DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 03/08/2022 Duedate: 04/04/2022
ILLIS ARENA
DM-59 TURN-400
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
NO ONE WILL KNOW
BASHAHOLICS ANON (297)
(59-3159) [14-6-0,113]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
NO ONE WILL KNOW POSITION IS EMPTY
BASHAHOLICS ANON (297)
(59-3159) [14-6-0,113]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
HARBOR SEAL HARBOR SEAL
ISLANDERS (247) ISLANDERS (247)
(59-2954) [14-34-0,87] (59-2954) [14-34-0,87]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
ISLANDERS (247)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. BASHAHOLICS ANON (297) 25
2. CLAN DREKMOOR (330) 19 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
3. ISLANDERS (247) 7 Unchartered Team
4. IMPROVED ILLUSION (261) 7
5. NEXUS 5 (324) 3 DARQUE FORCE (248)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 1 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261) 265 133 14 66.6 1/ 1 ISLANDERS (247) 8 7 0
2/ 2 CLAN DREKMOOR (330) 18 12 1 60.0 2/ 2 BASHAHOLICS ANON (297) 6 2 0
3/ 3 BASHAHOLICS ANON (297) 235 246 11 48.9 3/ 3 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261) 5 5 1
4/ 4 NEXUS 5 (324) 75 91 1 45.2 4/ 5 CLAN DREKMOOR (330) 3 1 0
5/ 5 ISLANDERS (247) 547 686 20 44.4 5/ 4 NEXUS 5 (324) 3 6 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
SPY REPORT
If you were disturbed from your beauty rest only to have to watch a bunch of
ILLIS brutes like you, you'd be grouchy, too. Of course, we're all terribly
impressed to see BROKENBONE win a fight and gain 20 points, terribly. Tsk, tsk,
SUBSTITUTION beat SHOO-CHA and SHOO-CHA lost 16 points. You're breakin' my heart.
Looks like ILLIS has some guts at least, SWORDGRAVE the Duelmaster was this turn's
most-challenged warrior. NO ONE WILL KNOW challenged ILLIS' Duelmaster for a shot at
the throne. And it's out with the old, in with the new, as NO ONE WILL KNOW takes
the Title and last week's bar tab from the old Duelmaster. Heh, heh. The Swinging
Aardvark, humph! I've tasted better ale at mortuaries. Where do they get this
stuff? From ILLIS' trash dumps?
Well, let's take a look at some more misdeeds of you miserable sword-boys.
ILLIS, I am losing what little hope I had in you. IMPROVED ILLUSION the most avoided
team? What insult will suffice, I cannot say. And it looks like NEXUS 5 avoided
them the most this turn. What a pack of would be losers, if you ask me. Hmph.
Ah, now we come to my favorite part, where we see all the guys who are dead and
gone, and get to see if their team cared. Honor is like a chainmail shirt, it only
shines through use. Certain nameless cowards will doubtless rebuke me on this one.
I was about to buy a new quill pen the other day, but some fighter took it for
an epee. Forgive me for writing with a dagger. Phlllt! Just had to do that before
I leave the fine city of ILLIS. I feel much better now. Glad to see the back of
this place-- Snide Clemens
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
NO ONE WILL KNOW 3159 14 6 0 113 BASHAHOLICS ANON (297)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SWORDGRAVE 3115 11 4 0 90 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
RAIGEKI 3121 7 2 1 89 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
ZARUKO 2796 18 15 0 88 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
HARBOR SEAL 2954 14 34 0 87 ISLANDERS (247)
HELLPOP 3085 15 36 0 81 NEXUS 5 (324)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SUBSTITUTION 3213 4 1 0 66 BASHAHOLICS ANON (297)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SHOO-CHA 3184 10 7 0 45 ISLANDERS (247)
OIL SPILL 3161 10 15 0 45 ISLANDERS (247)
BROKENBONE 3204 5 3 0 45 CLAN DREKMOOR (330)
TOM BLIGH 3193 10 4 1 43 ISLANDERS (247)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-WARBEAST 3203 2 2 0 26 CLAN DREKMOOR (330)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-GRIMFURY 3207 3 1 0 22 CLAN DREKMOOR (330)
STARFISH 3232 4 2 0 20 ISLANDERS (247)
JUBEI 3197 1 2 0 20 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
-AGAIN AND AGAIN 3244 1 0 0 18 BASHAHOLICS ANON (297)
AZA CHORN 3246 3 1 0 17 NEXUS 5 (324)
RAGEFIRE 3217 4 3 0 15 CLAN DREKMOOR (330)
-MADSLAYER 3205 2 2 0 12 CLAN DREKMOOR (330)
SOBER FOR 7 DAYS 3242 1 1 0 8 BASHAHOLICS ANON (297)
ENERVATE 3200 1 2 1 6 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
-GROBBENDONK 3229 1 3 0 6 NEXUS 5 (324)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
M. CHARDINEE 0 0 0 RAIGEKI 3121 400 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
We salute the tourney participants. -- Islanders
Swordgrave -- I happily hand the title and column over to you. -- Harbor Seal
Substitution -- Does that work? Could I try spilling something else? Milk, maybe? --
Oil Spill
Lee's Revenge -- Never take on someone else's revenge. It's a losing game. -- Shoo-
Cha
Scrawny George -- You're not believably scrawny. Eat less. -- Tom Bligh
Jubei -- Google says it isn't a common name but may mean master swordsman. I'm not
seeing that here today. -- Starfish
P.S. I considered ripping your face off, but what would I do with it afterward?
