DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 03/24/2012 Duedate: 04/06/2012
NOBLISH ISLAND ARENA
DM-93 TURN-347
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
BUSY
BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588)
(93-9223) [5-1-0,78]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
POSITION IS EMPTY BUSY
BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588)
(93-9223) [5-1-0,78]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
CONTRACT BRIDGE CHELSEA NOREN
FAVORITE GAMES (1587) LOW ROAD 3 (1589)
(93-9218) [4-2-0,25] (93-9228) [3-2-0,18]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
FAVORITE GAMES (1587)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. CRIT-GIVERS (1593) 69
2. THE FARSEERS (1591) 26 DRAGON'S FIRE (711)
3. BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588) 23 Unchartered Team
4. FAVORITE GAMES (1587) 14
5. LOW ROAD 3 (1589) 8 CRIT-GIVERS (1593)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 0*CRIT-GIVERS (1593) 5 0 0 100 1/ 1*FAVORITE GAMES (1587) 13 2 0
2/ 1*FAVORITE GAMES (1587) 21 9 0 70.0 2/ 2*BASH BROS TELEPHO (1588) 11 4 0
3/ 2*BASH BROS TELEPHO (1588) 18 12 0 60.0 3/ 4*THE FARSEERS (1591) 8 7 1
4/ 3*LOW ROAD 3 (1589) 14 11 1 56.0 4/ 3*LOW ROAD 3 (1589) 7 8 1
5/ 5*THE FARSEERS (1591) 8 7 1 53.3 5/ 0*CRIT-GIVERS (1593) 5 0 0
6/ 4*OLIVA GALVARIUS (1586) 11 11 1 50.0 6/ 5*OLIVA GALVARIUS (1586) 3 4 1
7/ 6*BRIDGE BURNERS (1592) 1 9 0 10.0 7/ 6*BRIDGE BURNERS (1592) 1 9 0
8- 7*HEAVEN'S DEVILS (1590) 0 5 0 0.0 8- 7*HEAVEN'S DEVILS (1590) 0 5 0
9- 8*SERPENT'S (285) 0 1 0 0.0 9- 8*SERPENT'S (285) 0 1 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
INTERESTING TIDBITS
or
USEFUL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT D-2
or
MISCELLANEOUS USEFUL & USELESS RAMBLINGS
or
GAMEMASTER OPENS HIS MOUTH AGAIN
I get to talk or lecture or advise some more. I am so lucky. Just who am I,
you ask? Sometimes I'm not sure, but today I remember. I am Gamemaster, manager of
Favorite Games here in Noblish Island. Maybe more importantly, I am but one of the
40+ Consortium managers who have collectively fought nearly 100,000 fights and
graduated almost 1000 warriors to ADM. I am an experienced, 25+ year, D2er. Yes, I
am here to compete with you, but that is secondary to my primary purpose-- to help
you learn and enjoy this wonderful game of ours. May your stay in our world be long,
fun, and successful.
Today, I thought I would list for you a random 25 "Did you know thats?" . Feel
free to ask questions in subsequent personal ads. I can be really good about
answering them.
Twenty-five random "what you always wanted to know about D-2" statements:
* Here are the top (not in order) early goals for a new manager-- win more than
50% of the first 20 fights; achieve a Duelmaster; earn a Lord Protector, have a lot
of fun.
* The purely offensive styles are the easiest to learn to run well, (BA, SL, ST)
while the defensive/finesse styles are most difficult. (AB,PL, PR, PS, WS)
* Stats and physicals are very important, but this is a game of learning skills.
* Gender, race, and role-playing do not in any way affect the strategy and fight
mechanics. But they certainly add to the enjoyment of the experience.
* Attending a Face-To-Face tournament is probably the highlight of a D2 career.
* Yes, indeed, a DM arena warrior can occasionally defeat a DA Monster.
* Recognition points (recog), political points (PP), and fight equivalent (FE)
are all terms to learn and understand.
* If a warrior plays long enough, and trains every possible stat, it can look
like this: 25-25-x-25-25-25-25. (Only 21-21-x-21-21-21-21 pre-ADM.)
* In ADM, a warrior is immortal. In DM, it is possible, but very, very
improbable that a warrior can be immortal.
* There was a time when a paying manager was known to run 40 teams at once.
* The next Face-To-Face tournament is in Philadelphia, PA this summer. The last
one was in Tempe, AZ.
* The war flail is known as a "whiffle" for its weak damage-doing. It is
reported that a whiffle once bounced off a naked (unarmored) opponent.
* Manager (role-playing name of a very good manager) won the first TOGS.
(Tournament Of The Golden Scrod)
* There are only two arenas where a manager is mandated to run all five warriors
in his stable each turn. (DM81, DM83)
* In general, the aimed blow is considered to be the best top-end style today.
Once upon a time, it was the lunger. In prehistoric days, the parry-lunger was
thought to be the perfect style.
* Nicknames to know: parry-lunge = plunger, advanced expert = adex, war flail =
whiffle, parry-strike = piker, sponge total parry = scum, parry-riposte = ripper.
* Yes, you can double challenge a warrior, and it approximately doubles the
chance of getting the fight. Simply list the to-be-challenged warrior's ID twice in
both challenge slots.
* Two sites have significant value and information about the game;
Terrablood.com and reality.com/dm
* There are three mentors in Noblish Island, Jorja, Assur, and The Consortium.
Use their expertise.
* Some managers seldom use tactics. (e.g. Assur) Some use tactics often. (e.g.
The Consortium)
* A most common offensive strategy opening is 10-10-X. (OE/AL/KD)
* An expert has 16 total skills of the same type. Skills are acquired: at
design, by learning skills in a fight, and by learning certain stats which also
provide some skills. An advanced expert has 20 total skills.
* Many consider the scimitar (SC) the best overall weapon in the game. The top
five most commonly used weapons by The Consortium are SS, BS, QS, ME, DA. Their
favorite of the weapons is the BA.
* The most popular Consortium armor, in order, is: naked, APA, ASM.
* One of the best events (An event is a special competition in an arena) are the
Turf Wars, a year long team competition, in DM47. That event, TW VIII, begins in
late July 2012. It is open to all levels of managers.
Have fun. Enjoy the competition. Learn, learn, learn. Ask questions.
Experiment. The day will come when you, too, are an experienced D2 manager. Good
luck.
Gamemaster
>)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] *IHI* [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<
Assur's Guide to Pure Defensives
1) Design
In creating a pure defensive, the things that you should be concerned about are:
Hit Points, Carry Ability, Endurance, and your skills in parry and/or defense.
Again, other attributes and skills can't hurt, but those are the vital attributes for
how you'll be fighting.
Hit Points come from Constitution (mostly), Size, and Will
Carry Ability comes from Strength and Constitution, though if your Strength is
lower than your Constitution, the carry ability only comes from your Strength.
