This article was written for a previous version of the Blood Bowl rules and has some outdated information in it. You might still find it contains some useful information.
There is now an an updated Blood Bowl 2020 Second Season Tomb Kings / Khemri Starting Rosters article.
Khemri Starting Roster Overview:
Khemri are a bit of a strange team and give you some tricky decisions on what to leave out in the starting line up. The highest agility on the team is a measly two, which can make ball handling a big problem, especially if it raining. Ideally you are likely to be picking it up once and then scoring with that same player. That means SPP aren’t going to come that freely so your players develop slowly. If you are relying on getting an MVP as well, then certain players you are going to want from the start. The team also suffers from the lack of the core starting skills, I don’t think there is one ideal roster to start with but I can certainly offer up some suggestions.
Blitz-Ras TV1000 Khemri Starting Roster:
| Quantity | Player / Item | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Skeletons | 200k |
| 2 | Blitz-Ras | 180k |
| 4 | Tomb Guardians | 400k |
| 3 | Rerolls | 210k |
| Total | 990k |
As much as I would like to have four rerolls on a Khemri team, I’m not sure there is anything you can really drop that the extra reroll is worth more than. That means starting with three, any less the low agility will become an even bigger problem. You also aren’t going to start with much Block, so blocking is far more likely to require rerolls as well. The team is also somewhat slow, so go for its and even dodges may be needed on occasion.
I would start with all four Tomb Guardians as their high strength will cause problems for pretty much every other team if they try to go toe to toe. They are also the least likely players to get SPP from completions and touchdowns. Having them from game one increases their chances of getting an MVP as well.
If you fill out the rest of the team with seven Skeletons that leaves you with 110k to spend on upgrading some to either Thro-Ras or Blitz-Ras. I would suggest using most of that to get two Blitz-Ras for a couple of reasons. Sure Hands on the Thro-Ras can be handy for saving rerolls but that does mean its use can be replicated with a reroll (you are less likely to face Strip Ball straight away in a rookie league). Blitz-Ras come with Block and its abilities can’t be replaced by using a reroll. Having two players with Block will give you some more reliable hitting power straight away. They will also be harder to knock over so would actually be better ball carriers once they picked it up. Also once you get Thro-Ras if you tend to pick up with them most the time, then Blitz-Ras are going to get a lot less touchdowns once you have some.
That leaves 10k which I would save towards getting the Thro-Ras, or even worse replacing other positionals. You can’t get an Apothecary but you are the only team that has Regeneration on every single player. An extra reroll would be handy at some point if you don’t have Leader, though also filling out your bench so you can foul effectively is another thing that is worth being able to do.
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From playing against starting Khemri teams I noticed while the TGs are hard to knock over, they are easy enough to take out of the game by just marking them up away from the action with linesmen. Now that they don’t start with Mighty Blow there is less risk of them chewing up your whole team. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is far better to take as much block as you can to start with.
My build was to only start with 3 TGs to allow both pairs of Blitz-Ras and Thro-Ras. With TGs at 100k and no need to buy an apothecary it shouldn’t be too long before I have all positionals on the team.
Having played a bit of Khemri, the starting line-up is a tough choice. Blitz-Ras are needed for the Block, but Tomb Guardians are what your team revolves around so you’d like all of them to be in from the start… but Thro-Ras save your rerolls on ball-handling and they can get Leader (which saves you 50k in team value compared to a real team reroll).
I’ve never played as Khemri before, but how about this starting lineup (similar to Gerards):
3 Tomb Guardians
2 Blitz-Ras
2 Throw-Ras
4 Skeletons
3 Reroll
10k in the bank
Then you could save for that last TG, or perhaps buy an extra Skeleton after the first game. I note Coach’s point about TG’s being the slowest to skill up and therefore preferring to start with all 4, but I wonder whether you particularly want your TG to get the MVP and skill up ahead of other players. TG’s don’t have General skill access and I don’t know if Strength access is particularly great for TG’s given their high strength anyway. I personally would prefer getting block/leader on my TR’s and perhaps even skill-up on Skeletons before getting a skill-up on my TG. I just think it is more useful to the team. But as I said at the beginning, I have never played as Khemri, so am probably not in such a great position to comment…
I’d definitely start with the 4 TGs. The whole team is easy to tie up with max 2 AG so it isn’t like a blitz-ra can get away all that much better than a TG from a marker.
