This page covers the various skills and abilities which Ori may acquire during her journey.

Skills

Skills are new capabilities which Ori can acquire to substantially change the way she interacts with the game world. In casual play, you are expected to acquire all the skills, but in speedruns, several of them are skippable. Skills are learned from skill trees, except for Spirit Flame and Kuro's Feather. Acquiring a skill fully restores Ori's health and energy, except for Kuro's Feather, which does not do so.

Spirit Flame

Spirit Flame is Ori's weapon, wielded by pressing the X button or left-clicking. Projectiles will shoot from Sein toward the nearest enemy. The target is indicated by Sein floating near an enemy and highlighting it slightly. With no upgrades, Spirit Flame deals 2 damage per hit. There is a minimum delay of 0.2 seconds between shots, but you can only fire two shots at this speed before triggering a 0.5 second cooldown. You can avoid triggering the 0.5 second cooldown by waiting at least 0.3 seconds between shots.

Spirit Flame attack speed can be increased by the Quick Flame and Rapid Flame abilities. Damage dealt per hit can be increased by the Spark Flame, Cinder Flame, and Ultra Split Flame abilities. Number of targets hit can be increased by the Split Flame and Ultra Split Flame abilities.

Wall Jump

A true platforming staple, this skill allows you to jump off of vertical walls. Walls must be mostly vertical or else you won't be able to grab them. However, some walls with unusual shapes can still be grabbed for a wall jump. The act of wall jumping restores your double and triple jumps, unless you perform a "firsty." (See Techniques and Glitches for more on firsties.)

There are no abilities that affect Wall Jump.

Charge Flame

Charge Flame allows you to store power to perform an explosive attack, dealing damage in a radius and repelling enemy projectiles. You store a charge by holding the X button or left mouse button for 1 second, then detonate by releasing the button. Charge Flame deals 12 damage in a small area surrounding Sein's location. It also causes projectiles to be reflected directly away from the center of the explosion. Reflected projectiles become capable of hitting the enemy which originally shot them, dealing a significant amount of damage.

Charge Flame damage and effect radius can be increased by the Charge Flame Burn and Charge Flame Blast abilities. Charge Flame energy cost can be reduced by the Charge Flame Efficiency ability.

Double Jump

Another platforming staple, this skill allows you to perform a second jump while in midair. Unlike in many other platformers, the primary benefit of Double Jump is to gain additional distance, not additional height. With the second jump, you gain approximately 50% additional height, but 100% additional distance.

There are technically no abilities that affect Double Jump, but Triple Jump does require it.

Bash

The signature skill of Ori and the Blind Forest. Bash allows you to grab an enemy or projectile, even in midair, and use it to propel Ori in one direction while the target flies in the opposite direction. Certain environmental objects (lanterns and brambles, for example) can also be used to Bash. As with Charge Flame, enemy projectiles redirected by Bash can hit the enemy which originally shot them. Bash also deals 3 damage to an enemy used to perform a Bash.

Bash has numerous uses, both casually and in speedruns. Bash can be used to move enemies out of the way, into areas they are not normally intended to go, or simply to kill them. Bash is the foundation of one of the biggest sequence breaks in the game (the Sorrow Bash) and permits extremely fast movement through the "Bash gliding" technique (see Techniques and Glitches).

Bash damage and effects can be improved by the Ultra Bash ability.

Stomp

Stomp allows you to slam into the ground from midair, dealing 15 damage in a small area and destroying certain environmental barriers. Like Charge Flame, Stomp reflects projectiles away from the impact site. When you perform a Stomp, Ori will wind up briefly, then begin falling much faster than gravity normally allows. If you let go of the down key/button or S key, Ori will eventually leave the Stomp animation and fall normally, but retain the Stomp falling speed. The only difference is that this causes Ori to land without an impact; it is not clear if this results in a time save compared to a full Stomp.

Stomp damage and effect radius can be increased by the Ultra Stomp ability.

Kuro's Feather

Kuro's Feather allows you to glide through the air, reducing the effect of gravity on Ori. You can also use it to ride the wind in areas where it has been restored. Riding the wind causes Ori to rise gradually and restores your double and triple jumps. The Feather can be used in conjunction with Bash gliding (see Techniques and Glitches) to sustain high speed over a long distance.

There are no abilities that affect Kuro's Feather.

Climb

Possibly the least useful individual skill, Climb allows you to grab a wall and maintain your position on it. You can also then manually climb up or down by pressing the appropriate directional input. This can be used to make complex wall jumping sections easier, and also to permit Charge Jumping from a wall.

There are no abilities that affect Climb.

Charge Jump

Charge Jump allows you to build up power to unleash in a burst, jumping substantially higher than normal and passing through enemies and barriers. You can charge by holding the LT button or W/up keys for 0.5 seconds, then press the A button or space bar to jump. Enemies caught in the path of the jump take 50 damage.

There are no abilities that affect Charge Jump.

Abilities

Abilities are enhancements to Ori's existing capabilities which can be acquired by spending ability points. Each time Ori levels up or picks up an ability cell, she gains an ability point. By pressing the B button or E key at a Soul Link or Spirit Well, you can access the ability tree and learn new abilities. Each ability has a cost ranging from 1-3 ability points.

Leveling Up

Ori levels up by acquiring Spirit Light (or "XP," as most people call it). Leveling up grants an ability point, refills Ori's health and energy, and generates an explosion that deals 20 damage to enemies across a wide area (basically the entire screen). As you gain additional levels, the amount of XP needed to level up increases. Acquiring an ability point does not affect Ori's level or XP count.