Endurance comes from Strength, Constitution, and Will (especially Will)
You get Parry Skills at
Str: 5, 7, 15, 17, 21, 21
Siz: (5), (7), (15), (17), (21), (21)
Wil: 5, 7, 15, 17, 21, 21
Dft: 5, 7, 9, 11, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 21
You get Defense Skills at
Siz: (5), (7), (15), (17), (21), (21)
Wit: 5, 7, 9, 11, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 21
Wil: 5, 7, 15, 17, 21, 21
Spd: 5, 7, 15, 17, 21, 21
Dft: 5, 7, 9, 11, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 21
Note that for parry and defense skills in size, you get penalized for having higher
sizes.
For parry based styles, it is highly recommended to have 11+ strength and as much
will as you can get. Eleven deftness is also very nice. You can't have too much
constitution. It is recommended to not be too big, because you don't typically have
enough points for the stats you really want. Wit is nice, but not necessary. Almost
always, 1 point of con is better than 1 parry skill.
For dodge based styles, it is much tougher. ABs are usually made with 21 deftness
because they get attack skill bonuses, but for a pure defensive dodging AB, the
deftness isn't as vital. If you're going open handed, strength can be sacrificed. I
do not know as much about pure defensive AB's, especially in basic. I have two that
I plan to try out soon (3-21-11-11-10-7-21 and 9-17-12-11-7-7-21) Mine will fight as
Rookies and then in the arena. For Lungers, you want lots and lots of endurance.
Twenty-one will and as much strength and constitution as you can get. Low size is
highly recommended for dodge based defensives.
High speed is not desired on either, simply because you want those points elsewhere.
2) Style Choice
There are two routes to go in choosing a style. A parry based style or a defense
based style. The traditional choices are the parry based styles (any style that
learns parry naturally). Style is almost irrelevant, because in most of these
fights, a couple of parry skills or endurance burn doesn't come in to play. There
are times when it does, which is what makes Total Parries the king, but all of these
styles can be very, very successful as pure defensives.
Total Parries are the most common pure defensive on the sands. There are plenty
of nicknames for Total Parries who are pure defensives, because of how frustrating it
can be to face them. They learn parry and defense skills naturally, are well suited
to all of the shields, and often ignore opportunities to attack. They also have the
highest parry base in the game.
Parry Strikers would be my next choice. They conserve endurance better than any
of the other parry based pure defensives. They learn parry naturally. They are well
suited to the Small Shield.
Parry Ripostes conserve somewhere around the same level as Total Parries. They
learn parry skills naturally. Because they also learn so many riposte skills, even
running defensive strategies they will tend to try to gain the initiative. They are
one of the best natural hybrids, but they make fine pure defensives as well.
Parry Lungers burn endurance much faster than the styles listed above. They
have much higher skill bases overall, but their parry is the same as Parry Ripostes
and Parry Strikers. They learn parry naturally.
Wall of Steels have the potential for the highest parry in the game. Total
Parries will never be bonused in parry skills, so while they start with the most, a
Wall of Steel can be bonused and start with two more parry skills than any other
style can. On the other side of things, they burn endurance faster than any of the
other styles listed and typically use heavier weapons. Like Parry Lungers, they have
a higher overall skill base, but for the discussion of the pure defensive, those
other skills don't matter as much.
The other option is a dodge based Pure Defensive. Most of the time, these styles are
run as hybrids in later minutes, but they both have the ability to run as pure
defensives for an entire fight.
Lungers are the king in basic. They learn defense naturally and have the
highest starting defense in the game. In fact, they are the only style other than
Total Parries that learn defense naturally. On the down side, they burn endurance
fast.
Aimed Blows are the other style that typically runs as a pure dodge defensive.
I do not know much about these warriors, but watching them is a thing of beauty. In
ADM, when they can start going open handed without concern, they rule the game, but
even in basic, they can be very successful. The down side for them is that they do
not learn defense skills naturally, so you're really hoping it is their favorite
learn.
As always, any style can be run as a pure defensive, for part of a fight or an entire
fight. The styles listed above are merely the traditional choices. And realize that
the dodge based styles I list are often run as hybrids in later minutes. The line
between a pure defensive and a hybrid is often blurred, because even some Total Parry
pure scum will attack and win fights after their opponent is exhausted (which is one
of the hybrid strategies I will mention later).
3) Weapon Selection (with requirements)
If you aren't planning to attack, it hardly matters what weapon you use, right?
Typically, parry based pure defensives use an off hand shield (and often a main hand
shield)
Large Shield (13 Str, 3 Wit, 7 Dft) (10+ Dft to use in off hand, depending on Main
hand weapon)
Medium Shield (9 Str, 3 Wit, 5 Dft) (7+ Dft to use in off hand)
Small Shield (5 Str, 3 Wit, 5 Dft) (7+ Dft to use in off hand)
ABs often use their Fists, because they get a bonus to their ability to dodge.
As with style choice, weapons selection often does not matter for these fights. The
fight outcome is more a function of your opponent's ability to take you down or wait
you out, not on your abilities or skills.
4) Strategy and Tactics
For your parry based pure defensive, 1-1 Parry or 1-1 Open works great. The response
tactic has some interesting uses, especially in minute 1 or minute 6. Note that this
strategy will usually make your fights quite boring to read, especially the 1-1 parry
strategy. This strategy and type of warrior is not meant to be fun, but good ones
can amass amazing records, especially before Advanced Duel2. Your best challenges
are styles that burn their endurance fastest (Lungers, Wall of Steels, and Parry
Lungers).
For the dodge based pure defensive, High Activity Level is important. How high
depends largely on your warrior. Experiment to find what works best. Offensive
Effort is typically low. Dodge or Open for tactics.
Once again, the line between pure defensive and hybrid can become very blurred. Not
attacking at all may not be your best way to win fights. What if in a later minute
you raise your offensive effort and do not use a defensive tactic? You're suddenly
not fighting as a pure defensive. For many warriors, this is a much better strategy
than simply trying to wait until your opponent drops from exhaustion. The mechanics
of the game can allow for some very strange results. I had a basher with very little
endurance and 3 will refuse to drop from exhaustion and finally won after 6 minutes
against a total parry. This is probably more important for dodge based defensives,
but can also be true for parry based defensives.
5) Armor
APA/F is the norm. ASM/x is a nice choice, especially against that nasty SC.
For dodging defensives, it is not a good idea to wear more than you can carry.
Hopefully you have lots of strength and can carry APA and a F.
>)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] *IHI* [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<
Profile of a Style
Parry-Riposte
When you read about the parry-riposte style in the rulebook, it looks like it
might be a lot of fun to run, and it is. But it's also really tricky. The plain
offensives: basher, lunger, slasher, striker, and the total parry, are easier. I
don't think I've ever heard a manager say that he really understands the parry-
riposte style, I certainly don't myself. But I've run a lot of them, and some have
survived, and they ARE fun.
So just for a basic introduction to warriors of the parry-riposte style, known
to one and all as rippers, here's what I know.
Design: This is tough. The ripper needs it all! Especially important, though,
are endurance from constitution (CN) and will (WL), plus skill from wit (WT) and
deftness (DF), and it doesn't hurt to have enough strength (ST) to do a decent amount
of damage... and what does that leave that you can go short on? Size (SZ), okay, a
ripper can be--usually is--small. Speed (SP), well, I just don't know. It wouldn't
hurt them to have speed, but where are all the points going to come from?
