Just don't mind me, makin' a thread about a hilarious game that I'm getting hours of fun out of :3
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What is Blood Bowl?
Blood Bowl was originally a tabletop board game by Games Workshop, although it has since been discontinued from circulation, they still update the rules and such, for a few reasons [People still play the game, and this game]
This, however, is not tabletop. This is a videogame adaptation of the game, as true as it could be [Although there are a couple of bugs they are not *that* common]. The game includes a rulebook in the files, and a somewhat good tutorial as well.
Anyway, if any of you know Warhammer, you'll know dice govern pretty much every action. Well, take the races from Warhammer, and the 'Dice govern everything' rule... and then put it into AMERICAN FOOTBALL. That's Blood Bowl.
While the game is strategic, there is also a strong element of luck, there is even in an-universe GOD OF DICE, Nuffle. Nuffle is a fickle god. What he gives he takes away, and cursing or praying to him tends to lead to bad outcomes. And by bad outcomes I mean this:
Your star player, with a abilty called 'Sure Feet', which allows you to re-roll a failed 'Going for It' [A 2+ roll to move a bouns square] once per turn, fails the GFI and the Re-Roll.
He then proceeds to trip and fall over, and fails his armor roll. [2D6, ranges from 8+ to 10+ to fail]. He then rolls 2D6 and gets a 10+ on injury, so is a casualty. Then he rolls a D6+D8 to see what happens, and the D6 rolls 6, meaning Dead. The Apocathary comes on, allowing a re-roll of these die, and you to choose the result. That also comes up Dead.
Your player failed every single possible roll and died. Also for an extra kick your turn ends. Even the simplest actions can cause hilarious backfires.
Of course, there are ways to re-roll, but this isn't an explanation of the rules.
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Well, anyway, there is the base game, and two expansions. You can pick up all three for ?19.99, or the set with 1 expansion for ?14.99 [3 races less] which totals 23 playable races. [Well... calling Halflings 'Playable' is questionable, but that's intentional, they're a Lethal Joke Team]. Each race has pros and cons, and while balance isn't perfect [Intentionally] there isn't really a standout strongest team.
The biggest draw to this game, however, is the multiplayer. You make a team. You join a League [There are open ones, which are just ladders and private ones, which are actual leagues], and then you play, and your players earn experience and level up to learn new skills, while also getting injured, ect, ect. However, if too big of a disparity of 'Team Value' exists, the weaker team gets shored up with benefits like Extra Re-rolls, so don't worry! There are also chatrooms for public, and each private league you are a part of.
If enough people from here play the game I may even set up a private league where we can enter newborn teams for a fun contest.
Anyway, races:
Amazon - All female team. What it says on the tin. Average stats, low armor, very strong early due to good starting skills, but get worse later as others pick up said skills. Good at bashing and runing.
Chaos - A bash team, pure and simple. Most of their team will consist of the average Beastmen, but they can also have hulking Chaos Warriors, and a Minotaur, who are ST4 and ST5 players, respectively. The Minotaur is a 'Big Guy', who are [usually] 1 per team, and have a downside linked with their power. Minotaurs have a nasty tendancy of refusing to do anything except smashing people. They also have access to mutation skills, which can make them even more flexible in development. Having an extra arm helps you pick stuff up!
Chaos Dwarves - Dwarves effected by Chaos. Most of their team is Hobgoblins however, but they have some Dwarves, Centaurs, and a Minotaur of their own. Generally a slow bashy team, but the Centaurs can be swift.
Dark Elf - Higher armored, and more bashy than other elves, Dark Elves play a 'running' game, making use of their agilty to dodge around the pitch, while hitting key targets to break through.
Dwarf - Small, stout, tough Dwarves. Considered a very powerful team early in development. They also have the option to bring in a 'Deathroller'... basically a Dwarf riding a Steamroller, although he gets sent off at the end of a half or after someone scores!
Elf - Elves wearing spikes, facemasks, and with Mohawks. They are agile, fragile, but have good passing [Although not as good as Wood or High Elves] and ok punching [Although not as good as Dark Elves].
Goblin - One of the more chaotic teams. Literally. Their whole idea is CHEATING. Goblins have perhaps the biggest variety of players:
Goblins - Weak, but so small they can dodge between players well.
