Kingdom Hearts II
Drive Leveling and Information FAQ
Created by Fayt2700
Version: FinalV2.5

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This FAQ is based off the American version of KH2.

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My Goal:

My goal is to ensure you, the consumer, a non difficult time building up the
levels for your drive forms. This FAQ will explain the best ways (strictly in my
own opinion) for leveling your drive forms and various bits of information that
will help you along the way.

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Email me with any questions you may have. Please avoid asking questions where
the answers should be explained somewhere in the guide.
[email protected]

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The Drive Forms: Valor, Wisdom, Master, Final and Anti-Sora

When using the Drive command, you're given a list of forms you can choose from.
Throughout the game you'll earn 3 forms, and two secret forms which only one of
them can be acquired. Anti-Sora is a form which Sora becomes at random while
using different forms. This form cannot be selected, and will automatically
drain ALL of your drive gauge after reverting or depleting the form gauge. Each
of the other forms have a total of 7 levels, each with their own unique way of
gaining experience. At times, you'll experience a level cap, which won't allow
you to level your drive forms any further until you gain other forms.

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Valor Form: A form based around the use of physical attacks

The Valor Form is a fast, and high attacking form. When in this form, Sora
wields two keyblades and can easily attack the enemy with quick, damaging
combos. Having high strength makes leveling this form difficult.

Obtained: You obtain this form automatically after receiving your new change of
clothes in The Tower from the Three Fairies.

Number of Drive Gauges Used: 3

Character Required: Goofy MUST be in the party to use this form, when this form
is selected, you lose Goofy as a party member until the form gauge is depleted
or you revert.

Advantages: Quick, use of two keyblades (always cool), high attack
Disadvantages: No magic is used (Only items can be used for healing)

Abilities:
Form Level 2: Auto-Valor (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 3: High Jump LV1 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, High Jump LV2(Form)
Form Level 4: Combo Plus (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 5: High Jump LV2 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, High Jump LV3 (Form)
Form Level 6: Combo Plus (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 7: High Jump LV3 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, High Jump MAX (Form)

How to gain experience: The way to level this form is simple, for every time an
enemy is hit while in the Valor form, you'll gain 1 exp.

Where to Level: This form is easier to level when fighting enemies with high HP.
Anywhere you can fight enemy that takes several hits to kill is a great place to
level this form. Try avoiding the fat heartless, you'll most likely waste time
trying to hit them.

Best way to gain experience: The best way (again, in my opinion) to gain
experience for this form is to use low damaging weapons, so that you can score
quick consecutive hits on the enemy.

Weapons of Choice: Sweet Memories and Oath Keeper (only if you have them, the
keyblade Sweet Memories can be acquired after completing 100 Acre Wood)

Why these weapons? Simple, Sweet Memories does not add to strength, thus making
this weapon the weakest Keyblade in the game (take into consideration that your
attacks will be based off your current strength, meaning that just because this
weapon doesn't add strength doesn't mean it can't kill an enemy quickly).
Secondly, the Oath Keeper has an ability called 'Form Boost' which will allow
you to stay in your current form longer, which is great for leveling ALL forms.

Overall Rating: 3/5
All though this is a strong form, it does relinquish your magic spells, making a
tight situation even tighter at times. It is always wise to keep High Potions
equipped just in case of emergencies.

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Wisdom Form: A form based around the use of magical attacks

The Wisdom form is rather slow form, yet it's magical potential reaches new
heights. In this form, Sora only uses one keyblade, but instead of attacking, he
shoots his enemy, allowing him to attack from a distance and allow more evasive
maneuvering.

Obtained: You obtain the Wisdom Form after completing the world Timeless River.

Number of Drive Gauges Used: 3

Character Required: Donald MUST be in the party to use this form. You will lose
Donald as a party member until the form gauge is depleted or you revert.

Advantages: Fast magic casting, attack from distance
Disadvantages: Kind of slow, hard to level at beginning

Abilities:
Form Level 2: Auto Wisdom (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 3: Quick Run LV1 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, Quick Run LV2 (Form)
Form Level 4: MP Rage (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 5: Quick Run LV2 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, Quick Run LV3 (Form)
Form Level 6: MP Haste (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 7: Quick Run LV3 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, Quick Run MAX (Form)

How to gain experience: The only way to gain experience for this form is by
killing Heartless. Each time a Heartless is killed, 1 experience is gained.

Where to level: Anywhere with an abundance of WEAK heartless. You'll want to
kill your enemy quickly to conserve the form gauge. A good place would be The
World that Never Was, where alot of Shadows spawn at high rates. These are the
weakest heartless, meaning you can kill a majority of them with one spell 
(most of the time) and conserve your MP for harder enemies.

I've been sent many emails regarding that Timeless River is one of the best
places to level this form. Simply take a trip through the windows for lots
of weak heartless. I haven't tried it yet, but you should. People claim this
to be ridicoulously fast training, so you should give it a shot.
Sorry guys, I can't just credit one person on this tip (many people sent 
in this tip), so everyone who sent email regarding this tip, I'd like 
to thank you all. 

