1000 Needles 1000 Needles , also known as Blowfish , is a Blue Magic spell and a monster ability . Although it is by no means exclusive to them , the attack has become something of a trademark ability for the Cactuar . True to its name , the spell always involves spraying a steady stream of needles at the target , and deals exactly 1 , 000 HP damage regardless of Defense , armor , Protect or ( at times ) Evasion . This makes the attack useful against enemies with low HP and high defensive abilities . There is sometimes a stronger version exclusive to enemies called 10000 Needles , which can break the damage limit and inflict exactly 10 , 000 damage . A weaker version called 100 Needles can also be used by enemies in " Final Fantasy VII " and low level Cactuar type of enemies in " Final Fantasy XIV " . Appearances . " Final Fantasy V " . There are no Cactuars ; instead , the Lamia and Hedgehog teach the skill to a Blue Mage . It costs 25 MP to cast . The player may utilize this ability by catching and releasing a Lamia , Cactus , or Hedgehog . It is known as " Blowfish " in the RPGe ' s fan translated Super Famicom version , likely a mistranslation from its Japanese name " Harisenbon " ( はりせんぼん ) which is also the name of in Japanese . " Final Fantasy VI " . The Cactuar can use 1000 Needles up to ten times in a row for a total of 10 , 000 HP damage . The Brainpan and Face also know the spell . Strago Magus can learn 1000 Needles as a Lore , which costs 50 MP to cast . It can be learned from Angler Whelk , Brainpan , Cactuar , Dark Force , Face , Humbaba , Samurai Soul , and Gilgamesh . " Final Fantasy VII " . The Cactuer on Cactus Island may use 1000 Needles to deal exactly 1000 damage to its target . The Death Machine uses a similar named attack , 100 Needles , but it is a normal attack and its damage can range . " Dirge of Cerberus - Final Fantasy VII - " . The Cactuar can use the 1000 Needles ability . " Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - " . Enemies have access to 1000 Needles , 10 , 000 Needles and 100 , 000 Needles , which deal ten hits of 100 damage , 1 , 000 damage and 10 , 000 damage respectively . 1000 Needles is also Cactuar ' s Limit Break on Chocobo Mode . It deals 18 consecutive hits , whose damage depends on the level , to every enemy on the field . The damage dealt for each hit is as follows : 1000 Needles is a level 8 Independent Materia that boosts the chance of Cactuar appearing on the Digital Mind Wave . It begins at 5x , and increases by 1x each level up to 9x . It is a reward for Mission 9 - 4 - 3 and is bought from Junon Souvenirs . " Final Fantasy VIII " . The Cactuar uses 1000 Needles when it is attacked . Humorously , the attack itself displays hundreds of ' 1 ' s to signify each needle attacking the target , but this is only done for comedic effect as the actual damage is shown after the attack has ended . " Final Fantasy IX " . The Cactuar counters all attacks with 1000 Needles when hidden in the ground . It can ' t be reflected and works with Return Magic . Quina can learn 1000 Needles by eating a Cactuar . It costs 8 MP to use . 1000 Needles can be useful to deal controlled damage in order to reduce an enemy ' s HP to low digits , giving Quina the chance to eat it . " Final Fantasy X " . Qactuar s can use 1000 Needles while Cactuars have the 10 , 000 Needles attack . The Cactuar King from the monster arena can use 10 , 000 Needles and 99 , 999 Needles , which kills instantly . Rather uniquely in the series , the game ' s Blue Mage , Kimahri , can ' t learn 1000 Needles . " Final Fantasy X - 2 " . 1000 Needles is a Blue Bullet skill learned from enemy Cactuars . It costs 24 MP to cast . 3000 - Needle Special is only used by an Oversoul Cactuar , which does three 1 , 000 damage attacks to random party members . " Final Fantasy XI " . Nearly all the members of the Sabotender family of creatures can perform the special TP Move 1000 Needles . The attack does 1000 damage divided among all members of the party or alliance . This damage cannot be reduced by Protect or Phalanx , although Stoneskin absorbs some . As damage is divided among members , this makes the attack particularly effective against one person . Because of the specific damage inflicted to players , the advanced community has used the attack to test the true mathematics behind the Stoneskin spell and the nature of equipment that enhances its effect . 1000 Needles can be learned by Blue Mages from Cactuars . It shoots multiple needles at enemies within range for Light - elemental damage adding up to 1000 points . This spell costs 5 Blue Magic Points to set , but at 350 MP per cast , it proves to be an unpopular spell . Many variants of the spell exist among higher - level monsters , including but not limited to 2000 , 4000 , and 10 , 000 Needles . The High Notorious Monster Cuijatender utilizes a unique version called ? ? ? Needles , which can deal a maximum of 68 , 000 damage divided among unfortunate recipients . " Final Fantasy XII " . 