Shotlock

The two forms of the Shotlock reticule; the left one still has time, whereas the one on the right does not.

Shotlock (シュートロック, Shūto Rokku, lit. "Shoot Lock") is a combat system that debuted in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep.

Mechanics

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, a Shotlock is initiated by holding down and simultaneously (or just in the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix port). The user enters a targeting mode and locks onto enemies, and by pressing ( in the Japanese version), the user then initiates a powerful attack that hits all targeted enemies. By locking onto the maximum amount of enemies, additional attacks can be added by following on-screen prompts. The amount of time the user has to lock onto targets depends on the Focus Gauge, which empties when the attack is initiated and can be refilled by attacking enemies and using Ethers. Most of the Shotlocks in Birth by Sleep can be learned by all three Keyblade wielders, but they also get several that are unique to themselves.

Each Shotlock can be enhanced by performing a certain action to add extra attacks. There are four methods of adding extra attacks, which determine the Shotlock's class.

• Class A (ボタン連打, Botan Renda, lit. "Button Barrage") Shotlocks involve pressing the button ( button in the Japanese version) rapidly.
• Class B (ランダム, Randamu, lit. "Random") Shotlocks involve pressing random buttons when prompted.
• Class C (タイミング, Taimingu, lit. "Timing") Shotlocks involve performing well-timed button presses.
• Class D (パツド回転, Paddo Kaiten, lit. "Pad Rotation") Shotlocks involve rotating the analog pad.

In Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-, a Shotlock is initiated by holding down . The user enters a targeting mode and locks onto enemies, and the Shotlock begins by pressing ( in the Japanese version). Triggering a Shotlock slows down time for the duration of the Focus gauge's depletion, allowing the player to maximize the number of lock-ons while minimizing damage and interference. Prism Rain is the only Shotlock available.

In Kingdom Hearts III, the mechanics are similar to 0.2. However, Shotlocks are now tied to Keyblades. Each Keyblade has a certain amount of Shotlocks; for most Keyblades, their Shotlocks are differentiated by whether the user used an incomplete or max lock when firing. However, Ultima Weapon and Destiny's Embrace each have just one Shotlock, Shooting Star and Hunny Spout's max-level Shotlocks depend on whether a max lock was used on a single target or a group of enemies, and Master's Defender and Braveheart's Shotlocks only prompt additional attacks when used at max lock akin to Birth by Sleep or 0.2. Visually, all of Sora's max-level Shotlocks implement the corresponding Keyblade's Formchange, with his clothes transforming into the corresponding Form for the duration of the Shotlock. As in 0.2, time is slowed while locking onto enemies; however, timers, such as the ones seen in minigames, as well as the Doom counter used by Marluxia's Replica Data, will still run at normal speed. The Airstep Flowmotion technique is also executed from the Shotlock menu by pressing .