I have made a lot of rippers over the years, some of them from roll-ups that
were spectacularly unsuited to the style. These are ones who lived to graduation:
Santee 13- 7-14-17-15- 8-10 LO mod/mod slash
Toryn 9-12- 7-13-15-11-17 EP vlo/mod
Scovellie 9-13- 8-17-17- 5-15 SH low/mod
Chia 10-13- 5-17-17- 5-17 SS low/high
Saba 5-17- 9-15-17- 4-17 EP mod/low
Bali 9- 6-14-15-17- 8-15 LO vlo/mod
Jane 9-10- 9-17-17- 5-17 SS mod/mod lunge/riposte
Cedar 15- 6- 7-15-17- 9-15 LS mod/mod
Azureen 9-12- 8-17-10-11-17 SC high/mod riposte
Similde 6- 6- 5-17-17-16-17 LO low/mod
Tailida 9-13- 5-15-17- 8-17 SH low/mod
Korlo 9- 8-12-17-15- 8-15 LS vlo/mod
Tilona 9- 9- 7-15-17-10-17 SH low/mod lunge
You'll see my biases at work here.
Strength is usually at least nine; in the cases where it started lower, the
warriors were cursed with little damage, and I trained it up as soon as I could.
(The numbers shown here are all original, before stat trains.)
Constitution generally moderate. Most of these warriors could take a hit or two
and survive.
Size mostly small, but not always. I did try a couple six-footers, and they didn't
do as badly as one might expect.
Wit is 15 or 17, except in one case. I always look for brains in a gladiator, and
this style needs it.
Will is, except in one case, 15 or 17. High will improves endurance, an important
factor for a parry-style, and makes it easier to train stats when the time comes.
Speed may be anything. I generally did not add any points to speed during the
design phase.
Deftness is 15 or 17 again, except in one case. Deftness, and the skills that go
with it, are important to a finesse style like the ripper. Plus, where strength may
be a problem, accuracy helps.
Weapon selection: There are six weapons well suited to the parry-riposte style,
listed below with the minimum stats required for their best use.
Epee ST 7 SZ - WT 15 DF 15
Longspear ST 11 SZ 9 WT 5 DF 9
Longsword ST 11 SZ - WT 13 DF 11
Scimitar ST 9 SZ - WT 11 DF 11
Shortspear ST 9 SZ - WT 7 DF 7
Shortsword ST 5 SZ - WT 11 DF 3
Only weapons well suited to the style will show up as favorite weapons when a warrior
graduates. Yes, you CAN put other weapons in their hands, but you aren't likely to
get the best results that way. (You may note that some of my graduated rippers
listed above were initially unable to use their favorite weapon to best advantage.
This is one of the sneaky things the Gladiatorial Commission does to keep you on your
toes.) I STRONGLY advise that when you design a ripper, consult the weapon chart and
make sure that your warrior will have the stats to use at least one of the weapons
listed to its best advantage.
Armor selection: This depends on how you plan to run the warrior. If he's
going to be fast, and/or he can take a few hits (takes normal damage, for instance,
signified by no comment on the overview) but maybe has low endurance, put him in
light armor. If you plan to run him slow, or he can take little damage but maybe has
high endurance, put him in medium to heavy armor.
Strategy: This is always a tricky thing to advise people on, which is why I've
listed the favorite rhythms on the warriors above. Very low (vlo) is 1 or 2, low is
3 or 4, moderate (mod) is 5 or 6, high is 7 or 8, and very high (vhi) is 9 or 10.
Offensive effort is listed first, then activity level. You can see that most rippers
in this sample prefer to run at middling speeds, usually with the activity level
higher than the offensive effort. Not all of them, but a majority. You can ignore
that--I sometimes do--and run them fast and hard, as though they were simple
offensive warriors. Some take to this treatment, others burn out. The medium speeds
are safe, and a place to start from.
You'll note I haven't mentioned kill desire here. There is no such thing as a
warrior or style having a favorite kill desire. Your kill desire can have a profound
effect on how the warrior fights, but it is strictly a personal decision. However, I
can say that my own experience has been that if a warrior has a high KD in
desperation, he will tend to go berserk, and if he has a low KD in desperation, he
will surrender. Warriors who surrender lose fights, but generally they survive to
fight again. I can't say the same of warriors who go berserk in desperation.
Tactics: I don't use tactics much, myself, but that's just me. You'll note
that out of the thirteen warriors listed above, two have favorite offensive tactics
(slash and lunge) and one has a favorite defensive tactic (riposte) and one has both
an offensive and a defensive tactic (lunge/riposte). All this tells us for sure is
that slash, lunge, and riposte are tactics that rippers can use well (or they
wouldn't appear as favorites). Experiment with them, but don't try to use an
offensive AND a defensive tactic in the same minute; it confuses the warrior.
And to go from the general to the specific--
Profile of a Warrior
Tailida Dawnrain
Tailida is one of the rippers listed above.
She's left-handed
She's intelligent
Makes the most of her enemy's mistakes
Has an unusual fighting style that confuses many opponents
Rarely makes mistakes
Is always thinking ahead
She plans out every move that she makes, seldom wasting any effort
She is very quick (the DF more than the SP, I think)
She cannot carry a lot of weight in armor and weapons
(more a question of her SZ than her ST)
She is incredibly quick and elusive on her feet
Making even dangerous opponents look harmless
She does little damage with each blow
(curses! I had hoped that the ST of 9 would offset her small SZ. It didn't.)
ST 9 CN 13 SZ 5 WT 15 WL 17 SP 8 DF 17
If I decide to run her on the Isle, I will train up her ST until I get normal
damage. (Note, no skills will be burned between ST 9 and ST 14, skill-wise, this is
a barren stretch. But it WILL increase the amount of damage a warrior can do.)
She graduates with a master in riposte, an expert in attack, a master in parry, and
an advanced expert in defense.
She is naturally adept with the shortsword, which I don't think she tried
She favors a fighting rhythm of low offensive effort and moderate activity level
And she tends to learn parry skills most easily.
She received her graduation notice when her record was 21-9-2,96 in Tricorus (dm 51).
On the same turn as her graduation notice arrived, she was challenged by a total
parry in plate armor and a full helm, carrying a broadsword and a medium shield.
Tailida herself was in leather armor and a helm, carrying a scimitar (and a
backup).
Tailida was running 7-7-x, faster than she would have liked, but that's how
she's being running straight along, and it kept her alive and with a winning record,
so I don't want to hear her complain.
Tailida got the jump and hit her opponent twice in the first minute, several
other blows being parried, hit once each in the second and third minutes, with other
blows being parried, was parried completely in the fourth minute, was showing signs
of weariness in the fifth minute but still managed to land a few blows in the fifth,
sixth, and seventh minutes. Then she collapsed with exhaustion at the end of the
seventh minute and lost the fight without being hit once. This is why you find
managers speaking harshly of "scum": we all hate to see our warrior work hard, do all
the right things, and lose because the opponent wasn't doing anything but standing
there in heavy armor.
