Top Ten Kingdom Hearts Keyblades!

(This post may contain spoilers for some of the Kingdom Hearts games. If you want to go into the games knowing nothing, I would recommend turning back now 😉.)

Hello, everyone! Here is (finally 😂) the list of my top top favorite keyblades from Kingdom Hearts 2.8/Kingdom Hearts II and below. I will be making another list with only keyblades from Kingdom Hearts III. I just feel that because the Kingdom Hearts III keyblades have new elements to them that it just didn’t feel right to put them into this list just yet (emphasis on yet 😉.) Those keyblades deserve to have a list of their own ☺️. (And yes, a lot of these keyblades are from KHII, but what can I say? I just really love that game 😁.)

But enough rambling! Here is the list of my ten favorite keyblades!

  • Number 10: Kingdom Key (Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II)

Can’t have a favorite keyblade list without the keyblade that started it all. The Kingdom Key. Sora’s and Roxas’s default keyblade. Honestly, how can anybody not like this keyblade? It’s one of the few keyblades that ACTUALLY looks like a KEY. Grant it, it’s not the strongest keyblade out there, with stats such as +3 for strength and +1 for magic (at least in KHII). It’s also the first keyblade that I was introduced to, which is probably the case for a lot of other people. The iconic key-shape has been drawn all over my school notebooks back in the day and will someday be a part of a KH themed tattoo that I will (hopefully) get.

I am also a big fan of this keyblade because it seems like a good middle keyblade. A lot of the fights with the Heartless and the bosses takes brute force over magic, so having a +3 for strength as an ideal starting keyblade, which is probably why it is the default. However, I like that it does give that +1 to magic because it is usually the keyblade that is equipped when Sora (or Roxas) finally gain the ability to use magic. That +1 allows the user to have some “umph” behind their magical attacks and not just having Sora swinging all willy-nilly at the Shadow heartless (though, to be completely honest, I still have Sora do so even with stronger keyblades 😁).

At number 9, I have put the KHII Ultima Weapon. I am saying KHII mainly because I have the must experience with this weapon and because I think it has the best design out of all the Ultima Weapons for all the games. And I know what you’re thinking, why is one of the strongest weapons that you can get in KHII so far down (up?) the list? This keyblade has great, well-balanced stats with a +6 for strength and a +4 for magic, but ultimately (see what I did there?) it comes down to two major things: design and the extra ability boost is gives Sora.

First, as I said before, the design of the KHII Ultima Weapon is, in my opinion, the best out of all of the Ultima keyblades, including that of the new one in KHIII. For me, I do like having an aesthetically pleasing keyblade that I can swing around, but I have about 8 more keyblades that I like the appearance of rather than this keyblade. While pretty, the prettiness makes this keyblade look frail, and while I know that it’s not and there is no way for me to have Sora actually BREAK the Ultima Weapon, I know that if I could physically choose a keyblade to use, I wouldn’t choose this one because I would be afraid to break it. This Ultima Weapon is pretty and I don’t want to ruin it XD.

Secondly, the ability boost. The KHII ability that Sora gains from using this keyblade is MP Hastega, which is to help Sora regain MP faster after using all of it. While this ability is nice, I don’t honestly think it’s the greatest ability to have with what is supposed to be the ULTIMATE keyblade. I mean, Ultima is just a shorter version of the word “Ultimate” but the only thing that MP Hastega really helps me with is when I have to heal myself when Donald won’t -.- but even then, if I collect the clear bubbles, Sora’s MP restores quickly and this only helps when Sora’s MP is completely gone, not when it is partially used. Now, if the Ultima Weapon had something that could boost Sora’s magic AND physical attacks outside of just the increased stats, I think I would have put this keyblade lower on the list.

I just think that there was more that the Ultima Weapon could have offered. But I still really like this keyblade and out of the 24 keyblades that KHII offers, just not more than the four other KHII keyblades that are on this list, especially since Sora has to collect all the synthesis items before he can have this keyblade.

All right, my eighth favorite keyblade. And one not from KHII! Yay! Okay, so the Metal Chocobo keyblade. Sora gets this keyblade after defeating Cloud in the Hercules Cup in the Olympus Coliseum. Much like the Kingdom Key, this isn’t the prettiest keyblade on the list, but there is a reason why this on is lower on the list than both the Kingdom Key and the Ultima Weapon.

