DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 03/22/2022 Duedate: 04/18/2022
FRATSFA ARENA
DM-52 TURN-423
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
SISTER STEEL
IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
(52-4562) [22-22-2,114]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
SISTER STEEL POSITION IS EMPTY
IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
(52-4562) [22-22-2,114]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
SISTER STEEL MAIDEN ALLOY
IRON CATHEDRAL (159) IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
(52-4562) [22-22-2,114] (52-4579) [9-20-0,73]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. FLOWER GIRLS (189) 22
2. IRON CATHEDRAL (159) 21 FLOWER GIRLS (189)
3. CYGNUS (446) 1 Unchartered Team
4. MIDDLE WAY 8 (351) -6
FUNNY ANIMALS (207)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 1 FLOWER GIRLS (189) 689 419 24 62.2 1/ 1 IRON CATHEDRAL (159) 9 6 0
2/ 2 CYGNUS (446) 46 36 0 56.1 2/ 2 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351) 6 9 0
3/ 3 IRON CATHEDRAL (159) 290 268 23 52.0 3/ 4 FLOWER GIRLS (189) 5 2 0
4/ 4 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351) 246 321 3 43.4 4/ 3 CYGNUS (446) 2 2 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.
Good try, Banded Acolyte. But you need more than a band, maybe an orchestra.
-- Ferny Ross
SPY REPORT
Hail and well met warriors of FRATSFA! Know me for who I am, Zontani Sharp
Eyes, Spymaster extraordinaire of all Alastari. TOXIC TULIP caught the eye of many
in the gladiatorial commission as she skillfully bested XENO YOLE and was awarded 20
points in recognition. In one of the week's more notable duels, TENNESSE SMITH put
down BANDED ACOLYTE, causing him to lose 10 points of recognition in the process.
Who here was not present for the title fight this week as SISTER STEEL boldly
challenged FERNY ROSS in order to strive for the Duelmasters honors? The city has
turned out in honor of SISTER STEEL, for with hers arena victory she may now lay
claim to the highest position in the city! Informants "close" to the city champion
have told me that he never fights without pantyhose on beneath his armor. Watch out!
Many and various are the arts of battle. In FRATSFA "art" is a word that has
long since passed from the language! FRATSFA, city of gladiators! Mighty among the
names of thy guilds is FLOWER GIRLS, a guild shunned and avoided by many in the
weekly duels. Methinks more than a few here could name the guild it was that spent
the better part of last week avoiding FLOWER GIRLS. Indeed it was IRON CATHEDRAL.
Loose talk at the arena has reached my ears and it but confirms the knowledge that
many fighters are after TENNESSE SMITH. Watch your back!
Is not Death a warrior's foremost adviser? Warriors, may this counselor stand
ready at your right hand forever! Some say a warrior is judged by the way he bears
arms. One thing is sure, better a dagger in hand then a sword on the belt!
The girls are as pretty in FRATSFA as ever I remembered them....and the fighters
as ugly! Don't let your reputation slip! More than a sharp eye must I keep, indeed
a stout pair of legs must I keep as well! The endless paths of Alastari await me!
Till next we meet remember - the pen is mightier than the sword, but a maul is a
different story!-- Zontani Sharp Eyes
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SISTER STEEL 4562 22 22 2 114 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-DENEB 4607 10 3 0 105 CYGNUS (446)
ABLUTION 4620 10 3 0 98 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
TENNESSE SMITH 4411 18 26 1 94 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
FERNY ROSS 4578 17 19 0 90 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
KAPPA CYGNI 4469 21 21 0 84 CYGNUS (446)
DEADLY DAISY 4341 17 4 0 81 FLOWER GIRLS (189)
-HOT HONEYSUCKLE 4352 8 3 0 77 FLOWER GIRLS (189)
MAIDEN ALLOY 4579 9 20 0 73 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
BANDED ACOLYTE 4582 16 14 1 71 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
XAVIER YANG 4568 13 28 0 67 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TOXIC TULIP 4650 1 2 0 26 FLOWER GIRLS (189)
ZINC PREBSTER 4642 3 1 0 24 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-LIVID LOTUS 4648 2 0 0 21 FLOWER GIRLS (189)
XENO YOLE 4641 5 2 0 17 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
UMBERTO VINE 4640 4 3 0 15 MIDDLE WAY 8 (351)
-PERILOUS PEONY 4649 0 1 0 1 FLOWER GIRLS (189)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
PERSONAL ADS
Ferny Ross, big time champion! Salute! -- Lady Fern and The Flower Girls
Xavier Yang, I guess I was the ying and you were the yang? (wink) -- Hot Honeysuckle
Zinc Prebster, I am going to have to start taking that zinc stuff. It seems to work
for you! -- Toxic Tulip
Friendly Constable, oh, I like 'em friendly; I do. Let's do it again at The Flower
Shoppe; I'll give you a great rate! -- Livid Lotus
Health. Humility. Honor. And lots of fun at The Flower Shoppe. -- Lady Fern
We salute the tourney participant. -- We who walk the Middle Way
Maiden Alloy -- That's a contradiction. The alloying process implies you're no longer
a maiden. It's okay, I don't mind. -- Tennessee Smith
Hot Honeysuckle -- You're an aggressive little thing, aren't you? -- Xavier Yang
The Osksi Noble would do better to go home to Osksi. Surely his contract must have
expired by now. -- Umberto Vine
The constable was a bit embarrassing, but friendly enough. -- Xeno Yole
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
SISTER STEEL devastated FERNY ROSS in a 2 minute mismatched Challenge Title fight.
