Welcome back sports fans to Touchline Tactics – where we get the inside scoop on the playstyles and peccadillos of your favourite Blood Bowl teams. We assess their gameplans, look at which skills to advance, and make our top picks of Star Players.
In this instalment, we’re venturing into the humid unknown as we discover the Lizardmen. This is a team with speed and power – an unstoppable juggernaut in the right claws.
Playstyle
Lizardmen teams are an unusual mix: they can Dash and Bash, and each player leans heavily towards one of these two playstyles. Half the team are fast-moving Stunty players with Dodge who can move the ball quickly upfield, while the other half are strong, heavily armoured reptiles who can go toe to toe with the toughest players in Blood Bowl.
These advantages come at a cost: the team is a challenge to master. If your players get split up, your Skinks can be torn apart, and your Saurus are never likely to score Touchdowns – so you have to learn when to keep them protected and when to let them run free.
Tactics
Saurus are your front line. As ST4 players with MA6, they are surprisingly quick, though don’t expect them to dodge out of Tackle Zones. A group of Saurus can hold off most other bashers, and they will gleefully push through the opposing line when needed.
Skinks are fast, nimble and the key scorers on your team. Stunty and Dodge make them hard to lock down, and they can take advantage of gaps in the enemy defence. The downside is their fragility – if they do get caught out, make sure the stretchers are ready!
Chameleon Skinks are tools of disruption. Shadowing allows them to stick to ball carriers, while On the Ball is an extra consideration the opposing team needs to keep in mind when passing.
A firm contender for the best Big Guy in the game, Kroxigors are a great addition. Prehensile Tail causes problems for opponents trying to dodge off the line of scrimmage, while the relatively speedy Kroxigor is great for keeping up with the opposing ball carrier.
Skilling up
Saurus: Block should be the first skill that every Saurus takes, as it lets them to leverage their Strength. After this, there are a few options: Mighty Blow (+1) for added damage, Guard to support other Saurus, Break Tackle to give a bit more mobility, or Tackle to pin down agile teams.
Skinks: There are two common skill paths for Skinks. The first are defensive, such as Side Step and Jump Up, which help out with the inevitable punching. The second path includes Sure Feet, Sprint and Side Step, to help score Touchdowns.
Chameleon Skinks: Though they can be developed the same way as a normal Skink, Diving Catch and Catch are an alternative option which utilises On the Ball for a more reliable Catcher.
Kroxigor: Break Tackle allows your Kroxigor to use its speed more often, while Brawler makes any blocks more reliable. In a league with lots of Bash teams, Guard is invaluable for two-dice blocks against high-Strength opponents.
Top 5 Star Players
5 – Zolcath the Zoat
Zolcath is just like a Kroxigor – Mighty Blow (+1), Prehensile Tail and ST5 – with added benefits, including Disturbing Presence and Juggernaut, while lacking the Bonehead nega-trait.
4 – Estelle la Veneaux
Dodge and Guard make Estelle a fantastic supporting player. Her Baleful Hex special rule can disable a key opponent at the perfect moment, or free up a Saurus for that vital blitz.
3 – Glotl Stop
How do you make a deadlier Kroxigor? Give it Frenzy and ST6, and you’ve got Glotl Stop. He possesses the dangerous Animal Savagery, but his special rule Primal Savagery means you can target an opposition player instead!
2 – Boa Kon’ssstriktr
Hypnotic Gaze, Dodge and Sidestep are powerful tools for breaking cages, and combined with Look into my Eyes, which can force a ball carrier to give Boa the ball, and nowhere is safe from this Snakeman.
1 – Dribl and Drull
This pair can deal out a lot of hurt with Drull’s Stab and Dribl’s Dirty Player (+1). The A Sneaky Pair special rule adds insult to Injury rolls…
With these tips, you should be able to scale the heights of Blood Bowl with your own Lizardman team.
