DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 04/13/2018 Duedate: 04/26/2018
NOBLISH ISLAND ARENA
DM-93 TURN-502
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
IGGIE THE SCUM
CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
(93-10141) [3-3-1,28]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
POSITION IS EMPTY IGGIE THE SCUM
CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
(93-10141) [3-3-1,28]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
IGGIE THE SCUM IGGIE THE SCUM
CLOAK WARRIORS (1737) CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
(93-10141) [3-3-1,28] (93-10141) [3-3-1,28]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. CLOAK WARRIORS (1737) 63
2. BASH BROS DL (1744) 33 DRAGON'S FIRE (711)
3. CARD SHARKS! (1743) 24 Unchartered Team
4. THIEF TAKERS (1730) 0
5. CROM'S CHOSEN (1741) 0 BASH BROS DL (1744)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 0*BASH BROS DL (1744) 3 2 0 60.0 1/ 5*CLOAK WARRIORS (1737) 7 3 1
2/ 3*CLOAK WARRIORS (1737) 15 15 2 50.0 2/ 0*BASH BROS DL (1744) 3 2 0
3/ 0*CARD SHARKS! (1743) 2 3 0 40.0 3- 0*THIEF TAKERS (1730) 2 3 0
4- 0*CROM'S CHOSEN (1741) 6 14 0 30.0 4/ 0*CARD SHARKS! (1743) 2 3 0
5- 0*THIEF TAKERS (1730) 3 12 0 20.0 5- 0*CROM'S CHOSEN (1741) 1 9 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
NEW WARRIOR & NEW TEAM DESIGN
HOW A DUELMASTER VET DOES IT
(AND WHAT AN UGLY TEAM TO WORK WITH!)
The purpose of this spotlight is to provide newer/inexperienced D2 managers with
warrior and team design concepts and to assist new managers by observing the details
of a real-time team who will be competing against them in their Noblish Island arena.
I will discuss the following:
1. An experienced manager's general design principles (over 100,000 warriors designed)
2. Some thoughts on team balance
3. The real five-warrior design (original team roll-up) just starting to compete with
you on Noblish Island
4. Summary and comments relevant to those designs First you might ask, "Who is writing
this?" And I answer that I am Dealer, manager of CARD SHARKS, a member of The
Consortium, who is a long, long time (30+ year) paying competitor in
Duelmasters/D2. I will be overseeing this new team and will be offering you advice
each round on Noblish Island too. (Free advice!) Please feel free to ask me
questions in the personal ads. You will get answers, often very interesting
answers.
There is no one-and-only perfect design for any warrior. You will often find that
when asking for experienced design advice, varying opinions and concepts are offered.
However, there are some guidelines that each manager uses. The Consortium general
design principles are as follows:
1. Design to strengths/excesses, generally making high roll numbers higher
2. WT is the first factor examined, followed by WL, which then determines the design
and style direction.
3. Offensive oriented warriors need higher WT to last. Design to 11 (min), need 15,
17, 21 for skill breaks
4. 21 WT, 21DF, and 21 WL are coveted. The 21DF makes an aimed-blow almost inevitable.
Most managers automatically think Aimed-Blow when they can get 21 deftness. Not
always, but usually. If not an aimer, then 11 DF is really all most designs need.
5. All warriors except AB must have normal damage and really need good. Make certain
that ST/SZ allow that, and have high enough WL to bump stats if not.
6. 9 WL is the reasonable min for offensives. All warriors MUST have some WL. Some
warriors might do OK with 7 or 8. Barely.
7. Do not add to CN for pure offensives.
8. Defensive style warriors need big WL and CN. And, then, ST, too.
9. Physicals never hurt any warrior. Warriors can win early on with lesser skill, but
good physicals.
10. If all else fails, make the design a TP. They can win under almost any
circumstance. However, they need a higher combination (total) of CN, WL, and ST.
(especially WL and CN)
11. If the warrior is to be long-term (meaning a godling or really, really nice roll),
do not design a burner. (A burner is one where the manager intends to raise stats
and physicals as an intended strategy to enhanced winning). Burners require very
high WL as stat raises are dependent on WL.
12. However, there is not a thing wrong with making a burner.
13. Have variation in styles in arenas. This allows for better challenging, avoiding,
and match-ups. (Adding also fun and learning through variety.)
