Hypnotic Gaze Ghoul

[MKL]

Necromancer Team.
After a lucky victory in the Chaos Cup my rookie Ghoul (5 spp) got Hypnotic Gaze.

In the hypothesis that Nuffle DON'T want that Ghoul in the paradise of Blood Bowl, what should be his next skill?

I got already a ball carrier Ghoul (Blodge+Sure Hands), so the traditional role for the rookie is safety with Wrestle...
But I'm far from sure I want to put prone that juicy player, so I'm leaning toward Block.

What's your thoughts?
Wrestle? Block? and what else after that (slim chance)?

[Joemanji]

Just keep him alive. Block then Side Step.

[sann0638]

Block to keep alive. Then maybe sidestep for super annoyance?

[Shaeffer]

Certainly agree with block. I'm almost tempted to say fend rather than sidestep as you want him able to reposition easily and not necessarily against the original target for the hypnotic gaze

[Digger Goreman]

Hypnotic Gaze with sidstep?! Too funny!!!

[MKL]

Overlwhelming Block, I feel reassured

Certainly agree with block. I'm almost tempted to say fend rather than sidestep as you want him able to reposition easily and not necessarily against the original target for the hypnotic gaze

By the way, that team play in a play-by -mail environment, where Side-Step is (semi)automated, so it's not always at his best.
Fend can be an interesting option

[Big A]

Block then Pro, (for rerolling failed gazes/blocks etc)

[mattgslater]

Wrestle, then Pro.

[MKL]

Wrestle, then Pro.

Interesting.
I was skeptical because of fouling, and because Wrestle call for blitz action, while Hypnotic Gaze call for move action. What's your reasoning?

[mattgslater]

I don't think the marginal difference is important in this case: both keep him from getting hurt on both-downs, which is job only. I just figured Wrestle has Pro synergy when you can't sack with someone else (Undead/Necro often depend on AG3 guys to be multi-functional), and besides he'd end up in a single zone so often: Gaze is a 4+, so you use it when you intend to hang him out there to soak up a hit on a guy who needs his zone (one of the upsides to Eldril is that his coach don't care if he dies; this guy's one of a kind, and only 3/4 as good anyway). When Block works defensively, you're always marked; when Wrestle works, you're only slowed down a bit. You do want your zone at the start of your turn a lot with Ghouls, and those 3 more squares are nice to have, so Block first is just as good. But you want Pro, and if you're gonna pay for Pro you might as well put yourself in a place to get mileage from it.

As for fouling, don't build to not get fouled. Play to not get fouled. Not saying don't take SS and other good skills that reduce fouling odds, just saying take them 'cause they're good skills.

[Joemanji]

As for fouling, don't build to not get fouled. Play to not get fouled.

Even if this is true, it is definitely not true of once-in-a-lifetime players that can never be replaced, like this HG Ghoul. Design him to live as long as possible - fin. If he is on the floor, people will foul him, even at bad odds. Not everyone plays the numbers.

[burgun824]

I very much appreciate what my friend Matt is saying but I've got to agree with Joe. If you field a HG Ghoul against a genuine @$$-hat, like myself for example, the first thing I'm going to do is congratulate you on winning the Chaos Cup. The very next thing I'm going to do is spend the entire game trying to kill that ghoul out of sheer, unadulterated jealousy. It will be blitzed and fouled every turn until its gone for no better reason than if I can't have it neither can you. And I can get the added bonus that I get to be the one that says I killed it.

In summary, take block -> side step.

[juck101]

Yup. Block then ss or fend next.

[MKL]

@Matt: thank you for your explaination.

(...)If you field a HG Ghoul against a genuine @$$-hat, like myself for example, the first thing I'm going to do is congratulate you on winning the Chaos Cup. The very next thing I'm going to do is spend the entire game trying to kill that ghoul out of sheer, unadulterated jealousy. It will be blitzed and fouled every turn until its gone for no better reason than if I can't have it neither can you. And I can get the added bonus that I get to be the one that says I killed it.
(...)

And thank you, Burgun, for this eye-opening explanation of the "Blood Bowl's Meaning of Life"