The Lions (High elfs) need help

[soranos]

The Lions were my first [R]anked team on fumbbl, so they hold a special place in my heart.

Still they are used to golden days of LRB4 were SPP balance was a good thing and you grabbed every Stat+ that you could get, nowadays in the cold-hearted world of TV efficiency they run in more and more problems, mostly for one reason: In place of cheap, basic and efficient elf skills (blodge, SS), they have amounted too many expensive AG+ and guard skills. This bloat matched with the fact that I am not really great at utilizing AG+ players makes it tough for the team to scrap a win against just about anybody . The problem is most obvious with Thileria (no.11) my ag6, guard-lino, who due to the lack of blodge is highly fragile, costs me 180k a game and due to the lack of dodge can’t even make reliable use of his best asset at this point.

Still, I think this group has some potential – as they are probably the most agile team in all of fumbbl and were able to amass 4 guards to compensate for the lack of ST+ - and with a few skill picks they might be able to at least be a threat in a major qualifier or a legend smack.
After I rolled yet another AG+ (on my blodge catcher) and finally turned down another double in favor of wrestle (on the ag5 dodg, -av lino), I decided to get some advice in the forums. How can I get this team going again?

Now my challenge to you is following: give some long-time advice, but restrain from getting into player-sacking-mode, as I don’t like retiring perfectly fine players solely for TV-reasons (exception are raised zombies with undead). The only retirement I would consider is no.10 (even though, I think he can make for some decent line fodder for 2-3 more games). So, I ask you guys:

Who would you identify as the 3-5 key players on the team that deserve the apo?
Who should I look to skill up next and what should they get?
Who at this point is the most detrimental to team success?
Do you see the potential for them to be a real threat in 3-5 games?
Are they already a potent team that should rather consider getting rid of me than the other way around?

Don’t let the lions down!

Here is the team link:
http://www.fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=t ... _id=569445

[MKL]

Hi Soranos.

Not a Fumbler, nor a great elven coach, but since no-one is chiming in, here are my 2c...

You worry about tv. If you want to trim the weight, you have to make some sacrifice: do you really need 4 rr?
And are you really set about not cutting some players?
-Your rookie Thrower, for example: how many games do you need to make him better than your ag5 Catcher? (ma8 can offset the lack of Pass/Safe-Throw).
-You got 3 -ma/-ag blodging linemen. Like you, I'm loath to fire fine players... but they are not fine. Blodge linefodder is useful... but it's +120k tv for some limping punchbags.
-About Thileria, the ag6 guardian: 200k is a lot for a mobile Guard, if you don't want to cut him, you have to make him really useful. What role do you envision for him? Ball retriever? Cagebuster? Force-skill him to Dodge and Block/Wrestle/whatever.

Who would you identify as the 3-5 key players on the team that deserve the apo?

Key players/apo rights: the Blitzers imo. No-nonsense, versatile players. Maybe the ag5 Catcher (what's his duty in the team?).

Who should I look to skill up next and what should they get?

Skillwise, in high-tv fumble I'm for Fend (to defend against clpomb). But since you played mostly against agility/hybrid teams, you can use some SideStep for the guardians, and some Frenzy and Leap to open up your playing options.

Who at this point is the most detrimental to team success?

mmm... their aggregated weight? The opposing wizards?

Do you see the potential for them to be a real threat in 3-5 games?
Are they already a potent team that should rather consider getting rid of me than the other way around?

They look fairly strong, if not lean. What went wrong in the last games, in your opinion?