Pogoer - A goblin on a Pogo stick. Can jump over people
Bombardier - A goblin who can throw bombs at people. Sent off at the end of a drive, and the bomb hurts freind, foe, or even himself if he fumbles it! Did I mention he's not very good at aiming?
Fanatic - A goblin with a spiked ball and chain. He dosen't move freely, instead he spins around randomly, and attacks whoever is in his way. Sent off at the end of a drive, and if he somehow falls over is instantly injured, so may kill himself.
Looney - Goblin with a Chainsaw. Instead of tackleing people, he jst goes at them with a chainsaw, which is very good at hurting people. On a 1, however... it backfires. Also sent off.
Trolls - Big, strong, ugly, slow, and stupid [That's actually one of their abilities too]. Trolls can pick up Goblins and throw them... but may decide to eat them instead! Of course, Goblins thrown can veer off course... fail to stick the landing.. and then die... or they can hit an enemy and kill them!
Halflings - Too small to do anything well except dodge between people, Halflings do have a trick up their sleeves, two Treemen, the strongest pieces in the game, although almost immobile [Sometimes completely], who can throw their teamates across the pitch into scoreing range. Still a joke team, but can be a surprise package!
High Elf - Basically less nimble Elves with higher armor. More pass-oriented Dark Elves.
Human - Average Joes :V. Also they can have an Ogre on their side.
Khemri - An ancient civilisation who used to play the game risen from the dead. Egyptian themed, and unlike other Undead teams, have the biggest chance of actually passing the ball. Slow as hell, but can bring on 4 ST5 players at once, so out-muscle pretty much anyone. Khemri basically play for the 1-0.
Khorne - Blood-God Worshippers and his herald and deamons. Guess what they do. If you guessed PUNCH PEOPLE AND KILL STUFF, you guessed right!
Lizardmen - Half their team are skinks, which are small, nimble, but weak. The other half are hulking Sauri and a Kroxigor, who are strong, but the exact oposite of nimble. The whole team struggles to pick up the ball, but if they get it, can run for the wind.
Necromantic - Similar to Undead [They even share 3 units], they are more running-oriented, with the addittion of Werewolves. They also have Flesh Golems, which are basically there to get in the way of things.
Norse - Beer drinking vikings. Good in a brawl, but fragile. Glass cannons.
Nurgle - Chaos, but slower sums them up. That and they have a few other tricks, like making people less likely to pass, and even more mutation availability. Defenseive team.
Ogre - Up to 6 huge, strong, stupid Ogres. The rest of the team is Snotlings, tiny, pathetic, weaker-than-halflings green specs.
Orc - Surprisingly, bashing isn't the only thing Orcs do [Although they do it well!]. Orcs are rough, tough, and ultimately sometimes even pass the ball.
Skaven - Cowardly rats, which bring the Gutter Runners, the fastest units in the game. Fragile generally [Especially the Gutters], but they can outrun anyone else.
Undead - Surprisingly, not *that* slow. Undead is like a midway between Khemri's bashing and Necro's running styles. Ghouls can pick up and run with the ball, Mummies can bash well.
Underworld - A mix of Goblins and Skaven... who are addicted to 'Warpstone', which is some kind of nasty drug. 'Warpstone' makes them green, and seems to bring about mutations far more frequently. The Goblins on the team can mutate, but are otherwise identical to normal ones. The Skaven are slower, can refuse to pass to the Goblins due to racism, but also mutate more often. Even the troll they can bring can mutate. A very flexiable team in development.
Vampires - Two units. Vampires are fast nimble as Elves and strong as Saurai, but have a downside. They roll a dice when they start any action each turn, and if they roll a 1, they must either end the turn next to and bite a Thrall [A totally average unit], hurting it, or leave the pitch to feed on the crowd! [And ends your entire turn]
Wood Elf - The most passing-oriented team in the game. Lightly armored, and in some cases weaker physically, but they do have the terrifying Wardancers, and a Treeman of their own [Although it is less prone to play along with the team, and cannot throw Elves]
So, yeah, if you ever wanted to see what would happen when you cross Elves, Dwarves, American Foball and Dice, Blood Bowl is your thing!
