Blitzball

This article is about the sport. For the titular ball used within the sport, see Blitzball (object).

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A game of Blitzball in Final Fantasy X

Blitzball is an underwater sport featured notably in Final Fantasy X and its sequel, Final Fantasy X-2. It combines the six-man teams, positions, and physicality of hockey with soccer kicks for scoring and the hand passes of water polo. The game is played underwater in a large sphere pool suspended in the air. Blitzball is also featured as a minigame in both Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2.

Final Fantasy X

A goal is scored in the blitzball minigame in Final Fantasy X

The plot of Final Fantasy X provides a very favorable view of blitzball in general, as the sport is also shown to foster peace as it is the only activity where all races and genders are accepted as equals without squabbles. In Final Fantasy X, blitzball is also Spira's only mainstream form of entertainment, allowing citizens to take their minds off the ever present threat of Sin, however briefly. Two of the game's main characters, Tidus and Wakka, are skilled blitzball players.

Blitzball has affected the people of Spira in subtler ways during the thousand or more years of its existence as a sport — the blitzball sign for victory in Zanarkand found its way into "present day" Spira as a sacred hand gesture and incantation, its sporting origins seemingly forgotten.

Official sources give different explanations as to how characters manage to hold their breaths underwater for long periods of time during blitzball. In Final Fantasy X: Eternal Calm, a short film set between the events of Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, Yuna notes that after much practice and training from Wakka, she can hold her breath for over two minutes. However, page 59 of Final Fantasy X Scenario Ultimania states that it is the pyrefly-saturated water in the blitzball arena that enables players to hold their breaths nearly forever or at least for the 5 minutes required for each half-time.

Gameplay

Players fight over the ball during a match. Blitzball is a full contact sport where violent tackles are allowed

The game, particularly the minigame itself, is played from a top-down perspective, with the player controlling his team members in turn. Teams are made up of six players a side, of whom one is the goalkeeper. The aim is to throw a dimpled ball (called the blitzball) into the opponent's goal area. The team with the most goals after two five-minute halves is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, overtime periods are added as necessary, and a "Golden Goal" rule applies. As characters advance through the ranks they learn many new tricks to improve both their offensive and defensive skills, called techniques.

Defensive techniques in blitzball often include violent tackles. Some tackles are intended to poison, cripple, or knock opponents unconscious altogether. As substitutions are not allowed outside of halftime intermissions, the use of these techniques can offer teams a temporary numerical advantage. Goalkeepers can also learn some techniques such as Supergoalie, which helps to catch fast balls.

Offensive techniques include the Sphere Shot, an underwater version of a bicycle kick, and the Jecht Shot, a goalshooting technique that renders up to two defense players unconscious in combination with bicycle kick.

There is an exploit where the player's team can easily win any game if their character hides behind the goalkeeper of their team with the blitzball, as the CPU opponents do not attempt to take the ball during such an occurrence.

Blitzball teams

When the blitzball mini-game first becomes available in Final Fantasy X, the player takes control of the Besaid Aurochs, and is given a standard player roster, which the player may alter by signing up other players from around the world, including players who began as members of other teams. Likewise, other teams may change their rosters. The following is a list of each of the teams featured in the game and their starting rosters:

Spira Blitzball League Teams

Besaid Aurochs	Luca Goers	Al Bhed Psyches
Wakka Tidus Datto Letty Jassu Botta Keepa	Bickson Abus Graav Doram Balgerda Raudy	Eigaar Blappa Berrik Judda Lakkam Nimrook
Guado Glories	Kilika Beasts	Ronso Fangs
Giera Guado Zazi Guado Navara Guado Auda Guado Pah Guado Noy Guado	Larbeight Isken Vuroja Kulukan Deim Nizarut	Basik Ronso Argai Ronso Gazna Ronso Nuvy Ronso Irga Ronso Zamzi Ronso

Teams with few or no named players also appear in Final Fantasy X. They are the Zanarkand Abes and the Zanarkand Duggles, and both of them appear in the opening FMV. In the Final Fantasy Ultimania Omega book, two additional teams are mentioned: Bevelle Bells and Yocun Nomads.

