dwarf skill choices - 3rd skill for TS and 1st for Blitzer

McKrackenfield · Post by **McKrackenfield** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:56 am

troll slayer already has MB and Tackle

I am torn as we are in playoffs and my likely opponent is a developed dark elf team whom I have never beaten - he has not lost a game in 2 seasons

Should I tailor my choices against him? we have a balanced perpetual league.

Blitzer - guard, tackle or mb
TS - juggernaut, guard, strip ball or stand firm

those are the skills I am thinking of and frankly, can't decide amongst

Lictor · Post by **Lictor** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:08 am

MB and Elves are always a good combination.

Is your TS a sweeper or other role?

If he sweeps then defo Strip Ball. Give him Juggers after and you are guaranteed to free the ball

My 2 cents.

McKrackenfield · Post by **McKrackenfield** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:35 am

The TS does everything.

I use him to headhunt, sweep, get stuck in, even just marking people with his tackle.

I tend to use one of Matt Slaters defences and the TS is back row towards the middle so he can be used to get after ball carriers who get through the line.

mattgslater · Post by **mattgslater** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:52 am

McKrackenfield wrote:The TS does everything.

I use him to headhunt, sweep, get stuck in, even just marking people with his tackle.

I tend to use one of Matt Slaters defences and the TS is back row towards the middle so he can be used to get after ball carriers who get through the line.

I feel all warm and fuzzy. Fuzzy like a Troll Slayer!

Matt Slater says Stand Firm. Keep him on intended receivers or put him on the ball, makes blitzing him off a scary proposition even at 2d/Block. MA5 isn't optimal for a ballhawk, but you're Dwarfs so you have to make do. With SF, you can stick him anywhere on defense except the line, which is very valuable if things go badly and you find yourself filling in for skilled guys off the bench, or worse, have to play man-down. Stand Firm on a slayer is also great for managing the front of the cage on offense, really valuable if you like to chainpush off the LOS with the other Slayer and a Guard/Grab Blocker (nothing like chain-pushing a guy like this straight up on the inside backer, then blitzing the safety with another player to seal both him and the strong-side wide zones out with Stand Firm). It's also good if you use an offensive blitz on the weakside safety or backer to seal out the other weakside players: MA5 means he can hit most safeties with good line-blocking, and Frocklauntless means he can take them down with consistency.

Plus, for players who aren't going to the line, Stand Firm is a survival mechanism, as it decreases the number of blitzes the player takes. On an AV8 player on an AV9 team, that's not small potatoes. Opponents will be tempted to send Juggies at him, but Juggies are often Big Guys, who are often justifiably leery of man-marking a Slayer who can't predictably be blocked off on the following turn if needed. Besides, you should have at least 4 Stand Firmers by now, right?

Stand Firm especially looks good against the other skills available. You mentioned Strip Ball, Guard and Juggernaut, which all came to mind quickly as I was looking for skills. Strip Ball would be fun, but not really necessary; if you can engineer a pair of 2d blocks, you should almost always knock down. Ideally you should have enough Guard; if you're concerned, take it on the Blitzer. Juggernaut might get a little use, but Dark Elf teams don't tend to use heavy Stand Firm and start with a lot of Block so can often negate optimal blitzes on Wrestle.

For the Blitzer, well, what are you lacking? Need help in the wide zone? Guard or Stand Firm. Don't overlook Grab, especially as a developed DE team will have a bunch of Side Step; but even without, 2 Grabbers makes obsolete many shallow D setups (in fact anything that isn't dependent on SF or SS on the LOS). And deep setups against Dwarfs are trouble, as ceding the broadway ensures that the cage can go wherever you want. And a Grab Blitzer + a Slayer can = total wide zone domination.

Got killer wide zones? Got 2x Grab? Take Mighty Blow.

Carnis · Post by **Carnis** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:27 am

Anti-elf? Piling on, hands down.

You already have tackle & mb, so you are going to get knocked down elves. Getting those annoying witch elves down for the drive/game on 58% of your knockdowns is truely worth getting prone.

And if you happen to be so lucky, that your opponent fouls you back (even with DP), your thick skull will make sure he's going to be losing players more often than you are.

TuernRedvenom · Post by **TuernRedvenom** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:38 am

For the TS there are only 2 options IMO.
Stand Firm because it protects you from crowd surfs.
Piling On because it is a kick-ass combo with Frenzy, Mighty Blow and Tackle! This is brutal against elves!

If you face a lot of squishy (AV 8 or less) teams, I would take PO. WHen in doubt, I'd take PO. Otherwise Stand Firm.

Strip Ball really is a waste on a low AG, low MA piece (which is just about every dwarf). Against any sort of decent opponent you'll rarely get any use out of it.

Joemanji · Post by **Joemanji** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:00 am

What he said.