Best way to gain experience: Using your magical spells will destroy a 
number of the heartless you have to face, so don't be afraid to cast 
the spells. You'll still have an MP Charge in the form, so once your 
out of MP, you'll have to use the Shoot command to attack until your MP is 
restored. Remember to fight weak heartless so your form will level quicker 
and retain more of it's form gauge.

Weapon of Choice: Oath Keeper
Why this weapon? This weapon is ideal for leveling all the forms because of its
ability form boost. This weapon is especially good for the Wisdom form, due to
its +3 to Magic, resulting in more damaging spells.

Overall Rating: 3/5
The Wisdom form is a well-balanced form, but after its leveled completely, you
will probably never use it again due to the magic potential and strength of 
the Master and Final forms.

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Master Form: A form specializing in both physical and magical attacks

The Master form is beautiful blend of physical and magical attacking. With the
use of two keyblades, Sora uses even more damaging combos, and has a new
powerful finishing move. In this form his current spells will be much more
powerful, making quick work of any enemy you face.

Obtained: After talking with Mickey in Ansem's Study.

Number of Drive Gauges Consumed: 4

Characters Required: The form requires the help of two friends. Meaning, you
must give up your party in order to use this form. The party will be usable
again after the form gauge is depleted or you revert.

Advantages: Extremely fast, strong finishing moves, much more powerful magic
Disadvantages: Loss of two friends (not much else wrong with this form)

Abilities:
Form Level 2: Auto-Master (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 3: Air Dodge LV1 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, Air Dodge LV2 (Form)
Form Level 4: Air Combo Plus (Sora), Form Gauge Up,
Form Level 5: Air Dodge LV2 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, Air Dodge LV3 (Form)
Form Level 6: Air Combo Plus (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 7: Air Dodge LV3 (Sora) Form Gauge Up, Air Dodge MAX (Form)

How to Level: The Master form is fairly easy to level, for every drive recovery
orb picked up, it gains 1 exp, for every high drive recovery orb picked up, it
gains 3 exp.

Where to Level: The Beast's Castle, The Land of Dragons, or Radiant Garden
(Hollow Bastion). These three places have an abundance of heartless who drop
lots of high drive recovery orbs (usually 6-7 per enemy).

Here's a little tip regarding quick leveling in The Land of Dragons,
provided by ~SLatios: 

In the Master form head to the Village, go north and kill all the heartless 
there  in normal form. Then, shift into Master and destroy the carts that 
drop Drive orbs (Fire/Fira/Firaga does nicely and it quickly destroys them) 
then go back to the Village, then back north. The carts respawn and, if you 
have Form Boost you shouldn't lose much of the drive bar (Mine pretty much 
never decreased below 9). 

My opinion about this tip: Very useful strategy, the carts will always respawn.
So take into consideration that they drop alot of drive orbs, which result
in quicker leveling. Thanks ~SLatios, keep up the good work!

Best Way to Gain Experience: Simply stick to those three places and the
experience will roll in. Avoid fighting Nobodies, whom drop nothing but MP 
orbs. (This won't help you level, only fight these if you need MP)

Weapons of Choice: Any Keyblade with high strength, Oath Keeper
The reason why you want high strength is so you can kill your enemies faster to
conserve your form gauge, which depletes faster than the other two forms. The
Oath Keeper should allow you to stay in your forms long enough to gain alot of
drive recovery orbs to level up this form fairly quickly.

Overall Rating: 5/5
This form truly has little flaws. It's a great form that makes fighting even
funner, and it'll make quick work of alot of the enemies.

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Final Form: A form based around the Keyblade's true potential of strength and
magic, the ultimate of all forms

Those who thought the Master Form was great will be blown away by the speed,
strength, and magic of this form. The combos are unbelievable, the speed is
remarkable, and the magic is all powerful!!!!

Obtained: Okay, so it took so long to rework this, but here is the TRUE
way of obtaining the Final Form. You can obtain this form using any of the 
previously obtained forms. You must fit the following criteria to
obtain this form:

- Have a total of 5 Drive Gauges
- Have activated the fight scene with Roxas and Sora
- You MUST be in battle when activating your drive form
- It can be obtained in ANY world after the fight scene

Some of this information was provided by Eternal.Pain. Sorry the confusion
wasn't cleared up sooner.

Easy way to obtain this form: 
I know I should of mentioned some of the auto drive filling things, but it 
crossed my mind. An easy way to obtain this form is to go to The World That 
Never Was and right after the fight Xigbar (dude with the gun I believe) 
Donald and Goofy will be walking around the area you defeated him in. 
Progress foward to Naught's Skyway, BUT DO NOT goto the next area. 
Transform into any  desired form in a group of enemies, if you do not 
transform, head back to where Donald and Goofy are while in your drive form. 
Your drive will be maxed out again, and rinse, lather, repeat until you have 
the Final Form.

For those who've already gone past this point, head to where the Final door
to Kingdom Hearts lies(Xemnas Fight)All your friends will be standing around, 
so leave back outside and use your drive form in a group of enemies. If you 
fail to go into the Final Form, head back to where all your friends are, and 
your drive gauge should be maxed out again. You must enter the door while in a 
drive form.