Your only advantage is the extra block die you have with the 5 strength and you need the TG to skill up as fast as possible.
Depending upon who you play the first few matches with Khemri can be tough. A fast team can just run around you.I think you just have to hope to break some armour despite not having mighty blow on the markers who have been assigned to tie up the TGs
Next starting roster i am trying would be 4 TGs 1 TR (to pick up), 1 BR (for the block), 3 re-rolls
The reason why you would want all four is that they are much harder to get past if you set up your defence well due to their high strength. Also because they are slow to skill up and do only have strength skill access as you said, the quicker they get skills, the more chance you have of getting a double on them. Rather than go into their development here and end up repeating myself I will cover that individually soon.
Hi there
I have played the Khemri, and like them.
4- Tomb Guardians
2- Throw Ra’s
2- Blitz Ra’s
3- Skeletons
2 re-rolls
The low level of re-rolls works fine since most Blitz actions are taken by the Blitz Ra’s not the Tomb Guard, and less chance of disaster. And most ball action is done with the sure handed Throw-Ra’s.
The TG are the meat. They block as needed, but mostly they lean on the other team. If you keep this team close together, they are hard to beat. The first skill you get them is guard, then mighty blow or break tackle(Block if you roll dbls)
The Throw-Ra’s are the ball carriers and they almost never throw. But sure hands gives them a fair chance to pick up the ball. First skill you get them is block, since they are also like you Blitz-Ra’s on defence. I have a team with two that also have dodge…sweet.
The Skeletons fill the other spaces, wrestle is a good first skill, as is kick for one. Leader or Dodge for doubles.
I never forget the idea of not throwing a block. If you have no re-rolls two or three TG’s with some support on the sides leaning on a team can stop almost anything. If they block you they are useing much of there team to get multi dice, and they lose all their flexibility and often fail and get a turn over. where they dent you send in the Blitzers to push back. Also never over run on defense. always keep a pair of the fast movers back for the rabbit ball carrier.
Add that to a cage with 5 str guys is hard to stop. Just remember you are not a fast team and stay close together and well protected. Dart out with the blitzers to open a hole to move the juggernaught throw.
Jim
So after a fairly traumatic start with my last team (an all muscle 2 reroll lizard team that had a KIA krox in the first game and a really tough time getting spp on the saurials), I decided to veer off the beaten path and go with
2 Blitz
3 TG
6 Skeletons
4 Rerolls
My assumption was that a starting Khemri team was going to be rough no matter what. If I focused on treating it as a position controlling team with 3 unusually reliable Big Guys as opposed to an underskilled bashing team, while using the blitz-ras to carry the ball and get level 2 ASAP. The first purchase was the TG which I estimated around 2-3 games (ended up taking the full 3) and then a thro-ra around game 5.
Overall, I found the 4 rerolls allowed me to concentrate on taking a few risks with ball handling and use the muscle I did have as opposed to always having to hold back on the TGs. I made some unfortunate choices with skill ups early by focusing on mighty blow with the early leveled blitz ra instead of tackle, which ended up being disastrous in a few key games where 50% chance of downing non-block dodgers was just not enough. But overall I think it was a surprisingly versatile build, and since most of the teams I was up against were much more experienced I never had a problem inducing both Nek and a merc TG (sometimes with guard) until I was starting with all 4 TGs and one thro-ra. I like using the blitz ras for “safe” assists (ie less likely to get killed next turn) and the TGs as primary blitzers as long as I have rerolls, and I find I almost always have enough to have that sort of threat throughout almost all of the half.
Hey.. Newbie here. I’ve read a lot of the information on this site though and decided to give Khemri a go. The starting line-up I went with 4RR option:
4 TGs
1 Thro-Ra for ball handling
6 Skeletons
4 Re-rolls
leaves 10K spare to save for the second Thro-ra, or a blit-ra depending on the nature of the opposition teams you’ll be facing. but I’ll be putting block on the skeletons soon as I’m able.. might even go for two blocking skeletons before I go for the kick skill because I think kick is far more useful for agi teams than bashy ones, though I think bashy teams do benefit from kick as well.. particularly against other bashy sides.
