Why Play Dark Elves?

[Jerhod]

Hello all,

I've been reading posts on this site on and off for a year or so and have generally found the forums to be informative, enjoyable, and at times quite amusing. However, there has now come a time when I feel compelled to ask a question, so here it goes... I hope that this is the correct section for it. I couldn't find a specific forum for it, so I defaulted to "general chat."

First let me give you a bit of background. The league I play in has about fifteen people in it and most players have two teams in the league. All of the "classic" teams from the rulebook are represented (aside from Halflings, but we have a league Halfling team that any one in the league can play when they're in the mood that's now around a Team Rating of 150) and most unofficial/experimental teams are represented as well. Many players have teams that are four years old and have team ratings of 300+ and Fan Factors of 20+.

My first game of BloodBowl was five years ago and have been going through periods of playing a lot of it for a few months and then not playing it at all for months. I'm a veteran Dwarf coach and with my relatively new team have been able to consistently beat other teams in my league that have team ratings 100+ higher than mine. (I'll fully admit that part of this is being able to choose "virus" and eliminate 2-4 of the opposing teams' best players.) My current Dwarf team was just the runner-up in our Spike tourney, losing to a Skaven team that significantly more experienced.

Facing four Gutter Runners with Leap, Very Long Legs, Sprint, and Sure Feet (not all on the same Gutter Runner, thankfully!) and a team with MV 7 on average made me feel incredibly stagnant and inflexible. I've played Dwarves long enough, enjoying the virtually guaranteed 2-dice blocks because of the almost universal Guard on my team (inlcluding my Runners and Slayers), the standard AV 9 with Block and Tackle, and being able to have most KO's against me be converted into Stunned results. I think that after my years of playing Dwarves I think that I'm finally ready to move on to a team with more movement and agility.

The question ahead of me now is, of course, which team? I'm thinking that I'd really like to play Elves for one main reason: my inability to pay anything less than 70,000 for a player. Honestly, though, I have considered the other mobile/agile teams. I don't like the Amazons very much, prefering to start with AG 4 and then pick up Dodge. Goblins and Halflings are too fragile. Lizardmen are too polarized, which isn't a bad thing in and of itself, but I don't think that I'd make a good Lizardman coach as I'm used to playing a Dwarf team in which all the players are very similar to one another and often interchangable. I thought long and hard about Skaven, but with the three Skaven teams in the league already I didn't feel that adding another would be a good idea.

Which leaves me with the Elves. And now I have another decision to make as to which Elf team to play.

Wood Elves are very mobile, have excellent catchers that can become one-turn scorers (not that I want to start a debate about whether or not one-turn scorers are good, fair, etc.), and have Wardancers, the seemingly ultimate blitzer in the entire game. Playing Wood Elves would deefinitely satisfy my craving for movement and agility.

High Elves have average durability with their AV 8 and the benefit of strength 3 catchers. They seem suited for a fine passing game without being as extreme as the Wood Elves.

Dark Elves... Well, what do the Dark Elves have going for them? Okay, great linemen, but the same can be said for High Elves. Their throwers are more expensive than High Elf throwers, plus they have no catchers. Witch Elves seem to me to be worse than Wardancers. They do have four Blitzers, but that still doesn't provide them with enough durability to survive a prolonged block-fest.

So, my question to you is this: why play Dark Elves? What's the advantage? What are they good for that High Elves and Wood Elves aren't?

Or, along a similar line, why should I not consider playing Dark Elves?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.

Best,
-Jerhod-

[Xtreme]

Well, what do the Dark Elves have going for them

Attitude!

and Witch elves
IMO their blitzes are among the best maybe a second to the orc blitzer.

[Haar]

Right now, dark elves and high elves are very similar in style. I prefer the darkies to the high elves for a few reasons. Four blitzers is better than you give them credit for. They're some good, with the extra move and starting block. The witch elves are also some good. You can develop a witch elf into a superior catcher (jump up means she can always go 7 and get to the endzone, even if she's been hit). Having frenzy players available limits how your opponent can set up their defensive line against you. A player without sidestep can get pushed out of bounds pretty easily. You don't have to roll armor, and they can't 'poth it if the poor sod dies.

