Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix + > New Bosses
Several new bosses were included as optional fights in addition to those required in the story. These optional boss battles are detailed below.
The Cloaked Schemer
During the first visit to Olympus Coliseum, a mysterious portal opens up, leading to a showdown with none other than No. VI himself on the barren remains of Sora’s home, Destiny Islands. Defeating him will earn you the Book of Shadows Recipe, allowing you to synthesize the Shade Archive and Shade Archive +.
Zexion
HP: 708 | EXP: 0
Zexion is a true force to be reckoned with, but only if you make him mad. Begin by hammering him with as many full combos as you can dish out. You may notice that Donald and Goofy are occasionally being trapped inside copies of Zexion’s Lexicon. These prisons can be broken by attacking them, which will release your captured allies. Should Sora be captured, that’s when Zexion’s true ferocity is unleashed.
Inside the Lexicon, Zexion will not hesitate to unleash one of several devastating attacks. Copies of the Lexicon are scattered all throughout, and it’s up to you to find the real copy that Zexion’s illusion is hiding in. Meanwhile, many different things are happening. Zexion’s first, and quite possibly most annoying attack rearranges your Command Menu. You have to scroll through the different pages of the Command Menu by using the Triangle Button, selecting each possible option on each page with the Circle Button, in the hopes of retrieving your original Command Menu. Meanwhile, Zexion will continue to hammer you with flying Lexicons, powerful whirlwind attacks, and most dangerous of all, his meteor attack (which he usually saves for when he’s starting to run low on HP).
When you’ve located the real Lexicon, attack it with combos until prompted with the Triangle Reaction Command. This will damage Zexion and return Sora, Donald, and Goofy out of the Lexicon and back to the Destiny Islands area. This pattern of hitting him, being captured, and getting back out will continue throughout the length of the battle. When his HP starts to dwindle, Zexion will use his meteor attack more frequently. The easiest way to prepare for this attack is to pick one of the three circles that appear and stay in it. When the bombardment starts, if you’re in the shielded circle, use this time to do a little bombarding of your own. If you’re in one of the two unprotected circles, a good string of Reflect magic will shield you from damage.
The Silent Hero
After the second visit, you can return to Twilight Town to find a dark portal at the Sandlot. Enter it, and you’re in for one heck of a battle against Organization XIII’s heavy hitter! Victory in this fight will earn you the Power Exceeding Power Recipe, allowing you to synthesize the Centurion and Centurion +.
Lexaeus
HP: 1578 | EXP: 0
Lexaeus is by no means a pushover. Similar to the battle against Luxord, it’s not only HP that you’ll need to worry about with Lexaeus. He and Sora have a Power Gauge at the top of the screen, which indicates Lexaeus current power boost as well as Sora’s. The higher these levels get, the more powerful the punch on either side. Naturally, you are constantly at a vast disadvantage, as Lexaeus’s power will always be significantly higher than your own. Be on the lookout for opportunities to use a Reaction Command, which will temporarily add Lexaeus’s current power to your own and beat him back for a powerful blow that will stun him for a short period of time.
Lexaeus will enter short bouts of invulnerability when his power level really starts to get ridiculous. When this happens, be on the lookout for two of his most devastating attacks. The first consists of him grabbing Sora by the throat and slamming him hard into one of the surrounding pillars. The second, more deadly attack is noted by Lexaeus leaving the arena, then blasting back in straight at Sora, creating a massive explosion of rocks when he lands. A well placed Reflect will help you avoid taking damage.
Vexen
HP: 1500 | EXP: 0
Vexen has a few nasty tricks up his sleeve that possibly make him the most difficult of all the battles against the Organization! He starts off the battle by summoning a dark target on the ground that roams around following Sora as the fight continues. The more that Sora is inside this target, the more Data Vexen is able to collect, which is recorded in the Data Gauge at the top of the screen. Each time the Gauge is filled, a number appears in the corner beside it and the Gauge returns to zero and begins filling again. Vexen can store up to 5 of these Data Gauges at a time, and should he chose to use one, that’s when the battle gets a little more complicated.
By using one of the Data Gauges he has stored, Vexen can summon an Anti Sora Clone, which has all the aggression and powers of Sora when he goes into Anti Form. The Clone is capable of dealing long strings of damage that will drain your HP Gauge in a matter of seconds. It’s best to dispatch of these clones as quickly as possible when he manages to summon one.