14. Design to the numbers, then choose style, rather than predetermine style, then
design.
15. PRIMARY PRINCIPLE: Design each warrior with the idea of winning 60%+ of its
fights. Period.
Pretty simple, it would seem. Well, we will see how I applied these principles to
the CARD SHARK Team. But first some comments on team design.
A variety of styles is important. Why? (a) The more differing styles you
experiment with, the more you learn. (b) It is more fun to run differing types. (c)
Certain styles are susceptible to other styles and having a variety allows you to take
advantage (or avoid) some of those susceptibilities. (d) Testing multiple styles
allows you to more quickly find the style/s that you enjoy most or are best with.
I believe a manager, especially a new manager, should have at least these two
warriors on his team: an especially fast/quick, decent damage offensive (striker,
basher, or maybe slasher) and a scummy warrior with lots of physicals and who wins by
wearing down foes while parrying or sucking up hit points. (Total parry or maybe wall-
of-steel or parry strike.) It is important to learn how to win with both types, and
the ST (striker) and TP (total parry) are excellent designs to do both: teach and
win. This combination is invaluable because each tends to challenge and avoid
different styles, and most importantly, they are both easy to work with. The other
warriors on the team can/should be different, but I least (meaning these are hardest)
recommend these more difficult styles for rookie managers. AB (aimed blow=aimer), PR
(parry riposte=ripper), PS (parry strike=piker), PL (parry lunge=plunger), and maybe
WS (wall of steel=waste).
Now on to a real life example. Below are listed the starting statistics (from the
roll-up sheet) and the design statistics (filled out and sent in by me, Dealer) of
this CARD SHARK team just started on Noblish Island.
An initial comment on roll up sheets, in general. It can be hardest to design
with "radical" numbers. Unusually low ST or WL or super big SZ, or very low WT/WL
combo usually require the most design manipulation and variance from the design
principles above. Very high WT and WL and/or sometimes DF, plus very small SZ are
treasured! With that in mind, let's get on to my designs.
--> 13-5-14-12-9-10-7 to 17-6-14-17-9-14-7 BA (Basher) Design to strengths (concept
#1), which means I add four to ST and five to WT, taking both to skill break
points. Clearly this will be an offensive (low WL and good WT) so I add four to
other high stat, SP, taking it sixteen.. I have one left, which could go
anywhere, and I choose CN, ignoring my own concept #7, just for a few more hit
points. This looks like a solid basher.
--> 7-10-12-10-3-12-16 to 7-10-12-15-7-12-21 AB. (aimer) Oh, Boy! Aimers can be
difficult to run and can die easily, and I really didn't want one for this team,
but looking at the rollup, I see DF as the highest stat, and by adding 5, I can
make it 21. Read concept #4, and I see an aimed-blow in my future. I add five
points to WT, (See concept #2.) I only have four left and I have to get WL up to
something workable, (See concept #9.) so they are added there to take WL to a
barely, barely viable seven. (Yes, it is true that I do not recommend the AB
style e for newcomers, but this rollup fits it and, sadly, I am not a rookie
anymore b&) Note: AB's are difficult enough, and the design I created, with the 7
WL, has made it even more difficult. (My contemporaries would say, "Have fun with
that sucker, Dealer!")
--> (Low WT and WL; very large SZ. Oh my!) 10-7-19-6-5-10-13 to 15-7-19-7-9-10-17 ST.
(Striker) If I employ concept #1, I add to ST and DF. But I must have some WT and
WL. (Concepts #2 and #6.) So I add one to WT taking it to a break point at 7, and
three to WL making it 9. I add the rest, per concept 1, to ST and DF.
--> 17-9-9-12-6-6-11 to 21-9-9-17-9-8-11 ST. (Striker) This is my favorite of the
group. Concept #1 leads me to add four to ST and five to WT taking both to good
skill breakpoints. Three of the five remaining are added to WL to get it to my
nine min. (Concept # 6.) Concept #1 would suggest that I add the final two to DF,
(Read Concept #4.) but I decide, instead, to add it to SP. Another striker? I do
want a mix of styles, but this design looks like either a BA or ST and I already
have one of both, so I choose ST.
