Modification to passblock

[Circular_Logic]

How often do you see passblock as a skill? Once in a league? Twice? Maybe on that +AG elven lino with blodge and leap as 5th skill or after blodge on a pro-elf-catcher.

But since LRB5 there are so many viable choices, that you passblock as a fillerskill becomes even less used.

Therefore I`d like to cut this part from the description:
The coach declares the full route that the player will take and this route
must finish with the player in a legal Pass Block square. A legal Pass
Block square puts the player in a position to attempt an interception, in
the empty square that is the target of the pass, or with the thrower or
catcher in one of his tackle zones. The player may not stop from moving
along this exact route this turn unless he has reached the final square,
has been held fast by Tentacles, has been Knocked Down, or has
reached another legal Pass Block square on the route.

With this, a defender might be able to get into blitzing range to still catch the reciever next turn.

In addition (or as an alternative) passblock could be used to make a 1 (or even 3??) square movement against handoffs.

[Jural]

Or you can move closer to a player that you will foul next turn... or use it to get your beast of Nurgle in the tackle zones of some players... or allow your treeman to get some hits in on players next turn... or even give your elves a free attempt to dodge away from the claw Mighty Blow player!

I'm not sure those things would be balance issues, but they certainly don't seem related to "pass block"!

The hand-off idea is a good one though, a player could conceivably move 4 squares on a hand-off/pass play, but fine!

[DoubleSkulls]

The reason I don't like this idea is that it weakens passing, and fundamentally I'd like to see more passing in the game. Even many elf teams hand off more than they pass.

[whitetiger]

I don't tend to find Pass Block all that strong a skill anyway, for me or my opposition. 5 AG players ignore the first tackle zone when they use an agility skill anyway (my DE "catcher"), and it doesn't give a plus on the interception attempt (for my defensive backs). I don't tend to worry about the skill.

But since it is called "Pass Block", why would it be changed to something else anyway?

[fen]

The reason I don't like this idea is that it weakens passing, and fundamentally I'd like to see more passing in the game. Even many elf teams hand off more than they pass.

This is the crux point, it's not that pass block is weak. It's Passing is a weak play compared to hand offs. Improve passing plays and Pass Block wouldn't need any kind of a boost.

Don't ask me how to do this though, BB favours the grinding hand off game by design and it would be hard to fix this.

Maybe Pass Block should during Hand Offs.

[Circular_Logic]

This is indeed true. I`d also like to see more passing game. Yet passblock is somewhere down there with diving catch in the usefulness and with dauntless and frenzy being skills, it`s not even not taken as a fillerskill anymore.

So giving 1 or 2 square movement at handoffs would help then, would it?

For the running game... hmm.. how about a skill along the line of passblock?

Safety:
Whenever an opposing player carrying the ball moves past the player closest to your end zone and is now close to the endzone than any other player of your team, every player with this skill may move 3 squares out of turn.

[GalakStarscraper]

The change to Diving Catch being tested for 6.0 should be an improvement to the passing game.

Don't personally see a need to improve Pass Block.

Galak

[wollfe]

The reason I don't like this idea is that it weakens passing, and fundamentally I'd like to see more passing in the game. Even many elf teams hand off more than they pass.

This is the crux point, it's not that pass block is weak. It's Passing is a weak play compared to hand offs.

Don't ask me how to do this though, BB favours the grinding hand off game by design and it would be hard to fix this.
[/quote]

i think the problem with the passing game is that handoffs are virtually guaranteed whereas passing is risky - especially with the high chance of fumbling at the long range throws

if fumbling wasn't such a major game changer - passing would happen more often

afterall if the ball is lost in your own half then its probably going to a td for the opposition, whereas if you lose the ball in the oppositions half then you still have time to regain the ball

but as an high elf coach i'l carry on passing the ball regardless

[SillySod]

Could passblock be altered so that it works for crowd throw ins? This would make it a more flexible skill and is likely to make it more worthwhile. You might as well throw in interceptions for the crowd throw too, why not since a crowd member surely cant throw it higher than the best athlete anyway?

[whitetiger]

I run Dark Elves and I throw the ball all the time, even with the runner. Kinda hard to smash through a line of Sauruses with a bunch of 3 strength guys. I don't tend to worry that much about Pass Blocker or interceptors. It's a matter of clearing throwing lanes or moving a receiver to an open lane. And then surrounding him with friendly tackle zones.

[Da_Great_MC]

We have modified Pass Block in our league: you can also use it to move into any square where you can use Disturbing Presence to modify the pass and/or catch roll.

Doesn't improve Pass Block that much, makes it a lot funkier