That being said, there are lots of reasons to play high elves too. Cheaper passers, access to a catcher position. But dark elves are cooler.

[Nighthawk]

Dark elves by far - I just love the background of viciousness and mindless cruelty

Apart from that, I'm rather normal

[Dave]

Welfs, I like the hit and run aspect,. dislike the fragility but hey, I have leap (see my sig)

[wesleytj]

I like both wood and dark elves very much, but in the end I have to go with wood elves as my favorites. dark elves were my first ever bb team, though, so they hold a special place with me as well.

i don't think high elves are a bad team, i just think they're a little too prissy for me. i prefer the dark elves attitude and style (and minis). plus i own a very large dark elf warhammer army, and they'd never forgive me if i had any sort of high elf stuff.

[Colin]

Wait 'til the new elf minis come out in July and play High Elves ('cos then they will be the coolest looking).

[wesleytj]

i don't agree at all...to me the new elves look lame, like they've been to too many Rancid concerts. the dark elves are still way cooler than that.

[roysorlie]

In all truth, I like all the different Elf teams.

I'm a finess player, and love pulling off brilliant, and beautiful plays.

The most boring thing I know, is the box moving slowly downfield.
The game moves slowly, and. BAH.. BORING.

As for the elves, Woodies were my first team. Man oh man, they are fast. They can get to about anywhere on the field with little trouble, but very fragile. If you are the victim of a game where you get beaten up badly, you might not recover, unless your opponents willingly goes easy on you.

High elves must be the most versatile of the teams. High armour, fast (and strong) cathcers, that can develope into practically anything you like.
Not so good to begin with, but they are great when they get a bit developed.

Dark Elves have the coolest background. My beef is that they are too similar to High elves, they don't quite fit their background description. They can deal a bit more damage, but not much. But I stil love playing them.

I will also porbably love the new elf team. And I aboslutely adore the Shadowforge chick elves.

[wesleytj]

Dark Elves have the coolest background. My beef is that they are too similar to High elves, they don't quite fit their background description. They can deal a bit more damage, but not much. But I stil love playing them.

I think the problem there is that witch elves got a LOT weaker in LRB BB. Frenzy is not nearly as scary, and since now they have to roll doubles to take dauntless, they're just not that scary at all.

they WERE a much better hitting team than high elves back in the day.

[Darkson]

You missed the post important option.

D) An elf team that doesn't roll 1's for pick up, quick passes, accurate catches, etc

[Darkson]

But if I had to pick one, it'll be DE, just because of the (!cough!) WFB fluff. I just love the idea of the evil dudes,and the HE just always seem so boring in any of the fluff I've read.

[Zombie]

What they have going for them over wood elves: 4 blitzers and 8AV. Over high elves: the witch elf may not be as good as a wardancer, but she's still quite awesome, and way better in any case than whatever the high elves can field.

[Zombie]

I think the problem there is that witch elves got a LOT weaker in LRB BB. Frenzy is not nearly as scary, and since now they have to roll doubles to take dauntless, they're just not that scary at all.

they WERE a much better hitting team than high elves back in the day. :)

I strongly disagree. I believe that witch elves got better in the new edition. It used to be that anyone could get frenzy and be like a witch elf. Now, people need doubles for that trait, so witch elves have a big advantage starting with it. Remember, witch elves now have 2 traits!

[Thadrin]

I like Darkies over Highs for one simple reason: they have proper position names. None of this namby pamby "phoenix warrior, lion warrior" crap. Lions are among the best players in the game though if you want 4 of them. Shame the HE figs are AWFUL though.

Woodies I object to because they are treehugging pointy eared gits who don't stand and fight. I really HATE wood elves.

Still, I agree with the post above that suggested the new Elves. The rules are due in the next couple of weeks (BBMag8) and the figs - which I, I'm pretty sure UNLIKE Wesley, have actually seen in the metal - are great.