1000 Needles is a Technick skill purchased at the Mosphoran Highwaste for 7 , 000 gil . It takes 35 LP to learn . Only the Flowering Cactoid Mark uses this attack , as all Cactite s and related enemies in the game are docile and often asleep . Curiously , even if the user is blinded , 1000 Needle ' s base hit chance barely decreases at all . Using it to end an enemy after inflicted by Sight Unseeing ( in which the user must be in Blind status to use ) always hit , and very rare to miss . In the " International Zodiac Job System " version , 1000 Needles costs 40 LP and can be used by the Archer , Bushi and Shikari . It is useful for the controlled demise of enemies when paired with gambits such as " Foe : HP < = 1000 : 1000 Needles " . 1000 Needles is the name of the Esper Cactoid ' s attack , but it does not necessarily inflict 1000 HP of damage . " Final Fantasy XIII " . 1000 Needles is Cactuar Prime ' s main attack , and inflicts 1000 damage with every hit , as well as containing a possibility of inflicting Pain or Fog . The Gigantuar Mark uses a 10 000 Needles ability , which has a base damage of 10 000 and the same chance of inflicting pain and fog . However , it is considerably slower to utilize this ability compared to the Cactuar Prime . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . The Gigantuar uses 1000 Needles , an attack that hits one party member . As with the Cactuar Prime ' s 1000 Needles attack in the previous game , it has a high chance of inflicting pain and / or fog on the target . The Metal Gigantuar uses 10 000 Needles as a group attack that is deployed every 7 turns . The regular Cactuar can also use 1000 Needles as a Feral Link ability . 1000 Needles can be used by the Cactuar , Cactair and Cactuar Ω . Lightning ' s Guard abilities do little to mitigate the damage from this attack . The Cactair ' s first 2 1000 Needles attacks fail to work , as the needles get stuck in its hair . " Final Fantasy XIV " . The Cactuar family all can use 1000 Needles and variants . Since cactuars are generally encountered at low - to - mid levels , most only use weaker forms like " 100 Needles " . The full 1000 Needles move is generally reserved for boss type cactuars seen in FATEs or quests . " Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles " . 1000 Needles exists according to Cactuar , but it is not listed on List of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles enemy abilities . " Final Fantasy Dimensions " . Gigantuar can use a version of 1000 Needles : instead of hitting a single target for 1000 points of damage it attacks randomly 5 times , each time dealing 1000 points of damage , and potentially inflicting Stun . It can also use a single - shot version of 1000 Needles as a counterattack . " Dissidia Final Fantasy " . 1000 Needles is the ability of the Cactuar . It instantly inflicts 1000 points of Brave damage to the opponent . If their Brave is lower than 1000 , 1000 Needles reduces their Brave to zero instead of inflicting Break status . " Final Fantasy All the Bravest " . 1 , 000 Needles is the enemy ability that is used by the Cactuar during battle . " Final Fantasy Explorers " . 1 , 000 Needles is used by Cactuars and Gigantuars . A Blue Mage can learn this ability by defeating an enemy who has used it in the presence of the Blue Mage . As a Blue Magic , 1 , 000 Needles costs 100 AP to cast , has a cooldown time of five seconds , and hits the target once for 1 , 000 damage . It can be moderately useful early in the game , but later is outclassed when other abilities become capable of dealing more than 1 , 000 damage per hit . 1 , 000 Needle Mode is a Crystal Surge that , when activated , makes all attacks deal 1 , 000 damage . Critical hits during 1 , 000 Needle Mode deal 10 , 000 damage . It can be useful for racking up fast damage by attacking as rapidly as possible , and even basic attacks from mashing the Y - button deal the same damage . It can also be very dangerous for the players , since enemy attacks are also affected by the Crystal Surge , and a single critical hit can instantly kill an explorer . 1 , 000 Needle Mode can add the ability mutation Critical Power↑ . " Final Fantasy Trading Card Game " . The Cactuar card can use an ability based on 1000 Needles . By Dulling the Cactuar , the player deals 1000 damage to a Forward of their choice . Non - " Final Fantasy " guest appearances . " Mario Hoops 3 - on - 3 " . 1000 Needles is the special shot of the unlockable Cactuar character .