Hello, Sports Fans! Welcome to the first Blood Bowl Hot Take in a while. This morning, GW graced us with a brand new FAQ for our favorite sports-themed skirmish game, so let’s dig in and see what we’ve got.
Dan “dittka” Boyd: This time around, instead of shaking things up, GW has really just issued a bunch of clarifications. But don’t get upset! That’s a good thing. It’s nice to know how to play the game correctly. Let’s dig in!
The FAQ
Team Turn Triggers
We’ve received clarification that if the coaches have inducements, skills, etc., that trigger at the same time, whoever’s turn has just taken place gets to resolve their rules first. Makes sense!
Bribes
Three clarifications with Bribes here:
- A Bribe cannot be used during the Officious Ref Kick-Off event.
- You do NOT have to Argue the Call first before using a Bribe. However, once you’ve rolled for the Bribe, you may not then Argue the Call if the Bribe fails, as the opportunity has passed.
- You CAN use multiple Bribes at the same time. For example, if the first one fails, you can use a second one if you have it.
Stunned Players
Stunned players who get stunned again (via a foul or something) are, in fact, stunned. I thought this was obvious, but I’d hate to be the guy who’s opponent convinced them otherwise!
Characteristic Reductions
Characteristics (MA, ST, AG, PA, AV) cannot be reduced past their minimums. Here’s the thing, though: the entry above this one directly contradicts this new one. In the old entry, if a characteristic minimum was met, then you’d have to roll again on the lasting injury table and generate a new injury. But this new entry says “nothing happens” if a lasting injury is applied to a characteristic that has already reached its minimum. Well, which one is it?!
Conceding the Game
The conceding player immediately loses and the FAQ tells us to go to page 67 in the rulebook and follow instructions there. Y’all. A FAQ document does not need answers where the answers are “read the rules”. Players, read the damn rules. GW, don’t waste space in what is already a huge document with stuff like this. Sheesh.
Overtime
Each player takes 8 turns in overtime. Which is what the rules say. Specifically the part where it goes, “In all other respects (with regard to rerolls), extra time is played exactly like a normal half.” Once again, whoever is submitting these FAQs needs to brush up on their reading comprehension.
Coaching Staff and MVPs
Infamous Coaching and Sideline staff are not eligible for MVP recognition. Was anyone playing it that way? Who is submitting these questions?!
Catching Stuff
Three things here:
- The Catch skill cannot be used when rolling to catch a thrown bomb. I guess a bomb and a ball are different enough in the world of Blood Bowl that these skills don’t overlap, but this is a little immersion breaking for me.
- If a player that already has Monstrous Mouth randomly rolls up the Catch skill, they should reroll the skill as there is no added benefit in picking up the skills in that sequence. However, if the inverse happens, a player with Catch rolls up Monstrous Mouth, then they should NOT reroll as there is an added benefit to having Monstrous Mouth.
- When a player with Diving Catch attempts to catch a ball that’s landing in an adjacent square and fails, the ball scatters from its landing spot, not the Diving Catcher’s square.
Beefing a Rush (Go For It) Roll
If a player with Leap or Pogo Stick attempts to jump another player but needs a Rush to do it and they fail the Rush roll, they’re placed prone in the square they were attempting to move to just like any other failed Rush attempt. Come on, y’all. This is obvious.
Frenzy and Rooted
A player with Frenzy DOES in fact get a chance to make a second block against a player who has Taken Root if a push result is chosen even though the rooted player cannot be moved. Also, we’ve got a clarification on whether or not a rooted player can stand up: they can. Which, again, is clearly stated in the rules.
Brawler and Pro
If a player who has both Brawler and Pro rolls 2 Both Down results on a block attempt, they CAN reroll both dice individually, assuming they made the 3+ for the Pro skill. As always, a coach can never reroll a reroll.
Strip Ball and forced TDs
If a player with Strip Ball pushes a player with the ball into an opposing team’s end zone square that would normally result in a touchdown, a touchdown is not scored as described on pg. 64 of the rulebook. So, the ball would be wrenched from the ball-carrier’s hands and would scatter after the push. Which makes sense. The Ball-carrier no longer has possession of the ball.
Safe Pass and Running Pass
If a player with Safe Pass and Running Pass fumbles a pass, their activation ends and they cannot use their left-over movement, if any.
