Dark Elf team progression - suggestions wanted

[Oakwolf]

Hello there,

My team is currently at this stage and there'll be some advances very soon and i am not sure what to pick. I prefered to loose most of the first games in order to save lives and injuries, and so far i've only had to retire 2 linemen. I've played alot with journeymen, feeding them to the LOS bash.

So this is the team, i've put the advances in bold.

1. Witch: Frenzy, dodge, jump up, block, sidestep, tackle - She'll level up in about 2 games.

2. Witch: Frenzy, dodge, jump up, block, mighty blow, standfirm - she needs 1 more point to go up (hope she won't die next game)

3. Blitzer: Block, +1AG, Leap - He needs 1 more point as well.

4. Blitzer: Block, Dodge, Tackle

5. Blitzer: Block, Dodge, Tackle

6. Blitzer: Block

7. Line A: Block, dodge
8. Line B: Dodge
9. Line C: Dodge, Leader
10. Line D: Guard

11. Assassin: Stab, Shadowing, Kick
12. Assassin: Stab, Shadowing

So here are my questions:

a) What should the 3 first players (the witch and the blitzer with 5AG) look for on their next skill?

b) I was thinking of dropping the assassin with no advances and trade it for a runner (i have enough cash to buy it).

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.

[richardleitch5]

1. Witch: Frenzy, dodge, jump up, block, sidestep, tackle
2. Witch: Frenzy, dodge, jump up, block, mighty blow, standfirm

M-blow for dubble to hurt things, leap so she can blitz most anyone at will, sure feet/sprint to extend her striking range, pro to re-roll the bad rolls but i persinaly dislike pro as i see it as un-inventive, for the sidestepper maybe shaddowing so she will stay with her victem no matter what, witches are pritty fast so it should work ok.

3. Blitzer: Block, +1AG, Leap - He needs 1 more point as well.

tackle to help hurt things, dodge to....blodge, but persinaly this guy has a 2+ chance to jump inside a cage and directly blitz the ball with a 1 dice so long as you take out the two assists and they have no guard, his block skill makes a 1 dicer pritty safe and if you consider strip ball theres a dame good chance of it bounsing away and maybe even landing in a collectable location.

b) I was thinking of dropping the assassin with no advances and trade it for a runner (i have enough cash to buy it).

why not just get a runner straght up and fild it when receiving, its not like you wont enjoy a reserve player anyway. Useing assassins to do simple passes or score is a nice easy way to get them a skill, that or try setting up normal 2 dice blocks for them untill there more set.

[Oakwolf]

Thanks for the advices

I went with those suggestions, and it's working worked well. The leap/blodge +AG guy is cursed by every opponent, a bit like a boosted wood elf wardancer basically, but tougher. And those witches are pretty much star players of their own, they are just limited by their low AV.

The runner is puzzling me though, as he has failed all the dump-offs i've attempted so far.

[Rodge]

Dump off is a real emergency skill - if you're using it then a lot of the time it means you've messed up and let your opponent get near your ball carrier. Since you use it as the block comes in, you're getting at least a -1 on the throw and 3+ dump offs (on an unskilled runner) aren't something you want to be depending on. Nerves of steel later on will annoy opponents - they use their blitz on the runner and he sends a 2+ dump off to a nearby player who can't be blitzed that turn.

I love the runners and always take them rather than assassins (start team with one, buy the other later). I prefer to get leader on a runner rather than taking it as a double on your lineman (I much prefer guard linemen for doubles).

[mattgslater]

Next skills in ital. Hope I'm not too late.
1. Witch: Frenzy, dodge, jump up, block, sidestep, tackle Diving Tackle.
2. Witch: Frenzy, dodge, jump up, block, mighty blow, standfirm Diving Tackle (Piling On on doubles).
3. Blitzer: Block, +1AG, Leap, Dodge Pass Block.
4. Blitzer: Block, Dodge, Tackle Side Step.
5. Blitzer: Block, Dodge, Tackle Side Step.
6. Blitzer: Block Depends on others' development. If 7 or 8 improves first, give him Dodge. If not, give him Side Step.
7. Line A: Block, Dodge Side Step.
8. Line B: Dodge Side Step, unless 6 or 7 skills first; then Block or Wrestle.
9. Line C: Dodge, Leader Wrestle, but I have to say I don't understand the Leader pick. Cheap RRs, no S access.
10. Line D: Guard Dodge or Side Step. Ignore doubles.
11. Assassin: Stab, Shadowing, Kick Dodge, or Leap if you fire #12.
12. Assassin: Stab, Shadowing Leap
13. Runner: Dodge, Pass, Safe Throw, Accurate. If he Dumps Off once or twice in his career, you're doing it right.

[Oakwolf]

Thanks alot for the comments.

Played a game against Norse...it was brutal. Lost the assasin with kick and the lowly blitzer, got a -AG on the blodging lineman. I am still lucky i didn't loose one of the real stars though.

Either way, assassins now get my evil eye. They are so frail that most opponents can KO or Cas them easily...and they are useless until they're in the tackle zones...exactly where the enemy can squish them. I think that i bought them too late in the league though, so their lack of defense compared to the players they try to stab is really detrimental (one of the worst resilience of the game for the cost).

Runners seem counter-intuitive so far. Getting hit on your ball carrier is the last thing you want to happen, and a no-skill AV 7 guy is going to croak, no matter if he dumps off successfully. He's basically a wood elf lineman...and we all know their sad stories. Overall, blitzers and witches already make superb ball runners, and they need the SPP. So apart from picking passing skills like Leader, i am not too sure they'll find a place in my teams...but i do like the idea of making them ghetto throwers.

[JaM]

The passer is MA 7, with the possiblity to take passing skills. THAT's his strength.

