The Sphere Grid is how all characters in Final Fantasy X learn new skills and improve their attributes. In most Final Fantasy games, characters can battle enemies and rank up automatically. In Final Fantasy X, characters battle fields and earn AP. Once enough AP is earned, the character’s Sphere Level will increase. A character can move around a Sphere Grid equal to the Sphere Level. So if Yuna’s Sphere Level is at three, you can move on Yuna’s Sphere Grid three times.
Of course, moving around a Sphere Grid isn’t enough to increase a character’s attributes or learn new skills. Additional Spheres must be used to activate nearby nodes. Some increase attributes, some unlock new skills, and some remove locks on the Sphere Grid that may allow the character to learn special abilities or travel to other parts of the Sphere Grid. Spheres can be obtained in battle or from Treasure Chests. Spheres in your inventory can be used by all seven characters. The types of Spheres that can be used on the Sphere Grid include:
| Spheres | Color | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Power Spheres | Red | Activates HP, Strength, and Defense Nodes |
| Mana Spheres | Red | Activates MP, Magic, and Magic Defense Nodes |
| Speed Spheres | Red | Activates Agility, Evasion, and Accuracy nodes |
| Ability Spheres | Red | Unlocks a new Skill or Special Ability |
| Fortune Spheres | Red | Activates Luck nodes |
| Attribute Spheres | Yellow | Allows a character to activate an attribute increase (HP, MP, etc) that another character has already activated, regardless of their positions on the Sphere Grid. |
| Special Spheres | Yellow | Allows a character to activate a Special Ability that another character has already activated, regardless of their positions on the Sphere Grid. |
| Skill Spheres | Yellow | Allows a character to activate a Skill that another character has already activated, regardless of their positions on the Sphere Grid. |
| White Magic Spheres | Yellow | Allows a character to activate a White Magic Skill that another character has already activated, regardless of their positions on the Sphere Grid. |
| Black Magic Spheres | Yellow | Allows a character to activate a Black Magic Skill that another character has already activated, regardless of their positions on the Sphere Grid. |
| Master Spheres | Yellow | Allows a character to activate any node that another character has already activated, regardless of their positions on the Sphere Grid. |
| Level [X] Key Spheres | Black | Removes locks on the Sphere Grid. There are four different levels of locks. A Level 3 Lock can only be removed with a Level 3 Key Sphere. |
| [Stat] Spheres | Purple | Turns an empty node into either a HP, MP, Strength, Defense, Magic, Magic Defense, Agility, Accuracy, Evasion, or Luck Sphere. |
| Clear Spheres | Purple | Removes a node on the Sphere Grid that deals with stats. |
| Return Spheres | Blue | Returns a character to a previously activated node. |
| Friend Spheres | Blue | Transports one character to the position of another character on the Sphere Grid. |
| Teleport Spheres | Blue | Teleports one character to any node that has been activated by another character on the Sphere Grid. |
| Warp Spheres | Blue | Warps one character to any node on the Sphere Grid. |
In Final Fantasy X HD Remaster, there are two types of Sphere Grids to choose from at the start of the game: Standard and Expert Sphere Grid. The Standard Sphere Grid was available in the original Final Fantasy X. The Expert Sphere Grid was found in the International Version of Final Fantasy X, and contains less nodes. Once you choose a Sphere Grid, it cannot be changed later in the game!