Tourney skill progression for humans

[Mootaz]

To a TR100 tourney I will probably be taking a human team.
My roster:
360 4 Blitzer
070 1 Thrower
350 7 Linemen
200 4 RR
020 2 FF

My question now is, what skills to take. It is 6 games and after every game a skill, so 5 skills, no traits.

My current plan is: 3xBlock, 2xGuard
1st and 2nd is Block on a Lineman
3rd is Block on either a Lineman or the Thrower
4th and 5th is Guard on Blitzers

Any better suggestions? I don't know if I should put the 3rd Block on a Lineman or the Thrower. Thrower seems a good idea as he is the "better" lineman, but if put on a lineman I can put him on the line.

[dendron]

Why do you start with out the catchers?

Just read the human playbook on: http://www.specialist-games.com/bloodbowl/articles.asp

I think this will help. You will need Strip ball or tackle to take out the dodge players.

Dendron

[Gorbad]

Well, depending on your playing style and whether you will be playing high tables or low tables, here's a few thoughts:

Why no catchers? They are one of the major assets of a human team.

Strip Ball: Blitzer (or catcher if you feel lucky and have em) - Nice if you play risky and like to score on defense, limits the opposition to keeping the ball with SH players (if any).

Tackle - If you know you will be playing high tables, you will likely meet teams with a blodger or two.

Kick - If you play with tons of catchers and like quick 'n risky scoring.


From the looks of it you will be playing a dwarf team with human stats, so my suggestions might fall on deaf ears.

[Mootaz]

I play without catchers in our league and so far I like it. Consider it an experiment. Flix (a very good German tourney player) plays without catchers as well and he was the one that gave me the idea.

Normally I play Necros in tourneys and Strip Ball or Tackle on the Wights has never been a success. I normally play at medium to high tables (with high meaning "good" not "at the end of the number range")

I thought about kick and its one of the things I'm thinking about as skill for the thrower.

[kadu-c]

Kick is always useful.

Take Tackle or Strip Ball for one Blitzer or why not both. They are really good skills for Human Blitzers. It's better than putting them on Wights (because of the MA+1 and because you blitz more oftenly with your WW in a Necro team. That's why you think that it was quite useless).

Guard x2 to protect the ball carrier.

[Gorbad]

I thought about kick and its one of the things I'm thinking about as skill for the thrower.

Kick will be a lot less useful if you have no catchers. Still not useless but maybe not as good as other skills in that case.

[Mootaz]

My first skills will probably still be block on two linemen, because that's one thing I learned from Flix: There is no skill that gives such a huge boost in usability as block. So basically it is the last two or three skills we are talking about. So you guys think that Tackle/Strip Ball is more useful for the blitzers than Guard? But isn't one of the advantages of humans that the blitzers have strength access and are fast?

I'd probably rather take tackle on two blitzers than tackle/strip ball or strip ball/strip ball, as tackle is probably more useful.

[Brokje]

On the long term a team without linemasn can be good, as yuo buy the catchers when the linos have 1 or 2 skills, but in a tournament I would go with the catchers. Then my first skil choice would be kick, followed by tackle/strip ball on a blitzer (or tackle as second skill and strip ball as third on another), and finally block on the catchers (I would never take less then 2 catchers, 1 is a target!)

Good luck!

[kadu-c]

I'd probably rather take tackle on two blitzers than tackle/strip ball or strip ball/strip ball, as tackle is probably more useful.

With Humans versatility is the key. 1 Tackle and 1 Strip Ball is fine, taking 2 of each is less interesting IMHO.
Anyway 2 Guards are absolutely a must have.

[Mootaz]

[With Humans versatility is the key. 1 Tackle and 1 Strip Ball is fine, taking 2 of each is less interesting IMHO.
Anyway 2 Guards are absolutely a must have.

I also thought the Guard is more important than the tackle/strip ball, but I am always open for suggestions.

So the "No catchers" part is fix, consider it an experiment. Given that, what further skill input do you have? Also the order of taking skills is important and helpful for me.

