New Edition rumors seem to be true

[montanhas18]

Maybe some kind of pdf like Teams of Legend but also for Star Players would make sense. Even 80 Star Players should be relatively easy to convert quickly and allow for modifications down the line.

This. I hope so. Either from GW or NAF itself...

[montanhas18]

Necromantic team presentation:
https://www.warhammer-community.com/202 ... the-grave/

[MagicElmo]

The 2020 teams are actually more to my liking than the 2016 teams so far.
Don't get me wrong, I did like the 2016 teams (except the fact that the boxes didn't really consist of the full team), but the 2020 so far just look nicer.

[TopsyKretts]

Some of the casualty probabilities have changed, partially because making room for new PA injury and moving from D68 (D6+D8) to D166 (D16+D6):

Badly Hurt (no long term effect): -12.5% (now: 37.5%)
MNG (Miss Next Game): +2.0833% (now: 18.75%)
NI (Niggling Injury): +14.5833% (now: 18.75%)
-1 AV (and MNG): 4.1667% (same as before)
-1 MA (and MNG): -2.0833% (now: 2.0833%)
-1 PA (and MNG): 2.0833% (new)
-1 AG (and MNG): 2.0833% (same as before)
-1 ST (and MNG): 2.0833% (same as before)
Dead: -4.1667% (now: 12.5%)

Stunty is same as before, but it looks nicer having it on a separate injury table with the modifiers and exceptions already factored in.

I'm less pleased with poor Josef Bugman. He got worse treatment by the new edition:
-up 30k in cost
-losing 2x assistant coach ability
-no longer have his 2nd drunken profile
-can't rush the field, instead is deployed as normal if team goes below 11
-available to all teams (universal)
-lost block, gained wrestle

Also, going from AG 2 to AG 3+ seems weird to me. Wouldn't AG2 correspond to AG5+?

I hope the community can come up with house rules so we can include all the stuff that gets lost in transition to the new edition. Several existing teams, loads of star players and other content.

[Gracehoper]

I quite like these new Necro models. Not all of them but I really like the approach.

One of the things that originally got me into 2nd edition was the joke it seemed to make: a fantasy parody of sports.
When 3rd ed. rolled around and Warhammer Fantasy was somewhat shoehorned in, the joke was sorta reversed and became a sports parody of Warhammer.
And that joke was never as funny to me:
A) A grizzly fantasy dwarf in a sports outfit with a bazooka and a cigar is joke of displacement. A chaos dwarf with a blunderbuss is... very much like a Warhammer Fantasy chorf with the same weapon. How is that funny?
B) A gateway game benefits from having references outside itself to give outsiders a way in. My "too cool for fantasy" friend (or a similar closeted nerd) might not get the concept of witch elves at all – but he can still chuckle at "Bloodweiser" and "Orcland Raiders" etc.

In that regard, the new necros are exactly what I want: You don't need to get Warhammer to get the joke.

[AllyRdr]

I quite like these new Necro models. Not all of them but I really like the approach.

One of the things that originally got me into 2nd edition was the joke it seemed to make: a fantasy parody of sports.
.

This is very much what it was for me. A fantasy parody of sports, not a sports parody of Warhammer.

[spubbbba]

I quite like these new Necro models. Not all of them but I really like the approach.

One of the things that originally got me into 2nd edition was the joke it seemed to make: a fantasy parody of sports.
When 3rd ed. rolled around and Warhammer Fantasy was somewhat shoehorned in, the joke was sorta reversed and became a sports parody of Warhammer.
And that joke was never as funny to me:
A) A grizzly fantasy dwarf in a sports outfit with a bazooka and a cigar is joke of displacement. A chaos dwarf with a blunderbuss is... very much like a Warhammer Fantasy chorf with the same weapon. How is that funny?
B) A gateway game benefits from having references outside itself to give outsiders a way in. My "too cool for fantasy" friend (or a similar closeted nerd) might not get the concept of witch elves at all – but he can still chuckle at "Bloodweiser" and "Orcland Raiders" etc.

In that regard, the new necros are exactly what I want: You don't need to get Warhammer to get the joke.

Agreed, it's a shame they have gone backwards with the Nobles team. They look like fantasy models with lots of silly decoration that is completely impractical for Blood Bowl. You can kind of argue that since they are flashy Nobles that makes sense, but I am not a fan. The retainers don't look like they have less armour than the rest of the team either.