List of Shotlocks

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

Name	Max Locks	Max LVL	Damage Type	Class	Description	Obtained
Meteor Shower (メテオシャワー, Meteo Shawā)	30	4	Neutral	A	Launch small, star-like projectiles at targets. Has an especially high lock-on count. Extra attacks: Press the button ( button in the Japanese version) rapidly to fire bursts of three additional meteors.	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Flame Salvo (フレイムバースト, Fureimu Bāsuto, lit. "Flame Burst")	15	4	Fire	A	Launch fireballs at targets. Extra attacks: Press the ( in the Japanese version) rapidly to fire bursts of three additional fireballs.	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Chaos Snake (カオススネーク, Kaosu Sunēku)	20	4	Neutral	A	Launch projectiles that zigzag at targets and confuse enemies they hit. Extra attacks: Press the button ( button in the Japanese version) rapidly to fire bursts of three additional projectiles.	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Dark Volley (ブラックボレー, Burakku Borē, lit. "Black Volley")	18	5	Dark	A	Launch dark projectiles at targets. Has a high lock-on count. Extra attacks: Press the button ( button in the Japanese version) rapidly to fire bursts of three additional projectiles.	Terra
Bubble Blaster (バブルブラスト, Baburu Burasuto, lit. "Bubble Blast")	15	5	Neutral	A	Launch bubbles at targets. Extra attacks: Press the button ( button in the Japanese version) rapidly to fire bursts of two additional bubbles.	Aqua
Ragnarok (ラグナロク, Ragunaroku)	16	4	Neutral	C	Launch a single salvo of light projectiles. Extra attacks: Perform a well-timed button press to fire additional projectiles (based on your timing rating).	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Thunderstorm (サンダーストーム, Sandāsutōmu)	5	4	Thunder	C	Launch a single salvo of electric blasts. Even one blast by itself packs a significant punch. Extra attacks: Perform a well-timed button press to fire additional blasts (based on your timing rating).	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Bio Barrage (バイオバラージュ, Baio Barāju)	8	4	Neutral	C	Launch a salvo of projectiles that poison (50% chance) targets. Extra attacks: Perform a well-timed button press to fire additional blobs (based on your timing rating).	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Pulse Bomb (パルスボム, Parusu Bomu)	20	5	Neutral	C	Launch energy blasts from the tip of your Keyblade and bombard targets with a series of small explosions. Has a high lock-on count. Extra attacks: Perform a well-timed button press to cause additional explosions (based on your timing rating).	Ventus
Prism Rain (レインボウシャワー, Reinbou Shawā, lit. "Rainbow Shower")	16	5	Neutral	C	Launch a salvo of rainbow-colored orbs. Extra attacks: Perform a well-timed button press to fire additional projectiles (based on your timing rating).	Aqua
Photon Charge (フォトンチャージ, Foton Chāji)	15	4	Neutral	B	Rush targets repeatedly and attack with the power of light. Extra attacks: Press random buttons when prompted to cause explosions centered around the foes you hit.	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Absolute Zero (アブソリュートゼロ, Abusoryūto Zero)	12	4	Blizzard	B	Cloak yourself in ice and rush targets repeatedly. Extra attacks: Press random buttons when prompted to cause pillars of ice to erupt beneath the foes you hit.	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Lightning Ray (ライトニングレイ, Raitoningu Rei)	18	4	Neutral	A	Rush targets repeatedly with lightning speed. Extra attacks: Press the button when prompted to repeat the rush attack.	Terra, Ventus, Aqua
Sonic Shadow (ソニックシャドウ, Sonikku Shadou)	10	5	Neutral	B	Become one with the shadows and rush targets repeatedly, blinding the enemies you hit. Extra attacks: Press random buttons when prompted to cause explosions centered around the foes you hit.	Terra
Ultima Cannon (アルテマキャノン, Arutema Kyanon)	16	6	Neutral	C	Terra's ultimate Shotlock. Transform your Keyblade into an enormous weapon that causes massive explosions with every blast. Extra attacks: Perform a well-timed button press to cause the bullets to explode after impact.	Terra
Multivortex (マルチボーテックス, Maruchibōtekkusu)	30	6	Neutral	D	Ventus's ultimate Shotlock. Rapidly swing the Keyblade and harness the wind to launch shockwaves at targets with every stroke. Extra attacks: Rotate the analog pad to elongate the whirlwind.	Ventus
Lightbloom (シャイニーブルーム, Shainī Burūmu, lit. "Shiny Bloom")	20	6	Neutral	D	Aqua's ultimate Shotlock. Perform a series of graceful spins as you fire blasts of light in all directions. Extra attacks: Rotate the analog pad to unleash a second barrage of projectiles.	Aqua
Dark Link (ダークオブリンク, Dāku obu Rinku, lit. "Dark of Link")	20	N/A	Dark	A	Light version of Vanitas' personal Shotlock. Generates three yellow crystals in a trigram formation which project rays that fuse and become a beam of light energy.	Ventus

Vanitas and Vanitas Remnant

Name	Attribute	Description
Dark Cannon (ダークキャノン, Dāku Kyanon)	Dark	During the last stage of the final battle between Ventus and Vanitas, Vanitas uses a Shotlock called "Dark Cannon", in which Vanitas fires a beam of dark energy, augmented by a rotating triangle of blue crystals. Through his D-Link with Vanitas, Ventus gains a gold-colored version of the same Shotlock, named "Dark Link", which he can use to combat Vanitas's Dark Cannon. The secret boss, Vanitas Remnant, can also use Dark Cannon, but the attack cannot be countered.