BANDED ACOLYTE was demolished by TENNESSE SMITH in a 1 minute Challenge melee.
KAPPA CYGNI was vanquished by ABLUTION in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
DEADLY DAISY luckily beat MAIDEN ALLOY in a crowd pleasing 14 minute veteran's fight.
XAVIER YANG lost to KHALHUMS DWARF in a 2 minute master's fight.
UMBERTO VINE was savagely defeated by ZINC PREBSTER in a 7 minute bloody brawl.
XENO YOLE was overpowered by TOXIC TULIP in a 2 minute gruesome uneven melee.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK 3 SLASHING ATTACK 2 - 0 - 0 100 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 TOTAL PARRY 5 - 1 - 0 83 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 2 PARRY-LUNGE 10 - 7 - 0 59 |
|BASHING ATTACK 1 BASHING ATTACK 10 - 7 - 1 59 |
|TOTAL PARRY 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 7 - 5 - 0 58 |
|AIMED BLOW 1 STRIKING ATTACK 23 - 18 - 0 56 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 1 AIMED BLOW 6 - 5 - 0 55 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 1 LUNGING ATTACK 11 - 15 - 0 42 |
|WALL OF STEEL 1 WALL OF STEEL 5 - 7 - 0 42 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 0 PARRY-STRIKE 2 - 10 - 0 17 |
Turn 423 was great if you Not so great if you used The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles: the fighting styles: top eleven warriors are:
BASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 AIMED BLOW 0 - 1 3 LUNGING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 1 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 1 2 PARRY-LUNGE
STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 1 2 STRIKING ATTACK
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 1 BASHING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 1 WALL OF STEEL 0 - 1 1 AIMED BLOW
1 TOTAL PARRY
1 PARRY-STRIKE
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
LUNGING ATTACK ABLUTION 4620 10 3 0 98 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
TOTAL PARRY DEADLY DAISY 4341 17 4 0 81 FLOWER GIRLS (189)
PARRY-LUNGE BANDED ACOLYTE 4582 16 14 1 71 IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is SISTER STEEL 4562. The most popular warrior this
turn was MAIDEN ALLOY 4579. The ten other most popular fighters were XAVIER YANG
4568, SISTER STEEL 4562, TENNESSE SMITH 4411, ZINC PREBSTER 4642, ABLUTION 4620,
TOXIC TULIP 4650, FERNY ROSS 4578, BANDED ACOLYTE 4582, KAPPA CYGNI 4469, and UMBERTO
VINE 4640.
The least popular fighter this week was DEADLY DAISY 4341. The other ten least
popular fighters were XENO YOLE 4641, UMBERTO VINE 4640, KAPPA CYGNI 4469, BANDED
ACOLYTE 4582, FERNY ROSS 4578, TOXIC TULIP 4650, ABLUTION 4620, ZINC PREBSTER 4642,
TENNESSE SMITH 4411, and SISTER STEEL 4562.
The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:
SISTER STEEL (52-4562) IRON CATHEDRAL (159)
NAME CHANGE-O-RAMA
Algernon, who had NOT gotten the name change he'd asked for, looked at the latest
petitioner. This was a typical gladiator, big, muscular, and scarred, with a frown.
