Kingdom Hearts 3, like every other game in the complicated Disney action-RPG franchise, has a number of Keyblades for players to experiment and face off against the game's many enemies with. Of course, some of these are inevitably going to be better than others, which means some keyblades in Kingdom Hearts 3 are more often used than others.
Kingdom Hearts 3 approaches Keyblades very differently than in past releases with the addition of the various transformations and finishing moves alongside the Keyblade Forge. The Keyblade Forge specifically makes a huge difference, as its ability to boost the stats of various Keyblades can make almost any of them viable into the late game if the player is determined enough to stick with one in particular. Still, some are inevitably more effective with better base stats, transformations, and finishing moves.
S Tier
Ultima Weapon: The Ultima Weapon is a constant throughout the series, and it is consistently one of the best Keyblades from the original Kingdom Hearts to today. Kingdom Hearts 3 is no exception, with this Keyblade having extremely high base stats along with the extremely exciting Ultimate Form transformation that is more than worth the trouble of finding all the rare items necessary to unlock it.
Wheel of Fate: While it's not as powerful as the Ultima Weapon, Wheel of Fate is unlocked simply by beating the Pirates of the Caribbean world in Kingdom Hearts 3, and considering how easy it is to obtain, it packs a mean punch. This Keyblade sports all-around good stats, particularly its high Strength stat, and its various transformations make it ideal for both boss fights and heartless waves. It's overall one of the strongest Keyblades in the game, and its impressive ship-like design is the cherry on top.
A Tier
Nano Gear: The main point of interest here is how many different abilities the Nano Gear can utilize. On top of some solid base stats, the various finishing moves along with a powerful form change make Nano Gear an ideal Keyblade for virtually any combat situation. It has one the most unique designs for any Keyblade in Kingdom Hearts 3, based on the world of Big Hero 6, and can very realistically carry the player through a number of boss and Heartless fights.
Crystal Snow: There are a handful of Keyblades within Kingdom Hearts 3 with form changes that are more or less identical, making the Keyblades somewhat interchangeable for any interested players. Crystal Snow and Happy Gear are two of those Keyblades, and they both have somewhat different advantages, depending on whether a player is leaning Sora towards a Strength or Magic build. Crystal Snow is the Keyblade for Magic build users, and players focusing on casting a lot of spells will appreciate the power and speed this weapon brings to boss fights.
Happy Gear: This is the Keyblade for players who want the same claws as Crystal Snow but with a heavier emphasis on Strength. Happy Gear has an amazing base Strength stat, and its Agile Claws and Twin Yo-Yos form changes never stop being fun to play around with. Both Happy Gear and Crystal Snow have somewhat phoned-in designs based on the world they're obtained from, but it's serviceable enough to not be distracting, and Happy Gear still winds up being a great introduction of Monsters Inc. to the world of Kingdom Hearts.
Classic Tone: This is one of two Keyblades that are only available to access in the post-game. Unlike its counterpart, Classic Tone actually feels worth the effort to unlock, despite the fact that many players may feel it's a little pointless to unlock new Keyblades after the main story has ended. Classic Tone sports solid stats, particularly for Magic builds, and it has some powerful transformations and finishers that are a lot of fun to use, particularly for players who like Timeless River in Kingdom Hearts 2.
B Tier
Hero's Origin: This is one of the earliest Keyblades players will be able to obtain in the game, and it's pretty useful considering when it's obtainable. The stats are decent, and it has the unique transformation that players who like to block and counterattack will particularly latch onto. It doesn't have the prettiest design and it may start to feel a bit more disposable later on, but it's far from a bad Keyblade.
Hunny Spout: Players who obtain this Keyblade may notice how closely its form change reflects the form change of Shooting Star, yet another example of very similar functions for different Keyblades in Kingdom Hearts 3. Hunny Spout has a weaker design but one primary functional advantage over Shooting Star, which is that its form change can inflict the Honey status on enemies. The Honey status essentially functions as a slow, allowing for much more manageable Heartless mobs and the ability to spam attacks on certain enemies for much easier kills than before. It still suffers from similar disadvantages as Shooting Star, but it definitely edges that Keyblade out as the superior option once it becomes available.
Shooting Star: This is one of the few other Keyblades returning from a previous Kingdom Hearts game, and Shooting Star maintains some of those older advantages by being an early-game Keyblade with an emphasis on Magic and a smooth, dreamy design. Its stats aren't too amazing compared to later Magic-focused Keyblades that players can receive, and its form change tends to look more impressive than it actually is considering the damage output. Yet, it's still a Keyblade players are likely to have a lot of fun playing around with.
C Tier
Ever After: This Keyblade can be a lot of fun to play around with, particularly its ability to leave behind mirages in its form change that all pile with attacks alongside Sora. The main issue with Ever After will likely arise for many players as they begin to approach some of the game's more serious fights and need a Keyblade that feels a lot more practical. The fact is, while many of Ever After's form change attacks are strong, they also feel slippery and oftentimes unpredictable to aim and control. It can be frustrating when Sora fires off large beams in the completely wrong direction from where they should have gone. Combine that with an uninteresting, forgettable design and, while Ever After certainly isn't terrible, many players will likely find that there are just better options.
Favorite Deputy: This is a Keyblade that players will certainly get the best effect out of using during large Heartless skirmishes. Where Favorite Deputy's form changes excel is in AoE attacks, both in Hyper Hammer and Drill Punch forms, which can be fairly useful for hitting large waves of enemies at once. One of the Keyblade's biggest weaknesses is in the game's boss fights. It's not the best weapon for use in 1-on-1 fights. Considering Kingdom Hearts 3 is generally considered to be one of the easiest in the series, the boss fights are one of the few areas that will pose any real challenge for series vets. This means that's the area where the most thought will need to be put into which Keyblades are utilized, so Favorite Deputy being immediately put out of the running makes it fairly forgettable.
D Tier
Grand Chef: This is the only other post-game Keyblade besides Classic Tone, and players who go the extra mile to get an excellent rating on every Ratatouille meal may find themselves disappointed with the reward, even after working on all the tasty-looking food in Kingdom Hearts. Grand Chef has no particularly interesting designs, stats, transformations, or finishing moves. This Keyblade is really only for players who want to 100% the game.
Starlight: This Keyblade doesn't do too much to differentiate itself from the Kingdom Key outside of its form change being slightly more upgraded, but it's not something players who have already moved on from Kingdom Key will be particularly invested in using. Pair that with underwhelming stats and a lackluster design, and it's just a little strange that this is the Keyblade Sora receives after a pivotal moment in the plot of Kingdom Hearts 3.
Kingdom Key: Sora's iconic original Keyblade is the only other weapon that's proven to be a constant throughout the series aside from the Ultima Weapon. Sadly, what makes the Ultima Weapon so consistently strong is what oftentimes what overshadows the Kingdom Key. It's the default weapon every player starts with, and thus is the thing most players will be eager to replace. It's still not useless, though, which should speak to how balanced the Keyblades in Kingdom Hearts 3 are in comparison with past entries.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.