Jorja
The Middle Way
+<]H[>+-----+<]H[+ Question of the Week #7 +]H[>+-----+<]H[>+
From turn 414:
All -- In case last cycle's personals don't make it: What are the advantages and
disadvantages of using one or two weapons. I'm particularly interested in Riposte
effects. -- Q.O.W. Hanibal
Q.O.W. -- Two Weapons. That's a good subject.
Disadvantages: Few if any, but it has been suggested that some weapons give
bonuses to attack if you use them in two hands instead of one, such as SC. An
obvious one is you can't use two handed weapons. If you don't have the attribute
requirements (which are more stringent for off-hand weapons), then you may suffer
penalties when using certain combinations. Last, you may swing with an off-hand more
than you want, say if you are using a shield. It's usually prefered to have a real
weapon in your off-hand.
Advantages: You have a second weapon already in hand if one breaks. If you are
ambidextrous, this is the biggest advantage, because they will swing with that off-
hand weapon almost as if it were their on-hand. My ambi-warriors will win fights
with off-hand weapons. An off-hand weapon is not bound to a warrior's style
suitability, so a LU could use a SC in their off-hand without penalty if they have
the attribute requirements. Another advantage is suggested in that it assists in
parrying. I tend to think highly coordinated warriors are better at parrying with
their second weapon than those who aren't. I rarely use shields, so I can't comment
extensively on their benefits over a real weapon, especially in AD, but in basic,
shields seem to make it easier to parry attacks.
Riposte and 2-Weapons: I have not noticed any specific variance in the ability
of a warrior to riposte if they are using two weapons. Once in AD, riposting is more
often than not following a dodge. I don't think there is much correlation here, but
it is definitely something to look into. -- Adie
The Question of the Week is posed in Aruak City (DM 11) by Hanibal, a manager
who is himself an alumnus of Noblish Island. The answers are provided by other
managers in that arena. Any manager here in Noblish who wishes to pose a question to
the more experienced managers of Aruak City, feel free to do so, either by sending in
a personal directed to DM 11 and identifying yourself as a manager from Noblish
seeking enlightenment, or by posting the question here, in which case I will be glad
to see that it reaches Aruak.
Also, Hanibal sends you greetings and asks that we remind you that all arenas do
not have the same attitude and local conventions. Aruak City is an Andorian arena
and subscribes to the doctrine of Honorable Play, meaning, no down-challenging except
from the throne or in bloodfeuds, no deliberate attempts to kill the warriors of
other managers, and a general attitude of friendly respect toward the other members
of the arena. It is, in fact, a fine arena, and one where you would all be welcome
(though there are plenty of others--just ask, and I'll be glad to tell you about my
favorites).
If you have questions that you would like answered by the experienced managers
of the game, don't hesitate to ask--we can't answer if you don't ask. Questions can
be posed in the personals here, or by email to me (jputney@zianet.com) or Pagan
(pagan@gte.net), or by diplo to Jorja/The Middle Way 4 here in DM 93.
Question from turn 415 of Aruak City:
All -- Do you think you get negative modifiers when you go desperate? What about "is
dangerously stunned" or "is bleeding badly" or "is on the verge of shock"? -- Hanibal
Q.O.W.
Answers from turn 416:
Hanibal -- That's a good question! I honestly don't have much of an opinion on that.
In the old days, warriors could get permanent wounds that would affect their fighting
in later matches (but not anymore), and it's been suggested that getting hit in
certain locations affects what your character can do during a match (obvious cases
are losing the use of an arm or being knocked down), but the sorely wounded comments?
It probably just has to do with giving a hint as to how close that warrior is to
going down if it gets hit in that badly wounded spot again. -- Adie
QOW -- After 'bleeding badly', 'dangerously stunned', 'sorely wounded', 'verge of
shock', etc., a warrior's ability to defend themselves is penalized. Desperation by
itself may not represent an ability penalty as much as a time to check for surrender
and a switch to the desperation strategy. Often, with a drastic strategy switch in
desperation, a warrior's performance can improve. -- Carmen
QOW -- I've noticed that by the time I get somebody to that point they're finished.
But I've also noticed that some of my more defensive comrades will give their
opponent a moment to recover and they're still able to. Despite this I would say
that by the time the comments you listed come into play the warrior who's getting
beat is in really bad shape. Whereas statements like "fights with the cunning of
desperation" or "eyes flare with renewed determination" still leave plenty of room
for the warrior to make a comeback. Therefore I would say that the earlier
desperation statements don't carry any significant penalties. -- Maxwell Honorblade
* }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *
---===FREE BLADES REGIONAL NEWS===---
Duelmasters
-----------
DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 692): TIGHT BLOUSE of HOT STUFF (Papa Bear, mgr.)
DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 694): KUNG PO FROG of KAOS FROGS (Grimm, mgr.)
DM 13 DULLENS (turn 619): WOLFDOG of CARDOW HUNTERS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 688): SHANK of SERPENTS' HOLD (Khisanth, mgr.)
DM 16 WILLAF (turn 690): GOLD CHARM of GOLDEN GLADIATORS (Midas, mgr.)
DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 682): DAWN of ZOMBIE SQUAD (Khisanth, mgr.)
DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 683): WATER WORKS of MONOPOLY (Sherlock, mgr.)
DM 28 MORYA (turn 343): TAXES of EXPENSE ACCOUNT (Finance Manager, mgr.)
DM 29 LAPUR (turn 680): CASIMIR PULASKI of BOHICA (Scruffy Puff, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 341): XANDAR of AVENGERS (Huckle Cat?, mgr.)
DM 32 ARVAT (turn 676): S.W.A.T. of SECRET SQUIRRELS (Gentleben, mgr.)
DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 673): HEADLESS NORSEMAN of HALLOWIENERS (The Dark One)
DM 35 MURSKA (turn 665): MONKEY MAN of REALLY? (Dr. Grimley, mgr.)
DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 624): KIRVENJ of THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 319): ROSELYN of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 313): SALAD SLAYER of VEGAN CANNIBALS (The Anarchist, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 300): 4-H of LIFE IMPACTS (Coach, mgr.)
DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 555): POW! of THEM (Papa Bear, mgr.)
DM 60 ARADI (turn 540): ELIN GISSORS of MIDDLE WAY 25 (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 61 JURINE (turn 522): HORSE D'OEUVRE of SHEWISH BUFFET (One Armed Bandit, mgr.)
DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 517): IN YOUR FACE of BASH BROS EVANGELIST
(Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.)
DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 248): PANAMA OATES of MIDDLE WAY 18 (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 74 DAYLA KIV (turn 478): NEGATIVE ONE of NUMB-ERS (Sherlock, mgr.)
DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 472): LEAPS INTO THE AIR of CRITICALS (Howlin' Wolf, mgr)
DM 78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 464): CALEAM CHOWDER of SHEWISH BUFFET (One Armed Bandit)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 581): NIGHTCAP of DARKLINGS (She-Puppy, mgr.)