Use a majority of any drive gauge glitches and use it to your advantage to
obtain this form. Easiest way in my opinion is to go ahead and stick to the
ones above, but if you're not to those points, this works out great.

Number of Drives Consumed: 5

Advantages: Extremely fast, extremely strong, fast magic casting, and the list
goes on and on
Disadvantages: You still lose two friends, but the result will make you want to
fight alone! Other than that, there are no other disadvantages.

Abilities:
Form Level 2: Auto-Final (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 3: Glide LV1 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, Glide LV2 (Form)
Form Level 4: Form Boost (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 5: Glide LV2 (Sora), Form Gauge Up , Glide LV3 (Form)
Form Level 6: Form Boost (Sora), Form Gauge Up
Form Level 7: Glide LV3 (Sora), Form Gauge Up, Glide MAX (Form)

How to Level: For every Nobody destroyed, 1 exp is gained.

Where to Level: The World that Never Was. This is pretty much the best place to
level this form, due to the castle having nothing but Nobody enemies. The Tower
is also a nice place to level.

Best Way to Gain Experience: Use your magical spells in big groups of enemies to
destroy them quickly, thus resulting in faster leveling.

Weapons of Choice: Any weapon with high strength and magic, Oath Keeper
You want to destroy your enemies quickly so using weapons with high 
strength and magic will make leveling this form rather easy. You already 
know the reason for the Oath Keeper.

Overall Rating: 5/5
This form is simply amazing, pretty much any action you choose will harm the
enemy in some way or another, and leveling up this form will give you the Glide
ability (which is always fun) stick to The World that Never Was for fast
leveling.

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Anti-Sora Form: A form based around the darkness in one's heart, blazing speed
at one's finger tips

Sure, I make it sound cool, but in truth this form is actually pretty bad. The
only good thing about this form is that its speed goes unmatched, attacking the
enemy in quick bursts. This form is relatively weak, but the speed makes up for
some of it.

Obtained: You will become this form when your Anti-points hit a certain mark 
while using the Valor, Wisdom or Master form. This form cannot be selected 
even  after used.

Number of Drive Gauges Consumed: All of them.....

Advantages: Fastest form, all moves acts as finishers, parries moves
Disadvantages: Consumes all Drive Gauges, Loss of Magic, Loss of both party
members, and cannot revert while fighting enemies. No experience gained, 50%
more damage taken, and cannot pick up HP orbs. (THAT SUCKS!!)

This form cannot be leveled at all. Any time your in the form is strictly by 
bad luck. I have only one idea of trying to prevent becoming this form. 
Transform into the desired form when there are no enemies around, this 
is just a guess, but it has worked everytime I've tried it.

Anti-Sora Form Explained?
I've recieved some E-mails regarding the prevention and how often you'll
transform into this form, and it's all based on a point system. The
following was provided by Beamneocube:

There actually is a pattern/probability of changing into Anti-form. 
There are these things that you cant see called Anti-points. Whenever 
you go into Valor, Wisdom, or Master forms, your Anti-points go up by 
one (+1). If you change form while an ally is unconcious, the points do 
nothing (+0, -0) When you change into Final form, the Anti-points go 
down by ten(-10). Whenever you actually go into Anti-Form, they drop by 
four (-4).  Also, when you aquire a new form, the points reset 
themselves. So basically, the more Anti-points you have, the more of a 
chance there is that you will go into Anti Form. If you have 0-4 Anti 
points, there is a 0% chance of changing. If you have 5-9 points, there 
is a 10% chance. If you have 10 or more, then there is a 25% chance. 
That though is not the only thing that affects the change rate. During a
normal fight, the percent is x1. During most scripted battles, 
the chance is x2. During fights with Organization XIII, it is a x4. 
Against Armored Xemnas, there is a x10 multiplier. In battles with 
Non-Party Coopritive Characters, (such as those with the people from 
Final Fantasy and when Hercules is with you, but you cant see his health
bar) there is no chance of transforming (x0).

So how does one prevent Anti-Sora? Simple, use the hell out of Final, 
which will knock down the Anti-Points by a total of 10, meaning the 
more you use it, the less of a chance you'll have of EVER becoming
Anti-Sora again. This has been tested by many of the people who've
sent me emails over the past couple of days, so all the credit goes to
everyone who has contributed to this portion of the guide. Thanks for
your help guys, keep up the good work!

Overall Rating: 1/5
This form just sucks. All there is to it. Please no more emails 
regarding the Anti-Sora dillema. It should be solved up above.

Some of its advantages were provided by Kitsune, again thanks.

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Thanks, Credits & Legal Stuff

Special thanks to everyone who thinks this guide has helped them, and special
thank to Square Enix for making a truly great game. A very special thanks to
Kitsune, whom allowed me the use of his ability list. (Saved me a lot of time
and effort). Thanks to ~SLatios and Beamneocube for their contributions.
Special thanks espically to all those who contribute to my guide.

Created by Fayt2700

This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web
site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation
of copyright. (Thanks Gamefaqs.com for this little number)

Sites I will allow:
www.gamefaqs.com
www.1up.com