Crisis Core Digital Mind Wave (DMW)

In the top left portion of the screen is the DMW or Digital Mind Wave. This mechanism is what can let you use a limit break, a summon, a special attack, grant status effects, and level up your materia along with Zack. These are all done through the spinning numbers and character portraits that act like a slot machine. When certain numbers or portraits line up they can activate any of the previously mentioned effects. Each section will explain one part of the DMW.

The SP bar
Your total SP, or SOLDIER Points, are listed in the top bar of the DMW. You gain SP by defeating enemies and you can also convert materia to SP in the Materia section of the main menu. Do not confuse SP with EXP; they are completely different. You can use your SP for Materia Fusion and rolling the DMW reels. Ten SP will automatically be deducted from your total each time they start spinning. If you do not have ten SP then the reels will not spin.

Limit Meter
Your limit meter is the likelihood of the character portraits matching which will active the modulating phase. This bar can be affected by story events, causing the bar to be "Low", "Normal", "High", "Sky High, or "Heavenly". The higher the likely-hood the faster the frequency waves will be. The color will change as well to match this. Brighter colors equal higher likely-hood while darker colors equal less likely. If you go into modulating phase and use a limit break then the limit meter will go down a level each time. The limit meter can go up and down.

Modulating Phase
The DMW reels spin like slot machines. So when they stop they can sometimes grant certain effects depending on what they stopped on. When the first and last character portrait reels stop and match, combat will cease and you will enter into modulating phase. In this phase the center portrait reel and all three number reels will continue to spin until they stop. Matching three portraits gives you a limit break, while matching a certain combination of numbers either levels up your materia or Zack.

While the reels are still spinning you can enter into a special mode. You can either enter Summon Mode, Chocobo Mode, or Genesis Mode. These are activated randomly, but having more portraits unlocked on those reels can increase your chances. Theses modes switch the current reel with one of the other two reels and all three portraits begin to spin again. Genesis Mode will activate the same way, but works differently from the other two reels. While in Genesis mode the Genesis portrait will replace the characters that were previously on the ends and he will be added to the center reel as it continues to spin. He will remain on the reels for the length of the mission, chapter, or till you die.

Character Portraits Reel
While in the main menu you can select DMW. This will show all the possible character portraits along with each characters limit verge, limit progress, and how many times you have used that limit break. A limit verge happens when you go into modulating phase with that character. When that happens you are more likely to see memories you have with that character. The more memories and pictures you see of that character the more progress it will unlock. This will increase your chances of using a higher-level limit break.

The character reels do nothing while in combat until you hit modulating phase. Once you're in modulating phase the main goal is to line up three characters to hit a limit break. This is completely random and can't be modified. It seems to hit limit breaks more often if you have more progress and more characters unlocked. Even if you have not unlocked the character yet, three matching silhouettes will initiate a limit break.

A character portrait will sometimes appear next to your limit meter. This means that you are more likely to match reels with that character. This usually happens after a major story event.

The level of the limit break seems to be determined by the certain reel number or the non-matching number if two are matching. Usually all sevens with a limit break will be level 5. There does seem to be a little randomness to this aspect as well though.

Starting Reel

Sephiroth
How to Unlock: Start with
Effect: Octaslash - Hit one enemy with eight physical slashes.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 9
Level 2 - Base Strength: 11
Level 3 - Base Strength: 15
Level 4 - Base Strength: 18
Level 5 - Base Strength: 22

Angeal
How to Unlock: Start with
Effect: Rush Assault - Hit two enemies with seven physical hits each then one last stronger attack on one of them. The last hit does have a chance to stun the enemy as well. The enemy Vitality is ignored during this Limit Break as well.

Level 1 - Base Strength (First 7): 6
Base Strength (Next 7): 7
Base Strength (Last hit): 12

Level 2 - Base Strength (First 7): 7
Base Strength (Next 7): 8
Base Strength (Last hit): 18

Level 3 - Base Strength (First 7): 8
Base Strength (Next 7): 9
Base Strength (Last hit): 20

Level 4 - Base Strength (First 7): 9
Base Strength (Next 7): 10
Base Strength (Last hit): 24

Level 5 - Base Strength (First 7): 10
Base Strength (Next 7): 11
Base Strength (Last hit): 32

Tseng
How to Unlock: After meeting Tseng for the first time at the beginning of Chapter 3.
Effect: Air Strike - A helicopter fires a series of physical attacks on all the enemies.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 40
Level 2 - Base Strength: 44
Level 3 - Base Strength: 48
Level 4 - Base Strength: 64
Level 5 - Base Strength: 72

Cloud
How to Unlock: After meeting Cloud for the first time in the middle of Chapter 6
Effect: Meteor Shots - A series of physical attacks that hit all enemies.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 44
Level 2 - Base Strength: 48
Level 3 - Base Strength: 64
Level 4 - Base Strength: 72
Level 5 - Base Strength: 80

Aerith
How to Unlock: After meeting Aerith for the first time at the beginning of Chapter 5.
Effect: Healing Wave - Restores all HP, MP, and AP to their max and can break them up to double max. Also casts Invincibility lasting between 3 and 20 seconds.

Cissnei
How to Unlock: After meeting Cissnei for the first time in the middle of Chapter 4.
Effect: Lucky Stars - Causes all attacks to hit for critical damage lasting between 10 and 80 seconds. Also causes limit gauge to rise between 1-5 levels depending on the level of Lucky Stars.

