Luca Goers Hate Thread

[Alpha]

Ugh. I am just up to the compulsory blitzball tournament as part of the plot, where you have a some-what scripted game as the Besid Aurochs v. the Luca Goers.

This game is the death of me. I can't accept losing to them, and I don't know why. But the odds of losing to them are sky high.

Anyone else playing this game again now that the HD Remaster's out? Do you just resign to losing to the Goers (the reward is pretty bad)? Or do you insist on winning?

My first attempt was last night. I managed to score in the first half with a level 1 Tidus (no Sphere Shot, no Jecht Shot, just got really close to the goal and lucky on the break). After play was reset, they scored immediately. Nothing I could do given in the first half you can't set marks for them, and defense is always auto mode in blitzball. 1-1 at half time. Second half starts with Tidus getting a solid Jecht Shot in (easy goal, but uses so much HP it's very difficult to use it twice in the 3 minutes you get with Tidus in this half). Again, they scored once play was reset. Wakka did crap all. 2-2 full time... overtime. They get the ball immediately, they score. ****ers. Rage quit.

[loaf]

Always win.

Pass to Tidus and Letty and Datto a lot. Datto got lucky with me though he was wide open when I made everyone chase Letty. You want to basically stall them till the 2nd half, get the ball and get Tidus close enough for Jecht Shot and win it. By passing to Tidus a lot you can level him up to use Jecht Shot.

I also hate the fact you have 2 people in the circle for a Break and it just wont do it at all.

[Rowan]

Ahhh Alpha, I was once like you. I should create a thread about this called "Lets abuse video game Mechanics!"

for this particular game, I will admit it is difficult. I dont expect any first time players to win this at all. Here are a few rules that must be obeyed before I get into specifics;

1. Do not look at anything other than the Blitz map. Otherwise you will not have a clue what is going on or where you are.
2. Make sure your character has enough stat to do what you plan too with him. This means passing/shooting/EN etc.
3. FOR THE LOVE OF YEVON, SET IT TO MANUAL A! (press triangle and change option)


When you get the ball, take it all the way to your end of the field. This initaites what I like to call "The Chase". The opposing team will follow you in a somewhat synchronised fasion. This will cause them to do 1 of 2 things. They will either form a 5 man wall with 3 in the middle spinning around like little fish, or the same wall, but those 3 in the middle will try to pincer you at your goal square (this is kinda what we want to happen, so you might have to bait them into this by moving close to them and pulling back). Once they are close enough to so that are not within your circle of personal blitz space, press square and pass to a very lonely Tidus. You will then be able to swim with him directly in front of their goal space and score with ease. This is far easier in the second half if you have Jecht shot because even if 2 people are causing you to break, you may choose 'no break' select jecht shot and knock both of the blockers out.

In short,
1.Get the ball down to your end.
2.Have them chase you.
3.Pass to tidus before the middle 3 reach you
4.Swim freely to their goal square
5.Profit?$?$

There is luck involved with this, however. Balgerda is going to be your biggest hate. She has just as much attack as Tidus does defence and sometimes you must break through her. But this is the best strategy I have found and It works for me everytime without fail. My first attempt at this on the HD remaster on Vita gave me a 3-1 victory. Somtimes its just not possible to stop them from scoring, but its far easier for you to do so if you know how to work it. I also reccomend passing back and fourth between tidus and jassu or something to get their levels up for the first half. Happy blitzing.

[Alpha]

Yeah, I have no problem on offense... I've played my share of blitzball and understand how I can abuse the mechanics. My problem is that when they get the ball, there is absolutely nothing you can do except watch. Especially in the first half, when you're not even given the opportunity to set marks for them, so the "normal" and "mark" mode on defense are the same thing. On the second half, I get my LF and LD to mark their RF, my RF and RD to mark their LF and my MF to mark their MF, so their strikers always have two people swimmin up on their grill.

But that's all you can do, and Keepa sucks. They scored every time they got the ball, and the only times they got the ball were after I scored (and at the beginning of overtime).

