Normal Skill for ST4 Block Human Thrower

[spubbbba]

My ST4, Block Thrower has rolled a normal skill on my normally hopeless human FUMBBL League team.

After many seasons in the wilderness they are back in the top division and after 4 games of a 9 games season are 2/2/0 and near the top of the league. Unfortunately they are a little bloated in TV and lumbered with quite a few LRB4 style skills so I am usually giving away 100-200 in inducements each game. Annoyingly it has been the good players who have been getting killed; a Guard, MB, Tackle Blitzer and AG4, Blockle Lineman so far.

My next game is against Orcs, then it’s PeteW’s annoying Wood Elves and I also face Chaos, Amazons and Undead who are all doing well so far this season.

I have another thrower with block and tackle already so have 3 in total now, also have a kick lino but he is niggled. Team is 13 strong but tends to get beat up so I need players I can use on both offence and defence.

So any suggestions on what to take next?

Accurate – Normally I play a running game with them but I have a Blodge, SS catcher, Blodge AG4 Blitzer and an AG4 Block Lino so the passing option may be needed against the bashy teams.
Kick Off Return – To help him secure the ball and cage against deep kicks.
Tackle – adding a 4th to the team or in case any of the others die before facing the zons/woodies.
Strip Ball – Use him as a safety, the Orcs are without their thrower next game so no sure hands.
Something else I’ve missed?

[The Dazzler II]

ST4 with Block (again). Dull but even so

[Smurf]

Mind Numblingly boring.

So what are going to do with your ST4 Block Thrower.

I still believe +1ST is not good on all pieces. Does the league pass the ball, you could have had a cheaper Strong Arm, Accurate, Safe Throw Thrower now. Cheaper and he can put the ball where you want it.

4+ Long bombs, only fumbles on a 1 and never makes an inaccurate pass unless you want him to.

I like the way the ST4 Block Thrower dominates the game... that amuses me.

[The Dazzler II]

possibly but he's ST4** now and the pass is only an option as a running QB

** i'm wishing that i hadn't gone down this route too but i have

[spubbbba]

Mind Numblingly boring.

So what are going to do with your ST4 Block Thrower.

I still believe +1ST is not good on all pieces. Does the league pass the ball, you could have had a cheaper Strong Arm, Accurate, Safe Throw Thrower now. Cheaper and he can put the ball where you want it.

4+ Long bombs, only fumbles on a 1 and never makes an inaccurate pass unless you want him to.

I like the way the ST4 Block Thrower dominates the game... that amuses me.

This is the White Isle League, one of FUMBBL’s biggest and most competitive leagues that features most of the top UK online coaches (and quite a lot of top non-uk ones) so passing is done mostly for spp’s, when there is no other choice or sometimes to extend a stall.

Block is always my 1st choice normal skill on a human thrower. +ST is amazing on your main ball carrier in a running team, it’s probably the ideal skill choice over pretty much anything else (ok not as good as +MA on a tree or +ST on a wardancer) as it makes him so much harder to take down. I don’t regret it for a second as he’s useful 16 turns of the game since he can get stuck into the blocking war on defence.

I’ve played well over a hundred games with this team and have had a thrower with accurate and safe throw (LRB4 version) and another with accurate and Strong Arm (plus blodge). Accurate is ok but both safe throw and strong arm are a waste and I think I never used safe throw and only used strong arm once or twice. Dodge was great and I had a guard one who was really useful too.

Your thrower is only useful on a couple of turns in the game at best and costs just 20K less, my blodge AG4 Blitzer or Blodge SS catcher are better options for running the ball than him. Whilst he is elf standard at throwing there is the issue of a player catching it which has let me down on plenty of occasions in the past. The Wood Elves have 2 Guard wardancers so my thrower has a much better chance at keeping the ball too which I usually want to do until turn 8.

This is probably my best chance of doing well in the league as the team has a reasonable amount of skills, some cash and many coaches restarted with rookie teams. So i want the boring skills that will give me maximum chances winning against my remaining opoosition and staying in the top 5 (5 out of 10 teams are relegated) and ideally challenge for the title.

[dsavillian]

What about something like NoS, using him to pick up (and possibly chuck) balls that are knocked loose in a scrum?

I was kicking around the idea of doing this with an Orc thrower, but I haven't had the chance to try it yet.

You can still field him on offence or defence and he doesn't really need much more help running the ball (except the obvious dodge)

[Penwaaagh]

NoS is for pass, catch and intercept only - not for picking up ball in tackle zones, still useful though...

[The Dazzler II]

NoS is for pass, catch and intercept only - not for picking up ball in tackle zones, still useful though...

But not with ST4/AG3 even with SH, IMHO

[dsavillian]

NoS is for pass, catch and intercept only - not for picking up ball in tackle zones, still useful though...

heh, I knew there was a reason why I hadn't done it yet!

/goes back to the rule book and re-reads everything

[Tourach]

All your suggestions are fine, also I also think ST+ is nice for the human thrower!

[txapo]

I would put him takle and use him like a special safety or strong ball carrier, while would specialize the other one into throwing game.

Have you got leader? if not could be a good choice as he is stronger so gets less block dice than the other one,...

[juck101]

I can't see why you would go block first on all throwers and not grab a pass skill to make a credible threat. I thought men HAVE to use hybridity and adapt if played well. Dunno I'm terrible with humans and most hybrid teams but I still think you can't ignore your options

Personally if you have a st4 block player that is ma6 then he's a crude blitzer. Frenzy tackle Stripball are all possible picks. SH on a blitzer is not too dumb so I would probably go tackle to cover all bases in your case. I think you should of had accurate on the other thrower already. Kor is pretty decent and boosts moving to begin if you never tried it


Please feel free to ignore my post as it's a team I fail with, but surly having 'runners' with pass skill you ought to boost the potential for a pass. I totally agree it's not the passing that is the problem with men it's the catching and dodging. I find the same problem with the logic of orcs with accurate but humans at least need to fake the pass or you are losing an option

[dsavillian]

wait, no, I have it!

dump off, NoS and then dodge on doubles

Leave him out in the open to attract blitzes and just pitch the ball to one of your skilled catchers. Surround him in a loose cage type thing with as many dump off targets as you can.

Then rake in the extra SPPs and laugh all the way to the legendary skill bank



Oh, and add in safe throw for good measure

[mattgslater]

Fend, duh. He's a Sure Hands carrier who has Block and can't take Dodge, Guard, or SS. So Fend it is.

The "it's boring" argument is, frankly, boring. Suboptimal is not as exciting as optimal, no matter how unusual it may be or how it may force your action.

[Smeborg]

You may wish to consider Fend. It improves his already impressive ability to hold the ball and run. It complements Dodge (which I assume you would take if you roll a doubles in future).

KoR would not be a bad choice, IMO.

All the best with your team.