Ball & Chain with Multiple Block (or Leap)

[Podfrey]

Trawled through and can't see it anywhere else:

1) Can a Ball & Chain use Multiple Block against a second player if, by moving, it will make a block against one player?
1.1) If you can, are you also free to decide (within the usual limitations, i.e. the oppo player being next to the blocker) which oppo to Multiple Block?

2) Can you Leap with a Ball & Chain?
2.1) If so, how do you determine where it lands?
2.2) Does it Leap 2 squares or only 1?

Cheers,

Geoff

[GalakStarscraper]

1) Can a Ball & Chain use Multiple Block against a second player if, by moving, it will make a block against one player?
1.1) If you can, are you also free to decide (within the usual limitations, i.e. the oppo player being next to the blocker) which oppo to Multiple Block?

A Ball & Chain player cannot use Multiple Block because he is taking a Move Action and not a Block Action. Thus Multiple Block cannot be used.

2) Can you Leap with a Ball & Chain?

Currently yes ... but only because we (myself and the playtesters) missed it from the list of disallowed skills. Leap was an oversite and the BBRC has already agreed to add it to the list of skills that B&C cannot use for LRB 6.0.

So you can either house rule to deal with that OR you could allow the opponent to use Leap once during the movment after seeing the random direction he is going in and if the Leap would take him into an empty square (2 squares of movement would be used).

Galak

[Podfrey]

1) Can a Ball & Chain use Multiple Block against a second player if, by moving, it will make a block against one player?
1.1) If you can, are you also free to decide (within the usual limitations, i.e. the oppo player being next to the blocker) which oppo to Multiple Block?

A Ball & Chain player cannot use Multiple Block because he is taking a Move Action and not a Block Action. Thus Multiple Block cannot be used.

Galak

Cheers on the 2nd point.

On the first, the rules state:

...If during his Move Action he would move into an occupied square then the player will throw a block following normal blocking rules against whoever is in that square....

It's a bit confusing that "throw a block following normal blocking rules" is not a "Block Action" but in fact a "Move Action", leading to the slightly spurious situation here (but after several re-reads and cross referencing I eventually see where you're coming from). Can I request that Multiple Block be added to the list of disallowed skills for Ball & Chain (so that it's 100% clear). Ta.

[Duke Jan]

Isn't leap covered by

Making a leap costs the player two squares of movement.

?

Since a ball and chain says:

To move or Go For It, place the throw-in template over the player facing up or down the pitch or towards either sideline. Then roll a D6 and move the player one square in the indicated direction; no Dodge roll is required if you leave a tackle zone.

So theoretically you could leap to an adjacent square, but it would require an AG roll: while without leap you can simply go there ignoring TZs. Does the rulebook really need to counter this. You could try to consume an extra movement of course, but would anyone really give a B&C leap to achieve this?

[Old Man Draco]

About the Multiple Block thing. I know it might not be 100% the same, but you can't use Multiple Block on a blitz either. Seeing as the B&C is moving before making a block, it would be strange if he would get the exception to be able to use Multiple block.

[GalakStarscraper]

Isn't leap covered by

Making a leap costs the player two squares of movement.

?

You are probably correct with this Duke Jan ... but I have to admit that the rules try to address that folks will really try and drive through when things are not spelled out. I agree that a strong case could be made that the movement rules for the B&C disallow Leap except to an adjacent square but that the average player won't make that mental connection. While we cannot spell out every rule in vast detail ... this one we plan on spelling out (B&C cannot use Leap) because I've had a lot of folks read the rules and think they could still rather than draw upon the more correct reading as you have made.

Galak

[Duke Jan]

It is allowed, it's just a waste of the skill. Sure, take leap on your ball & chain guy and make unnecessary dice rolls if you want to. Why waste words on banning something that is very poor coaching in the first place? Because of the guys trying to win wooden spoons by playing self-destruct gobbos at tournaments?