Machina Maw

Special Dresspheres can only be used by one character (in this case, Rikku) and need to be activated by activating every node on a Garment Grid. Activating the Special Dressphere will chase Yuna and Paine off the battle field, and you’ll gain control of the Machina Maw, Smasher-R, and Crusher-L.

Overview

Machina Maw is the most straightforward of the three Special Dresspheres. Almost everything the core does is an attack, and it covers both ends of that: single targets through its missiles, and every enemy at once with Vajra. The only thing it can do outside of attacking is Revival, so the form can’t heal itself, but it can revive L and R.

The support job(s) falls to the two arms. Smasher-R can protect all three forms, casting Shell and Protect on the whole form with Shellter and Protector. Crusher-L adds to offensive capability by casting Haste on all forms with Booster and raising a unit’s Strength or Defense with Offense and Defense. Both arms also have access to HP Repair and MP Repair which are learned by default and cost no AP.

As with the other Special Dresspheres, all three units share the same defensive auto-abilities, and you’ll need to find the Machina Reactor and the Machina Booster to break the HP and damage limits.

The annoying aspect for all Special Dresspheres are the steps you have to take to activate them and how slowly they gain Ability Points (AP). You’ll have to jump through Dresspheres and Garment Grids, and then only Rikku’s Special Dressphere will gain AP since Yuna and Paine will be chased off the battlefield.

How to Obtain It

Machina Maw comes to you automatically in Chapter 2. Accept the Mission in the Bikanel Desert, travel by hover to the Oasis, and Rikku will get her Dressphere during the cutscene:

24) Bikanel Desert and the Calm Lands
Walkthrough

Save file image of the Oasis in the Bikanel Desert

Bikanel Desert and the Calm Lands in Chapter 2, with Nhadala’s Oasis Mission and getting Clasko settled in at the Chocobo Ranch.

Using a Special Dressphere
Helpful Hint

Special Dresspheres are not on the Garment Grid, so you can’t simply spherechange into one. During a battle, change into every Dressphere on the equipped Garment Grid at least once. Once you’ve used them all, open the Garment Grid again and press and then to transform.

Unlockable Abilities

Two of Machina Maw’s abilities need a key item before it can learn them. The Machina Reactor, which unlocks Break HP Limit, is in the Ruin Depths in the Calm Lands in Chapter 5. The Machina Booster, which unlocks Break Dmg. Limit, is in a treasure chest beside the elevator up to the headquarters on Mushroom Rock Road in Chapter 5.

List of Abilities

Ability	AP	Prerequisites
Attack	0
Revival	10
Death Missile	0
Bio Missile	0
Break Missile	0
Berserk Missile	10
Stop Missile	10	Berserk Missile
Confuse Missile	10	Stop Missile
Shockwave	20
Shockstorm	20	Shockwave
Vajra	30	Shockstorm
Ribbon	0
Double HP	20
Triple HP	30	Double HP
Break HP Limit	20	Key item: Machina Reactor
Break Dmg. Limit	20	Key item: Machina Booster

Ability	AP	Prerequisites
Howitzer	0
Sleep Shell	10
Slow Shell	10	Sleep Shell
Anti-Power Shell	10	Slow Shell
Anti-Armor Shell	10	Anti-Power Shell
Scan	10
Shellter	20
Protector	20	Shellter
HP Repair	0
MP Repair	0
Homing Ray	0
Ribbon	0
Double HP	20
Triple HP	30	Double HP
Break HP Limit	20	Key item: Machina Reactor
Break Dmg. Limit	20	Key item: Machina Booster

Ability	AP	Prerequisites
Howitzer	0
Blind Shell	10	Howitzer
Silence Shell	10	Blind Shell
Anti-Magic Shell	10	Silence Shell
Anti-Mental Shell	10	Anti-Magic Shell
Booster	20
Offense	20
Defense	20	Offense
HP Repair	0
MP Repair	0
Homing Ray	0
Ribbon	0
Double HP	20
Triple HP	30	Double HP
Break HP Limit	20	Key item: Machina Reactor
Break Dmg. Limit	20	Key item: Machina Booster

Stats

Machina Maw is Rikku’s Special Dressphere, so these are her stats alone. The stats of the Special Dresspheres can vary slightly between playthroughs.

Level	HP	MP	Strength	Magic	Defense	Magic Defense	Agility	Accuracy	Evasion	Luck
1	329	55	26	26	99	34	40	116	1	6
10	1023	112	50	45	102	37	41	117	2	7
20	1788	174	76	63	108	42	42	118	3	8
30	2533	231	102	81	114	45	43	119	4	9
40	3260	285	126	97	118	48	44	120	5	10
50	3969	336	147	110	122	50	44	120	5	10
60	4660	382	170	122	126	52	45	121	6	11
70	5332	426	189	132	127	55	45	121	6	11
80	5985	466	208	139	128	55	47	122	6	12
90	6620	504	225	146	129	56	47	122	6	12
99	7177	532	238	150	129	56	46	121	5	11