Fusion is the ability to take on a monstrous form, be it a god, demon, or other mystical entity. An entity that is produced by the fusion ability is called a Fusion Monster. When one uses fusion powers their stats may change during battle. There are three ways that fusion powers have been used within the Shadow Hearts series.
Harmonizers
A "harmonizer" (known as "harmonixer" in Shadow Hearts) is one who can fuse with the souls of creatures to gain attributes of that creature's element, as well as increased stats.
For example, when Yuri changes to Barbaria, a fire-based fusion, his element goes from Dark to Fire and he will receive a boost in his physical attack stat.
These powers are inherited genetically, with Yuri gaining the ability from his father, Ben Hyuga and Kurando Inugami (Yuri's cousin) from his mother, Saki Inugami (Yuri's paternal aunt).
All four are blood related on his father's side, and all are harmonizers.
Yuri Hyuga
In Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: Covenant Yuri uses the fusion ability.
In Shadow Hearts: Covenant Yuri can go into the graveyard inside his soul to strengthen his Fusion Monsters. The majority of the rooms inside the graveyard contain altars that represent one of the six elements of the game.
When Yuri charges an altar for the first time he gains a new elemental Fusion Monster. If he goes into the graveyard and charges the altar a second time he will gain a more powerful Fusion Monster of that element. By using a Soul Drop on the altar after charging it twice Yuri will enter a battle with a spirit. If this spirit is defeated he gains the third and final form for that element. His non-elemental fusions are gained by different methods than described. For instance, the Fusion Monster Amon is gained by guiding Yuri through a plot-driven mini-dungeon that is accessed through the graveyard.
Shadow Hearts
Shadow Hearts Fusions | |||
Element | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
Death Emperor | Charon | Czernobog | |
Raging Tiger | Mad Bull | Lobo | |
Man Dragon | Dragner | Egil | |
Inferno | Ifrit | Forron | |
Tornado | Icarus | Seravi | |
Heaven's Fiend | Baldo | Sandalphon | |
Special Fusions | |||
---|---|---|---|
Amon | Seraphic Radience |
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Vastitas | Sorm | Gaudion | |||
Amnis | Mahrae | Veneficium | |||
Karyl | Barbaria | Fides | |||
Malakia | Grano | Libertis | |||
Radeus | Puera | Miserati | |||
Nox | Orexis | Somnion |
Special Fusions
Amon | Neo-Amon | Dark Seraphim |
Kurando Inugami
Also in Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Kurando uses fusion though it is called Demon Morph. Compared to Yuri's ability Kurando's is very limited, having only two possible transformations.
Demon Morph
Tsukiyomi | |
Jutendouji |
Ben Hyuga
Playable only briefly in a flashback in Shanghai, the only fusion that can be chosen is Czernobog, the ultimate dark-class fusion beast.
Czernobog |
Ben is shown however, to have the potential to fuse into other beasts, fusing into Seraphic Radience/Dark Seraphim when fighting in Yuri's graveyard, to allow his son power over the fusion.
Saki Inugami
Saki is the only harmonixer encountered who is not a playable character.
Like her brother, Ben, she was born with the innate ability to fuse into beasts. During the course of Shadow Hearts: Covenant, she is possessed by the demon, Astaroth, who forces her to turn against Yuri and his party by transforming her into Kouenki.
Kouenki |
Later, Saki transforms again into the beast to allow her son, Kurando to access to his secondary fusion.
Spirit Contracts
In Shadow Hearts: From the New World, Shania can transform into a Fusion Monster by summoning a spirit she contracted with into her own body to unleash different powers. In order for Shania to contract a spirit she must battle it at a holy ground. After battling and winning against a spirit will allow her to become a Fusion Monster.
After contracting a spirit a fetish affiliated with that spirit can be collected. There is more than one fetish per Fusion Monster whose effects and abilities are affected by the fetish they possess. The first fetish for a given Fusion Monster is received upon a new contract with a spirit, while the rest need to be found. Other fetishes include powering up special skills and attributes. Unlike Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Shania has to locate her fetishes all over the United States, while Yuri has to power up his fusion spirits through the graveyard to receive a new and more powerful form or on the menu screen to receive skills.
Shania's Spirit Contracts
Thunderbird | Specialises in Dark and Wind Spells | |
Tatan'Ka | Specialises in Earth and Fire Spells | |
La Sirene | Specialises in Water And Light Spells | |
Tirawa | Specialises in Non-Elemental Spells |
Despite functioning the same as a fusion, gameplay-wise, Johnny's Awaker form is not a fusion, merely him being able to tap into his latent powers.
Soul Pacts
Soul Pacts (known as a Soul Contract in Shadow Hearts) are similar to Shania's Spirit Contracts, in that the entity that is summoned will offer their powers to the summoner. However, the difference between these and Spirit Contracts is that there is a price to pay for such power; namely, the summoner's soul and humanity. The summoned entiy can be invoked at any time, but once defeated will fade away often leaving the dying summoner in it's wake.
Many of the antagonists fought in the series have entered a pact with a demon. Known pacts include:
- Albert Simon - with Amon the God of Wrath.
- Dehuai - with a nameless god of Purgatory to turn into Yamaraja: Calamity.
- Wugui - with a revived god of war to turn into Yamaraja: War.
- Rasputin - with Asmodeus the God of Desire.
- Nicolai Conrad - with Astaroth the God of Destruction.
- Veronica Vera - with "The Queen of Darkness" to turn into Night Queen.
- Lenny Curtis - with the Godhand.
- Garan the Oracle - with Yama, King of Demons
- Raiden - with Raijin, the Japanese god of thunder and lightning.
- Hien - with Fuujin, the Japanese wind-god.
- Kato with the Japanese God-of-Storms, Susano-O.