By 
The choices you make at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts games can influence how Sora grows. This guide will break down which Kingdom Hearts II starting weapon you should pick.
Kingdom Hearts II Weapon Stats Explained
Luckily, this choice is much more straightforward in Kingdom Hearts II compared to the original. Shortly after starting the game Roxas chooses from three separate Struggle Bats, each one affecting his (and later Sora’s) stats. Also, unlike in Kingdom Hearts you don’t have to give one of the other starting weapons up.
Roxas chooses either the Struggle Wand, the Struggle Hammer (pictured above) or the Struggle Sword. Each will provide +1 to a specific stat.
- Struggle Wand grants +1 to the Magic stat.
- Struggle Hammer grants +1 to the Defense stat
- Struggle Sword grants +1 to the Strength stat.
Should you choose the Sword, Shield, or Staff in Kingdom Hearts II?
There’s actually a second choice of Starting Weapon in Kingdom Hearts II. During Roxas’s Dive to The Heart, there is a choice between three weapons. These mirror the original Kingdom Hearts choices.
Roxas can choose from a Dream Sword, Dream Shield, or Dream Staff. Like before, we’re only choosing one and not giving up another. The chosen weapon will also become Roxas’s Kingdom Key, so you won’t be fighting with the dream weapon. This choice dictates what order certain abilities unlock rather than stats.
- The Dream Sword prioritizes offensive abilities early on and grants one additional item slot.
- The Dream Shield does the same for defensive abilities but grants two additional item slots.
- The Dream Staff grants your magic abilities sooner. However, it does not have additional item slots.
No matter what option you choose, you eventually gain every ability by level 99. Because of this, many opt for the shield for that extra item slot. However, the choice is ultimately up to you.
Kingdom Hearts is now available on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via the Epic Games Store and Steam.
