Talk Fantasy Football

I am considering starting a Dark Elf team in LRB5. I'm curious about the Assassin. How do people use him? I'm not sure what role to give the guy.

Our league is 10 games including playoffs, we all get 5FF for free, and we plan to use many of the short league optional rules (more winnings for example).

There will be 4 other teams in the league, but don't know which teams yet (we're keeping it secret until everybody has picked their team).

My tentative roster is:
3xBlitzer 300kgp
2xRunner 160kgp
1xAssassin 90kgp
5xLineElves 350kgp
2xrerolls 100gp

Seems a bit agressive, with lots of positionals (maybe normal when FF is free?). The main reason the Assassin is there is that I want to experiment with him. I could trade the Assassin and a Blitzer for a Witch and a LineElf. I could also get less positionals for an additional RR. But for such a short league, I'm leaning towards more positionals, while making sure that my lineElves get SPPs and develop.

Any thoughts on the Assassin's role and on the roster?

the assassin is a specialist. he's really useful against certain player types, generally anybody with low armor and lots of blocking-related skills (block, dodge, fend, sidestep etc etc) because stabbing goes straight to the weakness...the armor. wardancers will flee in terror.

against dwarves, orcs, saurus, chaos, big guys, etc etc don't expect too much. the one cool thing about using it against higher armor types is that since it doesn't cause a turnover if you fail, there's no harm in at least trying (whereas you can't say that about a block in the same circumstances)

good skills for them include things like the skills i was mentioning above, dodge, fend, sidestep, etc. that keep them standing and safe. tackle is also nice in conjunction with the shadowing. makes you a serious pain. might also consider diving tackle along those same lines, if you don't mind putting him on the ground now and then.

on doubles i'd think about mighty blow or multiple block...both are extremely nasty with the stab. mighty blow makes those wardancers essentially av6... multiple block might be tougher to set up, but potentially lets you stab 2 players a turn. if the player already has sidestep (and doesn't mind putting himself in harm's way a lot) multiple block might be the way to go. mighty blow would be the safer approach of the two.

Not knowing what your opponents will be makes the assassin a risky choice. He can be very effective against low AV opponents but next to useless against high AV.

The assassins greatest strength is that his stab is a risk free action, there is no chance of a turnover if it fails. The biggest drawback is that he is very fragile.

On Offence put him on the LOS and take the free stab. If it fails then use the linmen to push the opponents away from him. Do not let your opponent block him for free (he is very fragile). If he want to hit your assassin make him use his blitz.

On defence place him directly behind your linemen. If the opponent follows up after blocking your linemen you will get a free stab next turn. If he doesn't follow up to avoid the stab then you have essentially gotten the equivalent of fend on your linemen.

Use him to mark prone opponets, they will either have to stand up and let you stab them next turn, waste their blitz pushing the assassin away, try and dodge away (risky since the assassin has shadowing), or stay down. All four of those options are good for you.

Whatever you do, don't send your assassin out alone to blitz. If the stab fails he will be very vulnerable, Ideally if you are going to blitz with him then blitz an opponent who is beside one of your other players. If the stab fails the other player can then block the opponent away from the assassin (using the assassin as an assist)

Don't fall into the trap of wanting to make a stab every turn either, If it makes more sense to blitz with someone else (and usually it does) then do so. Move your assassin to mark a prone player or to act as a fend for another player that will likely be blocked next turn.

Don't forget that the assassin doesn't have to stab, If a pushback is all that is required then make a normal block instead of a stab (the odds of getting a pushback are usually better than breaking armour)

Skill progression. The assassin skills up very slowly. He gets no SPP for stabbing so if you want to skill him up you will have to use him for ball handling. For a regular skill take diving tackle. It combo's great with shadowing. For doubles take multiple block. Stab + multiple block is possible the best skill combo in the game.

I think the key is to be conservative. If you use the assassin too aggressivly he will get thumped in return...


P.S. Wesley, mighty blow does not work with stab...

Father911 wrote: P.S. Wesley, mighty blow does not work with stab...

Really?? I missed that somehow. Where did you see that?

Mighty Blow (Strength)
Add 1 to any Armour or Injury roll made by a player with this skill when
an opponent is Knocked Down by this player during a block. Note that
you only modify one of the dice rolls, so if you decide to use Mighty Blow
to modify the Armour roll, you may not modify the Injury roll as well.
Mighty Blow cannot be used with the Stab or Chainsaw skills.

hehehe that would do it.

shame too, i don't see the problem. it's certainly not as potentially broken as, say... multiblock.

I'm not sure I agree, +1 to the AV roll would be devestating against AV 7...

Father911 wrote:I'm not sure I agree, +1 to the AV roll would be devestating against AV 7...

hehehehe well sure..

but think about multiblock with av7. you have the potential to take down 2 av7 players, or 1 av7 player with a +1? is taking down 1 with the +1 to the roll really scarier than taking down 2?

Yes, with multiple block you cannot pick and choose your targets, it's great for a kickoff, but after that you rarely get to use it.

Mighty blow can be applied to a blitz and has no drawbacks. Piling on and mighty blow is considered a dangerous combo but at least it carries risks (must block first with a chance of turnover and must go prone). Stab + mighty blow would require no block and not leave you open to a retaliation foul. I'm not going to do the math but I think I'd rather have stab + mighty blow, which is why it is not allowed

Assassin is a Dark elf Lineman with -1 AV and 2 skill more! LOL

So you could play the ball as you play the ball with a lineman.
He needs some little protection.
Don't be focused about stab but think more shadowing.
He could done a block.
Stab is a risk free action.

Use him to fix catcher or ball carrier
Use him to protect the ball on the pitch
Use him to mark prone opponents
Use him to blitz with stab a low AV opponent with blodge skill and high strengh.

Skill choice dodge, block//side step and finally multiblock. (Jump up is also good)
combo multiblock+stab without sidestep is weak because you cannot used him with a blitz.

Father911 wrote:On defence place him directly behind your linemen. If the opponent follows up after blocking your linemen you will get a free stab next turn. If he doesn't follow up to avoid the stab then you have essentially gotten the equivalent of fend on your linemen.

Seriously ... this is one of THE best uses of the Assassin. The threat of the Assassin is almost better than the reality of the Assassin.

Galak

OK, so now I see many good uses for the guy. Thanks to all. But does he fit on a starting lineup? Or would you replace the Assassin and a Blitzer for a Witch and a LineElf?

I'd keep the blitzer and assassin. blitzers are the core of a darkelf team. fast agile and tough. The assassin is a nice toy. The witch elf is great but suffers from the same problem as the assassin, very fragile (and even more expensive)

Vincekiller wrote:Assassin is a Dark elf Lineman with -1 AV and 2 skill more! LOL

So you could play the ball as you play the ball with a lineman.
He needs some little protection.
Don't be focused about stab but think more shadowing.
He could done a block.
Stab is a risk free action.

Use him to fix catcher or ball carrier
Use him to protect the ball on the pitch
Use him to mark prone opponents
Use him to blitz with stab a low AV opponent with blodge skill and high strengh.

Skill choice dodge, block//side step and finally multiblock. (Jump up is also good)
combo multiblock+stab without sidestep is weak because you cannot used him with a blitz.

This guy knows what he is talking about. Hi assasin was driving me crazy!

Kheldar wrote:This guy knows what he is talking about. Hi assasin was driving me crazy!

Says the winner of the BUBBLE.