The Living Rulebook VS House Rules

[Awesomizer]

I'm curious to know: Does your league use pure Living Rulebook OR do you employ House Rule variants?

Our league is completely different since we started from scratch (with no Blood Bowl experience). Our head commish (Mumster) put together our rulebook from what he found in the main book (that came with the box set) and from leagues online. The veterans of this forum have since enlightened us of our old skool ways (looks like we've been playing mostly 2nd edition).

We're about to finish our 1st season, at which point we'll havta make the decision of either adopting the Living Rulebook or updating our own hodge podge edition. I'd love some input on people's feelings on the Living Rulebook and on how much they use House Rules. If house rules are used, what kind do you have and how are they incorporated? (do you just make a supplemental manual for league coaches?)

Thanks for your time.

[Toby]

Well i think there are some serios clarfications needed like for example, what do i do if there are no oposing players left ? Can i score more than 6 touchdowns per Game or does the game end when one Team has scored 6 touchdowns. How many players must i field at the beginning of a game. What if 14 players suffered a Miss next game in a tournament.

Then there are some Language Problems and not using the same term constantly, and the way the LRB is could be reconsidered, for example there is reference to material that is not downloadable and there is material from death zone that is not explained in the LRB.

The Quick Reference Charts could be updated, and i would not mind having a predesigned team card for every team, to teach starters of course.

All in all the Game on the Pitch plays extremely well, there could be more options in team management but on the other hand it encourages you to stop playing a team once it seems outmaced and try other races. Thats not good or bad its personal taste.

I am more the "never change a winning team" Woodelf only type of player, so i am unsadisfied with the current team management.

[GalakStarscraper]

Well i think there are some serios clarfications needed like for example, what do i do if there are no oposing players left ? Can i score more than 6 touchdowns per Game or does the game end when one Team has scored 6 touchdowns. How many players must i field at the beginning of a game. What if 14 players suffered a Miss next game in a tournament.

There is a BBRC topics board at www.midgardbb.com for the items needing official clarification in October like the no players left question. As for more than 6 TD ... sure ... go for it and no the game doesn't end, they just ran out of room on the board for squares ... the number of players needed to be fielded is another question ...as for 14 players MNG ...retire the team.

Then there are some Language Problems and not using the same term constantly

Agreed, send your list to Andy Hall at Fanatic so they can be fixed and the LRB can get as close to "perfect" as the community can make it.

Galak

[neoliminal]

I'm curious to know: Does your league use pure Living Rulebook OR do you employ House Rule variants?

As you might guess, my league uses the pure LRB rules, with a few experimental rules thrown on top. The old 2nd edition rules are fine for their time, but they really drag out. It takes way too long to play a game. Back when we played second edition it could take 6-8 hours to get a game over with.

I think LRB is a big leap forward from 3rd edition, so it's a monsterous leap forward from 2nd.

The truth of the matter is this: Play what's fun for you. Try out the LRB rules and see if you like them. If you're happy playing house rules, keep doing it.

[GalakStarscraper]

I have two leagues:
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the 1st runs in only LRB rules with currently 2 extra rules being tested by BBRC request for playtest data.

The extra rules currently are +1 to an injury roll for each Niggle the player has and increasing the Aging table by 1 for each level of roll needed.
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The 2nd league plays LRB with ... well ... hmmm .. well with a heck of a lot of extra house rules. That league plays with the LRB rules, but has extra rules on top of them that don't change the rulebook. So for example a new BB team that you can use. As a rule base the LRB is the way to go.

The only rules in the 2nd league that are true changes from the LRB are as follows:

1) Dauntless will still be trait, but you will be able to get it without rolling doubles if you have General skill access.
2) Kroxigors have Mighty Blow.
3) Piling On will be declared BEFORE the dice roll ... (Diving Tackle will be the BB2k1 rule of after the dice roll)
4) Star Players are NOT allowed/no Freebooted Wizards
5) Halflings and Goblins do NOT pay double to have an Ogre ally.
6) You may Jump Up at the beginning of a Pass Block move.
7) Players with lost tackle zones may not assist a block and may not try to intercept the ball.
8) Dead players may not earn the MVP for the match.

Of these 2 and 7 have good odds of becoming official changes in October. 3 is being deleted at the end of this season to use the official Piling On version. 6 is on the list of things for the BBRC to think about for October ... that leaves 1, 4, 5, and 8 as our real house rules and I can live with one of my leagues having a few real house rules.

Galak

[Awesomizer]

The old 2nd edition rules are fine for their time, but they really drag out. It takes way too long to play a game. Back when we played second edition it could take 6-8 hours to get a game over with.

This is <b>VERY</B> true for our league. Mind you, everyone in our league is new to the game so it's been a learning experience all season (ie. inexperienced players take longer). I hadn't thought about blaming our rules for dragging out the game.

Do you have any specific rules in mind that made a 2nd edition game last longer? What's the average time for a Living Rulebook game?

[GalakStarscraper]

normally somewhere between 2 and 2 1/2 hours.

Galak

[OutRigger]

i've seen several 4.5 and 5 hour games so far this season. I am curious what rules can shave time off of that. We don't use the 4 minute rule as we are just trying to have a good time, but good grief..heh heh heh....

[jeffzimm1]

I would think that the most obvious things that add to the time of the game between 2nd Ed and LRB are the following:

1. Set number of game turns in LRB. 8 per team per half. No such stipulation in 2nd Ed. It is very often left up to the coachs/league to decide how a game is decided.

2. The turnover rule. If a player on the moving team is knocked over, the team's turn ends immediately. This is not the case with 2nd Ed.

3. The skills setup in 2nd Ed. adds alot. Players not only have skills, but levels of skills, and if players team-up, their skills could be added in. Just alot of figuring for maybe a simple block.

[OutRigger]

thanks

[NightDragon]

Yo Awesomizer, personally we use a number of house rules, comprised of good ideas from journals, and 3rd edition rules. Just can't stand the ageing rule, it really sucks. DD.

[GalakStarscraper]

Dawg,

On the aging rules .... they are a lot better than the dozen other rules I've seen offered to create long term balance in leagues and they appear to work which a lot of the others didn't.

Galak

[Zy-Nox]

i've seen several 4.5 and 5 hour games so far this season. I am curious what rules can shave time off of that. We don't use the 4 minute rule as we are just trying to have a good time, but good grief..heh heh heh....

Unfortunatly if you dont use the timer then games can drag on and on.
We manage most games in 2 1/2 - 3 hours without the timer,which is OK.
Anything longer and I have to grab a Beer and some take out
We reserve timers for cup games and we make it 3 min turns.

[NightDragon]

Yo Galak, just having a whinge. I can see how they can even things up its just I don't like the concept. I can spend hours thinking about one player name and like to see players develop. This system takes from that enjoyment. Laters DD.

[Mestari]

Yo Galak, just having a whinge. I can see how they can even things up its just I don't like the concept. I can spend hours thinking about one player name and like to see players develop. This system takes from that enjoyment. Laters DD.

I don't like tha aging rule either, but I guess it's the best way to go.
Another thing why the aging rule seems simply stupid is the fact that it in no way takes into account the racial differences:
Elves getting old in a few seasons while a goblin that never got any SPP's keeps going and going? Fragile and weak Humans living longer than the courageous, resilient and physiologically superior dwarves?


But, before you all start shouting that it'd be stupid that elf teams wouldn't get old while humans would have to constantly change players, I say that I realise this, and the fact that because of the game mechanics, the players have to get older in every team to preserve balance in a long-term league.

But I don't have to like it even if it is needed