[Rowan]

Yeah, I have no problem on offense... I've played my share of blitzball and understand how I can abuse the mechanics. My problem is that when they get the ball, there is absolutely nothing you can do except watch. Especially in the first half, when you're not even given the opportunity to set marks for them, so the "normal" and "mark" mode on defense are the same thing. On the second half, I get my LF and LD to mark their RF, my RF and RD to mark their LF and my MF to mark their MF, so their strikers always have two people swimmin up on their grill.

But that's all you can do, and Keepa sucks. They scored every time they got the ball, and the only times they got the ball were after I scored (and at the beginning of overtime).

How many attempts have you made? Perhaps you should try this then. Whenever you score, majority of the time luca goers will get the ball. So it makes sense for you to score when there wont be enough time for the luca goers to score back. Using my strategy, id wait until 3:45 before initating your offense. This way, you will score at about 4:30 and it will be impossible for Luca goers to score before the timer runs out. That way you can garantee you will be in the lead before the second half. If you are to grab the ball during the second half or at anytime in which you are in the lead, just pass between players and wait out the timer.

[Sheechiibii]

I won as well. I just passed the ball around my team for the first half to build up their levels a bit and after half time passed around my defence till the Goers were further up the field, then passed to Tidus and shot with the Jecht shot. I won first try, but in previous playthroughs I've had to reload a few times, I got lucky because the Aurocks caught the ball both before and after half time.

[Alpha]

I won on my third attempt, although I came close to disaster after a pass from Tidus failed (seriously, 3 PA?). I exploited something I didn't know existed in the second half: swim your player to the goal you're defending. The opposition will just revert to their default positions and swim in circles, until they launch an attack at 4:00. Get one pass off and shoot from anywhere, and they lack the time to respond.

Goers are goners.

Now I just need to remember where all the good free agents are hanging out.

[loaf]

Alpha, Rowan explained how to do that defence exploit in his reply lol. It's the best way to win a lot of matches if you are having a bad time.

My best tip for Blitzball in general is to not touch it till you get the Airship and recruit Brother, though him in Mid, combined with good Left and Right he will outshine everyone eventually out level people by 25+

[Rowan]

Alpha, Rowan explained how to do that defence exploit in his reply lol. It's the best way to win a lot of matches if you are having a bad time.

My best tip for Blitzball in general is to not touch it till you get the Airship and recruit Brother, though him in Mid, combined with good Left and Right he will outshine everyone eventually out level people by 25+

Yeah, his speed is 75. He can outswim any player on the field. Not only that, his stat gains are huge and he comes with some great skills. I also remember something about Rin being an amazing goalkeeper. Ill have to try that out.

[Alpha]

Alpha, Rowan explained how to do that defence exploit in his reply lol. It's the best way to win a lot of matches if you are having a bad time.

Did he? His post was about baiting them to open up a chance for offense. My exploit was about hiding in behind Keepa because I'm a ***** and **** Graav.

I'm not sure I want to pick the "best" Blitzball team this playthrough. In my old games, my players had very few techs because my players were so dominant that the opposition never got a chance. E.g., they're gonna do some cool shot tech I want to techcopy, but they break to Robb and it's see you later Venom Shot 2. I might deliberately pick a kind of mediocre team. It would still be easy to win, and the likelihood of one team claiming all of the best players is slim.

[loaf]

I got tired of having to worry if I was going to lose to some BS bas luck so I just used Brother way to much and he just started to out level everyone because I was making goals from a little less than half Sphere and nobody was getting XP except for him because nobody Break through him and he always just stole it or blocked it from the Mid from the other team and then instantly GOAL! Good times. Will do again when getting Wakka's crap.

[Rowan]

I got tired of having to worry if I was going to lose to some BS bas luck so I just used Brother way to much and he just started to out level everyone because I was making goals from a little less than half Sphere and nobody was getting XP except for him because nobody Break through him and he always just stole it or blocked it from the Mid from the other team and then instantly GOAL! Good times. Will do again when getting Wakka's crap.

Im trying to get wakkas stuff now. I didnt realise how long these bloody league tournements go for. Currently im upto round 8 and first prize is a stupid return sphere.

[loaf]

I remember reading something on making it force Wakka's items in the Tournaments.

[Sheechiibii]

When you're going for Wakka's a good way to make sure you don't waste time doing unnecessary leagues is playing until the 10th round of the current league, then going back and saving and when you open up the blitz menu again if it's not the prize you want reload until it is.