"Ah, what can I do for you?"
"Name change. I heard we can do that. I'm tired of being Jane Doe."
"I'd think you would be," Algernon said faintly. "The Commission has actually
been thinking about this. It isn't FREE, mind you! It takes money to run our office,
you know, and we want to buy some goats--"
"I don't care about goats!" He made a crude suggestion about goats.
"Or maybe chickens. Or bees--" Algernon took a quick step back at the look on the
rough warrior's face. "Yes, a name change. Right away, sir. We can do that.
Gladiators, teams, it will cost you two dollars to make a change--"
"I had a talk with my manager. He'll find the money. I want to change my name
to Jane Ralph. I'm no doe!" He thumped a fist on the counter.
"Er, yes. Jane Ralph. Fill out this form, please." He pushed the paper across
the counter. "The changes start on the 15th of April--that's the Ides, you know, and
can be submitted through the end of May. With the payment. No change without the
goat, ah, the gold."
* * * * *
Warrior and team name changes will be accepted beginning April 15 and continuing
throughout the month of May. The cost will be $2 per name change. All proceeds will
be used to buy goats via Heifer International and will be matched up to $500.
If you have names you want to change, please contact Customer Service. -- RSI
WINTER BLOODGAMES 2022
Back by popular demand, we will be hosting a new slow Bloodgames mailed arena
beginning in late April. We also plan our usual Bloodgames arenas at the summer Face-
to-Face.
For those of you who always wanted the chance to manage the
last warrior standing alive upon the arena sands, your day has come. At the end of
the ten turns, even though several warriors, bruised and scarred, MAY yet live, only
one will be crowned Champion of the Bloodgames. And in this game mere survival counts
for little. A great general once said, "The object of battle is not to die for your
cause, but to make your enemy die for his." This general would have greatly enjoyed
the Duelmasters Bloodgames. Here are the particulars:
Slow Bloodgames (DM 95): Turn 1 is due Weds April 27
Turns process every 28 days
Strategy changes allowed, bloodfeud challenges only
Gameplay proceeds according to standard DM rules, except for a few notable exceptions:
BLOODGAMES ROLLUP -- Your Bloodgames team is ten warriors, one of each fighting
style, each warrior designed from scratch! (All are DYOs (design your owns) with 84
points, 3-21, as usual.) To submit your rollup, just write/type them up and send them
in. We'll mail or email your overviews and you can write up your strategies.
DEATH -- As the name implies, the Bloodgames will leave the arena sands somewhat
darker before they're over. It's a dangerous sport intended only for the tough and
spirited. The Arenamaster will be less likely to intercede on behalf of a dying
warrior. Even at a 1 kill desire, kill attempts will occur.
REPLACEMENTS AND ROLLUPS -- There will be no replacement characters.
CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES -- In this turn-based bloodgames, there are no regular
challenges, only bloodfeuds. There will be no DA challenges in either arena.
TURN PROCESSING AND DUE DATES -- DM 95 is due April 27 and will process on a 28-day
schedule.
MISSED TURNS -- All warriors fight each round. Only the dead may rest.
ERRORS -- If we make an input error, that warrior will be awarded a win and kill.
Errors must be reported before the next turn processes.
NEWSLETTER -- Warriors are ranked according to their number of kills. Champions of
Bloodgames may write a column for the newsletter at the end of the games.
FEES -- A Bloodgames rollup costs a $10 set-up fee. Managers may roll up more than
one team but may run only one team in each arena. The fee for all ten rounds is $49.
AWARDS -- The Bloodgames last ten rounds. Only warriors who survive to the end of
Turn 10 will be eligible for an award. However, a consolation award of a Bloodgames
T-shirt will be awarded to the dead warrior with the most kills.
The living warrior with the greatest number of kills will be the Bloodgames Champion.
Bloodgames Victor titles, 2nd and 3rd place, and Bloodgames Runner-up titles, 4th
through 6th place, will be awarded to those living warriors with the greatest number
of kills at the end of Turn 10, with one other important consideration: Each of these
six warriors must be of a different fighting style. Win/loss records and, if
necessary, recognition points will only be used to determine awards if there is a tie.
A Bloodgames T-shirts will be awarded to the manager of the team with the most kills.