This was the same issue I had with the Bretonnian teams, every model I have seen of them either looks like it is from the WHFB range with the weapons cut off or they've just stuck a knight's helm on a normal BB human.

The Black Orcs and Necros are both excellent though, love them.

[MagicElmo]

Agreed, it's a shame they have gone backwards with the Nobles team. They look like fantasy models with lots of silly decoration that is completely impractical for Blood Bowl. You can kind of argue that since they are flashy Nobles that makes sense, but I am not a fan. The retainers don't look like they have less armour than the rest of the team either.

Common sense is for commoners, not for nobility!

The more I look at the Bögenhafen Barons, the more I like them.
Same goes for the Black Orcs, so I really hope that will be the two teams in the new box.

I can see how some people prefer more practical dressed Blood Bowl teams though.
Impractilality is just something that never bothered me I guess. That's the lovely thing about taste, everyone has her/his own.

[TopsyKretts]

The rules updates seem interesting on first glance. The 'Regional Special Rules' on the other hand looks very weird. All teams have one of these 'keywords', and all star players list the 'keywords', indicating what teams they play for. It gives huge changes. For example Skaven belongs to the 'Underworld Challenge' category. Skaven Star Players like Hakflem Skuttlespike plays for Underworld Challenge teams, but this now includes Goblins and Snotlings! White Dwarf plays for Lizardmen. Any elven Star Player now plays for any and all Elf teams. Some Star Players and other Special Characters like (In)Famous Coaching Staff has taken a serious blow, being dumbed down. Josef Bugman lost a lot of abilities and the 2nd half drunk profile. White Dwarf & Black Gobbo are now paid for like any other, and doesn't show up to random games as a pair. Looks like we lose a lot of detail and nuance in this edition!

[Skitters]

...but then, from what I saw, each star player has a unique ability that will hopefully make them feel more like a stand out player that would still have value to hire even when you have a developed team.

Fingers crossed the other star players that have been in a BB2016 release but dont yet have a model will have some pdf rules on/shortly after the release.

[TopsyKretts]

Or perhaps GW will re-sell us the star players again (and again). Noticed how they only bothered to include 1 wizard, 1 (In)famous coaching staff and 1 referee? They have already sold us a lot more of that...

[odinsgrandson]

So- are the rules going to be very different from past editions?

Separating out Passing and Agility seems like a HUGE change, and would require an update for all of the teams that I already have, and that sounds like a bad thing to me.

[Darkson]

Looks like less of a change from 2nd to 3rd, and more of a change from CRP to BB2016.

[Colin]

Having passing separate from agility just goes back to 2nd Ed. (also had a separate stat, called Cool, for catching). That was one of my main disappointments when I first stated playing 3ed, they oversimplified the stats. They also simplified the rules overall, so it didn't matter much. I like that they went back to having a separate passing stat. What I've seen from the leaks/previews so far, I like the rule changes I've seen.

[TopsyKretts]

I can be more specific than what's mentioned already. Yes there is a new PA stat. Other than that, all teams have changed. The smallest change is several players have lost access to Passing skills on a double. There are 2 new teams. Loads of existing content is gone, including any team or mini that doesn't physically exists for sale yet. This also includes several skills, like Bloodlust for Vampires. Haven't read everything so far, but here's a few things I've gathered:

Big changes to mechanics of intercept, now called interfere.

Some changes are cosmetic, like renaming a few terms:
GFI → Rush
In Tackle zone(s) → Marked
Not in Tackle zone(s) → Open
Extraordinary (skill) → Trait

