best managers?

Unchartered Poster Joined: Aug 13, 2003 Posts: 23

Ichabod and LHI's comments on the killing thread brought up an interesting topic.. who's the best? I would say that you'd have to categorize a bit. I don't think anyone is completely dominant in this game. who do you rank at the top in these categories?

a. Basic arena play
b. Tourney performance
c. Top-end domination
d. Strategy

the best strategist, to me, would be characterized as the person you would want to fill out your strategy sheet in a proxied TC fight.

s. a.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:44 am

You definitely need to categorize. Duelmasters encompasses so many levels that there are very few managers who possess all-around games. Who I would want to fill out my proxy strategy would depend both on the individual warrior and the tournament class.

The life cycle of a manager seems to go into stages. First players concentrate on mastering the basic game. Once they've done that, they move on to tourneys, once they start doing well enough in tourneys they start thinking about the top end. (and so forth) By the time most managers are well into the top end cycle, their basic play has suffered a lot because they no longer have the time to do the little micro management it takes to be an excellent basic arena manager. (Plus it's bad strategy to reveal your optimal strategy in situations where it doesn't count) That's why the top end/tourney managers are often to be considered the game's best managers--because they've gone through the DM cycle wheel. But would I necessarily want them on my team in a basic arena challenge like TOGs? No thanks, I'd settle for a manager with less game knowledge who does micromanage.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:50 am

Valid point - there are also oddballs like Alfredo, who has gone through the top end altogether and is back to just arena play. There is a certain draw to constant day-in/day-out competition.

Myself, I have some interest in tournaments, but they're not my end-all. I actually do have 2 sandbaggers (OOOH!), but I also know I'm getting stomped next month, as my only timed guys are dead. Now that I'm up to 8 active (and nearly as many retired) in ADM, I'm playing that level more, but I'll withhold Gateway judgement until I've been there a couple years. Perhaps I'm odd in that I do consider final-stage potential, but it's not a driving force.

Anyway....

Basic play I would give to Alfredo
Top-End I think is easily Doc Steele (Oooh, I can feel Guardian's blood pressure rising already)
Tourney performance lately has definitely been Sentinel.
Strategy - I have no bloody clue.

Unchartered Poster Joined: Aug 13, 2003 Posts: 23

Ichabod wrote:

Basic play I would give to Alfredo
Top-End I think is easily Doc Steele (Oooh, I can feel Guardian's blood pressure rising already)
Tourney performance lately has definitely been Sentinel.
Strategy - I have no bloody clue.

I guess there's not much to disagree about here:

basic - alfredo is still the man
top end - doc, but the dark one isn't far behind, he could lose 100 fights straight in primus and still be beating doc's win %
tourneys - sentinel is on a hot streak, as the record shows
strategy - guardian is tough to beat anywhere, anytime

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 2:02 pm

A very specific comment about basic arena play.

The recent 99 Bottles II contest in Bonsur was a very interesting event. When it was all said and done, there was some very different looking teams that were competing for the top spot, and it was definitely a horse race.

Ichabod's team, as has been commented on by a few of us Sloshers, was a totally awesome collection, one of the best groups of basic warriors on a team sheet I've seen in a while, and despite missing 2 turns early on which would normally be a severe set-back in a contest which values consistent play, that team showed it's colors and won the day. He did a good job of navigating a dangerous path, and got some good fortune at the end with some very good replacements, and he sacrificed their longer term usefulness in order to win the contest.

On the other hand, Alf's original team was total dung. Awful. When he showed it to me and said it was the team he was using for the 99 B II I almost gagged. But somehow these monstrosities got rolling and started looking mean. Then he gets a replacement that he turns into a relatively good SL, but it ends up with parry fave learn and it still goes 16-3-3 or something? Alf is a force. He has a very hardline philosophy about warrior design which has influenced many of the other better players in the game, and he knows game strategy as well as anyone.

Manager, I also have to say that aside from Melissa being obviously a good warrior due to the sandbagging exp. it had, you did very well with a team of warriors that at first glance would look like DA warriors to many less patient players, I give you much credit there. Excellent job.

My team was a team sheet which I really liked, it got some nice rolls and bonuses, I put it into Bonsur a while ahead of time to try to position a few of them at various levels of the arena, and they just plain learned like dolts, then got slaughtered right off the bat when the contest started. So, rather than let my average warriors sit as easy pickin's for the opposition, I sat out the rest of the contest. Very dissappointing, considering I had put a bit of thought into the team composition and my planning for how to balance experienced warriors with good young warriors.

Anyway, that's a bit of a rundown from my point of view on the Bonsur contest in context to the question of who is the best basic manager. Alf may be rusty in his top game and lacks the pipeline that many newer tourney managers have, but he's got a huge reservior of knowledge about the game and just seems to make things happen. We're thankful to have him as an alliance-mate and mentor in the Frothingslosh Syndicate.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 2:34 pm

Manray wrote:

We're thankful to have him as an alliance-mate and mentor in the Frothingslosh Syndicate.

Amen to that, brother!

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 2:45 pm

What a religious speach. Inspiring.... !

Almost makes me want to genuflex.

Smile

ghoti

My opinion don't count on this board.. I can only recite from other peoples opinions. I will just have to take what everyone else tells me.. WAIT.. I vote for..... LHI..

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:08 pm

Hey all,

This is a great thread. I was curious about your criteria, as well as who is the best. Great stuff.

Buddha

Unchartered Poster Joined: Nov 04, 2002 Posts: 7

a. Basic arena play
b. Tourney performance
c. Top-end domination
d. Strategy

I will start each of my answer with "in my humble opinion" (IMHO) because I understand my senility has addled my meger brain.

IMHO basic was/is the Consortium hands down. His ability to earn 60% + (over 500 fights) in numerous arenas in all regions is amazing. The biggest part of that is he did it with all warriors and replacements not using the DA.

IMHO tourney is real close. I would have to break it down a little further. If the ability to properly set up a warrior to perform at it's peak I would have to list Sentinel/TUM/Doc Steele (Guardian/Hoffa). These are the masters at it. If one is looking for the ability to TC in lower classes (adepts down) I would have to list Guardian/Manager/Sentinel. Out and out tourney performance would have to go to the one that is able to see the talent of the warrior. I feel that is Manager (LHI/Sentinel). All you have to do is track the newsletters to easily see this.

IMHO top-end is locked up by Doc Steele. He has been the reigning master of strangle holds in the upper end. I also like Tum/Sentinel/Hoffa at the Primus level.

Last but not least IMHO Strategy mastery to me is determined by who I would most hate to be sitting in the chair next to me in a finals. I would have to list Doc Steele/Slugbait/Rillion (Hombre/Jiles). Now if you are looking for those that know more about strategies, I would have to list Doc Steele/Hoffa/ Guardian. Head games is so much the part of tournies.

I am sure I slighted many managers that are worthy or better but I listed what I think were the best.

Soultaker

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 5:40 pm

I agree with the Consortium as best arena manager. You'd know what was coming against him and he'd still beat you.

Strategy: When it comes to who do you least want to be sitting next to in a face final, Soultaker is near the top of the list, especially when it's one of the Sentinel's warriors.

Site Admin Joined: Jun 20, 2002 Posts: 1349

You beat me to it.