Top Teams
---------
DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 692): BLUE MOON (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 694): BLUE NOTE (Howlin' Wolf, mgr.)
DM 13 DULLENS (turn 619): CARDOW HUNTERS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 688): SERPENT'S HOLD (Khisanth, mgr.)
DM 16 WILLAF (turn 690): REALLY? (Dr. Grimley, mgr.)
DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 682): DUEL REALITY (Smitty, mgr.)
DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 683): GAIDINS (Noble Discord, mgr.)
DM 28 MORYA (turn 343): DREW'S BOYS (The Mun, mgr.)
DM 29 LAPUR (turn 680): CARDOW HUNTERS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 341): MIDDLE WAY 7 (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 32 ARVAT (turn 676): COLLEGE RADIO (Floyd, mgr.)
DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 673): THE SEWING CIRCLE (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 35 MURSKA (turn 665): REALLY? (Dr. Grimley, mgr.)
DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 624): THE FAMILY (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 318): DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 313): VEGAN CANNIBALS (The Anarchist, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 300): LIFE IMPACTS (Smitty, mgr.)
DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 555): THEM (Papa Bear, mgr.)
DM 60 ARADI (turn 540): RED DOG GANG (Spot, mgr.)
DM 61 JURINE (turn 522): SHEWISH BUFFET (One Armed Bandit, mgr.)
DM 65 DAL SHANG (turn 517): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 248): MIDDLE WAY 18 (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 74 DAYLA KIV (turn 478): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 472): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 78 LIN TIRIAN (turn 464): SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 581): TOURNEY TEAM (LHI, mgr.)
Recent Graduates
-----------------
DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 690): STRONG BAD of HOMESTAR & CO (Otto X, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 686): STEVE of RAINBOW CONNECTION (Sherlock, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 340): OMBERT QURL of MIDDLE WAY 7 (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 671): SALORIMA TIRANSITH of THE SEWING CIRCLE (Jorja)
DM 35 MURSKA (turn 663): KELLY GALL of CHILDREN OF LLYR (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 312): PATRY TRAP of PALINDROMES (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 299): PURPLE ACE of LIFE IMPACTS (Coach, mgr.)
DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 555): DOBIE FROME of MIDDLE WAY 20 (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 61 JURINE (turn 522): ANDRES of BOMB SQUAD (Howlin' Wolf, mgr.)
DM 75 JADE MOUNTAIN (turn 471): GREEN ROCK of SAND DANCERS (Jorja, mgr.)
DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.
Narrowly defeated indeed! This one was very close, but somehow I've now beaten
two of the champion level NPCs. The Kung-Fu Master was stingy, though, and didn't
teach me a single thing. Assur says my luck is bound to change, so to enjoy it while
it lasts!
So, I will try to keep the throne busy and protect it from slackers who would
just play games all day.
-- Busy
SPY REPORT
It is I, Novgorodny Vir, Spymaster of Spymasters. Look on my work, ye mighty,
and despair! The boys at CRIT-GIVERS are walking tall, as they are ranked 5th on
their first try! Going for the Duelmaster soon? Practice pays for BAUS, who
pummelled ERBIN PARNAN, to pocket 20 points. A certain someone should cut down on
the drinking and practice more, after losing 11 points to CANNOT HEAR. (Discrete
enough, POKER?) CONVICTED ASSASSIN found out that NOBLISH ISLAND isn't a democracy.
You've gotta be the best to be Duelmaster here! Word has it one team in NOBLISH
ISLAND is using psychics to predict wins. They lead a charmed life!
And how sociable are NOBLISH ISLAND's warriors? Come, let us see. Like the
noble eagle soaring amongst the mountaintops, so stand the warriors of BASH BROS
TELEPHONE, alone and unchallenged. Like a pup with its tail between its legs,
FAVORITE GAMES scurried away from BASH BROS TELEPHONE. Oh, the shame! If challenges
were horses, CHELSEA NOREN could open up a fast food joint!
Is there life after death? Pragmatics (and warriors) know there is death after
life! Ask not a spymaster for counsel, for he will pontificate long after you have
fallen into an unconscious stupor.
Leave me now, you base fools! Keep those sands bloody and the buzzards fat!
Can anything compare to the pleasure of writing Spyreports for NOBLISH ISLAND? On
that giddy note I take my leave-- Novgorodny Vir
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
BUSY 9223 5 1 0 78 BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MONOPOLY 9217 5 1 0 58 FAVORITE GAMES (1587)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
CAREERS 9216 5 1 0 56 FAVORITE GAMES (1587)
ELIN TOECHU 9208 6 0 1 40 OLIVA GALVARIUS (1586)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
DUTIFUL 9237 3 0 1 27 THE FARSEERS (1591)
CANNOT HEAR 9221 4 2 0 26 BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588)
CONTRACT BRIDGE 9218 4 2 0 25 FAVORITE GAMES (1587)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
ALLANA LORIMER 9230 4 1 0 22 LOW ROAD 3 (1589)
NOT IN SERVICE 9225 3 3 0 22 BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588)
CHESS 9220 4 2 0 21 FAVORITE GAMES (1587)
BAUS 9246 1 0 0 20 CRIT-GIVERS (1593)
CHELSEA NOREN 9228 3 2 0 18 LOW ROAD 3 (1589)
AFRODYKIE 9247 1 0 0 18 CRIT-GIVERS (1593)
DROPPED CALL 9224 3 3 0 17 BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588)
BELTRAN MOSS 9229 2 3 1 16 LOW ROAD 3 (1589)
CHADE 9238 1 2 0 16 THE FARSEERS (1591)
POKER 9219 3 3 0 15 FAVORITE GAMES (1587)
FITZCHIVALRY 9239 2 1 0 15 THE FARSEERS (1591)
STATIC 9222 3 3 0 14 BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588)
SEQUOIA 9249 1 0 0 13 CRIT-GIVERS (1593)
THE FOOL 9236 2 1 0 12 THE FARSEERS (1591)
ERBIN PARNAN 9226 3 2 0 11 LOW ROAD 3 (1589)
HARDY 9250 1 0 0 10 CRIT-GIVERS (1593)
DELISE ORM 9227 2 3 0 9 LOW ROAD 3 (1589)
VISTAFIN 9248 1 0 0 8 CRIT-GIVERS (1593)
PICKER 9244 1 1 0 4 BRIDGE BURNERS (1592)
SORRY 9243 0 2 0 2 BRIDGE BURNERS (1592)
BURICH 9251 0 2 0 2 THE FARSEERS (1591)
STORMY 9242 0 2 0 2 BRIDGE BURNERS (1592)
TRUTTS 9245 0 2 0 2 BRIDGE BURNERS (1592)
-TRAVOK 9233 0 1 0 1 HEAVEN'S DEVILS (1590)
-STASI 9231 0 1 0 1 HEAVEN'S DEVILS (1590)
-BERRIAN 9234 0 1 0 1 HEAVEN'S DEVILS (1590)
-KAYLA (SCALES) 1586 0 1 0 1 SERPENT'S (285)
-AMIE 9232 0 1 0 1 HEAVEN'S DEVILS (1590)
-DONAAR 9235 0 1 0 1 HEAVEN'S DEVILS (1590)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
KALAM 9241 0 2 0 BRIDGE BURNERS 1592 BELTRAN MOSS 9229 347
KITTRICKEN 9240 0 1 0 THE FARSEERS 1591 ELIN TOECHU 9208 345
PERSONAL ADS
Assur -- Could you send me the weapons chart in plain txt for next time?
