[Tactics] Stat+ vs. New Skill on Level Up

[18Rabbit]

I'm still fairly new this whole BB thing so I was hoping to get some advice about long term player development.

Q: When rolling for level up on a player and you get the opportunity to select an additional point on a stat, should you always take it or are there times when it makes more sense to pick a skill that you would have picked anyway?

I mainly ask this because I like to play Chaos that starts with zero skills and I'm torn over how useful a stat increase like +AGI for a Chaos Warrior who doesn't have Block is. I recognize the rarity of opportunity for a stat increase but Block and Guard on your bashing line is also pretty darn useful. What do you guys think?

[Gallows Bait]

By and large they are mostly taken if they contribute well to the role and are effective, so AG and ST are taken more often for most players, but faster ones can benefit from MV to improve their role.

eg. AG on an Orc Blitzer, yes, but not on a Black Orc -AG2 -> AG3 isn't going to change his role or improve what he does. But an AG4 Orc blitzer is one that can catch and dodge well to score.

In this case I would be tempted to skip it, as the warriors are your slower, stronger road block players, rather than building for speed or agility which you will primarily do on a beastman.

On the other hand they are AG3 as a base so AG4 can pull off some useful functions, but you may find them limited by MV5. It depends how much use you think you can make of them with AG4 in that role.

[danton]

Like Gallows says it depends a lot on the role of the player. Ag 4 on a Chaos warrior can be great in some situations, but it does also tend to slow down the bashing development of the team, so you could go either way with that one.

[Nikolai II]

He'll become a great ballhandler (pickup, short pass and catch accurate pass all on 2+) and he'll also dodge away on a 2+. Basically you get a dark elf lineman with -1 MV and +1 STR.

That said, if you are headed towards the BMBClawPO then +AG will be meaningless on that path. You're also probably hoping for a double for dodge further down the road, to make AG4 more useful.

And yes, stats can often be ignored. Especially if you expect to play ten games or less, total, with the team, in which case stats should almost only go to players that start with or have already earned skills. For long-term advancements more stats can be useful, but usually not all of them.

[Narly Bird]

I would also add that it depends in what environment you are playing. If you are in mm where it seems to be all about tv minimisation, stat increases are more often ignored. However if it is in a normal league environment, especially a longer one, they are often taken (subject to the points made by the other guys above).

[Etheric]

For a long league I would take it, you have one heck of a ball carrier then. AG 4 is a LOT better than AG3. (the number of 3+ with a RR I have failed at critical times is beyond measure, snake eyes does turn up occasionally as well, but that is a LOT rarer).

For a short league it is more of a tossup, as you need reliable hitters.

[Avatar111x]

An AG4 Chaos Warrior for me is where do I sign territory. Now I'm just think of what happens if you get a Double ... Leaping Chaos Warrior (MWAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!)

As everyone else says look at the context. Is that player going to do a job for you with that stat increase? Is the player going to be made better at doing the role you have assigned him with a stat increase? If it is a no - then just don't bother.

An example - my Ogres normally pass up ST increases, but when one was rolled for a Break Tackle player I took it, because it made his role as cage breaker even better (dodging into 3 Tackle Zones on a 3+). My front line Ogre turned it down for block because with Guard players stood nearby and the difficulty of getting the numbers in place to drop an Ogre, it didn't make any sense.

In my TT league my Snotling that rolled ST was laughed at and given Dirty Player instead. Because nobody wants a player with similar stats to a halfling (with the exception of AV) that gives up 70k of team value.

I've also just got an AG4 Snotling, who I will let you know how he turns out in future. He may just be sat on the bench until it's 1 turn TD time ...

[danton]

You laugh, but I had an Ag 4 Chaos Warrior with Block and Leap in MM once!

Unfortunately he had his collar bone smashed by a bloody dwarf before I could develop him any further, but he was a lot of fun while he lasted! Not many people expect a big fat Chaos Warrior to pop over their screen and hit their ball carrier with two dice!

If I'd managed to get more skills for him I probably would have taken Very Long Legs next in order to make his leaping a bit more reliable and then maybe Tackle after that.

[Avatar111x]

Originally Posted by danton

You laugh, but I had an Ag 4 Chaos Warrior with Block and Leap in MM once!

Unfortunately he had his collar bone smashed by a bloody dwarf before I could develop him any further, but he was a lot of fun while he lasted! Not many people expect a big fat Chaos Warrior to pop over their screen and hit their ball carrier with two dice!

If I'd managed to get more skills for him I probably would have taken Very Long Legs next in order to make his leaping a bit more reliable and then maybe Tackle after that.

You made a big, fat, heavily armoured Slann - that amuses me no end

[maxcarrion]

leap is criminal if you roll a double and don't take dodge. Dodge with AG4 gives you great defence, 2+ with reroll normal dodge, 3+ with reroll into 1 tz, 4+ into 2, it's a rare situation where I'd use leap if I had dodge and many occasions where I'd use dodge if I had leap, it's such a no brainer.