--> 7-13-15-6-3-14-12 to 11-17-15-6-9-14-12 TP. (Total Parry) This is another
difficult one like the third one above. (Low WT, the worst possible WL, and
somewhat large size.) So knowing it will be "ugly", I decide to employ concept
#10. I add the max to WL, and the remainder to ST and CN. This will be a very
interesting total parry, but I am expecting it to be able to win its 60% share.
The team mix is decent, with offensives basher, striker and striker, a defensive
total parry, and one finesse-type aimed blow. Good luck competing against CARD SHARK
warriors. I suspect this team will have some difficulty meeting the 60% objective and
each warrior will have to do its part. They will be a competitive team and they will
both challenge and avoid.
Now let's take a look at the overall design tendencies for this team in this
situation. We had 70 points to add to the designs. Totaled, they look like this:
ST = 17 (Looks OK. Strength is almost always added, as 11+ ST is so important.)
CN = 5 (CN is always minimal, unless a scummy warrior is designed, and I have
one.)
SZ = 0 (Cannot add to size.)
WT = 16 (1 of 2 most valuable stats. Adding lots of points here is a good sign.)
WL = 17 (1 of 2 most important stats and my starting WLs were a very low 3, 3,
5, 6, 9.)
SP = 6 (SP and CN are usually least added stats.)
DF = 9 (DF additions are often quite variable and this amount looks good for
this group, which has one aimer.)
The tendencies look solid to me, as WT and WL are prime stats, ST and DF are
probably next, and CN/SP are usually least added. (Well, except for SZ!)
So there you have it: a new team; insight to warrior and team design; useful
tidbits from an long-time veteran. May your stay in D2 be long and prosperous, and,
most of all, fun. (As mine is and has been.)
-- Dealer, CARD SHARKS
Consortium affiliated
***---------*---------*---------*---------**---------*---------*---------*---------***
There is no disabled list in Duel 2. Some may wish there was, but there is not.
That said, my MLB team has the top three starters that they expected to have on the
roster at the beginning of the season on the MLB DL. So what better way to name my
warriors than to examine just how painful the disabled list is.
* Warrior #1 came to me as 10-4-12-14-9-12-9. With the low con and higher speed, he
clearly looks like an offensive. In fact, all the stats fall in nicely for how I
generally like my offensives to look. First the easy points: Deftness to 11 (the
'magic' breakpoint) and Wit to 17. Now, strength or will?!? Since my favorite
style is the bashing style, I'll go that route and add to strength for weapons and
damage. Even for the basher, adding to will wouldn't be a mistake. I also notice
from my damage chart that 16 strength gives a chance at doing tremendous damage,
so I'll take that over 15. With the last three points, I add two to speed for a
decise skill and final point to will for a bit of endurance. Unfortunately, his
rolls were not what I would have liked. The endurance and damage rolled mode (for
Poor endurance/Good damage). But the two primary skills that bashers want bonuses
in rolled really badly. -4 in attack and at least -3 in initiative. OUCH! Now I
want the TOOL known as the DL to put this guy on the shelf. I would tell any
manager to send this guy to the Dark Arena (or the DL) immediately. Enjoy the
easy wins he'll give.
* Another problem is when your FAVORITE PLAYER is put on the DL. It gives much less
incentive to watch the games. 10-10-12-3-13-9-13. The Consortium would rejoice
at this guy, making a scum and being happy. Something like 15-14-12-3-19-9-13
looks fantastic. I've run enough of those and don't feel like one today. So I'm
going to follow the normal Consortium design pattern and increase in top areas.
Deftness and Will to 17. And 15 strength gives him closer to a well suited
weapon, the BA. His endurance looks strong enough for a high burn style that has
more skills. So I'll make him into a Wall of Steel with stats: 15-11-12-3-17-9-17
and send him out with the Battle Axe.
* Even worse is when the DL CRUSHED HOPE for your team. It has happeend more than
once. 13-9-9-13-10-9-7. There are lots of ways to make this guy (and I mean
lots). I will try another Wall of Steel and add to Will. I love Deftness 11, so
I'll also take that. At this point, you've got 4 points to add to wit and/or
strength. I choose to split them (but could see any of 17/13, 15/15, or 13/17
str/wit). And I have a 15-10-9-15-15-9-11 WS (who unfortunately also rolled
cursed in attack).