Thanks. -- the Editor
Assur -- Hurry up and get Busy off the phone so we can congratulate him for The
Title. -- Gamemaster
the Editor -- Thanks for that table information and for all the fixes. -- Gamemaster
You're welcome.
Sir Rowynstar -- Good luck with whatever warrior you send to The Mailer. It is best
to send a "timed" warrior, such as one with zero, four or ten fights. Zero =
Rookies. Four = Apprentices. Ten = Initiates. The warrior does not HAVE to be
maxed in the class, but you will be fighting many warriors who are. -- Gamemaster
How to enter Turf War 8? It just so happens I am very qualified to answer any
question on the TW. Oz, my counterpart manager in DM47 is one of the coordinators of
the event. Ask away. But Jorja did answer the question for you. You will have to
do these things:
Create a team in DM47 before the start in late July.
Find teammates who also want to play together.
Publish the required personal ad announcing your team, alliance, manager name in
the DM47 newsletter.
Send in two rollup certs (entry fee) to Oz or Master Darque.
All these items are spelled out in detail in the rules published in every arena.
-- Gamemaster
Welcome all you new teams to Noblish Island. Glad to see you here. Ask questions.
Read the newsletters. Keep the newsletters for later reference. There are three
teachers/trainers/coaches here. Assur, Jorja, and I are here to help. -- Gamemaster
Dangerous Criminal -- You just don't get this game stuff do you? You were soooooo
easy. -- Monopoly and Careers
Delise Orm -- I came; I saw; I took all the chips. -- Poker
Trutts and Kalam -- It is quite difficult matching up with someone quite a bit more
experienced that yourselves. (4-1 in our cases.) Our manager likes to say that the
MUGs (match-up gods) are mistreating you. Your time will come. -- Chess and Contract
Bridge
Fool -- Does your name indicate your job or your mental disposition? Either way,
avoid me at ALL costs! -- Elin Tuechu
Bush -- You keep getting away from me! Watch your back. -- Elin Tuechu
All -- You love me! You really love me! -- Elin Toechu
P.S. I have recruited some new sisters. So be ready!
Gamemaster, Assur and Jorja -- Thanks for your answers. Sorry if I'm being too
"asky." -- Sin Rowynstar
All -- Which DM do I join to join the Turf War and how do I start a new team? --
Rowynstar
Chade, Dutiful, Fitzchivalny -- Enough talk! Meet me on the sands! -- Elin Tuechu
Jorja -- Got the tables with explanations. Thanks! -- Sin Rowynstar
To my opponents -- It appears that lady luck was on my side last turn, with 5 close
fights, all resulting in victories for my stable. Just goes to show you that when
you take on big business, especially the ones controlling your communication lines,
don't expect to win! -- Assur
Sir Rowynstar -- As noted, no penalty for tourney participation. Start a second team
in North Fork. OR, if this team has chartered befor the Turf Wart starts, which is
possible, you can move *IT* to North Fork when it has to leave Noblish. -- Jorja
Poker -- Tcha. Maybe I will learn when to hold 'em, but this was the time to fold
'em. -- Delise Orm
Stasi -- Sorry my aim is so rotten, but you have a greater problem. Change weapons!
Without knowing your stats more clearly, still I would guess that dropping your main
weapon and simply going with the one you had off-hand would work for you. Worth a
try, anyway. -- Erbin Parnan
Travok -- Same problem for you. Get a different weapon. I know the one you and your
teammate chose is classy to look at, but it's hard to use. Go with something
simpler. -- Chelsea Noren
Dutiful -- That was well done, curse it. -- Beltran Moss
Amie -- Whew! That was a case of the win going to the one who could stay upright the
longest. Good effort on your part; I was lucky. -- Allana Lorimer
P.S. Always remember to bring a lunch when there's a long fight in prospect. Or a
book to read.
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
KALAM was butchered by BELTRAN MOSS in a 1 minute gruesome mismatched Challenge fight.
PICKER was savagely defeated by FITZCHIVALRY in a 5 minute novice's Challenge melee.
TRUTTS was outwaited by THE FOOL in a slow 8 minute amateur's Challenge brawl.
STORMY was savagely defeated by CHELSEA NOREN in a 3 minute amateur's Challenge match.
BUSY overpowered CONVICTED ASSASSIN in a 1 minute one-sided Title struggle.
MONOPOLY devastated CAPTURED ORC in a 1 minute gruesome one-sided competition.
CAREERS vanquished ALLANA LORIMER in a 1 minute uneven duel.
ELIN TOECHU vanquished DROPPED CALL in a 1 minute gruesome uneven fight.
POKER was defeated by CANNOT HEAR in a exciting 1 minute gruesome fight.
CONTRACT BRIDGE beat STATIC in a exciting 1 minute brutal fight.
CHESS bested CONVICTED THIEF in a unpopular 6 minute conflict.
NOT IN SERVICE demolished BURICH in a 2 minute mismatched match.
DELISE ORM was overpowered by CHADE in a popular 1 minute mismatched conflict.
ERBIN PARNAN was vanquished by BAUS in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
DUTIFUL vanquished SORRY in a 1 minute one-sided fray.
AFRODYKIE bested EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a popular 3 minute amateur's brawl.
VISTAFIN beat CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute novice's match.
SEQUOIA overpowered CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute one-sided match.
HARDY overcame PERSISTANT BEGGAR in a 3 minute amateur's competition.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|BASHING ATTACK 9 PARRY-LUNGE 2 - 0 - 0 100 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 5 PARRY-STRIKE 4 - 2 - 1 67 |
|AIMED BLOW 4 STRIKING ATTACK 27 - 18 - 2 60 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 4 BASHING ATTACK 34 - 24 - 2 59 |
|WALL OF STEEL 3 WALL OF STEEL 12 - 10 - 0 55 |
|TOTAL PARRY 3 AIMED BLOW 19 - 18 - 0 51 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 - 2 - 0 50 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 1 SLASHING ATTACK 10 - 12 - 0 45 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 LUNGING ATTACK 6 - 8 - 1 43 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 TOTAL PARRY 9 - 14 - 0 39 |
Turn 347 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:
WALL OF STEEL 3 - 0 BASHING ATTACK 4 - 5 4 STRIKING ATTACK
AIMED BLOW 3 - 1 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 2 SLASHING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK 3 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 1 2 BASHING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 2 - 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 1 AIMED BLOW
STRIKING ATTACK 3 - 2 1 WALL OF STEEL
LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 1 1 TOTAL PARRY
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
AIMED BLOW BUSY 9223 5 1 0 78 BASH BROS TELEPHONE (1588)
SLASHING ATTACK MONOPOLY 9217 5 1 0 58 FAVORITE GAMES (1587)
STRIKING ATTACK CAREERS 9216 5 1 0 56 FAVORITE GAMES (1587)
BASHING ATTACK ELIN TOECHU 9208 6 0 1 40 OLIVA GALVARIUS (1586)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is CONTRACT BRIDGE 9218. The most popular warrior this
turn was CHELSEA NOREN 9228. The ten other most popular fighters were AFRODYKIE
9247, CANNOT HEAR 9221, CONTRACT BRIDGE 9218, NOT IN SERVICE 9225, MONOPOLY 9217,
CHADE 9238, BELTRAN MOSS 9229, BUSY 9223, CAREERS 9216, and ELIN TOECHU 9208.