Like Matt said, he should take a dump (off) 1-2 in his career only. It's an emergency skill. He's your passer, if you want a dedicated passer on an AG4 team. And he's okay because of the movement he has.

Assasins are good vs certain opponents, namely the ones with AV 8 and/or 7. and even then, their movement hampers them a bit. fielding htme all the time vs all opponents is a mistake IMHO.

The real stars on a DE team are the Blitzers and the Witches. the linos are there for support (as usual) and supporting skills. Kick (only on 1), wrestle, fend, block, guard if you are lucky, dodge... you know the drill.

Hope it helps...

[TuernRedvenom]

Next skills in ital. Hope I'm not too late.
1. Witch: Frenzy, dodge, jump up, block, sidestep, tackle Diving Tackle.
2. Witch: Frenzy, dodge, jump up, block, mighty blow, standfirm Diving Tackle (Piling On on doubles).
3. Blitzer: Block, +1AG, Leap, Dodge Pass Block.
4. Blitzer: Block, Dodge, Tackle Side Step.
5. Blitzer: Block, Dodge, Tackle Side Step.
6. Blitzer: Block Depends on others' development. If 7 or 8 improves first, give him Dodge. If not, give him Side Step.
7. Line A: Block, Dodge Side Step.
8. Line B: Dodge Side Step, unless 6 or 7 skills first; then Block or Wrestle.
9. Line C: Dodge, Leader Wrestle, but I have to say I don't understand the Leader pick. Cheap RRs, no S access.
10. Line D: Guard Dodge or Side Step. Ignore doubles.
11. Assassin: Stab, Shadowing, Kick Dodge, or Leap if you fire #12.
12. Assassin: Stab, Shadowing Leap
13. Runner: Dodge, Pass, Safe Throw, Accurate. If he Dumps Off once or twice in his career, you're doing it right.

Mostly agree with Matt.
5 -> definately not Pass Block for me, I think I'd take Side Step
6 -> Dodge, once you have dodge you are mobile and he's usefull.
8 -> Wrestle, I think you're lackibng Wrestle atm
10 -> Dodge or Block

I think you made some mistakes in your development so far though. Just IMO of course.
Stand Firm on the Witch -> you missed the chance for Piling On to take a skill that has the same role, higher TV cost and is less effective then Side Step IMO. A MB/PO Witch is a monster!
Leader on the Lineman -> the only thing that keeps DE from competing with bash the teams is that they need doubles to get strength skills. Taking a double for Leader is the wrong choice IMO. He should have taken Guard.
Kick on the Assassin -> never put utility skills on anything else then your linemen. It's also not a good idea to take it on an AV 7 player, he needs protective skills to keep him alive.

But all in all the team is still very competitive IMO.

[mattgslater]

I was waffling on SS vs. a boutique skill on #3. My figuring is that he's close to the end of the line, where you can pick situational skills for combo value. At AG5/Leap, it just looked too perfect a storm to pass up. But yeah, Side Step is a nice power skill.

[Oakwolf]

---Stand firm witchery---

I admit i chose stand firm tongue-in-cheek...piling on would have made a killer. That being said, at her point in development i absolutely needed a sideline surfing skill, so it was either sidestep or standfirm. I decided to vary a bit since the other one had sidestep also.

However, and that's perhaps chance discovery, but the stand firm skill has proven very useful in protecting spearheads. Sidestep is more flexible, but still opens up the pushed off square and some clever opponents have managed to limit the open spaces, controlling the witch somewhat. Stand firm provides a kind of "unmovable" tackle that is very rare for elf teams, and i've included that in the way i play this team.

Lastly, the MB/PO is devastating, no question asked, but it's also a stapple foul magnet. With 7 AV, she's far more durable while standing than on her sexy butt. This makes all PO attempts a liablity as I'd then need to protect her after the act. With the team in such high TV, i need her to play, and she can't blodge/jump up when stunned.

--Leader Lineman---
I completely agree on the leader skill being wasted on the lineman, it was just a desperate attempt when the team was at a crucial breaking point, i needed rerolls badly. I'd love another guard liner by now

That AG 5 leap blitzer has the evil eye of so many players it's hilarious . They agree that he has to die, soon, but his av 8 saved him many times.

[Asperon Thorn]

I was waffling on SS vs. a boutique skill on #3. My figuring is that he's close to the end of the line, where you can pick situational skills for combo value. At AG5/Leap, it just looked too perfect a storm to pass up. But yeah, Side Step is a nice power skill.

Strip Ball.

You can get him there. If the carrier doesn't have sure hands than the ball is yours. . anywhere.

Asperon Thorn

[mattgslater]

Yeah. I'd really prefer to use this guy as a retriever, but I see the value of stripping with him. Tackle is another option.

[mattgslater]

Lost the assasin with kick and the lowly blitzer, got a -AG on the blodging lineman.

No sweat. Kick next for the Leader, SS next for the Blodger. One Assassin is plenty: you want him on the bench against bash. Get him Leap, Dodge or SS: those are the best Assassin skills.

[Oakwolf]

Oh that's a good idea . Strip Ball it is (he got an advance)

My 3 good blitzers are now:

1: Block, Dodge, AG, Leap
2: Block, Dodge, Tackle, ST
3: Block, Dodge, Tackle, Strip Ball

Next will be sidestep for most of them i guess.

[mattgslater]

Oh that's a good idea . Strip Ball it is (he got an advance)

My 3 good blitzers are now:

1: Block, Dodge, AG, Leap
2: Block, Dodge, Tackle, ST
3: Block, Dodge, Tackle, Strip Ball

Next will be sidestep for most of them i guess.

I think Asperon was saying for the Leaper. For the Blodge/Tacklers, it should definitely be Side Step. Dark Elves are only as good as their wingmen.