You’ll also notice that this game has you play only three main characters: Yuna, Rikku, and Paine. Despite the reduced party size, dresspheres allow these characters to learn and use a wider range of abilities. You can switch out dresspheres at any given time (even in battle) to tweak your party. Plus any character can wear any dressphere, and you can even have characters wearing the same dresspheres simultaneously. With the dressphere system characters equip Garment Grids to actually use certain features. Much like dresspheres, Garment Grids can be collected throughout FFX-2. Some of the better ones can hold more dresspheres than others and even innately boost character stats, though some Garment Grids may synergize better with specific dresspheres. On top of all that, you can also “master” dresspheres by repeatedly using its abilities in combat. Yes this is all pretty complicated. Where do you even get started? Well have no fear! I’m gonna help you understand which dresspheres are worth your time. And just as the name implies: dresspheres alter each character’s appearance and outfit, so on top of battle prowess they up your fashion game, too!
16. Trainer
I have the Trainer starting off this list as arguably the worst dressphere in Final Fantasy X-2. It’s like the Beastmaster from the job system, using pets to attack instead of weapons. For the outfits, each character wears a long skirt and long sleeves (except for Paine who wears a falconer’s gauntlet) with some subjectively tacky color palettes. The Trainer has two things that really work against it. First, it functions as a generalist dressphere that can technically do a bit of everything in battle(damage, buff/debuff, heal, etc.). However it isn’t the best at any one thing. Two, by the time you get the Trainer in Chapter 3(by first speaking with Kimahri about being a good leader in Chapter 2) you’ve probably acquired better dresspheres already. Trading potency for versatility isn’t really worth it in this game when you can switch out to objectively more powerful, and equally versatile, dresspheres.
15. Festivalist
You’ll need to have the game’s International or HD Remaster version to acquire the Festivalist, but you can get it right at the start by having Yuna talk to Brother aboard the Celsius. While wearing this dressphere each character looks ready to have a fun day out rather than save the world in a playful Japanese ensemble. In battle the Festivalist suffers from a lackluster skillset despite having decent base stats and auto abilities. Much like the Trainer, this dressphere gives each character a different set of abilities for versatility. And much like the Trainer, those abilities aren’t particularly great. The Festivalist ranks slightly better because you don’t have to wait or do much to actually get it, and it should perform fine while completing early game content. You’ll likely switch it out later regardless.
14. Warrior
Paine’s default dressphere(meaning you have it as soon as the game starts) has her lightly armored and carrying a big sword, which really matches what the Warrior does. The Warrior is a physical damage dealer who focuses on single-target damage and can occasionally buff her party. It has decent survivability, too, but the Warrior really shines through its abilities that reduce enemy stats. Since you receive it early the Warrior provides a good opportunity to learn about using stat breaks. However several dresspheres perform better at the Warrior’s role. So you’re likely to switch it out within a few chapters.
13. Gunner
Yuna starts off with this dressphere and it’s a nice one. The Gunner doesn’t look too shabby, though it’s not exactly flashy either. Each character adds her own flair to the outfits but all of them don the signature half-skirt and knee-high laced boots. Mechanically, the Gunner’s skills focus on dealing damage accurately, at a distance. It has multi-targeting abilities such as with Scattershot (which lets you shoot all enemies on the battlefield) and Trigger Happy (which lets you spam shots for a short amount of time). Unfortunately the Gunner’s damage capabilities get overshadowed by other dresspheres, though it can still serve you well during the game’s early portions.
12. Black Mage
The Black Mage is rather straightforward and if you’re into pretty outfits the characters look like sexy witches ready to go trick-or-treating(complete with pointy hats and magic wands). This dressphere specializes in hitting hard with elemental magic that targets either a single enemy or all of them. Since you get the Black Mage right after completing the first mission, you can get some mileage out of it for the whole game. However other dresspheres will likely eclipse its damage capabilities as early as chapter 2.
11. Thief
Rikku’s default dressphere that makes each character look ready for a day at the beach than…anything else, really. The Thief excels as an agile and evasive physical fighter. Some of its abilities let you steal things from enemies, like items, gil, and eventually HP and MP. The Thief can also take out enemies as soon as the battle begins by combining First Strike with Soul Swipe or Steal Will. Plus she can dish out some nasty burst damage by chaining her double-strike attacks. Eventually the Thief will get outscaled by another item generating dressphereappearing later in the list.