The least popular fighter this week was THE FOOL 9236. The other ten least popular
fighters were CHESS 9220, TRUTTS 9245, PICKER 9244, SORRY 9243, STATIC 9222, DROPPED
CALL 9224, ALLANA LORIMER 9230, KALAM 9241, SEQUOIA 9249, and ERBIN PARNAN 9226.
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Thank you. We wish you the best of luck in your games! -- RSI
A NOTE ON MAILMEN
In response to the articles on new fighting styles, those were good, but how can
you forget our most favorite warrior who has a style all his own? The Mailman! To
Duelmasters he is our most sacred person. I mean, how many of you managers out their
have sat down and calculated what day your Duelmasters will arrive and have sat
waiting for it to arrive, while unknown to you, your mailman is fighting away to get
your Duelmasters delivered. Let's review him...
ST - should be around 19. He needs to heft two medium bags, cloth mail armor and
a ton of rubber bands.
CN - 13, give or take a few. He does get bitten by dogs often.
SZ - Any.
WT - At least 10. He often likes to read the mail.
WL - Try about 20. He must endure all kinds of weather.
SP - 16 is good. He needs to run across streets in traffic.
DF - 10 is good. Sometimes he has to carry packages.
This setup should get you a good mailman but they are hard to come by. If you
can come up with any better, diplo me. I am:
Staple Gun
mgr. of Technet (3)
The New Deal (23)
I am currently working on the U.P.S. and Federal Express warriors.
"Strikers R Us"
Greetings, everyone. It is I, Talon, again. I am very glad to see everyone
participating in the arena and sharing their thoughts on styles and strategies. This
turn I will take on the striking attack style, which is certainly one of my favorites.
I believe the striker is one of the easiest styles to run, and one in which no
team should be without. A high-powered striker can diversify and empower your team.
A well run striker can beat any other style, period, at any level in regular
Duelmasters. In arenas where scum TPs are rampant, strikers are just the answer as
they can attack for up to 12 minutes or more. Strikers are versatile. They can do
exceptionally well with a dagger as a weapon or with a halberd. They can do well with
no armor or with plate armor.
Stats:
Biff Primal Solid Perfect
ST 5-21 9-17 13 15
CN 3+ 3+ 6 3
SZ 9-21 3-17 9 5
WT 3-17 17 + 17 21
WL 9-17 13 + 17 15
SP 5+ 5-13 9 8
DF 9+ 9-17 13 17
With the way I design strikers, there are essentially two strikers that evolve.
The BIFF and the PRIMAL. The Biff striker is typically one that is not looking long-
term, but one which I want to run and have fun with. With this striker, I try to have
one stat (wit, will, or deftness) which is extraordinary, one which is average, and
the other ends up being at some non-normal level. Some examples of the Biff are: 10-
10-11-4-17-17-15, 7-11-17-17-11-6-15, 9-5-14-17-11-13-15, 4-8-17-15-13-10-17, and 21-
3-15-21-5-8-11. With these warriors, the emphasis is on having fun and learning more
about the style.
The Primal is essentially a Primus-quality warrior. In this category, the
striker will be designed with stats that most other managers will gasp, "OH MY, WHY
DID YOU MAKE HIM A STRIKER?" It is also the warrior that will be Duelmaster for 8
straight turns and will go to ADM with a 16-4-2 record, with 4 Masters and an Ad Ex.
The key here is to create a warrior with AT LEAST a 17 wit and 15 deftness, along with
a 13+ will and who will do normal damage or better. The goal with the Primal is a 21
wit and 17 deftness, because this will ensure a great warrior.
Weapons and Armor: As for weapons, the best striking weapons that I have found
and used are the dagger, epee, scimitar, broadsword, quarterstaff, greatsword,
longsword, war hammer, and sometimes the short spear. I don't run my strikers with
shields or off-hand weapons, as it takes away from their attack. The heaviest armor I
will use is padded leather. Always wear a steel cap or a helm.
Strategy (general):
Min. 1 2 3 4 5 6+ Desp
OE 10 8 6 6 6 5 5
AL 10 5 4 2 2 1 8
KD 6 8 6 6 6 5 5
attack arms/legs/head -- take your pick
protect arms/legs/head -- take your pick
off tactic decise, slash, bash, depending on weapon
def tactic response is best; try dodge though.
With this strategy, a striker with a normal endurance should fight for eight
minutes as a scum TP and come out on top, outrageously victorious. Just match your
weapon with your tactic and only use the tactics in minute one or desperation.
If you have any further questions on this or any other style, feel free to diplo
me.
Talon, mgr. Eagle's Claw
HOW I MADE DUELMASTER IN THREE EASY STEPS
OR
a new look for Aimed Blows
Greetings and salutations, all. Here's a new twist on aimed blows I haven't seen
before....one that works, at least for me! Here's what I did with Rex Walters, my
first Duelmaster in the Free Blades transfer arena, DM 70.
ST: 17 (for good damage, attack and parry skills)
CN: 13 (gonna need every hit point he can get)
SZ: 4 (smaller the better!)
WT: 4 (overrated for aimed blows!)
WL: 21 (if ya try this method, 17 is a MINIMUM)
SP: 4 (ya want NO speed, none, nothing, zero!)
DF: 21 (better max this one out too, at least a 19)
You laugh at me? I started expert in both attack and parry! (OK, so I got lucky,
I didn't expect either one of em.) But both are in reach with a little luck. Hey, if
ya can get that strength to 21 you're almost guaranteed those experts... though a bit
more CON would be nice.
But how do I RUN this monstrosity, you may ask? Why, I'm glad you inquired!
LOTS of armor. The hit points combined with, say, platemail should win this character
a lot of fights. But, while I've picked up a few easy wins scumming, that's not
really what this character does best.
I use the only weapon Rex is well suited to: the bare hand. With an offhand
small shield or shortsword, so I can take advantage of that expert parry rating. So:
FI-SH, APM-H.
And I run him at a 4 offensive effort, with a matching 4 activity level. He can
last through the initial onslaught of nearly any offensive, then smash them.... like a
good waste. And with that monster endurance and good damage, no one scums this
warrior!