The first reason is the sense of accomplishment that I get whenever I receive this keyblade. Unlike the Ultima Weapon, Sora gains this keyblade by defeating Cloud and not merely by collecting items that can be very difficult to find. And I find that when on Standard and Critical/Proud mode, Cloud puts up a very good, and stress-inducing, fight. So when I beat him, I always have this feeling of accomplishment and I feel good all day and when I equip Sora with this keyblade, I always get this warm feeling, knowing how hard I had Sora work to gain this keyblade. It also doesn’t hurt that the strength on Metal Chocobo is a +9. But having a -1 on MP (magic) is why it is not lower on the list. I really do like having a keyblade that has a good balance of strength and magic, but the added feeling of accomplishment is why it is number 8 and not ninth. And the fact that this keyblade is tied to Cloud definitely boosts my love for this keyblade. I love my brooding bois 😊.

And the second reason why I love this keyblade and why the Metal Chocobo is number 8 is one word.

CHOCOBO.

Who doesn’t have a soft spot for those large chicken-like creatures? And the Metal Chocobo has a Chocobo on the keychain! It’s just so dang cute and really stands out against the dark grey and brown being bright yellow. And it looks like a little rubber ducky. What’s not to love💚?

And right back to KHII. Guardian Soul is the keyblade that Sora gets from Auron in the Underworld/Olympus Coliseum. This is one of the stronger keyblades that Sora obtains during the main story and doesn’t require any special requirements. The coloring of the Guardian Soul really correlates with Auron, with his symbol on the main shaft, which I think looks really cool. The teeth of the keyblade is one of my favorite features, looking like wing tips that are fire color. There is also the face on where the handle and the shaft meet, adding in that Sora met Auron in the Underworld and hinting at the fact that Auron was (SPOILER) dead at one point and Hades brought him back.

The Guardian Soul is another keyblade that is more strength heavy than magic with a strength of +5 and a magic of +1. Again, not a very balanced keyblade but the fact that Sora gains this keyblade from actually helping Auron out, even though Sora barely knows that man. I just get all happy and warm when seeing Sora weld Guardian Soul, knowing that Auron is okay and no longer under Hades control. Sora also gains a Reaction Boost from using this keyblade, which is really useful, far more useful then the MP Hastega. I use “Bushido,” the limit command between Sora and Auron, a lot, both on purpose and by accident, and I would much rather boost Sora’s joined attacks since he has items that can replenish his MP.

The Guardian Soul and the Metal Chocobo were really close in order and the main reason that the Guardian Soul won the seventh spot is because of the different colors and the two little nods to where, and who, Sora obtains the Guardian Soul from and that it gives magic a little boost.

I am a sucker for things dealing with stars and the galaxy and the Star Seeker keyblade really speaks to that side of me. I also really get a Sorcerer’s Apprentice vibe from this keyblade and I love it. The teeth of this keyblade is a crescent moon with a star inside of it, which adds to this keyblade’s uniqueness and correlates back to Mysterious Tower and all the starry doors that Sora has to go through to reach Yen Sid.

Now, stat wise, this keyblade is very similar to that of the Kingdom Key with a strength of +3 and a +1 to magic. The reason that Star Seeker is sixth is a mix of two things;

One: the entire design. I mentioned earlier that I really like stars and the galaxy and this is part of the reason for this keyblade being much lower on the list than the Kingdom Key. It also is one of the few keyblades, in my opinion, that can also represent how Sora, Donald, and Goofy travel from world to world, surrounded by stars. It also reminds me of how Kingdom Hearts is represented by a gigantic heart-shaped moon, which is a really cool tie back on how the keyblades and Kingdom Hearts are connected.

Two: the air combo plus ability. This ability increases combos done in midair by 1. I am constantly jumping and launching Sora into the air after heartless or nobodies and having a slight boost to attacks that can result in Sora being smacked away is super nice. I use aerial attacks much more than I use limit commands, mainly because it eats up Sora’s MP and, sometimes, Sora doesn’t need to be using such a powerful attack against one little Shadow heartless. He can just launch the little thing into the air and smack it around like a balloon.

