Dream Weapon Selection - Awakening

Near the beginning of the game, Sora is presented with a sword, a shield, and a staff; you are required to choose one as your power and give one up in exchange. If you choose the sword as your power, your strength stat will be prioritized and attack-based abilities will be learned at earlier levels. The same applies for defense if you choose the shield, and for magic if you choose the staff.

Which do I pick?

It depends on your preferred play style! If you like staying on the offensive without much regard to being hit yourself, the Dream Sword may be appealing to you. If you're more methodical and like to learn how to parry enemy attacks to minimize damage, the Dream Shield may be ideal. If using magic to defeat enemies from afar is more your thing, the Dream Rod might be your go-to pick.

Okay, sure... But what do YOU pick, KHGuides? I personally recommend picking the shield for a first-time casual Kingdom Hearts playthrough. This gives you access to life-saving abilities like Guard and Second Chance as quickly as possible. The Dream Rod is really appealing for challenge runs and for those that enjoy using magic!

Starting Stats

The dream weapon you choose and sacrifice dictate your starting stats for strength, defense, MP, AP, and maximum item slots.

Choose Sacrifice STR DEF MP AP MAX ITEM SLOTS
4 1 3 3 6
2 3 3 3 6
4 4 2 1 8
3 4 2 3 8
5 2 2 1 7
5 1 2 3 7

Learned Abilities & Stat Increases

The dream weapon you choose also dictates the order in which you learn abilities and receive stat increases whenever Sora levels up.

