KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5: Starting Choices Guide

Upon starting Kingdom Hearts, you will be greeted to two choices; a power to focus on, and a focus to give up.

The Sword:
Choosing the Sword results in Sora gaining more attack and attack-focused skills earlier.
If the Sword is picked, Sora will have a Strength stat of six, which is the highest possible at level one.
Sacrificing the Sword will not make much of a difference in combat ability, particularly towards the end of the game.

The Shield:
The greatest advantage that comes with choosing the Shield is the early access to both Leaf Bracer, which makes Sora immune to all damage while healing, at level 27, and Second Chance, which leaves Sora with 1HP remaining if he takes a fatal blow with more than 1HP in his pool, at level 36.
Sacrificing the Shield will result in a slower defense stat at the beginning of the game.

The Staff:
The Staff, as would be expected, affects the amount of MP available to Sora as well as allowing him to learn several great skills earlier on in the campaign.
Thankfully, sacrificing the Staff results in the same MP as when the Sword or Shield is sacrificed. Sora’s MP pool only goes up if you choose to take the Staff, when Sora reaches a certain level, or with certain keychains equipped.

Once you are on Destiny Islands, three Final Fantasy characters will ask you questions. These do indeed impact the game.

Depending on which answers you choose, the number of experience points you need to level up at different stages of the game will change. This can either be helpful or hurtful, depending on your choices.

There are three possible ways this can turn out: You’ll be able to have an easier leveling experience at the beginning, keep the XP required per level static, or reduce the XP needed to level in the late game.

• When your journey begins at dawn, the first 50 levels require less XP, and those beyond 50 require more.
• When your journey begins at midday, the XP required per level will stay the same throughout the game.
• When your journey begins in the dead of night, the first 50 levels require more XP, but those afterward will require less.

Choosing the first, second, or third options exclusively for each question will result in their respective paths: dawn, midday, and night.

This is the fastest way to get through the questions, but it takes away from some story elements on your end.

Dawn Answers

• Getting old, broaden my horizons, being number one.
• Getting old, to see rare sights, being number one.
• Getting old, to see rare sights, friendship.
• Getting old, to see rare sights, my prize possessions.
• Getting old, to be strong, being number one.
• Being different, to see rare sights, being number one.
• Being indecisive, to see rare sights, being number one.

Midday Answers

• Getting old, to broaden my horizons, friendship.
• Getting old, to broaden my horizons, my prize possessions.
• Getting old, be strong, friendship.
• Being different, see rare sights, friendship.
• Being different, to broaden my horizons, being number one.
• Being different, to broaden my horizons, friendship.
• Being different, to broaden my horizons, my prize possessions.
• Being different, to be strong, being number one.
• Being different, to be strong, friendship.
• Being indecisive, to see rare sights, friendship.
• Being indecisive, to broaden my horizons, being number one.
• Being indecisive, to broaden my horizons, friendship.

Night Answers

• Getting old, to be strong, my prize possessions.
• Being different, to see rare sights, my prize possessions.
• Being different, to be strong, my prize possessions.
• Being indecisive, to see rare sights, my prize possessions.
• Being indecisive, to broaden my horizons, my prize possessions.
• Being indecisive, to be strong, being number one.
• Being indecisive, to be strong, friendship.
• Being indecisive, to be strong, my prize possessions.

---

Thanks to Kylerfunk for their excellent guide; all credit belongs to their effort. If this guide helps you, please support and rate it here. Enjoy the game.