A huge amount of changes to skills (some micro changes, some new skills, some skills removed, some identical):
Accurate: The +1 modifier is split into 2 separate skills.
- Accurate: Quick and Short only.
- Cannoneer: Long and Long Bomb only.
Always Hungry: If eaten with the ball, bounce from the Always Hungry player’s square (instead of the team-mate’s square).
Animosity: Cannot change target if Animosity triggers.
Arm Bar (new): +1 modifier to the Armour roll when an opponent fails to Doge/Jump/Leap away.
Ball & Chain: No turnover if moving into the ball. Cannot be combined with ‘On the Ball’ Skill.
Blood Lust: Removed.
Bombardier: Even if caught, the bomb explodes on 4+. Prone/Stunned players are not ‘Knocked Down’.
Brawler (new): Re-roll a single Both-down result.
Break Tackle: +1 modifier to Dodge for Strength 1-4, +2 for Strength 5+.
Claws: Cannot be modified.
Cloud Burster: The opponent must re-roll a successful Interfere attempt during Long/Long Bomb Pass.
Decay: +1 modifier on the Casualty table.
Defensive (new): Remove Guard from opposing Marked players (during the opponent’s turn only).
Dirty Player (X): Variable modifier (X).
Diving Catch: A failed catch no longer bounces from the player’s square. No mention of what happens if multiple players can use this simultaneously???
Dump-Off: No restrictions for the 2nd Block of a Frenzy.
Fan Favourite: Removed.
Filthy Rich: Removed.
Fumblerooskie (new): Can ‘drop’ the ball (if carrying it) during a Move or Blitz action, placing the ball in any square vacated during the movement and does not bounce.
Iron Hard Skin (new): Immune to claw.
Kick Team-mate: Heavily simplified. Basically just Throw Team-mate, causing Injury on a fumble. Must apply Mighty Blow if the player also has that skill.
Kick-off Return: Merged into new skill ‘On the Ball’.
Leap: Cannot leap 1 square. Applies negative modifiers for being Marked (either target square or original square). Reduce any negative modifiers by 1 (to a minimum of -1). Can Fall Over in the original square if the Agility roll was 1.
Loner (X+): Usually 4+ like before, but can in some cases have a different value.
Mighty Blow (X+): Usually +1 like before, but can in some cases have a different value. Only triggers during Block/Blitz action, so no longer useful in defense.
Monstrous Mouth: Moved from Extraordinary to Mutation.
Multiple Block: Resolved simultaneously (even if one block result in a Turnover).
Nurgle’s Rot: Renamed to Plague Ridden. The new Rotter joins as reserve immediately. Only triggers during Block/Blitz/Foul action, so no longer useful in defense.
On the Ball: A combination of Kick-off Return and an improved Pass-Block with less restrictions.
Pass-Block: Merged into ‘On the Ball’.
Piling On: Renamed to Pile Driver. Changed to give a free Foul. Does not cost a re-roll.
Pile Driver: Renamed from Pile Driver. Changed to give a free Foul. Does not cost a re-roll.
Pogo Stick: New skill. The best alternative to moving over a square. Over any square, either unoccupied or occupied (Standing/Prone/Stunned). Can Fall Over in the original square if the Agility roll was 1.
Prehensile Tail: Also applies to Jump and Leap.
Projectile Vomit: Stab that requires a 2+ roll (unmodified Armour & Injury). If failed, the player hits itself instead.
Right Stuff: Requires Strength 3 or less.
Running Pass: Can continue moving after a Quick Pass.
Safe Pair of Hands: Can place the ball in an adjacent unoccupied square when Knocked Down or Placed Prone (but not if Falling Over). No bounce.
Safe Throw: Renamed to Safe Pass.
Safe Pass: Modified Safe Throw. Cannot cancel intercept/interfere, but always cancel a fumble, even on a roll of 1 (then the activation ends). Can a player also having Running Pass continue moving?
Shadowing: Test has changed.
* Old: 2D6 + MA (opponent player) < 8 + MA (Shadowing player)
* New: D6+ MA (Shadowing player) > 5 + MA (opposing player)
Sneaky Git: Not ejected if rolling Double on armour (even if Armour is broken). Can continue to move after the Foul.
Strong Arm: Only applies to Throw Team-mate. Can only be gained if also having Throw Team-mate.
Swarming (new): Can set up D3 additional players during kick-off (allowing more than the usual 11 players).
Swoop: Scatter D3 in a single direction (Throw-in template), instead of a random direction each square.
Tentacles: Test is reduced from 2D6 to a single D6.
Throw Team-mate: Requires Strength 5+.
Very Long Legs: Reduce any modifiers by 1 (minimum -1) to Jump/Leap. +2 modifier to interfere. Ignore Cloud Burster.
Wild Animal: Renamed to Unchanneled Fury.
Animal Savagery (new): Same as Wild Animal / Unchanneled Fury, but if failed, and there is an adjacent friendly player, this player must Block the friendly player (opponent can apply any skills that affect the Armour/Injury roll), then continue the activation as normal.

The much hated Skaven Gutter Runner skill 'weeping dagger' is gone.