Kingdom Hearts III

Ability	AP	Description	Obtained
King of Hearts (キングオブハート, Kingu obu Hāto, lit. "King of Heart")	—	Fire a burst of magical projectiles from the end of your Keyblade.	Kingdom Key, Midnight Blue, Phantom Green, Dawn Till Dusk, Elemental Encoder, Advent Red
Ragnarok (ラグナロク, Ragunaroku)	—	Fire streams of brilliant light that fly at targets.	Kingdom Key, Midnight Blue, Phantom Green, Dawn Till Dusk, Elemental Encoder, Advent Red
Drain Shock (ドレインショック, Dorein Shokku)	—	Absorb HP from targets.	Hero's Origin
Atomic Deluge (アトミックヘビーレイン, Atomikku Hebī Rein, lit. "Atomic Heavy Rain")	—	Use a shield to scatter lightning in all directions.	Hero's Origin
Meteor Shower (メテオシャワー, Meteo Shawā)	—	Spin your Keyblade and send shooting stars careening toward targets.	Shooting Star
Diving Barrage (ダイブバラージュ, Daibu Barāju, lit. "Dive Barrage")	—	Rain magical arrows down on targets from directly overhead.	Shooting Star
Cluster Cannonade (クラスターランチャー, Kurasutā Ranchā, lit. "Cluster Launcher")	—	Launch a giant rocket that splits into many smaller projectiles.	Shooting Star
Ghost Horde (ゴーストデュエル, Gōsuto Dyueru, lit. "Ghost Duel")	—	Create avatars that charge at targets repeatedly.	Favorite Deputy
Drill Dive (ドリルダイブ, Doriru Daibu)	—	Warp around and fly at targets repeatedly.	Favorite Deputy
Shimmering Drops (ゴールデンドロップ, Gōruden Doroppu, lit. "Golden Drop")	—	Absorb HP from targets.	Ever After
Spectral Rays (プリズムレイ, Purizumu Rei, lit. "Prism Ray")	—	Attack by surrounding yourself with reflectors and bouncing magical light off them.	Ever After
Snakebite (スネークバイト, Sunēkubaito)	—	Fire a burst of snake-like projectiles from the end of your Keyblade.	Happy Gear
Warp Trick (デジョントリック, Dejon Torikku, lit. "Dezone Trick")	—	Create a network of portals and attacks from all directions.	Happy Gear
Hunny Burst (ハニーバースト, Hanī Bāsuto)	—	Fire a burst of honey projectiles from the end of your Keyblade.	Hunny Spout
Hunny Drizzle (ハニーダウンプール, Hanī Daunpūru, lit. "Honey Downpour")	—	Rain honey down on targets from directly overhead.	Hunny Spout
Sweet Surprise (ホーミングランチャー, Hōmingu Ranchā, lit. "Homing Launcher")	—	Launch a giant glob of honey that splits into many smaller projectiles.	Hunny Spout
Diamond Dust (ダイヤモンドダスト, Daiyamondo Dasuto)	—	Launch a series of spinning ice blades toward targets.	Crystal Snow
Frozen Crescents (フローズンクレセント, Furōzen Kuresento, lit. "Frozen Crescent")	—	Slash at targets repeatedly with blades of ice.	Crystal Snow
Blade Storm (ソードストーム, Sōdo Sutōmu, lit. "Sword Storm")	—	Launch a series of spinning wind blades toward targets.	Wheel of Fate
Flag Rampage (フラッグランページ, Furaggu Ranpēji)	—	Slash at targets repeatedly with blades of wind.	Wheel of Fate
Cubic Stream (キュービックトレイン, Kyūbikku Torein, lit. "Cubic Train")	—	Spin your Keyblade and send block-like projectiles careening toward targets.	Nano Gear
Zone Connector (ゾーンコネクター, Zōn Konekutā)	—	Create a network of portals and attack from all directions.	Nano Gear
Blades of the Round (エッジオブラウンド, Ejji obu Raundo, lit. "Edge of Round")	—	Launch a series of spinning blades of light toward targets.	Starlight
Union Ragnarok (ユニオンラグナロク, Yunion Ragunaroku)	—	Fire streams of brilliant light that fly at targets.	Starlight
Phantom Rush (ファントムラッシュ, Fantomu Rasshu)	—	Create avatars that charge at targets repeatedly.	Classic Tone
Noise Flux (ノイジージャンプ, Noijī Janpu, lit. "Noisy Jump")	—	Warp around and fly at targets repeatedly.	Classic Tone
Steam Spiral (スパイラルスチーム, Supairaru Suchīmu, lit. "Spiral Steam")	—	Spin your Keyblade and send fireworks careening toward targets.	Grand Chef
Fruit Crusher (フルーツクラッシュ, Furūtsu Kurasshu, lit. "Fruits Crush")	—	Use a shield to scatter fruit in all directions.	Grand Chef
Infinity Circle (インフィニティサークル, Infiniti Sākuru)	—	Gather magical forces and unleash them, devastating the surrounding area.	Ultima Weapon
Sunray Blast (サンセットブライト, Sansetto Buraito, lit. "Sunset Bright")	—	Spin your Keyblade and send shards of light careening toward targets.	Oathkeeper
Stellar Inception (ステラインセプション, Sutera Insepushon)	—	Blast enemies with a galaxy of stars.	Oathkeeper, Oblivion
Bladefury Eclipse (ドーンエクリプス, Dōn Ekuripusu, lit. "Dawn Eclipse")	—	Launch a series of spinning dark blades toward targets.	Oblivion
Focus Syphon (フォーカスアスピル, Fōkasu Asupiru, lit. "Focus Asper")	3	Add a special shotlock to your repertoire that costs no Focus. You will absorb Focus from the targets you lock on to. Stack the ability to increase the effect.	Sora, Sora, Sora
Prism Rain (レインボーシャワー, Reinbō Shawā, lit. "Rainbow Shower")	—	—	Master's Defender
Dark Divide[KH III RM] (ダークディバイド, Dāku Dibaido)	—	—	Braveheart
Heart of a Princess[KH III RM] (プリンセスハート, Purinsesu Hāto, lit. "Princess Heart")	—	—	Destiny's Embrace

Video

Birth by Sleep Shotlocks

Other appearances

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

The Vanitas Remnant utilizes a unique Shotlock during the battle against it. Vanitas Remnant takes the position it takes when using the Dark Cannon and surrounds itself in a black ball before shooting out copies of itself which make one slash before freezing in place.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

The Armored Ventus Nightmare utilizes a Shotlock against Riku during the final battle. When Riku absorbs his Dream Eaters to counter, the rest of the battle involves the two of them rushing against each other until one of them is knocked out.