Blitzer Playing it Safe - Next Skill

[Rituro]

I'd say Strip Ball. {snip} On a double I'd go for Diving Tackle.

For a purely defensive player, I'd go with this.

[mattgslater]

Another good Safety skill is Juggernaut. Maybe not before Mighty Blow (best bet for #3, esp. in a perpetual league), but as a #4 skill it's a fair competitor for Frenzy if you've already got some Frenzy on your team.

1) It's good in the mirror. If you face other Orcs with lots of Stand Firm, you'll be glad to have a Juggernaut.

2) It's good vs. Wrestle, esp. when combined with Block. This isn't great vs. speed Catchers always, but the fastest receivers are often flanked with fast-enough Elf Linos or GRs, and on those guys Wrestle/Dodge is not at all atypical. This way, you feel confident sending him after the breakaway threat moving along the weakside or the blocker protecting the Catcher, which is frequently the right place to blitz, as the main guy can often be held down with a TZ or two.

If you're worried about Elves over Rats, Grab might be better for #4... but then no Frenzy as #5. In that case, I'd be tempted to take Shadowing or Piling On for #5, and make him a Witch-hunter.

[stormmaster1]

nice to have mighty blow to make sure they stay down. Frenzy increases chances of keeping them down. diving tackle is great if your blitz fails, or if they just send someone deep to recieve in the event of the ball popping free. Typically you won't waste your blitz on every player that ever goes deep, so the guy may still have a role as a marker, not just a hitter.

[DoubleSkulls]

Since he's already got tackle the only skills that help knock receivers down more are frenzy and pro. Pro helps with other things (like dodges to get to the ball carrier). I'm a big fan of having one frenzy blitzer on an Orc team since it is strategically useful to have one.

Piling On has a downside since often you'll blitz with this sort of player then want to go and mark someone else - or be marking the prone player.

Mighty Blow is good because a stunned player can't score, nor can one who's been removed from the pitch. Also its generally useful against all teams.

If you want to go down the "marker" route then either stand firm or shadowing, followed by the other. Diving tackle is the best double.

[Andromidius]

I'm going to change my vote to Stand Firm on a normal roll. Strip Ball is a better skill for a Gutter Runner, since he can then make us of that loose ball.

But Diving Tackle is a must on a double.

~Andromidius

[tenwit]

Strip Ball is a better skill for a Gutter Runner, since he can then make us of that loose ball.

Not a good argument, since the Strip Ball GR can do diddley-squat with that ball. He's in a Blitz Action knocking the ball loose, so he can't get rid of the ball if he picks it up. And seeing as there's a reasonable chance that he's used his Dodge reroll get in to make the blitz, he's not even overly-likely to be able to run away with the ball.

Strip Ball belongs on linerats and/or Blitzers. GRs get Big Hand and/or Sure Hands in order to grab the loose ball during their Hand-Off or Pass Action.

[TuernRedvenom]

Strip Ball is a better skill for a Gutter Runner, since he can then make us of that loose ball.

Not a good argument, since the Strip Ball GR can do diddley-squat with that ball. He's in a Blitz Action knocking the ball loose, so he can't get rid of the ball if he picks it up. And seeing as there's a reasonable chance that he's used his Dodge reroll get in to make the blitz, he's not even overly-likely to be able to run away with the ball.

Strip Ball belongs on linerats and/or Blitzers. GRs get Big Hand and/or Sure Hands in order to grab the loose ball during their Hand-Off or Pass Action.

Most certainly not! (or, I respectfully disgree!)

Blitzers and linerats don't have the range to use strip ball as effectively as a Gutter, and more importantly, they can't get through a tight defence like a gutter can (having 1 more AG, Dodge and possibly Leap). Of course, that same gutter blitzing should not pick up the ball, another one should do that.

[mattgslater]

See, I think Strip Ball is a Linerat skill, if at all. It's good to have on a ST3 player, and MA7 is plenty to get into anywhere on either side's backfield, unless the ball goes very deep, in which case the game is about buying a turn, which is best done without risky ST2 blocks. Let the GRs focus on durability, A access and ball-skills.

[TuernRedvenom]

See, I think Strip Ball is a Linerat skill, if at all. It's good to have on a ST3 player, and MA7 is plenty to get into anywhere on either side's backfield, unless the ball goes very deep, in which case the game is about buying a turn, which is best done without risky ST2 blocks. Let the GRs focus on durability, A access and ball-skills.

STR 2 blocks with block or wrestle are not really that risky.
The main concern is not getting at runaway players carrying the ball in your backfield (that would be desperation tactics by your opponent anyway, you don't see that so often, especially not vs skaven) but it is getting the ball out of a tight cage. A linerat can't get in there.
A linerat safety is fine, but you're better off giving him wrestle and tackle, as most of the times unsupported opponents in the backfield are potential receivers, not ball carriers.

Skaven really NEED strip ball gutters. It is absolutely vital. (unless your opponent builds really sloppy cages of course )

[PubBowler]

Skaven really NEED strip ball gutters. It is absolutely vital. (unless your opponent builds really sloppy cages of course )

Agreed, apart from the smiley (I hate smileys).

[Leilond]

Wrestle can be a sobsitute of strip ball... it is less effective as strip baller, but has a lot more tactical way of being used
When you have 2 gutters with "wrestle", you can really make your opponents mad

[TuernRedvenom]

Wrestle can be a sobsitute of strip ball... it is less effective as strip baller, but has a lot more tactical way of being used
When you have 2 gutters with "wrestle", you can really make your opponents mad

I take both, Wrestle first, then Strip Ball. Next leap and then tackle. Works great.

[Cramy]

Wrestle can be a sobsitute of strip ball... it is less effective as strip baller, but has a lot more tactical way of being used
When you have 2 gutters with "wrestle", you can really make your opponents mad

I take both, Wrestle first, then Strip Ball. Next leap and then tackle. Works great.

My first GR to develop without doubles rolls goes exactly the route that Tuern suggests. Wrestle first as it also adds protection and is more versatile. With those skills, the two dice against block with reroll is well worth it, if timed right that is. The first GR that rolls a double gets Big Hand, followed by Leap, to go pick-up the loose ball on the ground. Amazingly effective.

For the blitzer, as he has +MA, I'd be tempted to take Frenzy to take advantage of the increased range. Mighty Blow combined with Tackle is great if you face lots of speedy players.

On doubles, I usually take Dodge for a ball carrying blitzer, but as this is a safety-type blitzers with tackle, I'd go with Diving Tackle.

[bouf]

I Finally got that Orc Blitzer to Skill up.

He's Got
Tackle, +MA, Mighty Blow

Now the trouble is he wont stop skilling up! he has hogged 5 of my 14 MVPs!!!

[Andromidius]

Well at least it's a Blitzer hogging the MVP's, not a Lineorc.

Guard is probably the next skill I'd give him. Or Diving Tackle on a double.

~Andromidius