* Next up is a 12-5-12-10-8-17-6 (even more of an offensive than the first one. I
take striker with this one, making him 15-5-12-15-9-17-11 ST. The games managers
play with the DL when they have a FULL ROSTER...
* And what to do with 20-4-8-5-11-8-14?!? Why simple! Send HIM to the DL with a
PHANTOM INJURY! The 21 strength makes him fun for me. I'll also make him into my
favorite style, though he won't be as fast as I like. I max wit and will and add
a one each to str/deft. 21-4-8-11-17-8-15 Basher. This one rolled well, and is
bonused in defense, initiative, and parry. He also avoided the 31% chance of
doing good damage (He does Tremendous).
So that is my Disabled List complaints and annoyances. Not the best team I've
seen, but they might do ok (though overcoming some of those rolls may be too much to
ask)
-- Assur
SPY REPORT
Greetings warriors! It is I, Zontani Sharp Eyes, here to bring report of the
clash and bustle of the weekly NOBLISH ISLAND games. Former top team BB HALLOWEEN
was unseated this week as CLOAK WARRIORS moved up from 5th ranking to take the top
spot with a 5-0-1 record for the round. Warriors--remember that glory waits always
around the corner! Witness how this week CLOAK WARRIORS went 5-0-1 to move up 4 in
the rankings. IGGIE THE SCUM caught the eye of many in the gladiatorial commission
as it skillfully bested CULT MEMBER and was awarded 16 points in recognition. The
city has turned out in honor of IGGIE THE SCUM, for with its arena victory it 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!
But come now, let us look deeper into the maze of contention and crossed blades
that is city NOBLISH ISLAND.
What warrior does not hone his years, impatiently waiting for the moment of his
foe's mortality? Dark alleys may hide both secrets and assassins. In the arena
there is only the brightness of steel. Keep vigil always!
The girls are as pretty in NOBLISH ISLAND 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 we meet again, remember: a turtle walks slow, hides head in a shell,
and harms no one; a lion runs to slay its prey.-- Zontani Sharp Eyes
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
IGGIE THE SCUM 10141 3 3 1 28 CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
RIVERSIDE SHAKEPERE 10142 3 3 0 26 CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
SOCCER-PANTS 10140 3 3 1 25 CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
AQUA-KNOT 10144 5 1 0 23 CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
-LUCKY 10107 2 1 0 21 THIEF TAKERS (1730)
HASSAN 10143 1 5 0 13 CLOAK WARRIORS (1737)
-AUTUMNBE 9643 3 2 0 12 CAVEAT EMPTOR (1657)
CRUSHED HOPE 10196 1 0 0 11 BASH BROS DL (1744)
ROOK 10188 1 0 0 11 CARD SHARKS! (1743)
DUECE 10191 1 0 0 10 CARD SHARKS! (1743)
PHANTOM INJURY 10199 1 0 0 10 BASH BROS DL (1744)
FULL ROSTER 10198 1 0 0 10 BASH BROS DL (1744)
-MORROCK REDFLINT 10179 1 0 0 8 THIEF TAKERS (1730)
-DRAXXUS 9644 1 4 0 7 CAVEAT EMPTOR (1657)
-SEARRUS 9645 0 4 0 4 CAVEAT EMPTOR (1657)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-PERSEPHONE 9642 0 4 0 4 CAVEAT EMPTOR (1657)
-AGRISEL 9646 0 4 0 4 CAVEAT EMPTOR (1657)
-TURTLE 10105 0 3 0 3 THIEF TAKERS (1730)
-HENUP-ETH 10170 0 2 0 2 THIEF TAKERS (1730)
-RAGORE SINGBLADE 10178 0 1 0 1 THIEF TAKERS (1730)
FAVORITE PLAYER 10197 0 1 0 1 BASH BROS DL (1744)
TOOL 10200 0 1 0 1 BASH BROS DL (1744)
TRUMP 10190 0 1 0 1 CARD SHARKS! (1743)
POKER 10187 0 1 0 1 CARD SHARKS! (1743)
CRAZY 8'S 10189 0 1 0 1 CARD SHARKS! (1743)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
CULT MEMBER 0 0 0 IGGIE THE SCUM 10141 502 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Assur, I salute you. You caught me, and finished with the DM. All hail Assur The Apt!
