User:EternalNothingnessXIII/Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Walkthrough/Story Walkthroughs/Tutorial
In the opening tutorials of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, you assume the role of Ventus, one of three playable heroes you can choose to embark on an epic journey as at a later point in the game.
As soon as the game lets you take control of Ventus, press 
in order to view the game's basic controls. The analog stick will allow you to walk or run depending on how much pressure you put on it. 
is used to jump and 
/
rotate the camera. Tap either of these two buttons twice to recenter the camera after you've adjusted it.
Now that you know the basic necessities of moving around on the world map, it is time to meet your assigned gameplay objective and head to the summit!
Begin the quest to meet your objective by walking straight into the next area. Ventus finds several large rings hanging before him, and the tutorial continues by teaching you how to attack. Land a basic three-hit combo on the first ring by pressing 
three times. This concludes this section of the tutorial, the ring dropping several HP balls upon the recognition of this achievement. Collect these invaluable prizes to learn that this will occur whenever enemies are defeated over the course of the game.
Ventus proceeds to the next set of rings in a short cutscene, after which you must strike these multiple targets by using the Commands in your Command Deck (execute these unique attacks by pressing 
; scroll through your Command Deck using 
and 
). After this is done, the game requests that you Lock-On to one of the rings. To do this, simply tap and at the same time. To disengage Lock-On or switch targets, tap the buttons a second time.
When you have finished the tutorials involving the rings, a treasure chest appears off in the distance. Jump onto the cliffside in front of you, approach the chest, and press to open it. Your prize for completing this objective is the Sliding Dash Command, which the game gives you the option of installing into your Command Deck by pressing to access the main menu. Whether you decide to do this or not, jump onto the second ledge in front of you and proceed in a straight line to the next area.
A cutscene plays as soon as you reach the Summit, during which you are introduced to the other two playable heroes in the game, Terra and Aqua. Aqua gives Ventus a Wayfinder, which grants him the ability to forge Dimension Links. As Terra and Aqua have to take the Mark of Mastery Exam in the morning, Terra suggests some sparring in order to prepare. His challenge is accepted, and a series of battle tutorials begin.
| Mini-Boss: Ventus | ||
| HP: ??? | ||
| Strength: ??? | ||
| Defense: ??? | ||
| Status Resistances: ??? | ||
| Physical: ??? | ||
| Fire: ??? | ||
| Blizzard: ??? | ||
| Thunder: ??? | ||
| Dark: ??? | ||
| Prizes: N/A | ||
| Strategy | ||
During your first sparring match, the game automatically puts you in control of Terra. The game teaches you about the HP Gauge first. Simply enough, if your HP hits zero, your character will be defeated. You can protect yourself from taking damage, however, by pressing  while standing still to block or by pressing it while moving to Slide away from enemy attacks. Simply block one of Ventus's Keyblade strikes to end the first portion of the tutorial.
In the second phase of this battle-driven tutorial, you are introduced to the Command Gauge, which fills as you attack opponents. Wait too long between attacks, however, and the Gauge will begin to drain. When the Gauge has been filled, you will be able to utilize Terra's powerful Finish Command! Proceed with the battle and hit Ventus enough times to fill the Command Gauge. Execute Terra's Finish Command to end this segment of the tutorial. | ||
The game takes a brief pause in tutorial battles to tell you about the existence of Command Styles, which are triggered by using Commands from your Command Deck through the pressing of . These unique attacks increase the power of your standard combos, but you unfortunately cannot access their power at the present time. Your character will learn Command Styles throughout his or her journey.
Next, Aqua tells Terra and Ventus that basic combat skills aren't enough when handling large crowds of enemies. Another tutorial battle begins at this point.
| Mini-Boss: Ventus | ||
| HP: ??? | ||
| Strength: ??? | ||
| Defense: ??? | ||
| Status Resistances: ??? | ||
| Physical: ??? | ||
| Fire: ??? | ||
| Blizzard: ??? | ||
| Thunder: ??? | ||
| Dark: ??? | ||
| Prizes: N/A | ||
| Strategy | ||
| Now it is Aqua's turn to battle Ventus. The game uses this battle to teach you about Shotlocks, special techniques that allow you to target and attack up to several enemies at once from almost any distance. By pressing and holding down and , you will bring up a large green crosshairs. Simply guide the crosshairs around the battlefield using the analog stick to target enemies. In this case, your only enemy presnt is Ventus, so target him using the crosshairs and press without letting go of or to execute Aqua's Shotlock. Notice that each Shotlock executed consumes Focus. This is represented by a yellow-to-orange gauge next to your HP bar. This concludes the Shotlock tutorial.
| ||
At this point, the game becomes a bit more flexible and allows you to test the new material you've learned on either Terra, Ventus, or Aqua.
NOTE: Due to the amount of freedom you have determing which character you play as during the final sparring match (which, in turn, decides your opponent), strategies on how to beat all three heroes are listed below.
<tabber> Mini-Boss: Aqua=
| Mini-Boss: Aqua | ||
| HP: 50 | ||
| Strength: ??? | ||
| Defense: ??? | ||
| Status Resistances: ??? | ||
| Physical: ??? | ||
| Fire: ??? | ||
| Blizzard: ??? | ||
| Thunder: ??? | ||
| Dark: ??? | ||
| Prizes: N/A | ||
| Strategy | ||
| Your only objective during this fight is to deplete Aqua's HP to zero while taking as little damage as possible.