10. Songstress
The Songstress is the archetypical support class. In fact, it’s so support-y that you get the Songstress as part of the dressphere tutorial. What the Songstress lacks in damaging capability(which it has none), it makes up for with being a fantastic complimentary party member. Plus she can dish out a lot of crowd control to hamper the enemy. As the game progresses, the Songstress shines by buffing her teammates to ludicrous power levels. Her Dance abilities allow her to reduce MP costs to 0, apply Haste, turn all attacks into Critical Hits, and more for her entire team. Similarly her Sing skill gives party-wide stat boosts. As a bonus Songstress features some cute outfits where each character looks ready to give a concert, wielding microphone stands instead of weapons.
9. Samurai
A Japanese-themed dressphere, if the name wasn’t enough of a hint. Each character wears samurai armor while dishing out damage with an impractically ornate, two-handed sword. In combat the Samurai is a deadly fighter with impressive survivability. With a versatile set of damaging abilities, the Samurai can target a single enemy or all enemies on the battlefield. Her attacks can damage MP, stop an enemy’s action, or even remove their stat buffs, and she comes with self-heals and buffs that improve her offensively and defensively. You can obtain this dressphere in chapter 3 at Kilika temple, right before facing Ifrit. If you miss it then you have another chance at finding it in a chest in chapter 5 at the Chamber of the Fayth.
8. White Mage
Final Fantasy’s dedicated healing class. The White Mage even plays into the savior aesthetic with the girls donning white robes and casting magic with their glorified healing sticks. It lacks direct damaging abilities but provides enormous support through healing and White Magic, which gives you access to more heals, offensive/defensive buffs, negative status removal, and even revival. While not fantastic on its own, the White Mage is almost a must-wear dressphere for how she can boost your party’s overall survivability. If things get too rough early on you should fall back on the White Mage. Luckily you obtain this dressphere after defeating the Flame Dragon in chapter 1 so you can really take advantage of it for most of the game.
7. Gun Mage
If you’ve played with the Blue Mage in other Final Fantasy games then the Gun Mage might look familiar. This dressphere’s base stats and abilities aren’t particularly great early on, though Scan can be useful in forming a battle strategy. Fiend Hunter also makes you especially powerful—as you might guess—against certain fiend-types. However the real draw here is Blue Bullet, though you need to play through the game and reach certain milestones to fully unlock its sub-skills. Once you’ve obtained Mighty Guard, White Wind, Heaven’s Cataract, and Annihilator, the Gun Mage makes for a versatile and devastating combatant! Fashion-wise, each character wields the eponymous gun with a somewhat revealing, sleeveless outfit, including more half-skirts, tights, and long gloves. You can get this dressphere in chapter 1 (by escorting Tobli’s caravan) or in chapter 2 (after selling six concert tickets for Tobli).
6. Berserker
It only takes one glance to know that you can go wild with this dressphere. You acquire this in chapter 3 after defeating the fiends at Lake Macalania, and it’s worth the effort! The Berserker features high Agility, Strength, Evasion, and HP that gets offset by low magic defense and below-average physical defense. Despite this defensive stat line you still have good survivability with skills that double your HP, allow you to counter and evade attacks, and dispel negative status ailments. The dressphere’s signature skill, Berserk, boosts your attack so you’ll deal lots of damage. You can even inflict stat debuffs and status effects on your targets. Overall the Berserker gives you a lot to play with, so long as you stay up close and personal with your enemies.
5. Alchemist
The Alchemist is a unique dressphere whose abilities rely on generating items, using them, and even combining their effects. These combinations can result in ridiculously good damage, potent buffs, healing, and more. The Alchemist’s arguably most potent ability, Mega-Potion, gives you a free 2000 HP party-wide heal. It’s a really fun dressphere that only gets better the more item combinations you learn. Plus the Alchemist has a high-tech/gadgeteer feel with futuristic armor, oversized shoulder pads, and big ol’ guns. It looks a bit too clunky for my tastes but maybe you’re into that style! To get the Alchemist you need to clear out the fiends in the Calm Lands Ruins during chapters 2, 3, or 5.
