LRB5 Dark Elves FAQ

[thecheat231]

Hello, it's been a long time since my last post, but I have come right back in with lots to talk about. I have decided to start hand making and deeply converting a dark elf team. Back in LRB3 and LRB4 Dark Elves had few types of players and relied (over the long run) on their well stated linemen to get skill ups and make up for positional players. All this because they were all so damn expensive. This is all from what I have read, I have never played dark elves, I have played pro-elves....but anyway. In LRB5 they have extra types of dudes, like Runners, Throwers, and Assassins. Could anyone just give me a basic overview on team development and strategies. Like if I wanted to be running Dark Elves, what would I do?
Do I still want avoid positional players until later?
ect...
All help appreciated, even if you want to make fun of me.

[Joemanji]

4 Blitzers are a must. 2 WEs eventually, though prob only one to start with. A runner is pretty useful, if only for access to passing skills. Only one needed. Not taken Assassins, they seem expensive and ineffective.

Cheers
Joe

[thecheat231]

Joemanji you ALWAYS answer my posts, and you always have something great to add. You're the best.

<3s

[Grumbledook]

6 Linemen
4 Blitzers
1 Runner
RR: 2

This works well, also you only usually have a max of 6 linemen minis as well if you have the full roster of 16 (less of a tactical choice just fits in well)

I've not given my runner any passing skills though. I went dodge, block, tackle, think I could have done with leader perhaps to get a cheap reroll. Though I had 2 players killed when I was about to buy a new one a few games back.

Our league has also been really tackle light so I took dodge as the first skill on nearly everyone. Played 14 won 10 drawn 4 so far. Not looked like losing the draws and 3 of them I was unlucky not to win imo.

Loads of info on this thread:

http://www.talkbloodbowl.com/phpBB2/vie ... hp?t=26388

Just got my first assassin after game 12 as I was playing amazons next game, wasn't great, played orcs the game after that so wasn't that useful but I have skaven next up. Certainly not a must have player but they can draw attention and is another option vs certain player types.

[Jural]

6 Linemen
4 Blitzers
1 Runner
RR: 2

This is a solid set-up, but I have always preferred:

6 linemen 420
3 blitzers 300
1 Witch Elf 110
2 re-rolls 100
1 Apoth
20k banked

1st purchase should be your 4th blitzer. Second purchase is arguably a runner, although my experience is that if you are consistently the underdog, re-roll #3 is more valuable. I get the second Witch Elf only after the first has block.

Alternately, 3 re-rolls and no apoth (saves 50k in the long-run, but without as much of a safety net.)

Blitzers- These are your best pieces, and with 4 of them, they need to be optimally developed for team success. If you are lucky, they will all survive for awhile, and in that case, you need to make sure there is no TV bloat! I suggest:

Blitzer 1- Dodge, Leap, Strip Ball
Blitzer 2- Dodge, Leap, Side Step
Blitzer 3- Tackle, Side Step, Dodge
Blitzer 4- Dodge, Side Step, Tackle

Doubles should be Mighty Blow or Guard, almost nothing else is worth taking. Diving Tackle is also a good option, but I prefer Side Step and Tackle on my blitzers.

Witch Elf 1 & 2- Block, Side Step, Mighty Blow or Juggernaut on doubles (I prefer Mighty Blow, others swear by Juggernaut.)

As a third Witch Elf skill, Strip Ball, Dauntless, Leap, Diving Tackle, Tackle, etc are all nice... but I think the Witch Elf is actually a better piece at just two skills, unless you get a stat bump!

The linemen are a little tricky. It's tempting to go Block Dodge or Wrestle Dodge on all of them, but I would resist. Also, with 6 positionals or more, and three line-elfs on the line, you really need to develop a kicker who is also a good roadblock. Otherwise go without Kick! I suggest the following builds:

Lineman 1- Kick, Side Step, Dodge
Lineman 2- Dodge, Fend
Lineman 3- Dodge, Fend
Linemen 4- Side Step, Wrestle
Lineman 5- Side Step, Fend

On doubles, I find guard outperforms anything else.

Your runner is your most difficult choice. I think the team runs fine without him, but if you do use him, I would go longterm... Dodge first! Nerves of Steel is an awesome next choice, and if you get the 3rd skill, I'd go with Block or Pass.

Others go with Nerves of Steel first, and I find it's just not enough protection!

Stat increase wise, I take stat increases on Witches or Blitzers always- Prioritizing movement on Witches, and wither MA or AV on blitzers. Runners always +AV. Linemen turn down +AG unless it's a first advance. Nobody turns down +STR!

Assassins? I just don't use the pieces alot, I might induce 1, but my rostered ones have sucked! I think Multiple Block would make a nice piece, and I have dreamed of having a Side Step, Dodge, Diving tackle player to take on Gutter Runners!

[mattgslater]

Jural probably means 7 linemen, 3 Blitzers, 1 Witch, 2TRR, right? 'Cause otherwise it's 10 players. I really like that lineup.