[Rowan]

I think even just exiting the blitz screen and going back in changes the prizes for the tournement. Ill let you know asap since It is kinda important. I know that you have to have had wakka in real battles for at least 250 times before the next overdrive becomes available and a furthar 200 for the final aurochs reels.

[Polk]

I think even just exiting the blitz screen and going back in changes the prizes for the tournement. Ill let you know asap since It is kinda important. I know that you have to have had wakka in real battles for at least 250 times before the next overdrive becomes available and a furthar 200 for the final aurochs reels.

I'm pretty sure Sheechiibii is right, once you see the prizes, they're locked in until you reset your game from previous save. If I remember right, if you finish a tournament/season, then go save your game before ever looking at the initial "Play Blitzball" screen thing when you are at a save sphere, you can manipulate the items you win.

At least, that's how I remember slogging through blitzball to get Wakka's ultimates. It's been a long time since I've played FFX, so I could be wrong.

[Sheechiibii]

I'm pretty sure Sheechiibii is right, once you see the prizes, they're locked in until you reset your game from previous save. If I remember right, if you finish a tournament/season, then go save your game before ever looking at the initial "Play Blitzball" screen thing when you are at a save sphere, you can manipulate the items you win.

At least, that's how I remember slogging through blitzball to get Wakka's ultimates. It's been a long time since I've played FFX, so I could be wrong.

That is how you do it I've been at it already and so far only have two overdrives a few people online have said the other way to manipulate it (faster too) is to use the reset in the blitzball menu, which works but it resets your team back to their starting stats which is okay if you have a good starting team, but kinda takes the fun out of it for me so I'm going with the reload way.

[Sheechiibii]

Once you see the prizes on the blitz screen they don't change unles you reset everything (which gets rid of all your players progress) or reload from a previous save. It's annoying but that's the two ways to do it. Yeah 250 battles for the status reels and then 450 battles for the Aurocks reels and the sigil doesn't show up till all the overdrives have been won :/

[HeroZero]

First half, get up close and personal with tidus and score, mostly hold onto the ball as much as possible after that.

Second half, equip Jecht shot run up to the goal with tidus and knockout the two defenders and score from point blank, hold onto the ball till the Wakka event. Score with a random shot from Wakka just to waste time from about 1/4 field with a venom shot. Still not sure how it went in. With the score now being 3-0 and a minute left I tried to learn Venom tackle from G.... G something dude, which ended up with them scoring with 2 seconds left.

I remembered it being way harder but perhaps I just had supremely good luck.

[Kurt Zisa]

I think the best goal keeper is the one that belongs to the Al-Bhed Psychs (Nimrook?). There's a chance that they'll drop him once his contract expires, so if you snatch him up straight away you'll have an amazing goalie. Also Ropp, who works at the Rin's Agency on the Mihen Hiroad is an excellent goal defence. He comes with high Hp etc and has Venom Tackle 2 or 3 already learnt.

Also also Blappa, one of the Al-Bhed Psychs forwards is one of the best players too. Combine all of them with Brother and you've got almost an entire team of Al-Bhed.

[Sheechiibii]

Nimrook is the best goalie in the game no doubt about it. Brother's amazing for the low levels, but his stats are all pretty average later on except his speed so I prefer to go for Ropp from the Mi'ihen Highroad agency (he has the highest attack and pass in the game), Kulukan from the Kilika beasts team (3rd best attack in the game and really good at blocking) as my defenders and Vuroja whose at the docks in Luca as my midfielder cause he has the best pass in the game and his other stats are great too. Tidus and Wakka are my front liners cause they're good and cheap.

[Heartless Angel]

I didn't test it in the remake yet since I was winning by a landslide, but something I'd use to do, get one point ahead, then you could hang out along the edge in a certain spot where everyone would just ignore you and swim in circles until time was out. Obviously you have to be doing well to get ahead, but it protects you from bad math from letting them BS 4 goals on you in the last half.

[Rowan]

I totally remember now. Its been so long since I did this. Thanks guys, im on round 8 still so Ill make sure to save after Ive finished the final game(?) so when I get back into the blitz screen after winning (lol) the tournement, I can just keep reloading my save to see different sets of prizes?