The Star Seeker is also a keyblade that King Mickey uses in Birth By Sleep and it is rather cool that Sora gains the ability to use a keyblade that another keyblade user used. It helped the king and now it can help Sora ☺️.

Onto number five! As everyone knows, the Kingdom Key is Sora’s and Roxas’s default keyblade, the Wayward Wind is Ven’s default keyblade and I love it. It is a rather short compared to a lot of the keyblades that are in KH and KHII. The two-tone fading from black to brown is very nice and is another one of those keyblades that actually looks like a key. Grant it, more of an ancient key for a large padlock, but a key nonetheless.

Typical of a default keyblade, the Wayward Wind has a +3 for strength and a +1 for magic, which is just fine for getting into the game and still learning the new controls and magic. I chose Wayward Wind because it still holds that sense of innocents and wonder that Ven has about him in the beginning of the game. I also feel that it represents Ven the best before he begins to venture out to new worlds. It is simple, yet unique, and is a mix of two colors, which to me feels like who Ven is supposed to be, a whole person made of two halves.

Ven also holds this keyblade backwards! I was so surprised when I first played BBS that I actually asked Ven what he was doing. But, apparently, holding keyblades backwards works for the adorable boy Ven and who am I to judge him on how he uses his keyblades? Live your life, Ven🤗.

  • Number 4: Way to the Dawn (Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Dream Drop Distance)

So, this might seem like a weird pick for my favorite keyblades, seeing as Riku is the only one who can use this keyblade and the only time a player can actually use this keyblade is in Dream Drop Distance, but I thought it was important to add to this list.

First off, it is the first keyblade the player sees Riku use in KH and I think the design is amazing with the bird wing for the teeth of the key and the shaft looking like a bat wing and then the contrast of the black wing and the white wing on the handle. Way to the Dawn is the representation of how much Riku seems to struggle with keeping the balance of light and darkness within him at bay. And the name. The name is one of the best and so fitting, especially in DDD. Riku was struggling with his darkness all throughout KHII and in DDD and having his keyblade being called “Way to the Dawn” shows that Riku is working his way back to the light from the darkness that he has been shrouded in. It just fits Riku and the struggle he has gone through.

Now, the stats on this keyblade surprised me with a strength of +3 and a +0 for magic. I know that it is Riku’s default keyblade, but I thought that it would at least be on par with the Kingdom Key when it came to stats, mainly because of how freaking strong Riku is whenever Sora has to fight him in KH. However, Way to the Dawn is number four because just how much of Riku it seems to be. It represents his struggle and his journey way more than the Kingdom Key could do for Sora or Roxas.

Now for number three! In Kingdom Hearts II, the Bonds of Flames is my third favorite keyblade that Sora obtains during the main story. It always breaks my heart when I have Sora use it, knowing what happens to Axel in order for Sora to obtain this keyblade, but the design is so cool and so Axel that it feels like I’m having Sora carry around a piece of Axel when he uses it. Bonds of Flames is pretty much just Axel’s two chakrams attached together by a black metal shaft that cross-crosses in the center.

This is one of the most balanced keyblades in KHII with a strength of +4 and a +4 for magic. I really like having this balance between magic and strength because it just makes it seem that Sora is staying well-rounded and learning how to strength himself in all aspects of his powers. I really like to pair this keyblade with Sora’s Valor form, even though Bonds of Flames’ ability is a fire boost, which is just a magic boost for Sora’s Fire spell. I don’t usually use Fire all that much when I have Sora use magic, I lean more towards Cure, Thunder, and Blizzard as my go-to. I just really like how the colors coordinate well with the red of Sora’s Valor and this way I know that Sora will use Bonds of Flames at least once each game session.

