THE UNOFFICIAL BUT SEMI-OFFICIAL
BLASEBALL F.A.Q.
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Table of Contents
Last updated Feb 2021 - Currently under construction
GENERAL
What is Blaseball?
No, really— Out of character, what is Blaseball?
Why do people care about Blaseball?
I know I clicked on this doc, but actually I hate reading. Is there a video?
How long has this been going on?
How can I materially support Blaseball?
How do I learn about official updates?
Does fan lore actually “matter”?
Can I follow this without understanding anything about real-life baseball?
How do I… participate in the cultural event known as Blaseball?
What time zone are the Blaseball servers located?
GAMEPLAY
How do I play Blaseball?
What can I do in Blaseball?
When do games happen? What is a season like?
Is there somewhere I can see logs from previous innings and games?
How can I get lots of coins?
Do the items in the Shop expire? (Passive Income Potion, High Roller Snake Oil, Pendants…)
When do games stop? What is a siesta?
What are decrees and blessings?
What’s the point of winning a championship?
What are weather conditions?
What is Shame?
What does a player’s Vibes stat do?
Which teams are the Home Team and Away Team?
What does lineup and rotation mean?
What does it mean when the Live game log says (so-and-so baseball terminology)?
What do the icons mean in the Watch Live interface?
Which teams make the playoffs when they have the same win-loss record?
EVENTS & RECENT ADDITIONS
Where can I find a timeline of major events?
COMMUNITY
What team should I join? What is the vibe of each team?
Who are umpires? Who are groundskeepers? Who are Custodians?
What is the Wiki?
What is SIBR?
What is Forbidden Knowledge?
Why does the Discord have a word filter? Why can’t we use custom emotes?
What is Blasebot?
What is “The Commissioner is doing a great job”?
What are some team-specific memes or cheers?
Are there official team accounts on social media?
Who are the most popular & least popular teams?
How can I contribute to Blaseball lore? Haven’t other fans written it all by now?
How can I contribute to the Blaseball Wiki, in particular?
What if I want to draw a player but the Wiki has no description of them? (Or a description I’m not into?)
Where should I post fan work I made (such as art, music, fics, etc)?
If I make Blaseball fan art or fan merch, can I sell my work?
Suggestions or Corrections?
Contact @keeper_orb or any of the other keepers in #beginner-help!
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GENERAL
What is Blaseball?
* Blaseball is a splort in which 20 teams compete under the Internet League Blaseball organization, day and night, rain or shine, and at the behest of us fans who vote to remake the league in our own image.
No, really— Out of character, what is Blaseball?
* Blaseball is a browser game developed by The Game Band, about an absurdist simulation of baseball that is almost entirely depicted in text. Strange features include random incinerations that force team players to be replaced, Forbidden Rule Books, or peanuts raining from the sky that induce allergic reactions.
* Blaseball is a fan simulator: you don’t play Blaseball, you watch it. Gameplay involves choosing a favorite team, placing bets on simulated matches to earn coins (all in fictional currency), then spending those coins to benefit your team at the end of the week. With luck and a bit of strategizing with fellow fans, your team just might win the championship! (See Gameplay section for more)
* Community & fandom involvement is also a huge draw. Because the presentation of Blaseball is so bare, but the descriptions & names are so evocative, there is a wide gap of imagination that the community has filled in with incredible art, fan lore, and more (we’re talkin’ music albums, radio mockumentaries, play-by-play livestreams — the community is incredible). The Blaseball Wiki and the Discord are ideal places to start if this interests you the most.
Why do people care about Blaseball?
* These articles from the first few weeks of Blaseball do a pretty good job at conveying what’s so interesting about it:
* Blaseball is the Real Return of Baseball covers what the act of keeping up with simulated matches is like.
* An absurdist baseball game is tearing up the internet, thanks to fans covers writers’ & artists’ homemade contributions to Blaseball.
I know I clicked on this doc, but actually I hate reading. Is there a video?
* Discord user Aluuvia made this video called Blaseball: A Fever Dream of a Cultural Event — which gives you a great overview of what playing Blaseball is like, and what early historic events shaped the game & fandom.
How long has this been going on?
