Chocobo (Final Fantasy X)



Chocobos have had a colorful history in the world of Spira. Largely due to the ban of machina, chocobo-powered machines were in wide demand until the coming of the Eternal Calm when the machina ban was lifted causing the necessity of chocobo-powered products to fall, and so to did the abundance of chocobos sighted around Spira.

That is not to say that they disappeared completely as the world is still privy to the likes of Chocobo Ranches, Chocobo Stables, and Chocobo Races as well as featuring a new insight into the environment of the chocobo, namely a new predator; the Chocobo Eater.

Battle
To catch a chocobo they must be faced in the field alongside fiends of every shape and size. Although they are more inclined to run than to stay and fight, they can fend for themselves when pushed. Chocobos are capable of healing themselves as well as casting supportive magic, and even attacking with Choco Kick, which does a moderate amount of damage to one character, and Choco Meteor, which does a major amount of damage to all characters.

The chocobo have a strong immunity to Gravity as well as to most status changing spells. They also have a level of resistance to Eject, Zantetsu, and, at higher levels, Confusion.

To capture a chocobo, the catcher must first entice it to stay by offering it Gysahl Greens and maintain a steady supply of the greens as the catcher clears away the accompanying fiends. When all the fiends have been defeated one more Gysahl Green should be enough to ensure capture. During the battle the chocobo may attack; it is important the catcher does not retaliate or the chocobo will almost certainly run away.

Chocobo Eater
The Chocobo Eater is introduced as the main predator to the chocobo in Final Fantasy X and X-2. They, like the chocobo, generally appear on the Mi'ihen Highroad and are the cause of major disruption to the humanoid residences in the area. They demonstrate a considerable jumping ability and capture chocobos with the use of their giant hands which they use to hold them while they feast.

Anything Eater
There is also another breed of Chocobo Eater, the Anything Eater, a stronger, more intelligent form of the predator, although few are ever seen. The Gullwings encountered one underneath the Chocobo Ranch in the Calm Lands during the Eternal Calm.

Size and Types
The common yellow breed of chocobo have been shown to exist in Spira and have been most commonly seen on the Mi'ihen Highroad. A Chocobo Stable near Rin's Travel Agency is located partway along the Highroad will provide chocobo mounts for a fee. The chocobos demonstrate a skill in jumping, allowing them to reach high ledges by combined leaping and flapping of their wings to gain extra height.

The Amazing Chocobo
First discovered beneath the Chocobo Ranch, the Amazing Chocobo had been guarded by an Anything Eater before it was freed by the Gullwings. The Amazing Chocobo is bright gold and capable of flight. It also demonstrates a great degree of intelligence and initiative in comparison to other common chocobo and is by far the "golden bird" of the Chocobo Ranch.

Chocobo Knights
Some Chocobo from the Mi'ihen Highroad were trained to serve as mounts for a division of the Crusaders. This elite division was known as the Chocobo Knights. All but one of these chocobos were wiped out during Operation Mi'ihen. The last surviving chocobo was found by a Crusader named Clasko, who decides to quit the Chocobo Knights and become a breeder. He looks after the last surviving chocobo from Operation Mi'ihen.

Chocobo Ranch
Created and run by Clasko during the Eternal Calm, the Chocobo Ranch used to be a fiend hunter styled zoo, called the Monster Arena, that had fallen into disrepair. Upon discovery the ruins had to be cleaned out of fiends if any chocobo were to be safely raised inside. The Gullwings assisted greatly in the production of the ranch, first being instrumental in the "cleaning out" of the facilities and secondly allowing any chocobo that they caught to be raised at the ranch.

Raising Chocobo
The main facility provides accommodation for a total of 14 chocobos. The chocobos are raised with a diet of nutrient greens such as Pahsana, Mimett, and Sylkis, as well as the use of Gysahl Greens as a candy-like treat.

The chocobos are eventually trained as dispatch go-fores as they are instructed to explore certain areas in Spira and return with items and treasures that they may find. Thus is how the ranch provides its income.


 * Choco-Runners, of which there are four at any given time, are the primary chocobos sent out to travel Spira in search for items and treasure.


 * The ten remaining chocobo are Choco-Reserves. Ready in the sidewings to stand in for a Choco-Runner when the time comes.

Chocobo Racing
Chocobo Racing was an abundant sport in Spira before the Eternal Calm but, due to the increased usage of machina and chocobos' growing rarity, the sport died down somewhat two years into the Eternal Calm.

Before the Eternal Calm there were four types of chocobo races, all of which were used as a method of taming and training wild chocobos and played in the Calm Lands:


 * Wobbly Chocobo: The Wobbly Chocobo is a beginner's race straight to the finish, however to add a degree of difficulty the racer is given a chocobo that tends to wander off the track. First place prizes consist of Elixirs and X-Potions.


 * Dodger Chocobo: With the Dodger Chocobo the race gets harder in difficulty as Blitzballs are thrown onto the track like dodgeballs. Being hit by one slows the chocobo down. First place prizes include Lvl. 1 Key Spheres and Mega-Potions.


 * Hyper Dodger Chocobo: Things start to go south here as Blitzballs and homing birds are pelted at the racer like no tomorrow. First place prizes include Lvl. 2 Key Spheres and Ethers.


 * Catcher Chocobo: Slightly different from the previous races. In Catcher Chocobo, the racer must attempt to catch as many balloons on the track as possible while avoiding incoming birds who will attempt to pop said balloons. The racer with the better final time wins (a bird adds 3 seconds while a balloon removes 3 seconds from the racing time; what's left is the final time). First place prizes include Lvl. 3 Key Spheres, Turbo Ethers, or the Sun Sigil.

Music Themes


In Final Fantasy X, "Brass de Chocobo" is played when riding a chocobo on the Mi'ihen Highroad. Final Fantasy X-2 has another chocobo theme called "Chocobo Jam".

Trivia

 * Paine's Festival-Goer mask is that of a chocobo from the Chocobo game series.

Chocobo (Final Fantasy X)