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.

Final Fantasy V
There are no Cactuars in Final Fantasy V; 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 in Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- 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:

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
Qactuars 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 Cactites 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, Mononofu and Shikari. It is useful for the controlled demise of enemies when paired with gambits such as "Foe: HP<=1000 : 1000 Needles".

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
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.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
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 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.

Trivia

 * 1000 Needles (harisenbon) is Japanese for.
 * In Japan, there is a popular children's rhyme that is recited while making pinky promises, which says if someone breaks the promise, they must swallow a thousand needles.

1000 aghi