I attack and protect the head, usually, and keep the kill desire high... 5-7
generally. Now, how to become Duelmaster?
Well, step one is fight your first fight... and train your CON. Step two, now
that you're in the arena, is get a fight with an up-and-coming young warrior from the
Duelmaster's team... and kill them. (I randomly matched up with, and killed, a member
of the incoming Duelmaster's team...luck helps, ya know.) Offensives that wear
themselves out but haven't quite dropped are the easiest to kill.
Then, when the Duelmaster comes at you (bragging about how he "only" needs to
beat you twice to assure his ascension to the Isle) you stomp him. Badly. Once
you're on that lofty throne he won't even be able to bloodfeud you, since you can bet
he's not gonna be anywhere near the challenger champions after losing to a 2-fight
warrior (just ask Ciron of ENDS WITH IRON, now in AD).
There are drawbacks, of course. Once you get to that level, odds are you're
gonna get stomped like a stuck pig (I was most challenged 2 turns in a row after this
trick... Oo! I love mixed metaphors...) But... even a 4 wit warrior can learn skills
against gladiators with 50 fights!
Rex is now 7-3-1. All three losses have come against warriors now in AD. In
those ten matches, he's trained his strength and constitution once each, and learned
twenty skills, including his adex in both parry and attack. And boy, is it fun
humiliating some of those "gods" bound for AD!
What else can one do with this warrior? Well, Rex is, get this, well suited to
an off-hand epee! He wouldn't dare use one as a primary weapon, but its a great off-
hand toy...
Does he have what it takes to be a long-term winner? Who knows? He's probably
the DUMBEST aimed blow to ever make Duelmaster... He's in the Challenger Champions and
climbing....and he'll meet ya in AD!
Amazingly enough, this is not an isolated fluke. We entered a similar warrior
into Bloodgames (with the 4's as 3's, and a bit more CON). That warrior, Jalon, is
now in AD after going 9-1-5 and finishing on TOP of his Bloodgames arena.
Ah, just thought I'd mention I have had a second bare-handed Duelmaster, now...
Seeker Still Water in DM 74 is an open-hand lunger, Duelmaster at 8-1... but that's
another story...
--Khyron
mgr., Pitt Gladiators (2,29,56,103)
Jayhawks (70)
Silent Storm (65,74,75)
and numerous others....
THE WALL OF STEEL AS A BERSERKER
This article is for newer players; more experienced managers will, I'm sure, have
much more sophisticated ideas about warrior design and strategy. This will enable a
newbie to design a competent warrior who should be able to achieve a better than 50/50
record.
The wall of steel, or "waste," is often considered the second scummiest style in
Duelmasters. I love the style, but I don't run mine that way; I prefer to think of
the waste as a fierce dervish ripping into his opponent like an airplane propeller.
In accordance with this view, most walls of steel that I design couldn't scum if they
wanted to (well all right, sometimes it happens by accident if the opposing warrior is
going all-out and can't last very long). It's fun to run them fast; they get the jump
on people who don't expect it of them, and their fights are exciting. Mind you, they
don't win as much as if they ran more defensively, but the ones with good stats still
do okay (I'll make practically anything a waste and run it, but this article isn't
about the ones that a sane manager would DA).
So, here is a design for a competent wall of steel:
ST 13+ Needed for endurance, damage doing, and weapon selection.
CN 9+ You need a passably good con for endurance.
SZ 7+ Teeny weenie wastes don't hit hard enough or take enough damage. Real big
(15+) is bad because it hurts endurance.
WT 13+ Preferably 17. Like any other style, the smarter they are, the better.
WL 17+ Needed for endurance, damage-taking, and sheer grit. 21 is recommended.
SP 3+ Whatever.
DF 7+ Higher deftness is better, but you can get by without it.
As you can see, these are fairly easy requirements. Of course, the more wit,
will, and deftness, the better your waste will be (same as any other style). If you
don't end up with at least good endurance on the overview, the warrior probably isn't
going to do very well. With that high will, though, you can bump con a couple of
times and you might get good endurance, so there's still a chance.
Choose your weapons based on deftness, and your opponent's armor weight. I
normally use something like 0-8 SC, 9-12 BS, 13+ GA, backup SC or BS. No shield.
Some other good weapons for the waste are QS (only takes 11 ST, and can hit heavy
armor), MS, and BA. The war flail isn't a very good weapon, but you can play with it
against leather armor. For armor, I usually choose something middling like ARM & H,
but will go with APL & H if he has a lot of con.
For strategy--I heard a rumor (NOT confirmed) that a wall of steel gets a bonus
if his OE equals his KD. Since I don't like to use a kill desire above 6, I don't go
by that in the first couple of minutes. Keep the activity level moderate to low; the
waste doesn't need to jump around a lot and the way he keeps his weapon moving, he's
burning a lot of endurance without that added drain. Attack and defend the arms, like
a slasher; a waste is a sort of parry-slasher. A typical strategy for my wastes might
look like this:
Minute 1 2 3 4 5 6 Desp
Offensive 9 8 7 6 5 5 2
Activity 6 5 4 3 2 1 6
Kill des. 6 6 6 6 5 5 2
Att. loc. RA LA RA LA RA LA RA
Pro. loc. AM AM AM AM AM AM HE
Off tac. none -- -- -- -- -- --
Def tac. -- -- -- -- -- -- P
I play with the numbers a lot, depending on what the warrior seems to like. For
example, if he doesn't parry too well, I'll give him a more offensive desperation
strategy, like 8-4-8-slash. (If I really like a warrior I sometimes use a 7+ KD to
try and save his life.) If he never manages to get the jump on anybody, I'll try
running him more defensively, like with a first minute of 3-6-3. It's not as much fun
as going all out, but it's more fun than losing all the time.
You can challenge pretty much any style (lungers aren't recommended). When
fighting a warrior you know to be very defensive (a TP, or a scummy variety of PS, PR,
PL, or WS), slow down or you will be scummed. For the most part, though, an offensive
waste is very versatile and can beat any style. The better his important qualities
are (WT, WL, DF, endurance), the better the quality of warriors he can defeat. In
other words, if you have a so-so rollup that barely made the minimum requirements,
challenge so-so opponents. If you have a good rollup, go for the gold. Challenge
warriors with a few more fights than you, so you'll learn plenty of skills--but don't
challenge way way up in experience, because it's no fun to lose a good warrior.
For the most part, train skills--especially on your challenge strategy, when
you're going after someone with more fights! And for sure on the first fight, because
you'll likely be matched against someone who can teach you a lot. It's okay to train
con once in a while if you need more endurance and damage-taking; and if you have bad
luck on the rollup and get "does little damage" or something, you might have to train
strength once or twice (no more!). But it's best not to train any other stats until
way, way down the road.
Ask your DM sponsor or any experienced manager in your arena for more advice (if
they tell you I'm full of hot air, they're probably right). A little bit of good
advice from a more advanced player can make a big difference in your enjoyment of the
game!
If you have any questions or suggestions, you can diplo: the She-Puppy, mgr.
Mordant Prison DM-1, and others.