Here is a list of XP amounts needed to reach each level:

Level 1: 25 XP

Level 2: 50 XP

Level 3: 100 XP

Level 4: 175 XP

Level 5: 275 XP

Level 6: 400 XP

Level 7: 500 XP

Levels 8-20: (level-2) x 100 XP

Level 21: 2000 XP

Level 22: 3000 XP

Level 23: 4000 XP

Level 24-50: 4000 + ((level-23) x 1500 / 7) XP

Level 51+: 10000 XP

Survival Abilities (Blue)

This section of the ability tree consists of abilities which enhance Ori's survivability and recovery. This is the most commonly used tree in speedruns due to the presence of Rekindle and Triple Jump.

Rekindle (1 AP)

Allows you to reuse a Soul Link by standing near it and holding down the B button or E key for a short time. Also reduces the cooldown of Soul Link from 20 seconds to 10 seconds. Used primarily for performing save glitches without needing to spend another ability point.

Regroup (1 AP)

Causes Soul Links to restore 1 health when created.

Charge Flame Efficiency (1 AP)

Reduces the cost of Charge Flame from 1 energy to 1/2 energy.

Ultra Soul Link (2 AP)

Causes Soul Links to restore 2 health when created. (Replaces the effect of Regroup.)

Water Breath (2 AP)

Allows Ori to breathe indefinitely underwater.

Soul Link Efficiency (2 AP)

Reduces the cost of creating a Soul Link from 1 energy to 1/2 energy.

Triple Jump (3 AP)

Allows Ori to perform an additional midair jump. As with Double Jump, the additional jump only increases your vertical distance by another 50%, but your horizontal distance by another 100%. However, the small extra height gain and the general ability to jump an additional time permit some tricks that would not otherwise be possible.

Ultra Defense (3 AP)

Reduces damage taken by 20%. Incoming damage is multiplied by 0.8 and then rounded down to the next half health. For example, a projectile which normally deals 2 damage will deal 1.5 damage after Ultra Defense (2 times 0.8 = 1.6, rounds down to 1.5).

Exploration Abilities (Purple)

This section of the ability tree consists of abilities which aid Ori in exploring the game world. Aside from Spirit Magnet, most abilities in this tree are not useful for speedruns.

Spirit Magnet (1 AP)

Causes health, energy, and spirit drops to be attracted to Ori from a short distance away. Indispensable for allowing the fast execution of XP routes in speedruns.

Map Markers (1 AP)

Adds markers on the map for skill trees, map stones and fragments, key doors and keys, energy gates, breakable walls and floors, spirit wells, and spirit light containers.

Life Efficiency (1 AP)

Causes health drops to restore 2 health each instead of 1 health.

Ultra Spirit Magnet (1 AP)

Causes health, energy, and spirit drops to be attracted to Ori from almost anywhere.

Energy Efficiency (2 AP)

Causes energy drops to restore 2 energy each instead of 1 energy.

Ability Markers (2 AP)

Adds markers on the map for ability cells.

Spirit Efficiency (2 AP)

Doubles the amount of XP gained from XP drops.

Life Markers (2 AP)

Adds markers on the map for health cells.

Energy Markers (2 AP)

Adds markers on the map for energy cells.

Sense (3 AP)

Reveals hidden areas in the game world, but not on the map.

Offense Abilities (Red)

This section of the ability tree consists of abilities that augment Ori's damage capabilities. Because there is very little actual combat in a speedrun, these abilities mostly turn out not to save as much time as it costs to learn them. Quick Flame is the most common exception to this rule.

Quick Flame (1 AP)

Increases the number of shots you can fire at minimum delay (0.2 seconds) from 2 to 3. After firing 3 shots at this speed, you incur the 0.5 second cooldown. If you instead fire two shots with a 0.2 second delay, then wait 0.3 seconds, then your next shot will not trigger the cooldown. Thus, the optimal firing cadence is to shoot, wait 0.2 seconds, shoot, wait for 0.3 seconds, repeat. This is an overall DPS increase of 20% compared to perfect shot timing with the base Spirit Flame.

Spark Flame (1 AP)

Increases the damage of Spirit Flame shots from 2 to 3.

Charge Flame Burn (1 AP)

Increases the damage of Charge Flame from 12 to 18, and increases the explosion radius as well.

Split Flame (1 AP)

Splits the Spirit Flame into two projectiles which deal full damage to two separate targets. Each projectile must hit a different target, so if there is only one target you will only fire one projectile.

Ultra Bash (2 AP)

Increases the damage of Bash from 3 to 5, and also increases the duration of Ori's invincibility during a Bash, allowing her to pass through enemies that are in the way. All enemies touched during the Bash take 5 damage as well.

Cinder Flame (2 AP)

Increases the damage of Spirit Flame shots from 3 to 4.

Ultra Stomp (2 AP)

Increases the damage of Stomp from 15 to 25, and increases the damage radius as well.

Rapid Flame (2 AP)

Eliminates the 0.5 second cooldown of firing Spirit Flame shots rapidly, allowing Ori to fire shots every 0.2 seconds. This is an overall DPS increase of 25% compared to perfect shot timing with Quick Flame.

Charge Flame Blast (3 AP)

Increases the damage of Charge Flame from 18 to 24, and increases the explosion radius even further.

Ultra Split Flame (3 AP)

Increases the damage of Spirit Flame shots from 4 to 6, and splits it into four projectiles which deal full damage to four separate targets. As with Split Flame, each projectile must hit a different target,.