Most RPGs have very few choices that can affect things in the game. The story is set, the outcomes are already written, the only thing that’s not fully set in stone is what happens between cutscene A and cutscene B. There are a couple of choices that you have that will have an affect on your playthrough! Here’s what I can tell you about them.
Awakening – Sword, Shield, Staff
The first choice you have that will have a big impact is set up on three pillars. Concept? You have to choose which of the three items; a sword, a shield, or a staff; fit your Sora best. Each have their own strengths and their own weaknesses and technically they can all fit Sora if you play them right. You are also asked to forsake one of them too, which will leave an area of Sora lacking a bit. Here are the combinations and what outcomes you get!
- Take Sword, forsake Shield – High strength and AP, low Defense. Okay mana and items
- Take Sword, forsake Staff – High strength, low AP. Okay everything else
- Take Shield, forsake Sword – Very even playthrough with a slight weakness in MP. High items
- Take Shield, forsake Staff – High strength and defense, low AP and mana. This is the one I use most often
- Take Staff, forsake Sword – Pure even throughout the stats, but low on items.
- Take Staff, forsake Shield – High strength, mana, and AP, low on defense and items
Overall stats isn’t the only thing this all affects! Stats can be adjusted through items and equipment. The amount of item slots you get cannot be adjusted though. Choosing the Shield gives the most item slots, Sword next, and Staff least.
This also affects when you will learn certain abilities! Once you hit level 6 you start getting abilities about every 3 levels. This isn’t a set in stone number, but more often than not. While you will see the same abilities pop up, some they never pop up at the same times! Here are some critical ones I found have very different time frames:
- Scan – Sword level 9 / Shield level 21 / Staff level 15
- Guard – Sword level 24 / Shield level 15 / Staff level 33
- Second Chance – Sword level 48 / Shield level 36 / Staff level 90
- Leaf Bracer – Sword level 69 / Shield level 27 / Staff level 39
- Combo Master – Sword level 50 / Shield level 55 / Staff level 55
- MP Haste – Sword level 45 / Shield level 72 / Staff level 21
- MP Rage – Sword level 63 & 87 / Shield level 90 / Staff level 42 & 75
If you’re playing through a speed run? Having one that will give fast healing and continuous attacking may be super helpful. Going through Proud Mode? Leaf Bracer and Second Chance are need to haves as well as lots of mana. So make sure you choose wisely!
Pseudo Destiny Island – Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka
This part seems minimal and like it won’t have much of an effect at all but in all truth it has a massive one. The answers to this questions change how you will level up throughout the game. Based on what answers you choose will change how quickly or slowly you will level during certain parts of the game, which can drastically change how you go through the game.
The quick of how to know which of the three paths you’ve taken is when you “begin your journey”. Top answers will have you start at dawn, middle answers at midday, and bottom at midnight. While this does not change anything story wise for you, it will either speed you up or slow you down, which may be your goal.
- Dawn – Level 1-50 is accelerated, but 51-100 is slowed
- Midday – Level is consistent throughout
- Midnight – Level 1-50 is accelerated, but 51-100 is slowed
Now, choosing the midday choices seem to be like a no brainer, but there are a couple of times I purposefully chose either Dawn or Midnight.
Say you’re going for the speedster trophy. In this, you have to beat the game in 15 hours. Leveling faster will be beneficial for this, so Dawn would make more sense as if you know what you’re doing you can easily beat the hour long Ansem fight at level 50.
What if you’re doing a Proud Mode run, but you know you’re going to be going back and doing run through things again and again to ensure you got everything once you get all the abilities and trinities and puppies? A midnight approach may be better at that point because as you lack the going back and doing things due to unlocking all the things, you’ll already be up enough in levels that you should be starting to accelerate!