Skill linos as fast as you can: chuck clear QPs with any opportunity you get. Get one with Kick and at least two with Side Step, plus a Blitzer with Side Step and either Block or Wrestle on your Witch, as job 1 (try to get all that inside of three games). Then mob up on Block, Dodge and Wrestle.

If you get a double on a lino or Blitzer, Guard it is... the first time. Set him in the wide zone opposite the SS Blitzer, and you'll be tough to crack. For the second one, take Grab, for combo effect with your Witches, 1TTD potential, and opening holes against similar teams. After that, it's Guard Guard Guard.

I wouldn't get Side Step on the kicker. I can see it, but I like to put my interior SS'ers on the line, where SS actually reduces the odds of knockdown by stopping chain-pushes. I'd give the Kick player Block as a second skill and Dodge third.

[plasmoid]

I'm with Jural.
Gotta have a witch right from the start.
Just a single player with dodge, who can move into position for assisting or whatever, makes one heck of a difference.
It's likely to be the team blodger in one game

[thecheat231]

Thanks for all the help. I'm hoping to get some pics up of the team soon look for them on the MINIS board

[Grumbledook]

witches do have less armour and you can blodge up a blitzer just as easily tbh

but indeed jural has only 10 players so you have to drop the apoth and ff for the extra lineman

that does mean you need the 7th lineman or have to use a proxy model until one dies

of course the witch is perhaps less fragile than a runner being the same armour but she also has dodge

you do need to be more careful with frenzy as well though with only 2 rerolls

swings and roundabouts at the end of the day, not much between the two teams, I only have 6 lineman models though

first purchase is an apoth then look to get a witch a reroll then the other witch, losing players may change your plans, nothing is certain in team dev ;]

[Jural]

Jural probably means 7 linemen, 3 Blitzers, 1 Witch, 2TRR, right?

Umm, yeah

That means no apoth, so that's your first purchase. BTW, I think there are good reasons strategy wise for starting with a witch... but I just do it because I think they are fun!

I last played in an 1.1 mini league, so I went with 7 linemen, 3 blitzers, 1 witch, 3 re-rolls, and an apoth.

[Smeborg]

There is no talk of Assassins so far.

I believe that a DE starting line-up which includes 2 Assassins can be very powerful. Yet to test it myself (in planning for next year), but I've seen average coaches do quite well with them.

The reasons I think you need to start with 2 Assassins:

- They are relatively cheap (compared to Blitzers and WEs).
- They win you drives by being targets (opponent makes sub-optimal blocks and blitzes).
- They need skill advances to become awesome (e.g. Sidestep, Jump Up, Block, Dodge, Multi-Block on doubles), so better to start with them than buy them later.

It's hard to beat risk-free armour rolls for effectiveness - a bit like mini-Wizards - use them at the start of your turn and see what happens before finalising your strategy for the turn. And they stab from positions from which a normal player would not block. They can also be used to discourage following up blocks on other players. In summary, they have a wide range of subtle and not so subtle uses. (If playing against a higher TV team, you could induce Horkon with his Multi-Block to give you a potential 4 risk free stabs a turn...)

My suggestion is based on recent experience using Star Players with Stab.

Hope this helps.

[Jural]

My problem with assasins is always their surviveability. Even with optimal target selection, you end up with a player in your tackle zone 55% of the time. That's a lot of hits to absorb on an AV 7 piece with no defensive skills... and at 90k a pop!

Assassins really are awesome in many situations though. For example, your 90k piece stuns or worse to a STR 4, 3 skill wardancer 42% of the time... A mighty blow, piling on, tackle, frenzy piece with a 2 die block only succeeds 66% of the time... and that's 4 skills to do so! However, I find that in scheduled leagues, your assassins do so poorly against some teams that they are a drag on your overall TV.

[mattgslater]

I love Dark Elf Assassins... when I'm running Orcs.

[Carnis]

DE assassins are too unreliable, more often than not they get stuck after failing a stab. Blodge/SS assassin (Hemlock, skink starplayer), now that WOULD be an annoying piece.. But getting there is truely a journey.

[thecheat231]

Yeah, I am pretty against assassins. For a number of reasons.

I am currently playing in the Rated division of Fumbbl to get a feel for Dark Elves, though it is LRB3, and doesn't have the updated roster.
I would agree that witch elves are a must. I only took 1 to start in 4 games she already has gotten two skills (2 TDs 4 Cas 1 Mvp). I gave her DODGE as her first skill, then she got doubles and I gave her Shadowing. Not that I couldn't have gone with Mighty Blow, but I decided against it for 2 reasons:
1) Although Mighty Blow would have paid off, I plan on getting her Tackle as well, making her a real problem in the widezones.
2) I have never had shadowing on any player, and I have always thought is was at least "neat" enough to take.

I took 3 blitzers to start as well, I just got a skill for one of them (Maliferia Heartstrike) she got doubles so I took Leader, cause it's a free re-roll.
Maybe I am bad at team development, or probably I just got a lot of doubles early, and had to use them on things that had to assume I would not have access to again.