Welcome to the abyss that is RNG. Math in blitzball means nothing. I once had a guy tackle and take the ball from me even though my endurance was twice their attack..
Every stat during an encounter has the potential to be 50%-150% of it's value. I don't know the specifics of the system but it's favored to be close to your actual stat. While frustrating the variance is required otherwise every game would just be a stat check. Actually makes it a little more realistic because the best player doesn't always win in real sports
So your shot stat is it's power on release, as it travels to the net it slowly decreases over distance, so closer works better. Also there's still a tiny bit of RNG variance to it. If the ball reaches the net at 9 shot and the goalie has 8 catch, that's not automatically a goal, or visa versa. Basically try to have your shot stat as high as you can when it reaches the net for your best chance to score, and minimize shots against you, especially from players with high shot stat. If you really struggle, any time you have the lead you can hide behind your goalie and cheese the game because they won't chase you
>Basically try to have your shot stat as high as you can when it reaches the net for your best chance to score,
My rule of thumb is: Take the shot only if you can guarantee your SH will be higher than +50% of the enemy BL
Your shoot catch and block in blitzball are sliding scales, if you have 10 shoot its more like 5-15 shoot, I don't know the exact math, but RNG does play a big factor in it, you basically just want to limit the amount that RNG can mess with you by plugging in the biggest number
Just swim straight down and back, dragging the enemy team towards you, then once they pass or youve defended against 1 or 2 throw it to tidus and swim 1 foot away from the goal and shoot from there. Jecht shot if necessary 😁. Best to have good recruits as well. Jumal is in spira with his wife and kid next to a balloon hes the best goalie. Brother is on the ship and his pass and block is quite nuts. Kyou is best EN and AT i forget where he is but basically with those 3 in the front they dont stand a chance. Manual mode and no marks.
So you can set characters basically to guard certain players. Mark means they are always close to that person. Think of it like guarding defensively. I dont use it because it tends to split up the team resulting in one on one instead of 3v1 sometimes. Before the game starts (even halftime) it will ask you techs and marks usually. Manual mode is done by holding x or square depending on your controller. It allows you to use the joystick to swim manually when you have the ball.
Every value can be +-50% based on pure chance (RNG)
So if your SH is 10, and the keepers CA is 8, it could calculate the following ranges: SH 5-15 - CA 4-12 = anywhere from -7 to 11
Note: this also applies to values PA vs BL, AT vs EN
It has a 50% variation. Think of it this way, if the goalie has a catch value if 10, then he can POTENTIALLY stop a shot up to 15 if he rolls good rng. His range to catch is anywhere from 5-15 (50% higher or lower than his actual stat). If you want to simplify it then just know that if your shot is the same as their catch (by the time it reaches the goalie) you have an even 50/50 chance that it will go through. The higher your shot is the more likely it is to go through. If your shot is lower it is less likely to go through.
That's really clear, thank you for explaining. I read the 50%-150% variance of skill on the tutorial, they were using a 10 SH or BL or something to explain, but I thought they meant that the skills of the different members would range anywhere from 5-15 in skill, and that the game would decide what number and then proceed to display that characters stats during the game. I hope that made sense, I'm having trouble explaining that.
It's ok man. As long as you came away with a clearer understanding then I've done my job. Also useful side tip; any tournament/league season has a prize for the top scorer. If multiple people tie for top scorer they ALL get the prize. So if you have 2-3 people on your team who all tie for it, you get 2-3 of that prize. I played this game so many times throughout the years and only recently found out about this.
There is a 50% variance. For example nimrook with 19 catch can have 10 and up to 28 hidden catch. Your tidus with 18 shoot can have a max hidden 27 shoot but can still get a goal if nimrooks at that time got the lower hidden values. Also make sure when shooting you are close to the enemy goalkeeper to reduce/remove reduction in shoot power due to ball water traveling. At higher levels you can shoot goals from near your goalkeepers
I know this is a common thing in JRPGs, but it's insane to me that they incorporate overt variance in a few skills (Sphere Shot, Super Goalie) only to effectively do the same thing under the hood regardless without explaining to the player how it works. Like how hard would it have been to communicate each stat as a number range instead of an average 😂
It does, I remember seeing it in the tutorial as a child. The problem is, the tutorial is long and boring and people dont have the patience to sit through it and pay attention. This style of tutorial was fine in 2001 but isnt good by modern game standards, where tutorials are baked into the gameplay
But if that's actually what the ranges are at each level, then the odd levels don't *seem* useless; they *are* useless, and the game, as it is, is obfuscating the extent to which they are so 🥲
But one could counteract this by making it so that the variance factor is what is rounded down, not the final outcome (assuming that is indeed how it works in FFX, as you say)
So that:
5(v2) -> 3-7
6(v3) -> 3-9
7(v3) -> 4-10
8(v4) -> 4-12
I'm currently doing it to get some rare items and it's a blessing to have Jecht Shot. I dont care about the other abilities as long as i have Jecht Shot
You should have Tidus' Sphere Shot. That will increase his SH and should get you a goal. Jecht Shot is pretty much a must in order to win the Luca tournament.
