Rules of the Game: Grifball
Halo 2 is a first-person shooting game released for the Xbox, and Grifball is a Halo 2 variant designed to play somewhat like a virtual rugby game. The rules are fairly simple, but the fast pace of the game makes it a deep and exciting game.
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History
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The word Grifball first was used in an episode of Red vs Blue, a series of Internet shorts starting Halo characters. There is an orange soldier named Grif who is shot with a sniper rifle, and the red character states that he's playing "the best game since Grifball." The creators of Red vs Blue then spent some time discussing what Grifball would really be like, eventually resulting in the American Grifball League of America.
How to Get Grifball
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The easiest way to get Grifball is to download the Grifball variant. You can also set up a Grifball game by using the Assault game type, but the ball carrier will not turn into Grif and there is a minimum arming time of five seconds.
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The Rules
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There are two teams of three to four players in an arena with a goal on either side. The ball begins each round in the middle of the court and players have to try and take the ball to the opposing team's goal. When the ball is taken to the other team's goal, a point is scored for the ball carrier's team and the round ends. A match is at least five rounds and whoever has the most points wins. Each player has two weapons: a gravity hammer and an energy sword. Damage is set at 200 percent and player health is set at 10 percent so that a single direct hit can kill a player. Respawn time for dead players is set at three seconds; they will respawn at their own goal. The ball carrier gets 2x overshield, 150 percent speed and 150 percent damage resistance. The ball carrier also turns orange. Players on the same team can hurt each other. Use of the radar is optional but encouraged. Players out of bounds will be teleported off the map and die instantly. If the ball carrier goes out of bounds, he has 30 seconds to return to play or forfeit the match. If the ball is left out of play, it will reset after 15 seconds.
Tips and Tricks
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When holding the ball, remember you can still punch and that a direct hit will kill a player who doesn't have the ball. Dodge players with the energy sword while they lunge, or punch them right before they do. Players using the gravity hammer should be killable with a punch as long as your shields aren't low. If you don't have the ball and are using the energy sword, the lunge should kill the ball carrier in one hit. If you're using the gravity hammer, try and time your strikes to hit just before the ball carrier punches to stop him and knock him back.
Trivia
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Originally Grifball was going to be named Rugby because of the similarities between the two games; one of the creators decided that name was "weak" and Grifball was adopted instead. Every few seasons the map for Grifball is changed; one example is "Grifball Spring League 2009." The easiest way to earn the Killionaire medal in a matchmaking playlist is by playing Grifball.
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