Anyway.. this has the obvious disadvantage of only having 1 player who can reliably handle the ball.. and without a 12th man you might find yourself getting outnumbered when facing off against other bashy teams.. and the lone Thro-ra is an obvious juicy target.
Advantages though you start with max TGs and 4 Re-rolls. After your first couple of matches the team should develop nicely. I’m hoping so anyway.. time will tell.
It seems like a strange choice but:
2 Tomb Guardians
2 Blitz-ras
2 Throw-ras
5 Skeletons
4 Team re-rolls
I’ve just started out with Khemri and I have been trying a couple of different set ups for my team. With a maximum of 2 Agility on the team, you would be mad not having a throw-ra. As the only ball carrier on the team with armor 7 and no dodge or block he is reasonably easy to take out and will be the target of enemy attacks. In my mind this means that with less than 2 Throw-Ras you are making it easy for your enemy to run in circles around you.
The Blitz-ras are also movement 6 and if you are going to make a break with the ball instead of forming a cage, 2 blitz-ras mean you still have a couple of players with block and AV 8 to defend them.
This means that you can be left with 2 Tomb Guardians. People seem to put a huge emphasis on them for a starting team, but apart from attempting to murder unskilled linemen, it seems pointless to not just wait and buy another 2 when you can afford them.
This will leave enough to fill in the remaining 5 slots with skeles and still have enough for 4 rerolls; one for every other turn. And lets be honest, with a team with highest AGI 2 you will need lots of rerolls, more than I like to remember I have rolled triple skulls/ double downs on my Tomb Guardians in the first action of a turn.
Advance-wise I would have one of the Throw-ras take catch, block and kickoff return. With sure hands and pass but no one on the team to catch it, it leaves pass skill redundant. Block will make them better at keeping on their feet to score a touchdown. And Kickoff return is a less taken skill and since they are your fastest players at MV 6 it means you can start your run on the ball if receiving.
Really it comes down to who is playing in your league, if someone is playing a team with lots of high strength players like Lizardmen you may wish to use a team roster with more Tomb Guardians.
In my option there are some essential points that lead your roster at 1000:
– I think TG are foundamental, so there is no really option about not getting one of them. Why? Only just because they can get the MVP more likely, this is one the most important thing. You can say anything, but with no MB they’re going nowhere, tied up by any lineman, from norsers to dwarves with little chances of causing casualties.
– Rerolls: there is no point on getting less than 3. Why? Because it’s not that right that you always want to blitz with the Blitz-Ras. You need getting spp on your mummies and that is likely to happen doing as many blocks as possible, and many times rerolling them. In my opinion it is far more important saving your rerolls for blocks than for ball handing. That’s why we come to next point.
– 2 Blitz Ras are not necessary in the beginning. Why? Because if you face orks, dwarves, norses and amazons, your blitzers are going to be pinned down by linemen in the same ways as the mummies. Only one blitzer can blitz, so the other one (foundamental when developing team) is going to be covered and saved for blitzing only the opposing ball carrier. The other turns it should be used as another skelly on the scrimmage to get some support and maybe do some reliable block, but just to free some TG for their blitz.
– 1Thro ra is foundamental in the beginning. Why? Because not only they save 1 reroll on picking up the ball, but also (and most important) because if you’re lucky in the first match you can get 2 TDs, 6 spp and most of all what I think it’s another pillar of the team, the 4th reroll. With only 20.000 more, you get 1 more reroll, saving 50.000. This will lead you to more confortable block with the mummies, allowing you to skill faster and block better. You would say that the first skill of a thro ra is “block”… fair in my opinion, but I prefer one more reroll, considering that if the other team can blitz your ball, you are already so bad positioned that the problem can’t be solved with a block more.
My roster?
4 TG
1 Blitz Ra
1 Thro ra
5 Skellies
3 rerolls
30 cash reserve for next blitz ra.
As soon as possible the second blitzer and leader, then you can go.
So after playing khem a bit & trying it out (3 teams total in 3 different leagues; max 1650tv) I’ve been going with
4TG
2BR
1TR
5 skele
2RR
The first throw-ra skill is leader to make up the lost rr. The first TG skill is always mighty blow unless I roll doubles for block. It’s been working really well. This gets me all positionals & the first game may be a struggle but after getting leader it’s been a really successful lineup.
