Whether you’re battling hordes of enemies or playing underwater football, preventing attacks (and shots at goal) can be used as a cornerstone to success. If you’ve already read my previous article on offensive players, you’ll hopefully have a decent roster of good forwards to go with (plus some ideas for goalies too). So for this ranking we’ll focus on defenders you can recruit to make the Besaid Aurochs pretty much unbeatable.
5. Kyou
You might already know about Kyou and his versatility on the field. And if you’ve already filled your goalie slot, Kyou is more than capable of filling defense at RD or LD, since at level 99 his Block and Pass stats are really high. Kyou also comes equipped with a whole array of status-inducing tackle techniques. So even if his Attack stat isn’t the highest, he’ll still be able to debilitate the opponent enough to disrupt the opposing team. How to recruit: Kyou is a free agent and can be found on the bridge just before Djose Temple.
4. Irga Ronso
At level 99, Irga Ronso possesses some very good stats in Pass, Block, and Attack. She boasts an Endurance stat of 92, so if you don’t decide to pass the ball immediately, you can probably take it quite a distance relatively unopposed. Her only downside is that since she’s a Ronso, she has quite a low Speed stat. One of Irga’s key abilities is “Wither Tackle 3” making her a very good option to have if you want to completely debilitate an opposing forward player. While there may be better defenders out there, there’s no denying that your defense will be a million times better with her in it. How to recruit: Irga Ronso is at the Number 4 Docks in Luca, and will be available to recruit once her contract with the Ronso Fangs expires.
3. Kulukan
Like Irga mentioned previously, Kulukan excels in Attack, Block, and Pass. At level 99 her Pass stat is 96 – so she has no problem launching a swift counter attack and giving the ball to one of your forwards. She has slightly more Speed than Irga, but her Endurance stat is quite low. So don’t allow her to get tackled for any reason, or you risk losing the ball in a dangerous area. And also like Irga, Kulukan has a key tackle technique: Venom Tackle 3. This gives her a nice way to poison any opposing forward and really disrupt their rhythm. How to recruit: Kulukan will be at the Tavern in Kilika Port, and available to be recruited once her contract with the Kilika Beasts expires.
2. Nav (Navara) Guado
Guados are known for having very good base Speed stats, as well as decent stats that exemplify their chosen position. Nav Guado is no different. Because Nav is boasting a Speed stat of 84 at level 99. His Attack, Pass, and Endurance stats are all decent too. But his Block stat is the highest of them all, reaching a Block of 82 at max level. He excels in defense due to these amazing stats. And when paired with our top-ranked Blitzball defender below, he can form the most impenetrable defense in Blitzball. How to recruit: Nav Guado can be found running around Guadosalam, and can be recruited once his contract with the Guado Glories expires.
1. Ropp
Ropp is easily the best defender in Blitzball for so many reasons. At level 99 his Pass stat is 96, allowing him to get the ball to your forward players regardless of how far away they might be. His Block and Attack are also really high. Take all of this and couple it with his ability to learn every tackling tech in the game, and you can see why he’s such a valuable defender to have on your team. Ropp comes ready-to-go and fully equipped with Drain Tackle 3, completely drains the HP of any opposing player. Pair Ropp with Nav Guado and you’ll have the meanest Blitzball defense in Spira. How to recruit: Ropp is a free agent and is found inside Rin’s Travel Agency on the Mi’ihen Highroad.
