dwarf runner

boar · Post by **boar** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:24 pm

My dwarf runner has just got his third skill but i don't know what to choose. He's already got kick and block. Any advice on what to choose?

Ole · Post by **Ole** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:39 pm

in your case I would go for fend. it's defending and well off.

But why did you give him kick in the first place as his first skill?
Is kick not normaly a Linemen skill?

On the other hand you'll want a skill to collect that remaning 25 SPP to get your forth skill.

Do you do passing at all?
Do you have a Leader?

But I'll still go for fend.

kano · Post by **kano** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:30 pm

I would probably stay away from leader since the rerolls for the dwarves are so cheap anyways. Personal preference though....

On my dwarf runners, I play them more in the backfield as safeties on defense. I took Strip Ball on one of my runners, and have never regretted it. If anything sneaks past your defenses, and you need a one die block to stop a TD, having a strip ball guy back there is really handy.
If you play against a lot of elves, Pass Block may be an option later on. A skill I was very skeptical about before I actually took it on my dwarf runner was Kick Off Return. It really helps out a slow team get a jump on getting control of the ball on offense.
Dump Off is a pretty useful skill for a running team too. If your cage breaks down, and your BC gets blitzed, he can pitch it to one of his teammates (hopefully an AG3 one not in a TZ).

kadu-c · Post by **kadu-c** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:15 pm

Kick Off Return.

TennBoy · Post by **TennBoy** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 4:09 pm

Kick-off return goes on one of my runners on all my tourney teams.

Xeterog · Post by **Xeterog** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 4:49 pm

Kick goes on players that aren't going to be on the LOS at the start of a drive....Runners fit that perfectly...so it's not a bad choice for the 1st skill (I would have gone with block 1st tho).

I like to develop one runner as a ball carrier/retriever. If this runner fills that position for you, take Kick-Off Return or Fend. Kick-Off Return lets you get to the ball quicker on kickoffs. Fend helps disrupt the opponent when he blitzes your ball carrier.

I also like to develop one runner as a 'safety'. High speed blitzer (if you can call MA 6 high speed

) If this is the roll intended, then take tackle or strip ball. Tackle is my choice here..but either one is good (tho tackle isn't negated like strip ball can be--except by the opponent not having dodge in the 1st place).

Wylder · Post by **Wylder** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:58 am

Kick off return.

datalorex · Post by **datalorex** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:15 am

Why is everyone so gun-ho on Kick off return? I've never seen anyone even use it! Do you really have that much trouble getting to balls on the kick off?

Robotorz · Post by **Robotorz** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:47 am

I lost more games with my dwarfs due to not forming a save pocket or forming a save pocket to far behind.

Especialy against teams w/ kick. You recive a kick to the far back of the field, your runner manages to get the ball but cant pass it to a blitzer or the 2nd runner. With kich off return you get to move 3 squares wich helps a lot in getting the ball and even bringing it into saftey. As this Runner already has 2 skills that dont make him an ball-carrier (ok block but...) or a ball retriver/blitzer. So kick off return fits this player perfectly.

TennBoy · Post by **TennBoy** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:07 am

Kick-Off Return is a great skill (almost a must have) for a Dwarf-Runner.

Think about it, getting that free three squares movement means you can take 1 Dwarfrunner and have him cover the entire backfield by himself if he's standing in the middle of your half.

Worst case scenario is the ball goes all the way in the back corner of your EZ, your guy is on the ball first turn. Next turn run up, hand-off, run up and cage.

Plus if the other team gets a blitz, kick-off return will help get you a tackle zone on the ball or at least in the players path.

Dwarfs aren't ever gonna be able to score in one turn, but with this skill, two possible (with luck) and definitely three.

Thats why people will swear by this skill.

Mad Jackal · Post by **Mad Jackal** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:34 am

this guy is a kicker? I always have a long beard deep anyway with kick so I don't need a runner with kick. But I won't complain.

I think with Block and kick he's a defenseive player who either gets strip ball, or Fend.

Fend is very usefull in freeing him up to blitz on defense - or garnering more attention than they would rather spend.

rodders · Post by **rodders** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:27 am

kick off return surely is a must

Kheldar · Post by **Kheldar** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:56 am

In which way is your other runner skilled? One of both should be skilled as safety at least. So give him Kick-Off return, or if the other runner is not the safety give him strip ball.

Cramy · Post by **Cramy** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:52 pm

datalorex wrote:Why is everyone so gun-ho on Kick off return? I've never seen anyone even use it! Do you really have that much trouble getting to balls on the kick off?

How to beat a well-coached Dwarf team when playing with a less bashy team? The main way is to steal the ball from the Dwarf team on their drive. WE and Skaven coaches try to do that all the time (at least in my experience

). Use the kick skill to kick deep, then storm the ball carrier before he cages-up.

How to solve that for the Dwarf team is to keep lots of guys back, which means that they lose some punch on the LoS, which may cause them problems to cage-up still.

Kick-off return helps them get to the ball quicker without having to commit too many players on protecting against the ball steal.

Now I wouldn't have given kick to a Dwarf team, or at least not early in its development ... But kick is never a bad choice IMO.

So for the Runners, in my book, both need block, and at least one needs Kick Off Return. On doubles, get Dodge.

Same for Orc Throwers BTW, for the same reasons.

PubBowler · Post by **PubBowler** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:30 pm

Cramy wrote:
So for the Runners, in my book, both need block, and at least one needs Kick Off Return. On doubles, get Dodge.

That's it in a nutshell I think.

Fend is something I haven't tried, so I can't reccomend it, but I'm going to keep in mind.