When it comes to finding success in Final Fantasy 10‘s iconic blitzball minigame, finding and recruiting the best players is key. Charming as they may be, the starting lineup of the Besaid Aurochs that players start the sport with simply can’t compete with many of the game’s other recruitable players. To truly become a champion, players will need to build a team from the ground up.
Knowing which characters to go for, however, can be tricky. There are plenty of players to choose from, though many start Final Fantasy 10 already under contract with other teams. This means those looking to build the best blitzball team possible will need to be patient, finding suitable backup players until the contracts for some of the most in-demand players expire and they become free agents. Those players starting their blitzball journey will also want to have goals in mind. Those playing for just a few tournaments or leagues in order to obtain Wakka’s Overdrives and Celestial Weapon will be served well by certain characters who are strong early on, whereas those playing the mini-game for the long haul will want to seek out certain other characters that become much stronger the higher level they are.
Players will need to fill two forward positions, a mid-fielder, two defenders, and a goalie. A team’s forwards will ideally want to have a high shoot stat, while defenders need a high attack and block. Catchers want as high a catch stat as possible, while mid-fielders are all-rounders that benefit from having high HP, speed, endurance, and pass stats. There’s a lot to factor in, but even with that in mind, there are some clear favorites when it comes to building a great blitzball team. Whether it’s speeding around the dome as Brother or becoming a top-scorer as Tidus (when he’s not too busy fighting Sin), here are some of the best blitzball players in Final Fantasy 10, and what makes each of them worth recruiting.
Who Final Fantasy 10’s Best Blitzball Players Are
Brother
When he’s not flying Final Fantasy 10‘s airship alongside Cid, Brother is apparently a star blitzball player. His HP, pass, endurance, attack, block, and shoot stats are all well above average, but his real secret weapon is his speed. Brother swims faster than any other character in the game, letting him zoom past defenders to score as well as get involved in nearly every possession of the opposing team. This makes him excel at the mid-fielder role, where his many strengths can be put to optimal use. Better yet, he starts the game as a free agent, meaning players can pick him up immediately and get to work. Though at higher levels his stats begin to flatline compared to other players, those just playing blitzball for Wakka’s Overdrive and Celestial Weapon will absolutely want Brother on their team.
Larbeight
Larbeight excels at scoring, with a sky-high shoot stat that just never seems to slow down as he levels up. He also boasts a strong attack stat, letting him steal the ball from the opposing team and go in for a goal. This makes him an ideal left or right forward. However, he starts the game signed with the Kilika Beasts, meaning players may have to wait a while to recruit him. He can be found on the Kilika docks. While waiting for Larbeight’s contract to end in Final Fantasy 10, Wakka or Vilucha, who can be found in Besaid Village, can serve as great alternatives.
Ropp
Ropp is by far the strongest defender in Final Fantasy 10, with high attack, block, and pass stats that only continue to increase as he levels up. He’ll punish any opposing player getting too close to the goal, taking the ball, and then passing it to a forward.
When coupled with certain tackle techniques, like Drain Tackle and Wither Tackle, in addition to being able to learn every tackle technique in the game, Ropp is certainly a force to be reckoned with. The fact that he begins the game as a free agent at the travel agency on the Mi’ihen Highroad (and can be recruited immediately) is icing on the cake.
Nav Guado
Another strong choice in the defender role (though not as strong as Ropp), Nav brings strong stats across the board, especially his block stat. Coupled with his speed, Nav is a powerful defender that, when paired up with Ropp, makes for a near-impenetrable defensive wall that most opposing forwards will struggle to get past. It may take some time to recruit Nav, as he begins the game contracted with the Guado Glories and can be found in Guadosalam.
Nimrook
When it comes to goalies in Final Fantasy 10, Nimrook knows no equal. The most important stat for a goalie is the catch stat, and Nimrook has that in spades. Unfortunately, he begins the game contracted to the Al Bhed Psyches, meaning players will have to likely face off against Nimrook’s otherworldly catch stat for quite some time before being able to recruit him. He can be found in the airship along with the rest of the Al Bhed blitzball team. In the meantime, Miyu, who starts the game as a free agent and can be found on the north bank of the Moonflow, is a good second choice.
Tidus
The main character himself, Tidus, isn’t the best blitzball player stats-wise, although his shoot stat is by far his biggest strength. The real reason Tidus is one of the game’s stronger players, especially for those just playing the sport for Wakka’s Overdrives, simply comes down to the fact that he can learn the Jecht Shot ability over the course of Final Fantasy 10’s main story. This is one of, if not the most, powerful abilities in blitzball, letting Tidus flat-out ignore two defenders as he takes a shot. Jecht Shot allows Tidus to shoot like no other player can, even when swarmed by defenders. If Tidus is in the left or right forward role, he will quickly become a top-scorer.
Whether in it for the long haul or just checking out the mini-game for a few hours, knowing what characters are best is a huge time-saver. While having the best possible player in each position isn’t necessary to do well in blitzball, it does make conquering Final Fantasy 10′s best mini-game easier. Those who want to wait it out and recruit characters like Nimrook and Larbeight once their initial contracts expire will be rewarded, but it’s in no way required. Some of the game’s best players start as free agents, after all, allowing players just checking out blitzball for a few hours to still succeed.
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