Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

• Use a guide for Command Melding and Ability synthing. This is the best one I know of: http://www.finalfantasykingdom.net/bbsmelding.php

• Second Chance, Once More, and Leaf Bracer will, as you probably understand, make things MUCH easier.

• Dodging gives you mad invincibility frames, especially as Ven and Aqua. Blocking is incredibly responsive as well and Aqua's block protects her around all sides. Use dodges and block liberally.

• Shotlocks (hold R1) are amazing and a great way to get free, safe damage.

• If your normal finisher comes up after Land of Departure, you're not using your commands enough.

• D-Links are great fun to level up and blast through trash enemies with, but they aren't that great against bosses.

• ...Except early game as Terra or Ven, who can both D-Link Aqua for easy access to early Cure magic.

• When you beat the game with a character, keep their save file. If you lose their file you lose the credit for completing their story and you can't unlock the Final Episode.