Now, for second place: Sleeping Lion. This is the keyblade that Sora obtains from Leon before venturing to the Space Paranoids for the second time and I absolute adore this keyblade. The silver shaft and teeth with the blade handle looks so slick and sharp and the lion head keychain looks so cool. The very tip of the keyblade also has the same lion head shape as the keyblade and it all just screams “LEON” to me that I can’t help but want Sora to use it almost all the time so that he has a little piece of one of my favorite Final Fantasy characters in the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

This is another keyblade that I would consider being being rather well-balanced, especially for those players, such as myself, who tends to rely more on physical attacks but still wanting to sprinkling in some extra magic flare to finish off those pesky heartless and nobodies. With a strength of +5 and a +3 to magic, I have Sora use this keyblade for most his world venturing, especially for the combo plus ability, that allows for a little extra boost to ground-based combos. This is really helpful for when Sora is being swarmed by heartless and nobodies and allows him to have more “umph” when he sends them away. And the description in the game even says that Sleeping Lion is “Well-balanced with strength and magic,” so I’m not completely crazy 😂.

  • Number 1: Oblivion (Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II)

Now, for my number one pick is:

OBLIVION.

Sora obtains this keyblade (in KHII) from reuniting with Riku in The World That Never Was. Black is one of my favorite colors (and yes I know that black isn’t technically a color, but I love it anyways) and Oblivion is straight up black with a purple jewel where the shaft meets the handle. The handle guards are shaped like bat wings with the shaft having this chain-like detail that looks like it extends all the way down to the crown keychain. I really, really enjoy that the keychain looks exactly like Sora’s necklace, it’s such a simple design compared to some of the keychains, but it holds so much meaning that I can’t help but love it.

Now, Oblivion isn’t as balanced in stats as Bonds of Flames or Sleeping Lion, but the +6 for strength and the +2 for magic is still balanced enough for me, that I really don’t mind since I only really use three of the six spells that Sora gains throughout the game. So I still get the “umph” I like, but Sora can be a little more of a hard hitter during fights and leave the magic to Donald (or until he runs out of MP and starts smacking the enemies with his staff). Also, the drive boost ability that Oblivion provides for Sora makes up for the slightly lower magic bonus. Drive boost allows the drive gauge to fill faster while the MP gauge is empty. Which, if I’m gonna be honest, happens a lot with Donald seeming to think that Sora doesn’t need to be healed but Goofy does during a boss fight.

Another little thing that I enjoy is the fact that when Roxas has to fight Axel, he pulls out not only Oathkeeper, but Oblivion as well. Both are keyblades from Sora’s best friends that Roxas, Sora’s nobody, uses to fight his best friend. It just feels both right and wrong all at once and leaves me with feeling so much that I just want to hug Roxas and be like, “No, it’s gonna be okay. You can have my summer vacation. I’ll take you to all the beaches you want to visit. Just don’t do the thing.”

I just love all my brooding bois (Sora and Ven included even though they’re rather happy 🤗).

So that was my “Top Ten Kingdom Hearts Keyblades.” Honestly, this was so hard to narrow down. I think that a lot of the keyblades throughout the games are so well designed and look so good and cool that I kept rearranging and adding and taking out keyblades, which added to why this post took so stinking long to upload. Which, isn’t an excuse and I should be way more organized and less distracted by keyblades, but what’s a wannabe keyblade master like myself supposed to do? I can’t ignore my babies.

This list also showed me that I have a lot more to learn when it comes to the Kingdom Hearts keyblades. Like how someone actually took the time to measure out the lengths of at least the Kingdom Hearts II keyblades and my mind was blown on how short or long some of them were. I just always thought Sora was just really short like me and that normal length keyblades were huge on him. If any of you are interested in checking out keyblade lengths, click here.

I also used the official Kingdom Hearts Wiki for a lot of the stat information for the keyblades so that I didn’t have to constantly go into my game and then get distracted with having Sora running around trying to help people.

And I know, I have a lot of KHII keyblades on this list, but Kingdom Hearts II is honestly my favorite game in the franchise with Birth By Sleep coming in second. I’m still working through my feeling of Kingdom Hearts III, but right now I think it has a solid third favorite written on it, at least, until Kingdom Hearts IV is release ;).

But honestly, I really enjoyed sharing this with all of you. And let me know which keyblades are your favorites. Do you agree with me? Think I’m just crazy? Maybe even list your own top ten! Let me know in the comments 😉.

But until next time my fellow half-pints, let your heart being your guiding key. And I’ll see ya real soon.

– Sorax

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