Why were Blood Bowl teams designed to be tiered?

[plasmoid]

Absolutely. Gobs and Flings were weak in 2nd ed. Snotlings were even weaker.

[faust_33]

When 3rd ed. came out in the mid-nineties, there were 12 teams, and 2 of those clearly sucked ass.
GW/JJ can not have been unaware of this. I mean - there was a studio league.
Also, a year(?) after the realease of BB, there was a big article in WD about halflings winning the US studio league. The article was clearly written in shock and awe.
Everybody know.

A halfling team actually won a tournament or was that a fluff article?

Also, it's good to know that Darkson is to blame for the Underworld team!

Always love reading about the history behind BB, especially since I didn't really start until CRP was already released. I'd definitely buy Tom's book, if that ever got released.

[Darkson]

while Darkson was the main designer on Underworld.

Also, it's good to know that Darkson is to blame for the Underworld team!

Not sure Plas is remembering it correctly - I know I suggested bringing back Underworld when it became likely Pact (All-Stars) and Slann would be returning, and I know I came up with some basic suggestions, but not sure if I deserve the "main designer" tag.

If I was though (and I admit my memory of the Vault is hazy) then I'm happy with that.

[plasmoid]

@faust_33: Yup. It happened. Though admittedly at the time everyone could have 4 rostered stars (and there were no rostered rookie big Guys). Having 4 Deeproots must have helped. (Then Again, going up against teams with 4 Morgs can't have been easy)

@Darkson: Maybe it was Joemanji. Maybe it was you and Joemanji. Like you, my memory is a bit hazy.

Cheers
Martin

[Bakunin]

All hail Darkson

Underworld is a great designed team, except for animosity (which is an stupid fluff skill on the line with weeping daggers).

[GalakStarscraper]

All hail Darkson

Underworld is a great designed team, except for animosity (which is an stupid fluff skill on the line with weeping daggers).

Huh ... I actually think Animosity has a definite place on that team.

[Bakunin]

All hail Darkson

Underworld is a great designed team, except for animosity (which is an stupid fluff skill on the line with weeping daggers).

Huh ... I actually think Animosity has a definite place on that team.

Its not a good skill description - what counts as "race". What about starplayers?.
Its a skill you keep on forgetting and its only there because of fluff (it seems).
And why nerf a team further, that already has STR 2 linemen.

But overall Underworld + skitter stab stab is fun to play.

[SunDevil]

All hail Darkson

Underworld is a great designed team, except for animosity (which is an stupid fluff skill on the line with weeping daggers).

Huh ... I actually think Animosity has a definite place on that team.

Completely agree with Galak. Not to mention the skill is easily avoided if you don't like it. Unlike Decay on the Khemri team.

Race is easy - on that team, Goblin, Skaven and Troll are the races. Every player (including stars) in BB has a clearly defined race.

[Bakunin]

All hail Darkson

Underworld is a great designed team, except for animosity (which is an stupid fluff skill on the line with weeping daggers).

Huh ... I actually think Animosity has a definite place on that team.

Completely agree with Galak. Not to mention the skill is easily avoided if you don't like it. Unlike Decay on the Khemri team.

Race is easy - on that team, Goblin, Skaven and Troll are the races. Every player (including stars) in BB has a clearly defined race.

Well if you can have fluff Animosity, you can have fluff weeping daggers.

[harvestmouse]

All hail Darkson

Underworld is a great designed team, except for animosity (which is an stupid fluff skill on the line with weeping daggers).

Huh ... I actually think Animosity has a definite place on that team.

Actually I think all 3 races are really well designed. I think all 3 were perfect editions. I love the way famous teams in the past (something I keep saying do more of) were brought back as rosters. I think the translation of Slann from 2nd to 6th was really neat. And I really like the Pact design. Yes there problems there in perpetual, but I don't think that is the roster's fault.

I also love animosity.

As for tiers I guess the whole JJ not wanting all the teams to be the same strength and the BBRC tier system has been answered by now.

[Darkson]

Race is easy - on that team, Goblin, Skaven and Troll are the races. Every player (including stars) in BB has a clearly defined race.