DISPLAY: Abilities Only Stat Increases EXP (Cumulative) EXP (To Next Level)
EXP ROUTE: Dawn Midday Night
LEVEL EXP (cumulative) EXP (to next level)
Dream Sword
Dream Rod
Dream Shield
LV 2 121825 121825 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 3 284258 162433 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 4 5175102 233344 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 5 84120160 334558 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 6 130182238 466278 Sliding Dash🠉 HP +3 Stun Impact🠉 HP +3 Slapshot🠉 HP +3
LV 7 195266338 6584100 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 8 286376468 91110130 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 9 406526648 120150180 Scan🠉 DEF +2 Treasure Magnet🠉 DEF +2 Berserk🠉 DEF +2
LV 10 526676828 120150180 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 11 6468261008 120150180 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 12 82610361248 180210240 Slapshot🠉 MP +1 Ripple Drive🠉 MP +1 Tech Boost🠉 MP +1
LV 13 100612461488 180210240 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 14 118614561728 180210240 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 15 143617462048 250290320 Counterattack🠉 DEF +2 Scan🠉 DEF +2 Guard🠉 DEF +2
LV 16 168620362368 250290320 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 17 193623262688 250290320 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 18 228627263118 350400430 Tech BoostItem Slot +1 Hurricane BlastItem Slot +1 Stun ImpactItem Slot +1
LV 19 263631263548 350400430 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 20 298635263978 350400430 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 21 348640664558 500540580 Combo Plus🠉 DEF +2 MP Haste🠉 DEF +2 Scan🠉 DEF +2
LV 22 398646065138 500540580 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 23 448651465718 500540580 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 24 518658866488 700740770 Guard🠉 MP +1 Air Combo Plus🠉 MP +1 Lucky Strike🠉 MP +1
LV 25 588666267258 700740770 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 26 658673668028 700740770 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 27 757683669028 99010001000 Hurricane Blast🠉 DEF +2 Tech Boost🠉 DEF +2 Leaf Bracer🠉 DEF +2
LV 28 8566936610028 99010001000 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 29 95561036611028 99010001000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 30 108561166612328 130013001300 --🠉 MP +1
Item Slot +1		 --🠉 MP +1
Item Slot +1		 Treasure MagnetItem Slot +1
LV 31 121561296613628 130013001300 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 32 134561426614928 130013001300 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 33 153561606616728 190018001800 Blitz🠉 DEF +2 Guard🠉 DEF +2 --🠉 DEF +2
Accessory Slot +1
LV 34 172561786618528 190018001800 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 35 191561966620328 190018001800 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 36 218562216622728 270025002400 Treasure Magnet🠉 MP +1 Aerial Sweep🠉 MP +1 Second Chance🠉 MP +1
LV 37 245562466625128 270025002400 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 38 272562716627528 270025002400 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 39 310563066630728 380035003200 Ripple Drive🠉 DEF +2 Leaf Bracer🠉 DEF +2 Sliding Dash🠉 DEF +2
LV 40 348563416633928 380035003200 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 41 386563766637128 380035003200 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 42 440564236641428 540047004300 --Accessory Slot +1
Item Slot +1		 MP RageItem Slot +1 JackpotItem Slot +1
LV 43 494564706645728 540047004300 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 44 548565176650028 540047004300 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 45 623565826655728 750065005700 MP Haste🠉 DEF +2 Air Combo Plus🠉 DEF +2 Counterattack🠉 DEF +2
LV 46 698566476661428 750065005700 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 47 773567126667128 750065005700 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 48 879568016674728 1060089007600 Second Chance🠉 MP +1 Lucky Strike🠉 MP +1 Critical Plus🠉 MP +1
LV 49 985568906682328 1060089007600 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 50 1091569796689928 1060089007600 Combo Master🠉 HP +3 --🠉 HP +3 --🠉 HP +3
LV 51 124056110066100028 149001210010100 Stun Impact🠉 DEF +2 Sliding Dash🠉 DEF +2 Hurricane Blast🠉 DEF +2
LV 52 138956122166110128 149001210010100 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 53 153856134266120228 149001210010100 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 54 171856150766133728 180001650013500 🠉 HP +3
Item Slot +1		 🠉 HP +3
Accessory Slot +1		 🠉 HP +3
Item Slot +1
LV 55 189856167266147228 180001650013500 --🠉 STR +2 Combo Master🠉 STR +2 Combo Master🠉 STR +2
LV 56 207856183766160728 180001650013500 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 57 225856201766176728 180001800016000 Vortex🠉 DEF +2 Counterattack🠉 DEF +2 Treasure Magnet🠉 DEF +2
LV 58 243856219766192728 180001800016000 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 59 261856237766208728 180001800016000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 60 279856255766226728 180001800018000 Aerial Sweep🠉 MP +1 Berserk🠉 MP +1 Blitz🠉 MP +1
LV 61 297856273766244728 180001800018000 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 62 315856291766262728 180001800018000 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 63 333856309766280728 180001800018000 MP Rage🠉 DEF +2 Jackpot🠉 DEF +2 Combo Plus🠉 DEF +2
LV 64 351856327766298728 180001800018000 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 65 369856345766316728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 66 387856363766334728 180001800018000 Combo Plus🠉 HP +3 --🠉 MP +1
🠉 HP +3		 --🠉 MP +1
🠉 HP +3
LV 67 405856381766352728 180001800018000 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 68 423856399766370728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 69 441856417766388728 180001800018000 Leaf Bracer🠉 DEF +2 Slapshot🠉 DEF +2 Ripple Drive🠉 DEF +2
LV 70 459856435766406728 180001800018000 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 71 477856453766424728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 72 495856471766442728 180001800018000 Air Combo Plus🠉 HP +3 Treasure Magnet🠉 HP +3 MP Haste🠉 HP +3
LV 73 513856489766460728 180001800018000 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2 🠉 STR +2
LV 74 531856507766478728 180001800018000 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 75 549856525766496728 180001800018000 Treasure Magnet🠉 DEF +2 MP Rage🠉 DEF +2 Critical Plus🠉 DEF +2
LV 76 567856543766514728 180001800018000 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3 🠉 HP +3
LV 77 585856561766532728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 78 603856579766550728 180001800018000 Berserk🠉 STR +2 Blitz🠉 STR +2 Vortex🠉 STR +2
LV 79 621856597766568728 180001800018000 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 80 639856615766586728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 81 657856633766604728 180001800018000 Tech Boost🠉 STR +2 Tech Boost🠉 STR +2 Tech Boost🠉 STR +2
LV 82 675856651766622728 180001800018000 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 82 693856669766640728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 84 711856687766658728 180001800018000 Critical Plus🠉 STR +2 Vortex🠉 STR +2 Aerial Sweep🠉 STR +2
LV 85 729856705766676728 180001800018000 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 86 747856723766694728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 87 765856741766712728 180001800018000 MP Rage🠉 STR +2 Combo Plus🠉 STR +2 Combo Plus🠉 STR +2
LV 88 783856759766730728 180001800018000 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 89 801856777766748728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 90 819856795766766728 180001800018000 Lucky Strike🠉 STR +2 Second Chance🠉 STR +2 MP Rage🠉 STR +2
LV 91 837856813766784728 180001800018000 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 92 855856831766802728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 93 873856849766820728 180001800018000 Combo Plus🠉 STR +2 Combo Plus🠉 STR +2 Air Combo Plus🠉 STR +2
LV 94 891856867766838728 180001800018000 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 95 909856885766856728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 96 927856903766874728 180001800018000 Air Combo Plus🠉 STR +2 Critical Plus🠉 STR +2 Combo Plus🠉 STR +2
LV 97 945856921766892728 180001800018000 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2 🠉 DEF +2
LV 98 963856939766910728 180001800018000 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2 🠉 AP +2
LV 99 981856957766928728 180001800018000 Critical Plus🠉 STR +2 Combo Plus🠉 STR +2 Air Combo Plus🠉 STR +2
LV 100 999856975766946728 180001800018000 Jackpot🠉 DEF +2 Critical Plus🠉 DEF +2 MP Rage🠉 DEF +2
Data Credit: NickMcSleighten