-- Johnny Appleseed
Assur, it got a little lonely last turn, didn't it? -- the Consortium Rep.
P.S. Our next group -- Card Sharks, mgr. Dealer- will be a tough one. I give you the
edge.
Allow me to introduce the newest Consortium warriors: Card Sharks -- Poker, Rook,
Trump, Crazy 8's, Duece. Trump is solid. Poker is decent. Rook might be OK. Crazy 8's
and Duece are just plain ugly. -- Dealer, Manager of Card Sharks (Consortium
Representative)
All, now come on! Ask Assur and me (Dealer) questions!!!!!!!!!! We are really here to
help you learn and win and have fun. WE ARE! -- Dealer
Johnny Appleseed -- I think the split personality thing is affecting your individual
personalities!!! Trying to decipher your true state of mind (why I even tried is a
bit of a mystery -- perhaps I'm actually a nice guy that loves to smack talk but
wouldn't ever actually want to hurt someone's feelings. But enough of that) from your
personals led to such confusion and inconsistency that I can only deduce that you are
suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder. I will enlist every Godly man and woman
I know to pray for your recovery! -- Assur
P.S. Every time we start a new round of 10, I consider actually using challenges and
avoids. It's tempting, but then I let apathy and laziness win! Good luck!
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
IGGIE THE SCUM butchered CULT MEMBER in a 2 minute gruesome mismatched Title fight.
RIVERSIDE SHAKEPERE demolished CULT MEMBER in a 1 minute one-sided melee.
HASSAN defeated OSKSI NOBLE in a 1 minute duel.
SOCCER-PANTS devastated EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute one-sided contest.
AQUA-KNOT overpowered PERSISTANT BEGGAR in a 2 minute mismatched match.
POKER was devastated by FULL ROSTER in a 1 minute one-sided duel.
ROOK devastated TOOL in a 1 minute mismatched match.
CRAZY 8'S was handily defeated by CRUSHED HOPE in a 1 minute uneven fight.
TRUMP was vanquished by PHANTOM INJURY in a 1 minute uneven duel.
DUECE vanquished FAVORITE PLAYER in a 1 minute gruesome uneven fight.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|BASHING ATTACK 4 SLASHING ATTACK 3 - 0 - 0 100 |
|AIMED BLOW 3 AIMED BLOW 21 - 12 - 1 64 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 3 LUNGING ATTACK 19 - 14 - 2 58 |
|TOTAL PARRY 2 STRIKING ATTACK 28 - 23 - 5 55 |
|WALL OF STEEL 2 WALL OF STEEL 3 - 3 - 0 50 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 1 BASHING ATTACK 23 - 24 - 0 49 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 4 - 6 - 0 40 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 PARRY-STRIKE 7 - 11 - 1 39 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 0 TOTAL PARRY 4 - 7 - 0 36 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 0 PARRY-LUNGE 4 - 7 - 1 36 |
Turn 502 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:
AIMED BLOW 3 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 4 AIMED BLOW
PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 2 BASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 1 LUNGING ATTACK 0 - 0 2 WALL OF STEEL
BASHING ATTACK 2 - 2 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 1 PARRY-LUNGE
TOTAL PARRY 1 - 1 1 TOTAL PARRY
WALL OF STEEL 1 - 1 1 STRIKING ATTACK
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is IGGIE THE SCUM 10141. The most popular warrior this
turn was IGGIE THE SCUM 10141. The ten other most popular fighters were ROOK 10188,
CRUSHED HOPE 10196, RIVERSIDE SHAKEPERE 10142, SOCCER-PANTS 10140, FULL ROSTER 10198,
PHANTOM INJURY 10199, DUECE 10191, HASSAN 10143, FAVORITE PLAYER 10197, and AQUA-KNOT
10144.
The least popular fighter this week was TRUMP 10190. The other ten least popular
fighters were CRAZY 8'S 10189, TOOL 10200, POKER 10187, AQUA-KNOT 10144, FAVORITE
PLAYER 10197, HASSAN 10143, DUECE 10191, PHANTOM INJURY 10199, FULL ROSTER 10198, and
SOCCER-PANTS 10140.