4. Dark Knight
The Dark Knight has a “destroyer of worlds” vibe as each character adopts a dark, spikey fully-armored look complete with giant excessively curved weaponry. Frankly this dressphere is powerful enough to warrant that outfit. The Dark Knight boasts the highest physical defenses among the dresspheres while maintaining decent values in its other stats. Darkness and Charon, arguably its most potent abilities, do cost HP. But that isn’t usually a problem with a high HP pool and accessories. Among its Arcana skillset, Black Sky stands out for its ability to hit practically every enemy on the field. Plus the Dark Knight even gets status immunities against Poison, Petrification, Confusion, Curse…and Instant Death. So not only does it hit like a truck, but it’s built to last, too! You can find the Dark Knight in a chest near the end of the Bevelle Underground area in chapters 2, 3, or 5. You have little reason not to get it as early as possible, though.
3. Lady Luck
Here’s a callback to the Gambler from the job system. Befitting its name, the Lady Luck encourages a high risk, high reward playstyle that may be a bit tricky to use. Once you get the hang of how it works it really excels at dealing damage—lots and LOTS of damage since you always critical hits! You get this dressphere by defeating Shinra in the Sphere Break mini-game in chapter 3 or 5 (TIP: you’ll have an easier time beating him in chapter 3). The characters wear glamorous, albeit very revealing, dresses like they’re ready to attend a cocktail party in a Vegas casino—which really matches the theme. The Lady Luck’s bread and butter skills are Two Dice and Four Dice, which let you deal extra damage by rolling 1’s and 6’s. The reel abilities involve spinning the slots and, with enough luck, you can mimic abilities from other dresspheres, healing/buffs, and even item effects. On the flip side if the slots land on a dud, you have a chance of royally mucking up the battle for your entire party—such as getting One-Hit-KO’d. Now there are ways to cheat the slots, but that honestly takes some fun out it. This dressphere also has some convenient auto abilities that help you get more EXP, gil, and items after each battle, making it great for reaping lots of cash and other rewards. I highly recommend squeezing the Lady Luck into your party if you can manage the swingy playstyle.
2. Psychic
This powerhouse transforms our lovable characters into high school students wearing visors from the future, providing one of the cooler aesthetics without being too over the top or flashy (or skimpy). Your attacks manifest as psychic pulses and you constantly levitate! To nab this dressphere you need to have the game’s International or HD Remaster version. If you do then you can technically nab it as soon as chapter 1 by winning the Standard Cup in the Fiend Arena — beware that it can be a tough run early. Now to the dressphere’s finer details. The Psychic has access to area-of-effect damage/debuffs and single-target attacks. The Psychic can also buff herself for more Accuracy and Evasion and Haste. Plus most of her skills are still really potent. The Psychic can teleport herself around the battlefield for excellent repositioning. A legit tactic is to follow up with Telekinesis to just insta-kill a target. It can even stop time to act twice each round. Oh, and here’s the real kicker: it can become nigh-invincible using Magic and Physics Guard with a Ribbon equipped. Even if you do get hurt, the Psychic’s elemental Eater abilities help her sustain when she somehow takes elemental damage. The Psychic can just do everything well in a fight!
1. Mascot
Dare I say the objectively best dressphere for each character is the Mascot. In standard Final Fantasy X-2 you can get the Mascot in chapter 5 by completing each game location. In the HD Remaster and International versions you beat the Youth League Tournament in the Fiend Arena. So, yeah—the game really makes you work for this dressphere! Once you do get it the Mascot has each character dress up in comically cartoon-ish…mascots of other races. You’ll either hate how the costumes look or love them out of sheer silliness. The Mascot is honestly worth all the trouble (and maybe cringe at having to look at it). This dressphere provides each character with high base stats, Auto-Protect, Auto-Shell, and Ribbon, making them extremely tanky at the start of each battle. But wait, there’s more! The Mascot lets each character gain a new set of abilities as well as access to the abilities of TWO other specific dresspheres. Yuna’s Mascot abilities focus on healing magic and support, making it the best healer dressphere in the game. She can also use any Warrior/Dark Knight abilities she had previously unlocked. Rikku’s dressphere follows a more single-target damage role with elemental/area-of-effect abilities that debuff enemies, and she can use any previously learned Berserker/White Mage abilities. Paine’s Mascot abilities specialize in inflicting status ailments and tons of single-target damage; plus she can access Samurai/Black Mage abilities that she’s already learned. With those options the Mascot provides versatility AND overwhelming power. This dressphere may have made the game too easy if it didn’t take so long and so much effort to get it. A team of three Mascots will curb stomp just about any encounter and significantly reduce the difficulty of even the game’s most complex bosses. If you’re looking for the best dressphere for any character, look no further than the Mascot. References: Curated Critiques