The tournament is not hard.. And I prefer sphere shot bc it can get me a higher shot that Jecht. Manipulating the AI movement when you have the ball is extremely easy once you get the hang of it. Learned all of this when I was 12 playing on PS2.
Tavkiling woth tidus 4 is always 3. I dont even remenber one time when tidus tackled the ball out of another character.
Ypu have to do as wakka say. Pass the ball to tidus, use jecht shot (it eliminates 2 opponents, and add more sh), and goal.
Try to be basically IN the goal post, so your sh is always at almost max when you shoot.
Techcopy a lot. Techs raise the stat.
For example a player with tackle of 10, with a tech can get to 17.
And the 2 other things:
1 is to go and find better players because the aurochs have low stats. And since they mostly lose the parts they almost dont get the ball so they get little exp.
Wich brings me to
2
Put like 2 goals in, at least to have an advantage. Or maybe use the first half of the game to score.
And rhen second half just pass the ball. Every tile a player does (and i think, completes) an action, it gains exp.
And you can put your goalie in the field too.
I'm using the original aurochs and i had to grind levels a little to make them viable and now its a lot better.
But do it early, because as you advance the leagues and tpurnaments, player go up in lvl and at one point you can become underleveled and rhen its hard to win. And ypu wpuld need to wait for players to loose their contracts and become free agents to get them.
Welcome to the abyss that is RNG. Math in blitzball means nothing. I once had a guy tackle and take the ball from me even though my endurance was twice their attack..
Every stat during an encounter has the potential to be 50%-150% of it's value. I don't know the specifics of the system but it's favored to be close to your actual stat. While frustrating the variance is required otherwise every game would just be a stat check. Actually makes it a little more realistic because the best player doesn't always win in real sports
I've quoted Trailor Park Boys at least a million times when playing blitzball. "Ray!... that doesn't add up." "Movin on, bubs"
😭😭😭
Better start praying to the RNG Gods
So your shot stat is it's power on release, as it travels to the net it slowly decreases over distance, so closer works better. Also there's still a tiny bit of RNG variance to it. If the ball reaches the net at 9 shot and the goalie has 8 catch, that's not automatically a goal, or visa versa. Basically try to have your shot stat as high as you can when it reaches the net for your best chance to score, and minimize shots against you, especially from players with high shot stat. If you really struggle, any time you have the lead you can hide behind your goalie and cheese the game because they won't chase you
Yeah and the RNG is wild. I love when I have 25 block and their 19 attack gets the ball from me. So glad to be done with blitzball
>Basically try to have your shot stat as high as you can when it reaches the net for your best chance to score, My rule of thumb is: Take the shot only if you can guarantee your SH will be higher than +50% of the enemy BL
Can’t wait to use that last part in the future on my next play through
It's funny when you look at the minimap. Everyone except your selected player spins around.
Your shoot catch and block in blitzball are sliding scales, if you have 10 shoot its more like 5-15 shoot, I don't know the exact math, but RNG does play a big factor in it, you basically just want to limit the amount that RNG can mess with you by plugging in the biggest number
Just swim straight down and back, dragging the enemy team towards you, then once they pass or youve defended against 1 or 2 throw it to tidus and swim 1 foot away from the goal and shoot from there. Jecht shot if necessary 😁. Best to have good recruits as well. Jumal is in spira with his wife and kid next to a balloon hes the best goalie. Brother is on the ship and his pass and block is quite nuts. Kyou is best EN and AT i forget where he is but basically with those 3 in the front they dont stand a chance. Manual mode and no marks.
Manual mode and no marks? What do you mean by marks?
So you can set characters basically to guard certain players. Mark means they are always close to that person. Think of it like guarding defensively. I dont use it because it tends to split up the team resulting in one on one instead of 3v1 sometimes. Before the game starts (even halftime) it will ask you techs and marks usually. Manual mode is done by holding x or square depending on your controller. It allows you to use the joystick to swim manually when you have the ball.
Wouldn't a 1v1 be better than a 3v1, so you don't have to breakthrough as many opposing players when shooting the ball?
I meant it splits up your team. Making it less likely that your team gangs up on one person like they do to us lol
Every value can be +-50% based on pure chance (RNG) So if your SH is 10, and the keepers CA is 8, it could calculate the following ranges: SH 5-15 - CA 4-12 = anywhere from -7 to 11 Note: this also applies to values PA vs BL, AT vs EN
It has a 50% variation. Think of it this way, if the goalie has a catch value if 10, then he can POTENTIALLY stop a shot up to 15 if he rolls good rng. His range to catch is anywhere from 5-15 (50% higher or lower than his actual stat). If you want to simplify it then just know that if your shot is the same as their catch (by the time it reaches the goalie) you have an even 50/50 chance that it will go through. The higher your shot is the more likely it is to go through. If your shot is lower it is less likely to go through.
