Skink, regular skill LRB5

[someone2040]

So, I've got a skink who has Block and Sidestep who managed to get another skill. Unfortunately, only a regular skill for this guy. I'm looking for what a good skill will be.

Usually I get 1 guy with the ball (Usually infamous number 13), and either go all the way with him, or hand off at some point to another skink.

The team looks like this
4 Saurus with nothin
2 Saurus with Block
1 Kroxigor with Guard
1 Skink with +AG and Sure Hands (Infamous 13)
2 Skinks with Sidestep
1 Skink with Block and sidestep (This guy - almost infamous 16).

With the winnings from last game, I am likely to purchase re-roll number 4 and possibly another skink (I haven't had much trouble with casualties so far, but I don't seem to cause many either) as I have about 300k sitting in the bank after last game (I didn't buy pre-last game, as I was getting 420k in inducements and Hemlock ended up paying off).

So I'm looking at skills, and I'm thinking Diving Tackle or Sure Feet might be good ideas. Jump Up being another possibility in case he does get knocked down.

Let me know what you guys think.

[bjorn9486]

So I'm looking at skills, and I'm thinking Diving Tackle...

I would think that this is the last skink you would want to be hit, and since people will probably just blitz him out of the way, I would not go Diving Tackle.

..Sure Feet might be good ideas. Jump Up being ...

These 2 skills sound promising as they will keep him moving.

I don't know if you hand off to this guy a lot, but maybe Catch as he seems like a good ball carrier.

[tenwit]

Diving Tackle and Sure Feet are probably the two best options. DT works for roadblock skinks, Sure Feet for ball-carrying skinks.

I'd go DT, as blodge skinks on my teams are always developed as roadblocks unless they roll a second doubles.

A second doubles is either Sure Hands or Strip Ball, depending on current skills. DT means Strip Ball, Sure Feet means Sure Hands.

[someone2040]

Yeah, that was my whole idea about Diving Tackle. They either have to blitz out, or dodge out.
Best case scenario, they blitz him, and he doesn't go down so I can stidestep near the guy and still force a dodge roll.

This guy has been getting a fair few hand-offs, but I don't think I've really done it due to block, but more likely because he's just in the best position to get to the end line.

Giving him sure feet followed by sprint(assuming on second doubles) lets him get him to where I need him though.

[tenwit]

True, but positioning does that too. He already has a massive 8 range. Just hang him back until you see someone that needs marking, that way he won't need Sure Feet or Sprint to get where he needs to be. DT then Jump Up would be my next two singles skills to make him into the best sweeper you can (randomly) get on the Lizardman team.

If you knew in advance that you had two doubles to give to him, then of course he gets Wrackle. Dodge/Wrestle/Tackle/Side Step/Diving Tackle is probably the most heinous combination of skills to give a sweeper. Noone wants to dodge away, noone wants to block or blitz you.. awesome!

[Jural]

I'd go with Diving Tackle. AG 3 leap is nothing to write home about.

By the way- get some Break Tackle Sauri ASAP!>

[Ullis]

And learn to score with Sauri!

[DoubleSkulls]

Jump Up for me, with Diving Tackle a close 2nd.

[rodders]

catch

combine that with your sure hand ag4 skink you have a great chance of getting the ball safe

then jump up as a close second

[bouncergriim]

I like d. tackle. It helps you have a defensive skink that is likely to be there even if blitzed.

I think skinks need to be developed into one of two routes, but you need at least two of each preferably 3-4:

Offensive= catch, surefeet, sprint possibly side step and or d. catch as alternative skills (d. catch works nice in LRB5+ especially if you have an ag4 "throwing" skink) DOUBLES Sure hands, maybe block, AG is also very good on these guys and +mv to score faster.

Defensive= Sidestep, Diving tackle ON DOUBLES wrestle or block then maybe strip ball, TAKE +AV on these guys and +STR is priceless, but I never pass up a +ag either.

I expect all skinks to die quickly, but defensive skinks only take two skills to become fairly effective but they die even quicker than offesive because they like to be in the way of a blitz.

Offensive skinks steal SPPs and this skill up very quick, but still have a high turn over.

On a side note...With LRB5+, I have actually suffered lasting injuries equally on Skinks and Sauri. The new 9 BH rule, puts skinks off the filed but "safely". The sauri are blocked or block almost every other turn and thus incur more injuries because of the volume of hits they take. I reserve my Apoth for Skilled Sauri and Skinks with +AG.

[Jural]

Diving Catch is awesome on skinks... just not this one! Block + Side Step screams out (for me) Diving Tackle.

I like Diving Catch or Catch as first skills on skinks after I have some Side Steppers.

[adamcarl]

I like Diving Catch or Catch as first skills on skinks after I have some Side Steppers.

I agree with Jural, having some Skinks with DC or catch is a good idea, that mixed with some Side Steppers is going to leave you with good Skinks.

I have two Skinks that have the same set up, block, side-step and catch, those two are my runners/cathers. They work very well together.
But then again I am one of those daring coaches that have concentrated on a passing game with Lizardmen, so I need these two on the other side of the pitch ready to catch and defend themselves.

Looking at your team you are able to pass do to your #13, but then again I don't know where your priorities lie.

[someone2040]

And learn to score with Sauri!

I have scored with a Saurus! Just not on a regular basis. Literally though, for the first few games I just did not break armour. It's only been somewhat recently that I've started doing that (But just can't manage to do much better than stuns). I'm currently 2nd in the league after beating the top Chaos team this week (Again, no casualties in the match at all!) but I have one of the worst records when it comes to casualties (But on the other hand, I've only had 2 injuries that were firing offenses).

@Everyone Else
While Diving Catch may be useful, I just don't see it as worthwhile in plain LRB 5. We're using some rules from the new experimental rules, soft stunty being one of them (Although, it hasn't come up yet) - but not Diving Catch.

So the general consensus seems to be, either Catch to make him the ball carrier after ag4 skink grabs the ball, or diving tackle to make him a fairly annoying roadblock.

I think for this guy, I will try out Diving Tackle. I like the roadblock idea, and I should be able to get one of my other Skinks to be the runner.

@Adam
Generally I don't try to pass unless I need too. My first win was due to a miracle pass after all (In one turn, the ball moved from my endzone to the endzone I needed, on the 8th and final turn of the game), but it's not something I try to do unless necessary.

[adamcarl]

Yeah when it comes to the Lizardmen passing-game, it is a risky business. I mean it is sometimes the most unexpected play a Lizardmen coach can pull off and sometimes it catches the other coach by surprise.

I have scored with a Saurus!

Scoring with a Saurus is propably the most satisfying thing there is when it comes to the Lizardmen team IMO.
Just looking at the Cockerel after a Saurus has made a TD, that stat makes me smile and hungry for more.

[Quadrasonic]

You have no Skinks with the Catch skill yet? I would remedy that right away. It works for more than just hand-offs. Out of turn catching rolls for bouncing balls, interceptions, and the odd kick-off catch can all be re-rolled with Catch. It is absolutely invaluable, and the more skinks with it, the more games you will win.