[Sheechiibii]

Yeah as long as you saved before you saw what the prize would be you can reload your last save and it'll be different

[Heartless Angel]

I'd reset until teleport spheres showed up every time, just to get that evade and counter early on. Moment I got to the airship, I'd reset the teams and grab Brother, Ropp, Kiyuri, Wedge, and Vilucha. damn near best possible team without having to hope somebody will release their players for you.

[Zargabaath]

I'd reset until teleport spheres showed up every time, just to get that evade and counter early on. Moment I got to the airship, I'd reset the teams and grab Brother, Ropp, Kiyuri, Wedge, and Vilucha. damn near best possible team without having to hope somebody will release their players for you.

Would you not use Tidus. He's probably the best attacker. On my old teams I could sphere shot from my end and score consistently.

I like Brother and Wedge as my other forwards. I think my old teams had Jassu & Botta for defense. They're serviceable. This time I picked up Ropp.

I was able to defeat the Goers 2-0. My defense was strong (as strong as it can be at that point); they were able to get 2 shots max in the match. Tidus with the Jecht shot is big for thay game. Just bull rush him to the net.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

[Heartless Angel]

Would you not use Tidus. He's probably the best attacker. On my old teams I could sphere shot from my end and score consistently.

I like Brother and Wedge as my other forwards. I think my old teams had Jassu & Botta for defense. They're serviceable. This time I picked up Ropp.

I was able to defeat the Goers 2-0. My defense was strong (as strong as it can be at that point); they were able to get 2 shots max in the match. Tidus with the Jecht shot is big for thay game. Just bull rush him to the net.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, Tidus is the seventh. Tidus and Vilucha in Forward positions. Vilucha actually has either the second or third highest shooting in the game. She's pretty much there for Volley shots on the off chance somebody gets a hand on my Jecht shots. Brother is center because he has the highest speed in game, makes it easier to get the ball first. Ropp and Kiyuri are tanks, good tacklers for the rear positions. Ropp actually has the highest AT and is in the top 5 for Pa. And his Blocking is good too if somebody decides they don't want to try to break. Kiyuri isn't far behind, though she isn't as good for blocking. Wedge actually ends up the second best goalie in the game. And those are all free agents. Of course Wedge is an awful goalie until late levels, it could be worth keeping Keepa on goals and using Wedge as a forward until their roles reverse at late levels.

If you reset teams, do you lose Jecht Shot?

Nope. You retain the ability, just have to level up high enough to equip it again.

[Alpha]

I'd reset until teleport spheres showed up every time, just to get that evade and counter early on. Moment I got to the airship, I'd reset the teams and grab Brother, Ropp, Kiyuri, Wedge, and Vilucha. damn near best possible team without having to hope somebody will release their players for you.

If you reset teams, do you lose Jecht Shot?

[HUNK]

I am, unfortunately, just too friken good at blitzball. I won the first tournament with 2-1 but the odds are definetly stacked against you. It's a tough couple of first games, unless you hire a bunch of random free agents immedietly, but the original Besaid Aurouchs are pretty darn good.

For example, yeah Keepa sucks at first, but once he starts leveling up and getting the few skills he can learn, he's a pretty decent goalie. Tidus and Datto are already good enough shooters but they both have pretty lame attack power so getting wither tackle or something is a priority. Datto's speed gets ridiculous after awhile though. It slowly increases by like 1 point at a time forever until it tops out at like 90. Botta and Jassu are good defenders, their stats other than attack and block though are pretty bad at first. And Letty?! Dat pass! Letty has decent attack, good block, and an outstanding pass. On my last file he had like 50+ pass naturally.

I'm keepin' the original cast this time around, cause I've never gotten the Aurouchs Spirit tech for Wakka, and I really wanna have it just to have it. So I'm buckling down, and getting used to my team, cause they're all I'm gonna see for awhile. (That being said, the other blitz teams have already begun to intergrate other agents into their teams. I loath the day that Miyu joins someone as goalie...)

[hTop]

Must be an anomaly but I don't think I've ever lost in that opening tournament. Once you've got the Jecht Shot, it's easy enough to win if you're conscious of the time.