Damaging Vexen presents its own set of problems. Before you can actually damage Vexen himself, you have to get through his shield, which typically takes at least one full combo (sometimes more) to eliminate. Meanwhile, Vexen’s not going to just stand there and let you break through his defenses. He’ll hammer you with powerful ice attacks, most deadly of which encases Sora in a large chunk of ice. Rapidly press the Triangle Button when prompted to break free. The pattern is rather simple: Avoid Vexen’s attacks as best you can while breaking through his shield, then nail him with a few combos until his shield comes back, all the while keeping any Clones he summons in check.
When Vexen’s HP starts to reach less then 25%, he’ll start really getting serious. At this point, he can summon an enormous ice sword and unleash a deadly string of combos to anything unfortunate enough to get caught in the way. During this onslaught, he is invulnerable, so simply glide around the area to avoid the attack as best you can. A well-placed Reflect may also come in handy at blocking this attack, and the aftershock effect will be useful in simultaneously depleting his shield so you can hit him with a few more combos after the fact.
The Savage Nymph
During the first visit to Port Royal a dark portal opens up on the Isla de Muerta. Enter it for a chance to square off against No. XII herself! She’s quick, vicious, and lethal! Victory against her earns you the Secret Thunder Recipe, allowing you to synthesize Shock Charm and Shock Charm +.
Larxene
HP: 1065 | EXP: 0
Larxene is a very difficult ordeal to overcome. She’s insanely fast and very quick to dish out long strings of damage with one relentless combo after another. Not to mention all of those powerful lightning strikes that she likes to rain down from the sky.
Larxene tends to move so fast that she appears to be in several places at once. At times, there will actually be multiple copies of her attacking you at one time. Look for opportunities to use a Reaction Command which will slam her duplicates back together into one spot and temporarily stun her so you can lay in a few hits.
Larxene’s most devastating attacks are easily spotted. Her first involves rapid-succession rush attacks from her and her copies, which usually ends in a large-scale thunderbolt attack. Her second attack is a little more deadly! She becomes invulnerable and fires massive rotating beams of lightning that deal large amounts of damage to anyone who gets caught in the way. It’s best to use the Aerial Dodge Ability to jump clean over them and use Glide to hover in the air to avoid damage.
The Graceful Assassin
The dark portal inside the Beast’s Room at Beast’s Castle leads to a showdown with the leader of Castle Oblivion, No. XI! He’s got some new deadly tricks up his sleeve that can make him a truly formidable adversary. Victory against him earns you the Undying Flowers Recipe, which allows you to synthesize the Full Bloom and Full Bloom +.
Marluxia
HP: 2817 | EXP: 0
Marluxia starts the battle by placing a counter on Sora. This counter indicates the number of hits Sora can take before its game over, regardless of his HP. The counter level is the same level as Sora, so the higher the level, the more hits Sora can take. Unfortunately, the higher the level, the harder Marluxia becomes.
The key to getting the upper hand against Marluxia is to Reflect and Guard against everything. At the end of his swirling scythe attack, Marluxia is wide open for one of two Reaction Commands. One deals significant damage while beating Marluxia back. The other replenishes Sora’s hit counter a bit and knocks Marluxia back. Both are extremely useful during this battle, so be on the lookout for opportunities to use these Reaction Commands as the fight progresses.
Marluxia will often default to another rather annoying attack. He’ll appear in the middle of the arena and summon three large pits of dark energy. Naturally, you don’t want to get stuck in one of these pits. Instead, Glide around in circles to avoid landing in one of the pits, as well as any of Marluxia’s other attacks that he will undoubtedly try to use against you. Eventually the pits fade away, giving more opportunities to hit him with a combo or even one of his Reaction Commands. This pattern will continue for a majority of the battle.
When Marluxia starts getting down to the wire, he’ll start using his ultimate attack. He’ll become invulnerable and loom over Sora, raining down energy shots in the surrounding area, all while charging up for a devastating scythe attack. Simply Glide around in circles to avoid this attack and keep hammering him when opportunities present themselves. Keep your counter in check, as you will need to keep it AND your HP up if you want to succeed.
The Key of Destiny
The event at Memory’s Skyscraper in Kingdom Hearts II went through a slight change in Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix. Specifically, the cutscene between Sora and Roxas now contains a boss fight as well with none other than Sora’s other half, Roxas! Victory against Roxas earns you the Two Become One Keyblade, Secret Ansem Report 8, and the Combo Master Ability for Sora.
