Pro Elf Catcher -- Advice?

[mattgslater]

Not terribly urgent; it'll be awhile, but I've got a +ST Pro Elf Catcher with Block and I'm looking for what to do with him.

So far, I've been lucky. I'm 2-0 with 9 TDs and a positive Cas ratio (I've taken 4, inflicted 5), and I have yet to see the ball cross more than one square into my half except once per game on the kickoff. Even better, my winnings have been great (not so much with the FF rolls), and I'm looking at a really solid team.

We're playing with the free 5FF rules. There are a bunch of house rules, but those shouldn't affect this decision.

I have the following:
Blitzer w/Dodge
Blitzer
Thrower
Catcher w/+ST, Block
Catcher w/Dodge
Catcher
Line-Elf w/Kick
6x Line-Elf (Edit: one niggles)
Apothecary
2x RR
FF 6

The +ST Catcher isn't far from a roll (she needs only 8; funny how the chick with the most points gets the MVP), and I think I'll probably have it in 2-3 games even if I try to score with other players (which I will; I have 3 others within 1 TD of a roll, including the Dodge Catcher). So, which should it be?

[Banelord]

dodge then pass block

or

dodge then strip ball

[mattgslater]

If it matters, the other opponents are Orcs, Skaven, Dwarfs, Hoomies and Woodies. I've already bent the Dwarfs and Woodies over my knee, but in the twelve-game fixed season league I'll see them again (the Dwarfs not until week 12). My next two games are Humans and Skaven (the rats figure to be my main competition this season -- I face them 3 times and I've already beaten the well-coached Dwarfs once). I expect to advance this player again just in time to face off with the Orcs, who haven't been doing well so far (newbie coach), and then it's off to the Wood Elves again.

Does the fact that most of those teams have SH guys mean that I should ignore Strip Ball the whole season?

[Quadrasonic]

Dodge seems like the obvious choice to me.

[bouf]

If you roll doubles, take Break Tackle

No doubles take Dodge!

[falconeyed]

Dodge then Strip Ball. Make him your ball winner, then use the blitzers to collect and out the ball. ST4 makes him your primary ball winner.

Or give him dodge sidestep and give your opponent absolute fits.

[falconeyed]

If you roll doubles, take Break Tackle

No doubles take Dodge!

If you roll doubles, anything other than Juggernaut is an incorrect choice.

Jug + Strip Ball = Happiness.

[Aliboon]

I went dodge-keep him alive longer.

Not quite sure what next, strip ball will likely be negated by the sure hands in the caging teams, but leap will help him get in there, and with ST4 he will probably end up with a 1d (opo is likely to have at least some guard in the cage).

So i'd go dodge then leap.

[TuernRedvenom]

Dodge, next skill Side Step. Then he'd rule!
Keep strip ball for a strength 3 player (definately take it though), which is what the skill was made for.
An interesting option if you roll doubles is going for Dodge, Mighty Blow, Tackle. Fast, mobile hard hitter to take down those sneaky catcher types.

[PubBowler]

Frenzy.

Every team needs a frenzy guy. Makes the opponent have to consider getting pushed out. And with MA8, AG4 & ST4 he has a massive reach.

Dodge can wait (actually I would never take Dodge on a Pro-Elf team but that's a different topic).

[Rituro]

Dodge, then Diving Catch. Your opponent will never feel safe in his own half of the pitch again.

[mattgslater]

I don't see her sucking up a lot of blocks, and I don't want to let myself get complacent about that, so as good an idea as I think it is, I'm hesitant to take Dodge. I do think it might be the smartest skill here, but I'm not sure I want to do it.

Leaving Dodge aside, should I take Leap, Shadowing, Frenzy or Strip Ball? As in love as I am with Side Step, I don't want to give it to a 190k player without Dodge, if you get my point. I'm tempted to get Leap, Shadowing or Frenzy over Strip Ball, as every opponent save one starts with an SH guy and that one is one SPP away from a roll on his Thrower (he'll get SH). Leap or Frenzy would be followed by the other; Strip Ball would be followed by Frenzy; and Shadowing would be followed by Tackle.

We're playing with some houserules that affect S skills (a bunch of old-timers who like their old rules), so I can't take Juggernaut, and I have access to the old Stand Firm. So when it comes to doubles, there's no question about what I take, unless it's a standard skill instead.

[TuernRedvenom]

As in love as I am with Side Step, I don't want to give it to a 190k player without Dodge, if you get my point.

Which is why you should take dodge first, a blodging, side step STR 4 player is a killer on defence vs bashy teams.
My take on the other skills:
Leap: I wouldn't take it on an AV 7 str 4 player. This guy is gold, leap is risky...
Shadow: if you don't want to receive many blocks this is one of the last skills you should take.
Strip Ball: IMO a waste on a str 4 player, it is only marginally better on a str 4 then a str 3 one and it's a skill that's not always usefull (negated by sure hands). I would want that str 4 player to pull his weight every game.
Tackle: a very solid choice for a fast player like that.
Frenzy: killer skill but must be used with some caution on an AV 7 player. Pobably the best choice of all these skills though.

[mlindsay2706]

dodge, no Q's asked imo.

bloding st4 is evil. and mv 8? harsh.

[mattgslater]

I want to score with other players once she goes up. I'm particularly looking at packages using my Catchers and Blitzers to block for the linos, as I have two linos and a Catcher within 1 TD of an improvement and a lino and Blitzer each just 4 points away. I also have a rookie Catcher I want to get some scores to, so she's got one improvement coming up, then probably nothing for 4 or 5 games.

That said, I think after hearing what Tuern has to say about Leap and remembering how much fun my Orcs had taking WDs out by forcing Leap rolls after all the elves' RRs had been used, I'm leaning towards Frenzy, or Tackle (I do want a Catcher with Leap, but it doesn't have to be this one). Dodge would be wise, I know, and I'd get good use out of it, but I'd like something that lets me do something I can't otherwise do, and I don't want her to suck up many blocks anyway.

Frenzy or Tackle would come with the added benefit that they would give faster SPP access than Dodge (since she won't be getting TDs if I have another way to do it), and would give me an answer to the Wood Elves and Skaven, who are my biggest threats. My Pro Elves dismantled the Dwarfs in week 1, gimping a Slayer and leaving them with 20k in the bank, the Humans lost a Blitzer in their first game (but they do have an Ogre with Block), and the Orcs are run by a newbie coach who has some learning to do. The Rats are also 2-0, and though I manhandled the Woodies last game (4-0 both score and casualties), they've got lucky on improvements and have Jordell Jr. with Side Step after the first game and +AG after the second.

Frenzy or Tackle? Either way, Dodge comes at 51. Both are scary on ST4/Block against a GR or a WD...

Code: Select all

          Opponent (#=dice, b=Block, d=Dodge)
Skill     2    2b   2d   2bd  3d   3bd
Neither   75%  56%  56%  31%  70%  42%
Tackle    75%  56%  75%  56%  88%  70%
Frenzy    91%  74%  79%  48%  96%  65%

Tackle will help me hold GRs in place and force WDs to risk RRs/turnovers to get away by leaping. Frenzy will earn SPP faster.