Where would you go with this norse team?

[mattgslater]

It's not for the 1TTD. You can get Guard on the same guys who can get Stand Firm 2nd or ST4/Block with a first skill; they also do more damage, so can get more SPP. The fundamental purpose of Grab is to feed the Frenzy players, but it's also very useful for disrupting cages on defense and shifting defenders out of the way on offense. And it negates Side Step and really cuts into the margin of Fend. Plus, if you engineer your blocks well, it's sometimes a poor-man's Guard, letting you place opponents where they'll have to give up assists. Oh, and incidentally it comes with a cute little bump on your existing 1TTD gimmick. And it comes with several other gimmick combos (like if you can get a Multiblock Snow Troll). Besides, it's not like you can only set up chain-blocks on turn 1.

Guard is better, but you have 5 guys who can take Guard on a normal roll.

[Carnis]

I really think you need tentacles or prehensile tail to get real use of the very stationary and situational grab skill. Guard you can always capitalize on, except when your guard (most of the time, infact) is on his much needed rest period (KO/CAS-box).

The 5 S-access players:
Troll: Mighty blow first
Zerker1: MB&Piling on&Tackle first - To kill dodge
Zerker2: Guard
Ulf1: MB&Piling on&Block&Juggernaut first - To kill wrestle
Ulf2: Wrestle/Break tackle first

In a bashier league, going all-5 guard would probably make more sense (not with the troll though, who'd always prefer mb (or block) over guard).

[mattgslater]

Yeah, Guard is a 2nd or 3rd normal skill on a Snow Troll, after Mighty Blow and possibly Stand Firm. For me it's the #1 skill on the second Blitzer: the first gets Mighty Blow, both get Stand Firm as #2. I like Guard as a #3 on both Ulfs, after Block and Stand Firm (not keen on Wrestle for Norse... a Tackle Lino and a lot of Frenzy is better for handling Blodgers).

Guard might be a #1 doubles on a Lineman, particularly if I don't have a Guard/SF Blitzer by then. A single nose tackle with the Guard skill makes a big difference. But Grab is awesome with Prehensile Tail or Tentacles, or any of the other skills that combo with it: Tackle, Diving Tackle, Shadowing, Stand Firm, Side Step, Guard, or a buddy with any of those skills, or a buddy with Frenzy, or MB+(PO or Claws), or a handy sideline. And even with none of that, it's still got occasional applications setting up free blocks and improbable pushes.

[Carnis]

Threadromancy strikes again, the team now:

1 Berserker 6 3 3 7 Block, Frenzy, Jump Up - - - 1 - - 3 90,000
2 Berserker 6 3 3 7 Block, Frenzy, Jump Up Piling On, Mighty Blow, Tackle - - - 3 16 1 46 150,000
3 Ulfwerener 6 4 2 8 Frenzy Mighty Blow, Piling On - - - 2 8 - 22 150,000
4 Ulfwerener 6 4 2 8 Frenzy Wrestle - - - - - 1 1 7 130,000
5 Runner 7 3 3 7 Block, Dauntless - - - - 1 - 2 90,000
6
7 Lineman 6 3 3 7 Block - - - - - 1 5 50,000
8 Thrower 6 3 3 7 Block, Pass Leader, Sure Hands - - 3 4 2 2 29 110,000
9 Lineman 6 3 3 7 Block - - - - - 1 - 2 50,000
10 Lineman 6 3 3 7 Block Tackle - - - - 1 1 2 15 70,000
11 Lineman 6 3 3 6 Block Dirty Player -AV - - 1 2 - 7 70,000
12 Lineman 6 3 3 7 Block Normal Skill - - - - 1 1 1 10 70,000
13 Lineman 6 3 3 7 Block - - - - 1 - 2 50,000
14 Lineman 6 3 3 7 Block Guard, AG or norm skill - - - 1 4 1 16 80,000+
15 Lineman 6 3 3 7 Block - - - - - - - - 50,000
16 Snow Troll 5 5 1 8 Loner, Claws, Disturbing Presence, Frenzy, Wild Animal, normal skill - - - - - 3 - 6 160,000

Can you guys talk me out of:
Dirty Player on #12
Fend on the guard (#14)
Mighty Blow on the snow troll (#16)

Juggernaut on the next skillup for #2
Kick or Kick-off-return for #8 ?

[Oxynot]

Just curious, why Fend instead of AG on #14? If the idea is to have mobility to with your guarder, would not agility mean he could dodge anywhere he wanted?

As added value he could pick up the ball when your only ball handler is not near enough to do it.

And I'd rather have kick off return on the thrower than kick. Kick could be on anyone (like #12), but KOR is only useful on the ball handler.

[Carnis]

Just curious, why Fend instead of AG on #14? If the idea is to have mobility to with your guarder, would not agility mean he could dodge anywhere he wanted?

As added value he could pick up the ball when your only ball handler is not near enough to do it.

And I'd rather have kick off return on the thrower than kick. Kick could be on anyone (like #12), but KOR is only useful on the ball handler.

Not really willing to make agility rolls unless I must. For that reason a 40k cost increase for +AG would seem like a bit of a TV bloat. I might consider it on a rookie liner (who would replace the thrower as the ballcarrier, after sure hands). Just not on a guard. Also, Fend will help him stay alive (no piling on) + be more mobile.

Also, my recent success has made 3 former agility teams pick up dwarf/orc/nurgle, and I expect to face a lot of mighty blow/piling on later and don't fancy getting totally torn apart.

The team fields 9-10 Block/Wrestle on the field on average. I much prefer the 1/1296 turnover chance of a 2die block over the 1/36 of a 2+ dodge.

I'm not really sold on KOR being a useful skill at all. It speeds up your initial offence, by 3 MA. This only, if your ballcarrier picks up the ball, and you don't use the first turn to comp a lineman, and the added 3 MA only matter if you need it, or get a free 4+ catch with it. That's why kick on the thrower would be to avoid getting a TV-bloat skill on a player that will inevitably level up.