and the requirements vary depending on the recipe.