[Cyanide] Help with Dark Elf development in a private league

[Barmution]

My Dark Elf team, Druchii Smuchii Schmoo, is part of a league called the Norsca Union League and doing fairly well (4-0-1). The team roster atm is as follows:

2 Unskilled Blitzers
1 Blitzer w/Dodge
1 Blitzer - Regular skill pending -
1 Witch-Elf w/Block, -Double skill pending -
1 Lino with Wrestle, Dodge (MVP hogger, 4/5 so far)
5 Unskilled linos (1 with -MV)

2 RR, Apo
Tv 1200
110k gold

The league is fairly bashy and the only soft opponent left is my next opponent, a down on luck Elf team of TV1090. The matches following this one will be Dwarfs, Necro, Chaos, Orcs and finally Ogres.

So I'm considering skills and gold spending for my Elf match. I'm pretty sure I'm going with Dodge on the Blitzer and MB on the Witch. No player on the Elf team has gotten to Blodge atm and the bashy matches following this one makes me think Dodge is better than Tackle on the Blitzer. The main question is: Should I buy a Runner, another Witch or a 3rd reroll? I'm sorely tempted by the prospect of skilling a 2nd Witch to wrestle before my Dwarf match, but that would leave me with an empty treasury in case disaster strikes and push the Elfs inducements to a massive 270k (from 160k) which could spell trouble. An alternative is to just save it all and buy something after this match.

Any thoughts?
-B

[bintz]

Yep, dodge on the blitzer and MB on the witch. In a "normal" context, Id probably pick tackle on the blitzer but it will probably be more useful to add mobility to your player and you won't face much blodgers anyways. Pick tackle for your next blitzer to level up though cause you'll need a reliable way to hit ghouls and double-skilled orcs/chaos (and snots!)

About cash spending, Id go for the 3rd RR. I usually go for a 3 blitzer/1 witch starting build and the first things I buy are (the apo) the 4th blitzer and the 3rd RR and then, 2nd witch.

Id also get myself a kicker quite fast, especially if you face slow bashy teams.

[Orient]

3rd RR would be a no-brainer

i'd be hesitant to take Dodge if your league looks like its turning tackle heavy, and one dark elf player in my league proved that leap can be used to run rings around bash heavy teams, so you have a few options

I wouldnt try to get into a slugging match with bash teams as dark elfs. They really are the team of playing opposites to whatever your opponents are good at, so in a bash league i'd build them more towards the agility game

[Barmution]

Thanks for the advice, Bintz and Orient. Your nudge will probably be enough to make me get that 3rd RR and it'll give me more opportunity to get a lino Kick through passing. Tackle is high on my Blitzer list now and I'm really looking forward to that 2nd Witch... The first one has been amazing so far. When, if ever, do you invest in Runners?

[Orient]

Originally Posted by Barmution

When, if ever, do you invest in Runners?

Trust me - a pair of runners playing close to each other can be a massive head ache when one or both have nerves of steel (especially if they have pass/catch too). Watching your opponents go to a lot of effort to blitz your ball carrier only to see they've hit the wrong target is something akin to playing mario only to find you've been looking in the wrong castle for the princess. One gets blitzed and suddenly the other has the ball, and all you need is two 2+ dice rolls.

[bintz]

I personnaly don't buy a runner until late in team development. I dont like an Av7 piece that start with no defensive skill and bring very little to the team. But it really comes to personnal preference I think.

I usually buy it when I have my 4 blitzers/2 witches/3 RR. For exemple, in my CC team, I bought it mid-way into the 2nd season I played. I planned to develop it as a passer to diversify my plays but Nuffle offered me +Mv for its first level up so now I use it as a 5th blitzer, acting as safety (wrestle) on defense and annoying ball carrier with dump off on offense.

I also don't like taking leap on something that doesn't have Agi 5.

[Barmution]

I was worried about the fragility of the Runners too... and the same worry will keep me from putting Leap on a player without Ag5. Sounds like something that'll eat through my re-rolls if it gets overused. I'll probably start with building a Runner as a passer too when I get to that point.

[Lebe666]

I'd say 3rd RR... after playing bash teams I thought elves could do with 2 RR for longer... but its not the case.

Nice comments on runners... was wondering about that myself...

[Barmution]

It's been a few more matches since the last time and the team has done very well overall but taken rather a lot of casualties amongst the positionals as well.

At the end of the season, my roster looks like this:

3 Blitzers w Dodge,
1 Blitzer rookie,
1 Witch Elf rookie (MB witch got crowdsurfed to death at 33 SPP )
1 Lino w Wrestle, Dodge (double pending)
1 Lino w Guard
1 Lino w Kick
1 Lino w Dodge
2 Linos rookie

3 RRs

So now I've got 130k in the treasury (going to get a 2nd Witch) and wondering what to take on the MVP-hogging Wrodger with a double pending. Common sense says Guard, but I'm hesistant to give a Wrestle player Guard. Any suggestions?

[Barristan]

Personnally I'd go with said Guard without a doubt. Really can't see any better option at this stage.