I tried adding a 2nd throw-ra when I could but they’re so unreliable when they’re unskilled that I cut him after two games.
I’ve played kemari and it’s one of my most fun teams.
First to say is that if you have bad luck in your early games you’re pretty much fu**ed up.
But if it goes well you’ll have a realy nice time (maybe until the final-phase of a long campain).
I started with the following Lineup (and keept it a long time):
4 TG
2 Blitz-Ra
5 Skeleton
Reasons:
Kemari is one of the if not the most hard-hitting teams.
You can have 4! big-guys (with no real handicap because of their high AV)
I prefere Skeletons over Thro-Ra because
1st: they are much cheaper
2nd: they have more AV + Thick Skull + Regeneration
both make them realy nice cannon fodder and keep your finances fine.
Playstyle:
I’m trying to play from a rock solid defense, knocking down most enemies before i score.
I pref putting all 4 TG at the line of scrimmage (vs weak teams bringing Cornerbacks to the front too) and have the Blitz-Ra as Middel linebacker trying to stop them from getting deep.
It’s very unlikely to score more than 1 TD per half, so you have to stop enemy teams from scoring.
You are lucky if you start vs teams that want to run the ball, because you aren’t able to intercept passes due to low AG. If you get many teams with dodge you’ll have a hard time.
Skilling:
I highly recomment getting Mighty Blow on all your TG, so they are more likely to gain SPP.
I recomment getting Tackle on your Blitz-Ra, because Dodge can be a big problem, followed by Strip Ball, so they can stop rushing oponents.
1 Skeleton with Kicking is my personal favor but no high priority
Later Break Tackle can be a realy nice Skill for your TG so you can think about going into a 3-man-scrimmage and have an assassin TG in 2nd line.
One Trow-Ra can be bought to gain a cheaper re-roll with teamcaptain but i pref haveing a small as possible Team to get the MVP-SPP to the guys i want more likely.
Important Hint:
If one of your Teammembers (most likely Skeletons) get injured i recomment to replace them as soon as possible (unless it’s my only kicker 😉 ) so you don’t waste SPP on them.
I’ve been playing Khemri for a while now, currently around 2300 TV. I started with 4 rerolls. It’s imperative for me. My first game was in “Pouring Rain” and I failed every single pick-up for the first half. I kicked to my opponent, managed to knock down the ball carrier, and spent the rest of the game trying to pick up the ball.
The game ended 0-0 and I was over it.The opponent couldn’t get to the ball, but I also couldn’t get a hold of it. I re-started my team (BB2) with extra re-rolls, only one thrower, 1blitzer and skeletons to round it out, the 4 rerolls are 280k leaving only 720 to build your players, if 3 of those are TG then you only have 420 for the other 8 players! 160k for one each of the positionals leaves 260 left for skellies, netting you 6. 6 skellies, 1 thrower, 1 blitzer, 3 TG, that’s your team with 4 juicy fat re-rolls. As you win (hopefully!) you can buy the other TG first and then add in your other positionals. TG are great. I give them mighty blow first, followed by guard and then stand firm. Doubles mean BLOCK, do not consider if it is double 6s or double 5s, regardless you pick block. Your blocking TG are amazing!. My current favorite has block, stand firm, guard, and mighty blow. he’s almost at 51 so next will be break tackle unless I roll doubles again and then I’m not sure! Tackle? Dodge? it’s a great problem to have. My Throw-ra is a beast with over 100 spp, I’ve actually run out of useful ball carrier skills to give him. He’s got Block and Dodge, Leader, Nerves of Steel, Kick-Off return.
I’ve found that Khemri is all about pitch control. with 4 st5 TG as anchors, this team is tough to get past. Yes you bash with Khemri, but your position is much more important than with a team like Orcs. The entire team has AG 2 which makes offense hard but also getting away from markers on defense. you shouldn’t have base-to-base contact with your whole team. It’s a combination of dwarven in-your-face tactics and elf screens simultaneously, it takes an experienced coach to do well. I LOVE this team now that I’ve got SPP and around 30-40 games under my belt.