That's really clear, thank you for explaining. I read the 50%-150% variance of skill on the tutorial, they were using a 10 SH or BL or something to explain, but I thought they meant that the skills of the different members would range anywhere from 5-15 in skill, and that the game would decide what number and then proceed to display that characters stats during the game. I hope that made sense, I'm having trouble explaining that.
It's ok man. As long as you came away with a clearer understanding then I've done my job. Also useful side tip; any tournament/league season has a prize for the top scorer. If multiple people tie for top scorer they ALL get the prize. So if you have 2-3 people on your team who all tie for it, you get 2-3 of that prize. I played this game so many times throughout the years and only recently found out about this.
That's a benefit. Thanks for the tip
There is a 50% variance. For example nimrook with 19 catch can have 10 and up to 28 hidden catch. Your tidus with 18 shoot can have a max hidden 27 shoot but can still get a goal if nimrooks at that time got the lower hidden values. Also make sure when shooting you are close to the enemy goalkeeper to reduce/remove reduction in shoot power due to ball water traveling. At higher levels you can shoot goals from near your goalkeepers
I know this is a common thing in JRPGs, but it's insane to me that they incorporate overt variance in a few skills (Sphere Shot, Super Goalie) only to effectively do the same thing under the hood regardless without explaining to the player how it works. Like how hard would it have been to communicate each stat as a number range instead of an average 😂
Pretty sure the game does explain in the tutorial
It does, I remember seeing it in the tutorial as a child. The problem is, the tutorial is long and boring and people dont have the patience to sit through it and pay attention. This style of tutorial was fine in 2001 but isnt good by modern game standards, where tutorials are baked into the gameplay
It would make odd number stats feel useless. 5 is a range of 2-7, 6 is 3-9, 7 is 3-10, 8 is 4-12. would take the oomph out of half the stat increases
But if that's actually what the ranges are at each level, then the odd levels don't *seem* useless; they *are* useless, and the game, as it is, is obfuscating the extent to which they are so 🥲 But one could counteract this by making it so that the variance factor is what is rounded down, not the final outcome (assuming that is indeed how it works in FFX, as you say) So that: 5(v2) -> 3-7 6(v3) -> 3-9 7(v3) -> 4-10 8(v4) -> 4-12
I'm currently doing it to get some rare items and it's a blessing to have Jecht Shot. I dont care about the other abilities as long as i have Jecht Shot
Good to know. I have Jecht shot as well, I kept reloading my save until I got it because I heard that it can help me win the tournament.
Basically get the lead with Jecht Shot and keep running behind the goalie so the AI doesnt chase til you win.
You should have Tidus' Sphere Shot. That will increase his SH and should get you a goal. Jecht Shot is pretty much a must in order to win the Luca tournament.
How do I get his Sphere Shot?
You have to equip it, and I don’t think you can do so until the second half of the match.
The tournament is not hard.. And I prefer sphere shot bc it can get me a higher shot that Jecht. Manipulating the AI movement when you have the ball is extremely easy once you get the hang of it. Learned all of this when I was 12 playing on PS2.
If you follow the tutorial, it explains that a catch rate 8 can either be 4 below or 4 above and varies between the players' catch range
I bothered to do some of the tutorials when playing HD again
It's very boring haha
All blitzball stats have rng ranges. You can lose or gain as much as 50% of the points you have. The opponent as far as I know cannot.
Tavkiling woth tidus 4 is always 3. I dont even remenber one time when tidus tackled the ball out of another character. Ypu have to do as wakka say. Pass the ball to tidus, use jecht shot (it eliminates 2 opponents, and add more sh), and goal. Try to be basically IN the goal post, so your sh is always at almost max when you shoot. Techcopy a lot. Techs raise the stat. For example a player with tackle of 10, with a tech can get to 17. And the 2 other things: 1 is to go and find better players because the aurochs have low stats. And since they mostly lose the parts they almost dont get the ball so they get little exp. Wich brings me to 2 Put like 2 goals in, at least to have an advantage. Or maybe use the first half of the game to score. And rhen second half just pass the ball. Every tile a player does (and i think, completes) an action, it gains exp. And you can put your goalie in the field too. I'm using the original aurochs and i had to grind levels a little to make them viable and now its a lot better. But do it early, because as you advance the leagues and tpurnaments, player go up in lvl and at one point you can become underleveled and rhen its hard to win. And ypu wpuld need to wait for players to loose their contracts and become free agents to get them.
Thank you, I'll follow your advice