Summon Reel

Ifrit
How to Unlock: Clear Mission 8-1-1
Effect: Hellfire - Summons Ifrit to deal a magical attack that affects all enemies. This attack ignores the enemies Spirit.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 52
Level 2 - Base Strength: 56
Level 3 - Base Strength: 60
Level 4 - Base Strength: 64
Level 5 - Base Strength: 77

Bahamut
How to Unlock: Clear Mission 8-1-4
Effect: Mega Flare - Summons Bahamut to deal a magical attack that affects all enemies. This attack ignores the enemies Spirit.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 58
Level 2 - Base Strength: 62
Level 3 - Base Strength: 66
Level 4 - Base Strength: 70
Level 5 - Base Strength: 84

Bahamut Fury
How to Unlock: Purchase at Bone Village Commerce which is unlocked in Mission 7-5-3
Effect: Exa Flare - Summons Bahamut Fury to deal a magical attack that affects all enemies. This attack ignores the enemies Spirit.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 70
Level 2 - Base Strength: 74
Level 3 - Base Strength: 78
Level 4 - Base Strength: 82
Level 5 - Base Strength: 96

Odin
How to Unlock: Clear Mission 8-1-6
Effect: Zantetsuken - Summons Odin to cast Sudden Death on all enemies.

Phoenix
How to Unlock: In Chapter 9 the Nibelheim Mystery #1. Check the Water Tower.
Effect: Rebirth Flame - Summons Phoenix to deal a magical attack that affects all enemies. This attack ignores the enemies Spirit. Also casts ReRaise on Zack.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 48
Level 2 - Base Strength: 52
Level 3 - Base Strength: 56
Level 4 - Base Strength: 60
Level 5 - Base Strength: 78

Genesis Mode

Genesis
How to Unlock: After fighting Genesis for the first time late in Chapter 6
Effect: Apocalypse - A series of physical attacks that affects all enemies.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 66
Level 2 - Base Strength: 76
Level 3 - Base Strength: 86
Level 4 - Base Strength: 96
Level 5 - Base Strength: 120

Chocobo Reel

Chocobo
How to Unlock: Treasure chest in Mission 8-4-1
Effect: Chocobo Stomp - A series of physical attacks that affect all enemies. This attack ignores Vitality.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 48
Lever 2 - Base Strength: 54
Level 3 - Base Strength: 58
Level 4 - Base Strength: 64
Level 5 - Base Strength: 72

Cactuar
How to Unlock: Clear Mission 10-1-3
Effect: 1000 Needles - A series of 18 hits that deal damage depending on the level of attack.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 18x 300
Level 2 - Base Strength: 18x 500
Level 3 - Base Strength: 18x 1000
Level 4 - Base Strength: 18x 1500
Level 5 - Base Strength: 18x 2000

Tonberry
How to Unlock: Clear Mission 10-2-3
Effect: Murderous Thrust - A series of physical attacks that affect all enemies. This attack ignores Vitality.
Level 1 - Base Strength: 52
Level 2 - Base Strength: 60
Level 3 - Base Strength: 64
Level 4 - Base Strength: 68
Level 5 - Base Strength: 78

Cait Sith
How to Unlock: Treasure chest in Mission 8-4-3
Effect: Courage Boost! - Cures Poison, Silence, Stop, and Stun status while casting Endurance, Barrier, Magic Barrier, 0 MP Consumption, 0 AP Consumption, Physical Guard, and Magical Guard on Zack.

Moogle
How to Unlock: Treasure Chest in Mission 8-4-4
Effect: Moogle Power - Casts Regen on Zack for 40 or more seconds. Levels up all material based on the level of Moogle Power. If it is Moogle Power Level 3 then your material levels up 3 times for example.

Magic Pot
How to Unlock: Encounter a Magic Pot in certain Missions. The earliest possible mission is Mission 10-2-3. When the Magic Pot asks for them use Jump, Fira, Gravity, and Assault Twister on it. Once you do this you will unlock it.
Effect: Item Mugger - You will be given an item depending on the level.

Level 1 - Available Items: Curaga Materia, Drain Materia, Graviga Materia, Libra Materia
Level 2 - Available Items: Iron Bangle, Titanium Bangle, Carbon Bangle, Platinum Bangle
Level 3 - Available Items: Kaiser Knuckles, Shinra Beta Plus, Royal Crown, Crystal Orb
Level 4 - Available Items: Elixir x5, Elixir x10, Phoenix Down x1, Phoenix Down x3
Level 5 - Available Items: Ribbon, Gold Rolling Pin x1, Gold Rolling Pin x3, Gold Rolling Pin x5

Numbers

The rolling numbers are just as important as the portraits. During normal combat as the DMW spins and stops if certain numbers are lined up you gain special status.

666: All attacks become critical hits for 20 seconds
555: Physical Guard for 15 seconds
444: 0 AP Consumption
333: Magic Guard for 15 seconds
222: 0 MP Consumption
111: Invincibility for 15 seconds
77*: 0 MP Consumption for 15 seconds
7*7: Physical Guard for 15 seconds
*77: Magical Guard for 15 seconds
7**: 0 AP Consumption for 12 seconds
7: 0 MP consumption for 12 seconds
**7: Endurance for 20 seconds

The big benefits come from matching numbers in modulating phase.

777: Zack levels ups + Invincibility for 15 seconds
2 same (not 7): 1 level up for equipped # materia
3 same (not 7): 2 levels up for quipped # materia

Coverage