Aqua will mainly attack using a standard physical combo comprised of a few Keyblade swings. Slide to avoid taking damage or carefully time Block to knock Aqua off-guard and create an opening in which you can land your own attacks. Aqua also favors the Fire Command, which can be difficult to dodge due to its slight homing capabilities. Rather than run from Fire, however, try blocking against it. As soon as the homing fireball comes into contact with Terra's Keyblade, it will bounce back towards Aqua and deal damage to her. While you can clear this battle quite easily in almost no time at all using just Commands and Shotlocks, simple physical attacks in combination with Terra's powerful Finish Command should be enough to take Aqua down. | ||
|-| Mini-Boss: Ventus=
| Mini-Boss: Ventus | ||
| HP: ??? | ||
| Strength: ??? | ||
| Defense: ??? | ||
| Status Resistances: ??? | ||
| Physical: ??? | ||
| Fire: ??? | ||
| Blizzard: ??? | ||
| Thunder: ??? | ||
| Dark: ??? | ||
| Prizes: N/A | ||
| Strategy | ||
| Your only objective during this fight is to deplete Ventus's HP to zero while taking as little damage as possible.
Because Aqua has the highest magic stat of the trio, she has no need to get close enough to Ventus for a physical combo. Instead, remain on the outskirts of the battlefield at all times and execute her Blizzard Command to damage him. Cartwheel to avoid Ventus's Strike Raid attacks, and use the Thunder Command rather than a physical attack whenever Ventus is close to you. A simple run should be enough to escape Ventus's physical combos, but you can use Barrier whenever in a pinch to knock Ventus back and create an opening in which you can land your own. Be advised that his Block ability has the same effect on Aqua if her own Keyblade swings are deflected. While you can clear this battle quite easily in almost no time at all using just Shotlocks, Ventus should fall after being hit enough times with Aqua's powerful magic. | ||
|-| Mini-Boss: Terra =
| Mini-Boss: Terra | ||
| HP: 50 | ||
| Strength: ??? | ||
| Defense: ??? | ||
| Status Resistances: ??? | ||
| Physical: ??? | ||
| Fire: ??? | ||
| Blizzard: ??? | ||
| Thunder: ??? | ||
| Dark: ??? | ||
| Prizes: N/A | ||
| Strategy | ||
| Your only objective during this fight is to deplete Terra's HP to zero while taking as little damage as possible.
Ventus is the fastest member of the trio, and he can easily overwhelm Terra by keeping up a steady chain of quick physical combos. Terra's own attacks are slow but deadly, so repeatedly use Dodge Roll to avoid them or Block against them to create openings in which you can attack. Ventus's trump card, however, is his Aero Command. Use this whenever Terra comes close to Ventus for an attack to knock him off his feet and deal damage. While you can clear this battle quite easily in almost no time at all using just Shotlocks, Terra should tire after enough hits from Ventus's fast-paced combos. | ||
</tabber>
Once you have beaten your opponent, you are given the option to spar against a different character. While you may wish to dive right into the actual game and watch the story unfold, it is recommended that you first play as each of the three heroes at least once so you can get used to their fighting styles and get a decent understanding of the flow of combat.
After you decide to stop sparring, Aqua reminds Ventus that power is born within the heart. The game uses this opportunity to teach you about the Command Board, a unique mini-game in which you power up any Commands you possess (these serve as your game pieces) as you make your way along a gameboard. The Command Board can only be accessed on the World Map or at a save point. Unfortunately, you must wait until you make some progress in either Terra, Ventus, or Aqua's scenarios and have a decent selection of Commands for the mini-game to be of any value to you.
After you learn about the Command Board, a circular pool of light appears in the far corner of the Summit. This is known as a Save Point, which, as its name implies, allows you to save your progress in the game. Walk up to the pool of light and press to bring up the Save Menu. Save your game and at last the tutorials chapter of the game will be complete. A cutscene will begin to play immediately afterwards. Note that Save Points fully restore your chosen character's HP when he or she touches it, and you will also be able to access the World Map from these areas at later points in the game.
Now that the tutorials have been cleared, it is time to make an important decision. In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, you select one character at a time (either Terra, Ventus, or Aqua) and must complete his or her scenario from start to finish before you can begin a second. Terra, Ventus, and Aqua each visit different locations and meet different people, so only by finishing all three stories can you unlock this tale's deeper truths. Pay careful attention to the game's description of each protagonist when making your decision on who to play as first. They are as follows:
- Terra - A disciplined young man who feels compelled to find greater strength. He relies on brute strength in combat.
- Ventus - An outgoing and inquisitive boy who holds his Keyblade backhand. Quick attacks are his forte.
- Aqua - A kind young woman whose sense of right and wrong never wavers. She is nimble, and a gifted mage.
While your decision is entirely up to you in the end, it is recommended that you complete Terra's scenario first, Ventus's second, and Aqua's third. This order is vital for understanding when and why certain events happen in the story, and it will also allow you to get used to the actual gameplay through Terra's slow but mighty physical attacks before you pick up speed as Ventus and lastly show a mastery over magic as Aqua. Once you make your choice, that character's scenario will begin.
