special ball rules
Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:56 pm
My league has been working out some special rules for different kinds of balls to make our 2-4 coach Dungeonbowl even more wacky. We'd really appreciate whatever feedback people are prepared to give us. Also any further good suggestions for other types of ball. Here's what we have so far.
Random Ball table:
1-3. Normal Ball.
4. Dead Ball.
This ball is made up of disgusting rotting dead animal matter. At least we hope it's just dead animal matter. Flies buzz around it, it's slick with some foul liquid and it's a bit wiffy too. Any player who attempts to pick up or catch the ball must first roll a 2+ on 1D6 to overcome his revulsion at the thought of touching the horrible thing. Any player holding the ball gains the foul appearance skill.
5. Exploding ball.
Why is this ball ticking? Probably some wizard's idea of a funny joke. Better score quickly before it stops... At the end of each coach's turn that coach must roll 2D6 for the exploding ball. If a double 1 or a double 6 is rolled the ball explodes (only on a double 1 for 3-4 coach games). Any player in the same square as the ball is knocked over automatically and any player in an adjacent square is knocked over on a 4+ on 1D6.
6. Spiked Ball.
This ball is covered with big shiny metal spikes. Not exactly subtle but a real fan favourite none the less. The spikes make the ball easier to handle but painful to mishandle. Players receive a +1 bonus to pick up or catch the spiked ball, but if they drop the ball (including from a fumble) then it will attack them using the stab skill. When this is the first catch attempt after the ball has been thrown then there is also a bonus to the armour roll equal to the modifier for the range the ball was thrown (e.g. +1 to AV for quick passes). The ball can also be used as a weapon. Any player holding the ball gains the stab skill.
7. Squig Ball.
The 'ball' is in fact a small fat furry animal bred by Night Goblins especially for Dungeonbowl and is a favourite amongst Orc and Goblin teams, especially as the winner gets to eat the poor creature afterwards. At the end of each coach's turn if the squig ball is not being held by a player then it will run D6 squares in a random direction passing through squares occupied by players as if they were unoccupied. If it hits a wall or other impassable object it will stop there. Any player whose square the squig ball passes through may attempt to intercept it, and all the usual modifiers for an interception apply. If the squig ball ends in an occupied square and is not intercepted then it will scatter until it is either caught or ends in an unoccupied square. Because of its pathetic struggling any attempt to pick up, pass or catch the squig ball is at an additional -1 penalty and as the squig ball is quite hard to hold onto any player blocking a player holding the squig ball may use the strip ball skill.
8. Daemon Ball.
This ball is made from the unnatural essence of the warp and contains bound within it the spirit of a daemon. It constantly screams and gibbers, casting about dire threats and offering even more dire temptations. Any player attempting to pick up the ball must test to see of they can overcome the ball's evil aura. The player must roll 2+ on 1D6 or their attempt automatically fails and they are hypnotised just as though they had been successfully hypnotic gazed. However once they are holding the ball then they gain the some control over the ball's powers and may use the disturbing presence and hypnotic gaze skills themselves. In addition any attempt to pass or catch the ball is at an additional -1 penalty.
And two that aren't on the table yet.
Vampiric Ball.
We haven't worked this one out yet. I was thinking along the lines of the ball trying to stab (bite) the ball carrier at the end of each of his turns. Other thoughts were a -1 ST modifier whilst carrying the ball to represent the ball leaching ST from the ball carrier.
Metal Ball.
Weren't there rules for this somewhere? No idea what to do for this one at present.
If any ball is lost for whatever reason (teleporter, dungeon feature, it blew up...) then a new one is selected from the random ball table and scatters from a random teleporter pad.
Also if you try to pick up a ball, or catch a thrown ball, and fail due to a ball effect then it is a turnover just as if you'd failed to pick up or catch it.
Random Ball table:
1-3. Normal Ball.
4. Dead Ball.
This ball is made up of disgusting rotting dead animal matter. At least we hope it's just dead animal matter. Flies buzz around it, it's slick with some foul liquid and it's a bit wiffy too. Any player who attempts to pick up or catch the ball must first roll a 2+ on 1D6 to overcome his revulsion at the thought of touching the horrible thing. Any player holding the ball gains the foul appearance skill.
5. Exploding ball.
Why is this ball ticking? Probably some wizard's idea of a funny joke. Better score quickly before it stops... At the end of each coach's turn that coach must roll 2D6 for the exploding ball. If a double 1 or a double 6 is rolled the ball explodes (only on a double 1 for 3-4 coach games). Any player in the same square as the ball is knocked over automatically and any player in an adjacent square is knocked over on a 4+ on 1D6.
6. Spiked Ball.
This ball is covered with big shiny metal spikes. Not exactly subtle but a real fan favourite none the less. The spikes make the ball easier to handle but painful to mishandle. Players receive a +1 bonus to pick up or catch the spiked ball, but if they drop the ball (including from a fumble) then it will attack them using the stab skill. When this is the first catch attempt after the ball has been thrown then there is also a bonus to the armour roll equal to the modifier for the range the ball was thrown (e.g. +1 to AV for quick passes). The ball can also be used as a weapon. Any player holding the ball gains the stab skill.
7. Squig Ball.
The 'ball' is in fact a small fat furry animal bred by Night Goblins especially for Dungeonbowl and is a favourite amongst Orc and Goblin teams, especially as the winner gets to eat the poor creature afterwards. At the end of each coach's turn if the squig ball is not being held by a player then it will run D6 squares in a random direction passing through squares occupied by players as if they were unoccupied. If it hits a wall or other impassable object it will stop there. Any player whose square the squig ball passes through may attempt to intercept it, and all the usual modifiers for an interception apply. If the squig ball ends in an occupied square and is not intercepted then it will scatter until it is either caught or ends in an unoccupied square. Because of its pathetic struggling any attempt to pick up, pass or catch the squig ball is at an additional -1 penalty and as the squig ball is quite hard to hold onto any player blocking a player holding the squig ball may use the strip ball skill.
8. Daemon Ball.
This ball is made from the unnatural essence of the warp and contains bound within it the spirit of a daemon. It constantly screams and gibbers, casting about dire threats and offering even more dire temptations. Any player attempting to pick up the ball must test to see of they can overcome the ball's evil aura. The player must roll 2+ on 1D6 or their attempt automatically fails and they are hypnotised just as though they had been successfully hypnotic gazed. However once they are holding the ball then they gain the some control over the ball's powers and may use the disturbing presence and hypnotic gaze skills themselves. In addition any attempt to pass or catch the ball is at an additional -1 penalty.
And two that aren't on the table yet.
Vampiric Ball.
We haven't worked this one out yet. I was thinking along the lines of the ball trying to stab (bite) the ball carrier at the end of each of his turns. Other thoughts were a -1 ST modifier whilst carrying the ball to represent the ball leaching ST from the ball carrier.
Metal Ball.
Weren't there rules for this somewhere? No idea what to do for this one at present.
If any ball is lost for whatever reason (teleporter, dungeon feature, it blew up...) then a new one is selected from the random ball table and scatters from a random teleporter pad.
Also if you try to pick up a ball, or catch a thrown ball, and fail due to a ball effect then it is a turnover just as if you'd failed to pick up or catch it.
