Weighted Pass
New moveChecked
In one sentence
Long forward lofted passes (over 45 m) get their own kicking motion that puts heavy backspin on the ball, so it checks up instead of running away. No accuracy bonus.
Who does this affect?
Both: the version choice, the motion and the spin are in the kick code that runs for your passes and the CPU's. A few extra uses only change CPU decisions.
How it works
When he plays a lofted pass or lofted through ball of more than 45 m (not a cross), while moving slower than 22 km/h and aiming no further than 8 m short of the opponents' back line, the game picks a special 'weighted' version of the pass. That version first tries a kicking motion that only Weighted Pass players get. It puts backspin of 8 on the ball in the game's spin units, against roughly 1 to 3 on ordinary passes. Weighted Pass adds nothing to accuracy. If he also has Low Lofted Pass, his chipped through balls get extra backspin as well.
When it applies
- A lofted pass or lofted through ball of more than 45 m (55 m on one kind of kick). Crosses never qualify.
- He is moving slower than 22 km/h when he kicks (jogging is fine, a full sprint is not).
- The target is no more than 8 m short of the opponents' back line, or beyond it.
- If the special motion cannot be played (timing or foot), the pass keeps its normal motion.
- Chipped through ball with extra backspin (3.5 instead of the usual spin): needs Low Lofted Pass as well.
- No random chance.
Without it
The same long ball uses the normal lofted-pass motions with their usual, much lighter backspin, and the chipped through ball keeps its normal spin.
Common questions
Does Weighted Pass make lofted passes more accurate?
Short answerNo
No. The skill is not read anywhere in the accuracy code; it changes the kind of ball, not its accuracy.
Does it work on normal 25 to 40 m lofted passes?
Short answerNo
No. The weighted version needs more than 45 m.
Does it work on crosses?
Short answerNo
No. The check that picks the weighted version rejects crosses.
Does Weighted Pass alone give the backspin chipped through ball?
Short answerNo
No. The chip's extra backspin needs Low Lofted Pass as well; Weighted Pass alone gives the long backspin ball.
Does it actually change the ball?
Short answerYes
Yes. The weighted version requests its own kicking motion, and that motion carries backspin of 8 instead of the usual 1 to 3.
Not yet confirmed
- The line the 8 m is measured from is most likely the opponents' last defender line; this was not confirmed.
- The skill also lets the ball-flight calculation accept a different, lower solution when the backspin is this heavy; how that changes the flight on the pitch was not measured.
- That the chip motion is the in-game 'chipped through ball' is inferred from its use for chip shots and from the skill description.
The maths
ConditionOnly lofted passes and lofted through balls longer than 45 m; never crosses.
ConditionHe must be moving slower than 22 km/h.
DetailBackspin of the weighted ball: 8 (easing to 6.5 between 45 and 60 m for one pass type), against about 1 to 3 on ordinary passes.
DetailThe chipped through ball with 3.5 backspin needs Low Lofted Pass too.
DetailHis diagonal lofted through balls of 25 to 55 m are not given the curling side version that other players can get.
DetailNo accuracy bonus and no stat change.
DetailNot used by this skill: Lofted Pass — still sets the pass's accuracy as for any lofted pass; the skill adds no bonus; Curl — the weighted ball's spin is fixed and it is never given the curling versions; Kicking Power — not read by the skill