Mighty Blow and Player (Attacker) Down
If a player is blocking another player who has Mighty Blow (+1) skill and rolls a skull (the bad one: player down), the Mighty Blow (+1) player does NOT get to use their skill on the armor roll against the attacking player. This is consistent with the rules as written. Curiously, Mighty Blow (+2) is not mentioned in this clarification, but we can infer that it operates in the same manner.
Animal Savagery and Pile Driver
No, you cannot force an Animal Savagery player to use Pile Driver (if they have it) on a friendly player they just knocked down. However, this clarification is completely unnecessary! The bullet point below it clarifies the exact same thing! Is no one playing or developing this game reading these FAQs?!
Ball and Chain Bullshit
Oh, lord, not Ball and Chain. Four things to note here:
- B&C (Ball and Chain) players cannot foul.
- B&C players should reroll a random skill-up if the result is Pile Driver.
- B&C players do indeed generate SPP from the blocks they throw as a part of their movement.
- B&C players can use the Brawler skill.
Hypnotic Gaze Hijinks
Two things to note:
- If a player with the ball is hypnotized, they do NOT drop the ball. Who is playing it like this? Nowhere in the Hypnotic Gaze rules does it say that the ball carrier would drop the ball. I think someone over at Warhammer World must be some sort of pathological cheater.
- A player with Hypnotic Gaze must first pass the 2+ check to hypnotize a player with Foul Appearance.
Lord Borak’s Extra Reroll
If Borak gets KO’d or suffers a Casualty and then comes back before his extra reroll can be used, the extra reroll is still lost, as he has been removed from play, even if it’s just temporary.
Giants
Giants can indeed use a move action to change their facing. Is playing with giants fun? It really seems like a hassle.
Norse Nonsense
Two things here:
- If Ivar moves a friendly player with his Raiding Party special rule into a square with the ball, then that player must attempt to pick up the ball.
- If a player who suffered a casualty at the hands (claws) of Skrorg Snowpelt returns to play, Skrorg’s team still gets their extra reroll as the casualty still counts.
Tentacles Gets Even Worse
A player using the Hit and Run skill to move away from a player with Tentacles after a block does not trigger the tentacles player’s skill. Sucks to suck, Tentacles. Better luck next edition.
Bloodlust Baloney
Four things to note here:
- Running Pass allows a Vampire to move after a quick pass after a failed Bloodlust test that resulted in a bitten thrall. Neat.
- A Prone vamp who has failed a Bloodlust test cannot bite a thrall.
- A Vamp who fails a Bloodlust test and then gets Wrestled down will be unable to bite a thrall and so a turnover will be caused.
- A Vamp who fails a Bloodlust test and then has to end their activation early will be unable to bite a thrall and so a turnover will be caused.
What, Precisely, is a Dwarf?
Ivan ‘the Animal’ Deathshroud has a rule that lets him put the boots to Dwarfs. For this rule, Dwarfs have been defined. I’m not reprinting it! Go read the FAQ!
Errata
Not a ton here. Some minor clarifications to when Bloodlust has to be tested for and some updates to the sample team players from the latest Spike. And something from the OWA card pack. Not much to mention, to be honest.
The Tier List
I regret to inform you that Black Orcs are still in tier 2. No Changes.
Megastars
Cindy Piewhistle, known terrorist, is still not a megastar. What are we going to have to do to get her there? No changes.
Final Thoughts
Dan: Frankly, most of these new FAQs are unnecessary. Just read the dang rules, people! This big-ass document does not need to get bigger on the back of inane questions. For shame. Also, I hope they fix the injury question because who the hell knows what to do in that instance?!
I suppose I should be more conciliatory since GW taking an interest in the rules of the game is an obvious good thing. But I personally won’t be happy until Black Orcs are in tier 3! Make it happen, GW!
HardyRoach: Judging from this and from the Blood Bowl community on Facebook, I swear that the BB community is the most bad faith bunch of cheaters in wargaming. I feel like I see people asking stupid questions with obvious answers all the time, though thankfully I have yet to encounter it at an actual event. Read the rules, and if the rules aren’t clear, don’t assume your stupid interpretation that uniquely advantages you in this specific situation is the correct one.
That’s it for now, Sports Fans! Thanks for reading!
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