Roxas
HP: 1300 | EXP: 0
Roxas is actually a rather difficult fight. Wielding two Keyblades at once makes his combos a little more relentless than Sora’s, not to mention he has other tricks up his sleeve. Mostly, you just have to nail Roxas with a few combos of your own, but to get an opening, you’re going to have Guard or Reflect against the attacks that he throws at you first. Blocking these attacks will knock Roxas back a bit, leaving him open to attack. That’s your chance to nail him.
As the fight continues, Roxas will start using light energy attacks in addition to his standard combos. These attacks, like his other advances, can be stopped and countered by a good Guard or Reflect. As the battle continues, Roxas will start to use one of his more devastating attacks. He’ll rise up in the center of the arena and summon large light pillars which shield him from attack during this onslaught. Glide around in circles to avoid being hit by the energy bolts he fires at you in rapid succession.
Throughout the battle, be on the lookout for a Reaction Command at the end of Roxas’s combos which allows you to take control of his Keyblades, giving Sora the ability to triple-wield and deal massive strings of damage. Roxas can still retaliate with his light energy attacks, but this will help you get a major chunk of his HP down in a short amount of time. Also, be on the lookout for the Reaction Command when the triple-wielding wears off. If you do it successfully, you’ll avoid taking a hit. If not, you’re in for some real damage!
Battle at the Badlands
After completing the game, a dark portal opens up in the Hall of the Cornerstone at Disney Castle. You’ll need the best weapons you can get on all three characters, Once More, Second Chance, Combo Plus, Air Combo Plus, Combo Boost, Air Combo Boost, as many other offensive Abilities as possible, lots of Elixirs, and all of your Forms fully leveled up. You should be at least level 80 before you even consider attempting this battle. When you’re ready, enter the portal.
Lingering Sentiment
HP: 3400 | EXP: 0
The Lingering Sentiment does NOT pull any punches and he definitely isn’t going to give you any breaks. His attacks are fast-paced, relentless, and typically leave your HP dwindling in a matter of seconds. He has several attacks to watch out for, and he’ll use them at any point throughout the fight, so there is no real pattern to follow for him.
His most common attacks are dashing attacks that knock Sora up into the air for several hits in a row. This will come in one of two forms: the Lingering Sentiment will either simply rise up and charge forward through the air, or he’ll summon a massive Keyblade Rider and charge across the arena knocking Sora up into the air with each pass. Both of these attacks can be blocked with a well-placed Guard or Reflect, and can usually be avoided with the Dodge Roll Ability. Another attack to watch out for occurs when you’ve hit him with a few combos of your own. He’ll retaliate by flailing his Keyblade in a wide circle around him, dealing some pretty good damage to anyone caught inside.
Some of the other attacks to keep an eye out for are not as common, but still just as serious. In one attack, he’ll call forth a bow, launching arrows at Sora from a single position. If Sora is hit with one of these arrows, the Command Menu will change. One option will be different from all of the other options, and you’ll have to select that option to get your normal Command Menu back. Problem is, that option is constantly switching spots and if you hit any of the other options, Sora’s HP will take a huge hit! In another attack, the Lingering Sentiment will call forth either a red or blue orb which will then encase Sora. While that orb is around Sora, he cannot use either attacks or magic (red means no attacks, blue means no magic). To regain these abilities, you’ll have to deal damage to the Lingering Sentiment until his smaller HP Gauge depletes, which will destroy the orb. If it happens to be the red orb encasing Sora, then that’s a good time to go into Limit Form and nail him with a few of the Limit Commands. These are technically magical attacks, and therefore are perfect for dealing significant damage while under the influence of the orb.
In another attack, the Lingering Sentiment will charge up and release a massive energy ball that will follow Sora wherever he goes. You can deflect this ball with Guard or Reflect, which will knock it back at the Lingering Sentiment. However, he typically won’t stand still long enough to get hit, which means the ball will simply turn back around and follow Sora again. It’s best to rely on the Guard/Reflect strategy only if you’re very close to the Lingering Sentiment when he launches the energy ball. This will ensure that he doesn’t have enough time to move before the ball bounces back and launches him up into the air. If you’re too far away to hit him with the first rebound, consider Dodge Rolling straight into the ball instead. The ball will detonate without damaging Sora.
Finally, his biggest attack is his most deadly. The Lingering Sentiment becomes invulnerable and unleashes a long string of devastating attacks that ends in a powerful combo finisher that typically reduces Sora’s HP to zero. Glide around the arena to avoid this attack as best you can. Continue to hammer him when openings present themselves and always be on guard!