The Bloodgames Champion fights for free in Advanced Duelmasters, and all Champions and
Victors earn Tournament Victor status, which allows them to challenge once per turn
with increased priority. These awards last for six months. The manager of the
Bloodgames Champion, Victors, and Runners-up will receive Bloodgames T-shirts.
AFTERMATH -- Warriors from the Bloodgames may not transfer to any other arena. Once
the games are over, the arena and teams will be disbanded. The fighters have won
their freedom and will never more be seen in the gladiatorial games. A special bonus
will, however, be awarded to the 1st through 3rd place warriors. Lady Sheila
Greywand, of the Isle of the Eye, has consented to allow the top three gladiators in
each Bloodgames admission to the Advanced Duelmasters games. Any special training
required to qualify those three warriors for Advanced Duelmasters combat will be
conducted before transfer into ADM. Astute managers will note that this means that
three warriors that are designed from scratch will survive the Bloodgames, win one of
the top three places, and go on to immortal glory! One of those warriors could be
yours!
The challenge is yours to take. The final plans are yours to make.
When the dust settles, remember: To the victor goes the spoils!
MY TAKE ON THE PARRY SLASH
I'm sure I'm not covering any new ground with my insights on the Wall of Steel. It is
my best fighting style and a favorite. I have currently 3 in ADM, and about a half
dozen active in the arenas with one currently undefeated and Duelmaster in DM 41.
So a bit about my observations. Like most defensive styles it seems to work best to
run these guys offensively while they are young so I outfit them and run them like a
slasher. They favor the initiative, parry and attack skills which sucks a bit in ADM
because they lack in defense skill and since defense is king in the late game, Walls
of Steel fall back into the pack quite a bit. It stinks but done right they can hold
their own vs anyone except end game lungers and aimed blows who seem to be way OP at
that level.
Anyway, stats are important of course. Strength should at least be 9+ to get slashing
weapons. Con can be lower; I have gotten away with a con of 7 because I run them fast
and furious anyway so if they get out jumped or crit dodged and ripped then they go
down easy. Most fights are over in minute 1 anyway. Size is a thing; smaller sizes
would be nice but you have issues with damage if you go low size and strength less
than 11. I have an upper limit of around 14 size and a lower one of 5 in my current
crew. Wit is a no brainer: 15+ is almost mandatory but I am running one with a 13 that
is doing ok but learning slows down to a crawl if you have less than 15. Will is super
necessary so I try not to go below 15 here with a build. Speed isn't really a
priority, so I often go as low as 3 here and they still do very well. More speed would
be nice, but speed is a luxury and not a necessity. Deftness is nice, I won't run a
WOS with less than a 13 here; my highest is 21 with a current ADM build.
Now how to run them. Well, minute one is offensive so I typically run 10-10-6 and then
taper off to a high offensive effort and a low or moderate activity level. It seems
that the majority of my ADM builds prefer a high-low pace.
So a couple of current warrior builds to show off the style.
Midnight, currently in ADM -- 9-11(2)-10-17-15-3-21, about to start stat raises
but currently has ad masters in attack and initiative.
Ishmail currently in Home Guard -- 12-9-6-15-17-9-15, currently at 93 skills and
wont be stat raising for a minute.
Average Joe in Mordant -- 11-11-14-13-13-9-13, painfully bad at learning and
definitely not recommended for the faint of heart.
Beowulf in Seam -- 11-12-9-15-17-3-17, currently at 54 skills and near the top of
the arena. Has fallen on hard times of late because of diminishing returns on
skill learns.
Broken in Shadowspire -- 9-14-9-17-17-5-13, very new and probably going to be a
.500 warrior when it's all said and done because of the low speed and deftness
combo.
Bender in DM 41 -- 9-7-14-17-17-3-17, currently undefeated and duelmaster, won't
last long but he started out as a tourney warrior and has gone at best 6-3 and
went 4-3 in this past mail-in as an adept.
So for anyone who doesn't know, a speed and deftness of 21 total is needed to get
normal coordination and a combo of 28 is needed to get the "fights well with either
hand" tag on your roll up. So not really relevant to the topic but just thought I'd
throw that out there. I like to keep this total at the very least 18 to get slightly
uncoordinated on all my builds because coordination is vital to defense and attack.
Okay, that's my take on this fun style. If I have enlightened anyone then you are
welcome, I hope I at least entertained everyone. Take it easy.
-- Eli