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Ars Arcanum

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You may be looking for Final Form's Final Arcana ability.
In Kingdom Hearts, Ars Arcanum envelops the Keyblade in a golden aura.

Ars Arcanum (ラストアルカナム Rasuto Arukanamu?, lit. "Last Arcanum"), translated as "Final Arcana" in Kingdom Hearts II and "Last Arcanum" in Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, is a technique introduced in Kingdom Hearts. It allows the user to attack enemies with a flurry of powerful attacks, typically thirteen in number.

Mechanics

In Kingdom Hearts, Ars Arcanum is a special ability activated by selecting the Arcanum (アルカナム Arukanamu?) command. Sora launches a seven-hit combo, during which he is invulnerable to damage, at which point he is given the option to perform Bash (ブレイク Bureiku?, lit. "Break") to execute a follow-up slash. After five successful Bash attacks, the Finis (ジ・エンド Ji Endo?, lit. "The End") command will appear, triggering a final, somersaulting strike. In the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX release, the commands are implemented as Reaction Commands. It should be noted that the Bash and Finis commands drop the invincibility that Sora has during the rush of the first seven blows, so it can be risky to continue the attack. The seventh blow of the initial rush and all the subsequent commands can land critical hits. Ars Arcanum costs 4 AP to equip and 3 MP to use.

In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, the Keyblade does not have an aura during Ars Arcanum, and the animations are more limited.
Ars Arcanum KHRECOM.gif

In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Ars Arcanum is an attack sleight that delivers eight powerful blows, followed by a forward somersaulting slash. In Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, it follows the original version more closely and is harder to interrupt, and five additional strikes can be added by pressing Triangle when prompted, but pressing the button at the wrong time cancels the combo. Its card combination is:

Kingdom Key (card).png + Kingdom Key (card).png + Kingdom Key (card).png (1-6)

In Kingdom Hearts II, Final Arcana is a limit that is exclusive to "Master" Genie. The limit begins with Arcana, in which Sora and Genie clutch arms and whirl around in large circles. Afterwards, Bash causes Genie to transform into a large head that spins around, while shooting magical bullets.

In Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Last Arcanum is also an action ability exclusive to Limit Form. It is a limit that is equipped by default and costs 75 MP to use. It is automatically assigned to Triangle in the shortcuts menu. On activation, Sora performs the initial seven-hit combo, and up to five more strikes can be executed through the Break Reaction Command. Afterwards, the Reaction Command is replaced with The End to perform the final attack. The initial seven-hit combo has full invincibility frames.

Ventus's version of the combo involves more acrobatics and slashes than others.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Ars Arcanum is an Ultimate attack command exclusive to Ventus that takes up two slots, has a maximum level of 6, has a normal reload time of 25 seconds, and fills the Command Gauge by 6%. Template:Section-stub

In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Ars Arcanum involves more varied attacks and ends by slamming the Keyblade into the ground.

In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Ars Arcanum is an attack command exclusive to Sora that uses two slots in the Command Deck and has a reload time of 36 seconds. It grants +4 to Strength when attached to a Dream Eater recipe. Unlike prior incarnations, this version of the attack no longer requires button prompts for the whole combo. Sora no longer is ground-based during the attack, allowing it to be performed in midair but at the cost of its prior invincibility in previous games (it instead gains super armor).

Learning Ars Arcanum

Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

  • Sora can learn Ars Arcanum when he reaches level 37.

Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

  • Sora can learn Ars Arcanum when he reaches level 42.

Kingdom Hearts II

Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix

  • "Master" Genie has Final Arcana as his Limit.
  • Limit Form has Last Arcanum as a Limit ability.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Template:Section-stub

Recipes

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

Ars Arcanum is an Ultimate-class Attack Command that can be melded through nine different recipes, listed in the Giga Attack Recipe.

  • The first recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type F recipe.
  • The second recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type C recipe that has a 10% chance of transforming from Aerial Slam.
  • The third recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type G recipe that has a 5% chance of transforming from Slot Edge.
  • The fourth recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type P recipe that has a 5% chance of transforming from Slot Edge.
  • The fifth recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type H recipe that has a 5% chance of transforming from Blizzard Edge.
  • The sixth recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type G recipe that has a 5% chance of transforming from Blizzard Edge.
  • The seventh recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type O recipe that has a 10% chance of transforming from Blitz.
  • The eighth recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type G recipe that has a 5% chance of transforming from Blizzard Edge.
  • The ninth recipe can be melded by Ventus, and is a type E recipe that has a 5% chance of transforming from Blizzard Edge.
    • Sliding Dash (LV2) + Blizzard (LV2)

Other appearances

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Although Ars Arcanum cannot be performed by any playable character, Xion can perform a modified version of Ars Arcanum in her third form.

Etymology

Ars Arcanum gets its name from the Latin ars meaning 'technique', 'skill' or 'art' and arcanum meaning 'secret'. Its Japanese name is "Last Arcanum", meaning "Last Secret".

Trivia

  • In Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix, all of Ars Arcanum's attacks do not trigger any rise to an enemy's retaliation point. Only the final Reaction Command does so, but it causes a higher chance of targets reaching their retaliation point sooner.

See also