So far I heard
- Kick, but not as useful as with catchers
- Tackle/Strip Ball on the Blitzers (insteadof Guard?)

Currently I am leaning towards kick on the thrower as 3rd skill.

[Joemanji]

My roster:
360 4 Blitzer
070 1 Thrower
350 7 Linemen
200 4 RR
020 2 FF

...

My current plan is: 3xBlock, 2xGuard
1st and 2nd is Block on a Lineman
3rd is Block on either a Lineman or the Thrower
4th and 5th is Guard on Blitzers

No Catchers?!?!? Catchers are one of the best things about the Human team at low TRs - and hence also at tourneys. The other good thing being Blitzers. Four rerolls is a serious leuxury at TR100, so I would be tempted to drop one and upgrade either 1 Blitzer & 1 Lineman to 1 Ogre & 1 Catcher, or 2 Linemen to 2 Catchers (with the extra change going on FF).

As for skills, well one of your first picks should be Kick. Since this is a tournament, I would have no qualms about giving it to a Blitzer as the will be in the right place to use it and tend to live longer. The only reason not to would be if you intended to skill up all of your Blitzers.

Something that nobody seems to take, but I think is vital, is Accurate on your Thrower. If you have him at all, it is only to pick up the ball on offence and chuck it to a Catcher. 3+ with a reroll is going to fail quite often, and at longer ranges you are asking for trouble. Make those quick passes 2+ and you have a sound platform to launch a drive.

Guard on your Blitzers is a primary tool. I think this is the way most coaches go in a tourney, and for good reason. It really works.

Tackle is something I would look into aswell. Gutter Runners and Ghouls are going to get annoying later in the event as they get Block. Not to mention Amazons. Put it on a Blitzer.

I can think of two reasonable development paths:

Guard x4 on your Blitzers, throwing in a Kick somewhere along the line.

or

Kick on a Blitzer
Accurate on a Thrower
Guard on a Blitzer
Tackle on a Blitzer
Guard on a Blitzer

Cheers
Joe

[Mootaz]

@Nazgit
Thanks for the input.

Kick on a Blitzer is a very good suggestion. The Questions is if Block on Lineman is going to help me more than 1x(Guard or Tackle) and 1xAccurate?

About the 4 RR:
This is a central part of this team. Basically, what I am trying to do is not take catchers and let other players take their part. 1 of these Rerolls is dedicated to catching. This gives me more flexibility as to who will be my receiver. Catchers are an obvious target and by not having any I want to maximise my flexibility due to rerolls.

[Gorbad]

Basically, what I am trying to do is not take catchers and let other players take their part. 1 of these Rerolls is dedicated to catching. This gives me more flexibility as to who will be my receiver. Catchers are an obvious target and by not having any I want to maximise my flexibility due to rerolls.

I must disagree here.... what makes catchers great on human teams is not the fact that they have catch, but the fact that they have MA8 and Dodge. These guys can score, and on defence are invaluable by getting in the way all over the pitch, and picking up the ball when your opponent makes his mistake.

[Joemanji]

I must disagree here.... what makes catchers great on human teams is not the fact that they have catch, but the fact that they have MA8 and Dodge. These guys can score, and on defence are invaluable by getting in the way all over the pitch, and picking up the ball when your opponent makes his mistake.

100% right. Give the man a banana. Catchers are great on defence.

[Flix]

Why do you start with out the catchers?

Just read the human playbook

Sorry but GW wont know how to play Blood Bowl

I play Human without Catchers too

Setup :
4 Blitzer
1 Thrower
3 ReRolls
2 Fanfactor
7 Lineman
1 Apo

Skills MightyBlow/Guard for the Blitzer and Block at the Lineman

I used my Human at one Turnament 4 Games (3/0/1) given 3 Times Mighty Blow

I have no need for catchers , Thrower Pick up the ball and will Score.
No risky catch from a catcher is needed.
The Human Key Players are the Blitzer fast strong migthy


@Mootaz taking 4 RR instead of an Apo and Block to the Lineman is a very intersting an good Idea.
I think mine and yours are both very good human setups.
Would like to see that setup soon ingame.