EXP Zero

EXP Zero (EXPゼロ, EXP Zero), also known as Zero EXP and No Experience, is an ability introduced in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. It prevents the party from gaining Experience as long as it is equipped.

This ability allows the player to complete the game without gaining EXP and thus remain at level 1, resulting in a more challenging playthrough.

Mechanics

In the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX version of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, EXP Zero is a combat ability exclusive to Proud Mode that costs 0 AP to equip. In addition to negating EXP gain, it also has two hidden properties. The first prevents Sora from being knocked out in one hit at full HP, and the second property is a damage multiplier that is applied during boss fights, which scales up the damage dealt from Sora's standard attacks, with his finisher having a higher scaling value. The latter property is also responsible for a programming oversight where the damage multiplier from Sora's finisher does not reset until a regular attack is performed. During this time, the multiplier is also applied to the damage dealt by magic and summons resulting them in dealing abnormally large amounts of damage against bosses, a phenomenon unofficially referred to as "EXP Zero damage storage". Using special finishers such as Hurricane Blast does not trigger this effect.

In Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, No Experience is a support ability that costs 1 AP to equip. It negates normal EXP, but not the various types of Form EXP.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Zero EXP is a support ability exclusive to Critical Mode that can be equipped once. It negates the experience gain for the user, but not the Command Points. It also increases the amount of damage dealt by the user. It also makes the damage dealt by the user's finishing commands match the combat level of the world instead of that of the user.

In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, EXP Zero is a support ability exclusive to Proud Mode and Critical Mode that can be equipped once. It negates the experience gain for Sora and Riku, but not the Spirits.

In Kingdom Hearts III, Zero EXP is a support ability that costs 0 AP to equip.

Learning EXP Zero

Kingdom Hearts Final Mix

• Sora has EXP Zero as a default ability in Final Mix: Proud Mode difficulty.^{[KH I HD]}

Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix

• Roxas learns No Experience at the beginning of the Third Day in Critical Mode.
• The Winner's Proof has No Experience as its Equipment Ability.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

• Zero EXP is attached to Terra's Sliding Dash, Ventus's Aero, and Aqua's Blizzard at the beginning of their stories in Critical Mode.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

• Sora and Riku have EXP Zero initially in Proud Mode and Critical Mode.

Kingdom Hearts III

• Sora has EXP Zero as a default ability.

Other appearances

Kingdom Hearts II

While in Antiform, Sora does not gain EXP from defeated enemies similar to No Experience.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Although EXP gain cannot be disabled, the player can remain at level 1 by not installing any Level Up panels.

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded

Although EXP gain cannot be disabled, Data-Sora can remain at level 1 by not installing any Level Up chips.

Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-

EXP Gain is a setting that only appears in the options menu after beating the game. Disabling it creates an effect similar to EXP Zero.