Techniques

Technique	Description
Anti-Drain	HP Cost: 10, 50% chance. Prevents HP Drain.
Anti-Drain 2	HP Cost: 50, 100% chance. Prevents HP Drain.
Anti-Nap	HP Cost: 40, 50% chance. Blocks sleep.
Anti-Nap 2	HP Cost: 210, 100% chance. Blocks sleep.
Anti-Venom	HP Cost: 5, 50% chance. Blocks poison.
Anti-Venom 2	HP Cost: 50, 100% chance. Blocks poison.
Anti-Wither	HP Cost: 30, 50% chance. Prevents status reduction.
Anti-Wither 2	HP Cost: 200, 100% chance. Prevents status reduction.
Aurochs Spirit	HP Cost: 600, SH +0, Sum of original Aurochs' SH on team added to Wakka's!
Brawler	HP Cost: 10, 60% chance. Participate in encounters from farther away.
Drain Tackle	HP Absorbed: 30, AT +0, Absorm HP. Own HP must be over 30. 40% chance.
Drain Tackle 2	HP Absorbed: 150, AT +0, Absorb HP. Own HP must be over 150. 70% chance.
Drain Tackle 3	HP Absorbed: 500, AT +0, Absorb HP. Own HP must be over 500. 100% chance.
Elite Defense	Equip HP Cost: 5, Find and intercept ball carrier from farther away.
Gamble	HP Cost: 300, 50% chance. Stat randomized after waking.
Golden Arm	Equip HP Cost: 30, AT +0, Slows SH & PA decrease during passes and shots.
Good Morning!	HP Cost: 80, 50% chance. Powers up player after waking up from sleep.
Grip Gloves	HP Cost: 30, Raises goalkeeper's ball control ability.
Hi-Risk	Equip HP Cost: 300, Lowers all stats to 1/2, but doubles experience points.
Invisible Shot	HP Cost: 220, SH +3, 60% chance. Ball disappears on way to goal.
Jecht Shot	HP Cost: 120, SH +5, Knocks away up to 2 opposing players.
Jecht Shot 2	HP Cost: 999, SH +10, Invisible Shot, Knocks away 3 opposing players.
Nap Pass	HP Cost: 40, PA +3, Put opponents to sleep. 30% chance.
Nap Pass 2	HP Cost: 200, PA +5, Put opponents to sleep. 60% chance.
Nap Pass 3	HP Cost: 510, PA +7, Put opponents to sleep. 100% chance.
Nap Shot	HP Cost: 45, SH +3, Puts goalkeeper to sleep. 40% chance.
Nap Shot 2	HP Cost: 80, SH +5, Puts goalkeeper to sleep. 70% chance.
Nap Shot 3	HP Cost: 350, SH +7, Puts goalkeeper to sleep. 100% chance.
Nap Tackle	HP Cost: 40, AT +3, Puts target to sleep if EN is reduced to 0. 100% chance.
Nap Tackle 2	HP Cost: 90, AT +5, Puts target to sleep if EN is reduced to 0. 100% chance.
Nap Tackle 3	HP Cost: 180, AT +7, Puts target to sleep if EN is reduced to 0. 100% chance.
Pile Venom	Equip HP Cost: 30, Cumulate poison effects.
Pile Wither	Equip HP Cost: 70, Cumulate the effects of stat-lowering techniques.
Regen	Equip HP Cost: 50, Speeds up HP recovery when not carrying the ball.
Sphere Shot	HP Cost: 90, SH +3, Adds random amount to SH.
Spin Ball	HP Cost: 30, Puts spin on the ball. Harder for goalkeeper to catch.
Super Goalie	HP Cost: 30+, 60% chance. Adds random amount to CA.
Tackle Slip	HP Cost: 40, 40% chance. Evade Tackles. Player may be disoriented after evading.
Tackle Slip 2	HP Cost: 170, 80% chance. Evade Tackles. Player may be disoriented after evading.
Tech Find	Prize: Unlocks almost any slot in a character's skill list.
Venom Pass	HP Cost: 40, PA +3, Poisons opponents. 30% chance.
Venom Pass 2	HP Cost: 120, PA +5, Poisons opponents. 60% chance.
Venom Pass 3	HP Cost: 250, PA +7, Poisons opponents. 100% chance.
Venom Shot	HP Cost: 20, SH +3, Poisons goalkeeper. 40% chance.
Venom Shot 2	HP Cost: 35, SH +5, Poisons goalkeeper. 70% chance.
Venom Shot 3	HP Cost: 100, SH +7, Poisons goalkeeper. 100% chance.
Venom Tackle	HP Cost: 30, AT +3, Inflicts poison. 40% chance.
Venom Tackle 2	HP Cost: 70, AT +5, Inflicts poison. 70% chance.
Venom Tackle 3	HP Cost: 160, AT +7, Inflicts poison. 100% chance.
Volley Shot	HP Cost: 10, Player can shoot free balls unblocked. 50% chance.
Volley Shot 2	HP Cost: 40, Player can shoot free balls unblocked. 75% chance.
Volley Shot 3	HP Cost: 250, Player can shoot free balls unblocked. 100% chance.
Wither Pass	HP Cost: 40, PA +3, Lowers opponents' EN, AT, and BL. 30% chance.
Wither Pass 2	HP Cost: 180, PA +5, Lowers opponents' EN, AT, and BL. 60% chance.
Wither Pass 3	HP Cost: 4400, PA +7, Lowers opponents' EN, AT, and BL. 100% chance.
Wither Shot	HP Cost: 30, SH +3, Lowers goalie's BL and CA. 40% chance.
Wither Shot 2	HP Cost: 180, SH +5, Lowers goalie's BL and CA. 70% chance.
Wither Shot 3	HP Cost: 390, SH +7, Lowers goalie's BL and CA. 100% chance.
Wither Tackle	HP Cost: 8, AT +3, Lowers target's EN, PA, and SH. 40% chance.
Wither Tackle 2	HP Cost: 80, AT +5, Lowers target's EN, PA, and SH. 70% chance.
Wither Tackle 3	HP Cost: 250, AT +7, Lowers target's EN, PA, and SH. 100% chance.

Final Fantasy X-2

The blitzball minigame in Final Fantasy X-2 differs from the one in Final Fantasy X, as players no longer directly manipulate the actions of their blitzball team members. Rather, the minigame takes on a Championship Manager-esque interface. The Gullwings fill in for the Aurochs when Blitzball season starts. In this version of the minigame, if a team leads the game by seven goals at any point, they automatically win. The Zanarkand Abes are also available as opponents, with Tidus being replaced by a player named "Ace".

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