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
NO ONE WILL KNOW devastated SWORDGRAVE in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge Title fight.
HELLPOP lost to HARBOR SEAL in a 2 minute brutal expert's Challenge battle.
ZARUKO overpowered DOOMIE JUGGERNAUT in a 1 minute mismatched duel.
RAIGEKI delivered the death blow upon M. CHARDINEE in a 2 minute gory fight.
SHOO-CHA was demolished by SUBSTITUTION in a 1 minute mismatched competition.
TOM BLIGH won victory over TITUS PULLO in a 2 minute bloody fight.
OIL SPILL was overpowered by BROKENBONE in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
RAGEFIRE was savagely defeated by STARFISH in a 7 minute gruesome melee.
JUBEI won victory over SOBER FOR 7 DAYS in a popular 1 minute beginner's duel.
ENERVATE lost to AZA CHORN in a 1 minute novice's duel.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|WALL OF STEEL 5 PARRY-LUNGE 2 - 1 - 0 67 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 4 WALL OF STEEL 32 - 19 - 2 63 |
|AIMED BLOW 3 AIMED BLOW 17 - 12 - 2 59 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 TOTAL PARRY 5 - 5 - 0 50 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 1 PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 1 - 0 50 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 1 BASHING ATTACK 7 - 9 - 0 44 |
|BASHING ATTACK 1 LUNGING ATTACK 5 - 7 - 0 42 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 STRIKING ATTACK 18 - 26 - 1 41 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 4 - 11 - 0 27 |
|TOTAL PARRY 0 SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 3 - 0 25 |
Turn 400 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:
PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 0 WALL OF STEEL 2 - 3 3 STRIKING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 0 AIMED BLOW 1 - 2 3 WALL OF STEEL
BASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 AIMED BLOW
STRIKING ATTACK 3 - 1 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 1 BASHING ATTACK
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1 TOTAL PARRY 0 - 0 1 PARRY-LUNGE
1 PARRY-RIPOSTE
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
BASHING ATTACK NO ONE WILL KNOW 3159 14 6 0 113 BASHAHOLICS ANON (297)
AIMED BLOW SWORDGRAVE 3115 11 4 0 90 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
STRIKING ATTACK RAIGEKI 3121 7 2 1 89 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
PARRY-LUNGE ZARUKO 2796 18 15 0 88 IMPROVED ILLUSION (261)
WALL OF STEEL SHOO-CHA 3184 10 7 0 45 ISLANDERS (247)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is HARBOR SEAL 2954. The most popular warrior this
turn was HARBOR SEAL 2954. The ten other most popular fighters were RAIGEKI 3121,
TOM BLIGH 3193, JUBEI 3197, NO ONE WILL KNOW 3159, HELLPOP 3085, SUBSTITUTION 3213,
BROKENBONE 3204, AZA CHORN 3246, ZARUKO 2796, and SOBER FOR 7 DAYS 3242.
The least popular fighter this week was RAGEFIRE 3217. The other ten least popular
fighters were STARFISH 3232, OIL SPILL 3161, SHOO-CHA 3184, SWORDGRAVE 3115, ENERVATE
3200, SOBER FOR 7 DAYS 3242, ZARUKO 2796, AZA CHORN 3246, BROKENBONE 3204, and
SUBSTITUTION 3213.
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