To be fair, the Stars don't all have a clearly defined race. Yes, most are easy to work out, but not all, especially if you are new to the game and not steeped in the history - for example, what type of "race" is Sinnedbad? Without knowledge of the model, how can you tell Zug isn't an ogre?

I and others did argue in the Vault days that all Stars should have a race listed, but JJ thought it was unnecessary, which given the number of questions over the years shows he was wrong.
Of course, most of the time a Stars race doesn't really matter.

[GalakStarscraper]

I and others did argue in the Vault days that all Stars should have a race listed, but JJ thought it was unnecessary, which given the number of questions over the years shows he was wrong.

Yeah ... I was one of them that tried to talk JJ into stars show race and position but JJ would not go for it.

[harvestmouse]

For me..........why can't we go a stage further and do famous races based off of rosters? Elfhiem Eagles, the supreme throwing elf team based off of the original 2nd ed list. 0-8 catchers and no blitzers and the Galadrieth Gladiators the running team 0-4 blitzers no throwers and no P access even on doubles.

A chaotic elf team.........maybe based on the old novel and like there were in the 80s and early 90s. half the positionals (due to the extreme and hard nature of where they live) but M access.

Bespoke Bloodbowling.

[Regash]

Okay, since we are at Starplayers and their race...

I made a list and I wonder if it is correct:

• Barik Farblast - Dwarf w/ gun
• Bertha Bigfist - Ogre female
• Bomber Dribbesnot - Goblin w/ bomb
• Boomer Eziasson - Dawrf w/ bomb
• Brick Farth & Grotty - Ogre + Goblin
• Count Luthor von Drakenburg - Vampire
• Crazy Igor - Human sized Flesh Golem
• Deeproot Strongbranch - Treeman
• Dolfar Longstride - undefined Elf
• Eldril Sidewinder - undefined Elf
• Fezglitch - Skaven w/ ball & chain
• Flint Churnblade - Dwarf w/ chainsaw
• Fungus the Loon - Goblin w/ ball & chain
• Glart Smashrip Jr. - Skaven
• Griff Oberwald - Human
• Grim Ironjaw - Dwarf Trollslayer
• Hack Enslash - Skeleton w/ chainsaw
• Hakflem Skuttlespike - Skaven w/ 2 heads and 4 arms
• Headsplitter - Rat Ogre
• Helmut Wulf - Human w/ chainsaw
• Hemlock - Skink w/ blade
• Horkon Heartripper - Dark Elf w/ blade
• Grashnak Blackhoof - Minotaur
• Hthark the Unstoppable - Bullcentaur
• Hubris Rakarth - Dark Elf
• Humerus Carpal - Skeleton
• Icepelt Hammerblow - Snow Troll
• Ithaca Benoin - Undead Dark Elf
• J. Earlice - Ghoul
• Jordell Freshbreeze - Wood Elf
• Lewdgrip Whiparm - Human w/ tenctacles
• Lord Borak the Despoiler - Chaos Warrior
• Lottabottol - Skink w/ long legs
• Max Spleenripper - Human w/ chainsaw
• Mighty Zug - Human big
• Morg 'N' Thorg - Ogre
• Nobbla Blackwart - Goblin w/ chainsaw
• Prince Moranion - High Elf
• Puggy Baconbreath - Halfling
• Quetzal Leap - Saurus w/ long legs
• Ramtut III - Mummy
• Rashnak Backstabber - Hobgoblin w/ blade
• Ripper - Troll
• Roxanna Darknail - Dark Elf female
• Scrappa Sorehead - Goblin w/ pogostick
• Setekh - Skeleton
• Sinnebad - Skeleton w/ blade
• Skitter Stab-Stab - Skaven w/ blade
• Slibli - Saurus
• Soaren Hightower - High Elf
• Ugroth Bolgrot - Orc w/ chainsaw
• Varag Ghoulchewer - Black Orc
• Wilhelm Chaney - Werewolf
• Willow Rosebark - Dryad
• Zara the Slayer - Human female w/ stakes
• Zzharg Madeye - Chaos dwarf w/ gun

Does that look about right?
Any suggestions or additions?

[plasmoid]

AFAIK:
Igor is a thrall, not a flesh golem.
Lottabottal and Queztal are slann.
Varag is an Orc blitzer.
Other than that - looks right to me.