* Blaseball.com opened on July 20, 2020. Every Season lasts one real-life week, with periodic breaks (called a siesta) that can last a week or more for fans & developers to rest. (Read more about seasons, including which Season we’re currently on.)
* (For a timeline of in-game events, see Events section)
How can I materially support Blaseball?
* Blaseball has a Patreon where you can send them money every month and gain access to the Bloodhouse, a Discord clubhouse channel where everyone talks about blood. One of the Patreon tiers allows you to submit a name into the randomly-selected name pool!
* Official merchandise is currently in the works.
How do I learn about official updates?
* Twitter or Discord. The Twitter account @Blaseball announces news/updates, usually in the voice of a character called “The Commissioner.” The Discord channel #announcements also features updates, usually posted by the Umpires who are both characters within Blaseball and the real designers of the game.
Does fan lore actually “matter”?
* Yes, absolutely. The developers have stated during interviews that they encourage the “collaborative attitude” of fan interpretations to continue, and that they believe in “a ‘Many Worlds’ interpretation...that leaves room for everyone.” Any respectful additions you can make to the world of Blaseball is valid and encouraged.
* Specifically, fan-created lore is regularly integrated into the game itself, with examples such as the Dial Tone and Vibe Check and The Grand Unslam.
Can I follow this without understanding anything about real-life baseball?
* Absolutely. Many fans aren’t necessarily knowledgeable about baseball. Rooting for your team, betting on games, or getting invested in events require no knowledge about the rules of baseball.
* On the other hand, if you really want to follow play-by-plays closely, there are many existing resources about making sense of baseball such as this YouTube video, Rules of Baseball Explained. Blaseball does have some key rule differences, but a basic understanding should keep you covered.
How do I… participate in the cultural event known as Blaseball?
* First thing’s first: sign up at Blaseball.com and choose your team. There’s no wrong team to pick, and you can always change your mind later. (See also: the Community section for What team should I join?)
* Of course, you can always participate by following the story, or making cool stuff, or adding to the Wiki, or diving into stats, or helping out newcomers, or just telling your friends. And just like doing The Wave, you’ll have a lot more fun with others than you would alone.
What time zone are the Blaseball servers located?
* Pacific US time zone. When the site mentions times & dates, it’s Pacific US.
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GAMEPLAY
How do I play Blaseball?
* Technically, you can’t. The Blaseball players do. You will watch from the stands, supporting your favorite team.
* For clarity, usually “players” means the named characters on teams who play in matches, and “fans” or “participants” means the people like you who watch & influence those matches.
What can I do in Blaseball?
* You can earn coins by betting on matches. If your bet wins, you gain double (more-or-less). Additionally, you earn passive income every time your favorite team wins. (See How can I get lots of coins? for more)
* Coins are used in the Shop to either buy other items that help your gambling in the long run, or buy Votes.
* Votes are spent on an election ballot that wraps up at the end of every season. You vote on decrees and blessings that you want to see in action. (See What are decrees and blessings? for more)
* Throughout the season, you’ll watch the progress of matches, track your favorite team’s record, and root for them along with the rest of the community. That’s most of the interaction inside the game. But don’t forget that it’s still a living world full of underlying mysteries, storied interruptions, and emergent narratives. Taking part in the Discord is highly recommended for a fuller experience!
When do games happen? What is a season like?
* A season has 3 parts: the regular season, the postseason, and the election results. All of this takes place within a real-life week, Monday to Sunday. (Read more)
* Specifically, individual games happen at the start of every hour. The regular season wraps up on Friday and Blaseball takes a brief break. The playoffs begin on Saturday and run throughout most of the day. (The exception to all of this is siestas & other downtime events.)
* As of Season 9, there is now a Wildcard best-of-three series after the regular season on Friday. The winner of these games makes it into the playoffs.
Where can I view the Game Log after it’s off the website? Can I review past games?
* Check out Reblase, a fan-made tool created by server member Astrid. (Read more at the Reblase github page.)
How can I get lots of coins?
* See this helpful doc from the Discord community: Blaseball Coin Making Guide for New Fans. It covers items & betting strategy if you’re trying to maximize your payouts.
Do the items in the Shop expire? (Passive Income Potion, High Roller Snake Oil, Pendants…)
* No! These are permanent upgrades. Almost anyt