SUMMER FACE-TO-FACE IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
We have planned our summer FTF for July 13-15, 2018, in Arlington, Virginia, only 7
miles on a quick Metro ride from Washington, D.C.!. It will be held at the Holiday
Inn Arlington at Ballston. Room rates are $120 per night on 7/12 and 7/15 and $79 on
7/13 and 7/14, 1-2 occupancy. There's free wireless throughout the property as well
as a fitness center, outdoor pool, and business center, as well as a resturant and bar
inside the hotel. There is no airport shuttle and parking is $7/day. The rooms are
blocked -- ask for the Reality Simulations block. Reservations must be made by 6/12.
(As always if you have issues making reservations, please let us know!)
Hotel site: https://aws.passkey.com/e/49602680
Look for the tournament info sheet and minioverviews some time in June. We hope
you're all looking forward to it and that we will see you there!
-- RSI
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Here are a few tricks of the trade I've found out.
15, 17, and 21. Those are the magic numbers for stats; any fighter who starts
with a stat (except Con and Size) at any of those numbers will have more beginning
skills than normal.
Stats: The stats in order of importance with regard to skills, most to least,
are wit, will, deftness, speed, and strength, with con giving you no skills, just hit
points and endurance. The higher you can start any of these, especially the first
three, the more skilled your fighter will be. Logically, therefore, what you really
want is a fighter who has wit, will, and deftness at 21. This will be a GOD! And
probably go out and get killed immediately due to low con...
Raising stats: Care must be taken in doing this. All fighters start out with
the ability to learn 20 skills in the categories of Defense, Parry, Riposte, Attack,
Decisiveness, and Inititive. When you learn all 120 skills, you've maxed out. You
can get skills though normal learns, or by raising stats; however, if you raise stats
BEFORE you max out (except for Con), anything gained will count as one of the 20.
This is called "burning" skills. If, on the other hand, you wait until you've maxed
out, then raising stats will add those skills to the ones you've learned, enabling you
to exceed your limits. But raising stats will give an immediate boost to your
abilities. It's a question of short term vs. long term gain, you see.
And aiming at vital areas - head, chest, and abdomen - will increase your chances
of getting kills. And being bloodfeuded, and maybe getting your fighter killed in
return. Keep in mind that what you send forth will come back to you. Sometimes
redoubled.
Roku
Warrior Handedness, is he a Righty, Lefty or Ambi?
Greetings, Joy and Happiness to everyone!!!! I hope everyone that reads this
article is doing well and remembering not to drink and duel. This article discusses
things about the handedness of a warrior. Most managers only worry about things like
skill, weapons and trains. Handedness is not a major factor in playing the game but
it's nice to know some things about it.
Most warriors will be right handed, with a small percentage left handed. Even
more scarce is the ambidextrous warrior. I believe that the defensive styles have a
higher percentage chance to be a lefty or an AMBI than offensive styles do. It's just
an observation that I made in the 513 warriors surveyed. Another note on that, I
notice that out of 211 parry-ripostes that I was using for a PR article, about 43% of
them were AMBIs. The highest percent of AMBIs out of all the styles polled.
When a manager puts weapons into his warriors hands and also when he tells his
warrior where to strike, handedness plays a key role in the manager's decision making.
I had a team with 4 AMBIs on it, and I started to do some experiments with them to see
how the AMBI thing worked. I noticed that in general the AMBI favors using the left
hand more than the right hand. But, there are a small percentage of AMBI warriors
that are reversed, where the right hand is used more than the left.
There also seems to be some confusion amongst managers that get the USE of a hand
mixed up with which hand the weapons go in (IE which is primary and which is off-
hand). Right handed warriors USE the RIGHT hand the most and the primary weapon is
the RIGHT hand, off hand is the left hand. For left-handed warriors, it is the
opposite of right-handed warriors, of course. The confusion comes with the AMBI
handed warriors. AMBIs USE the left hand more BUT the RIGHT hand holds the primary
weapon, and the left hand holds the off hand weapon. Every so often you will get an
AMBI that this is reversed, where the RIGHT hand is USED more and the PRIMARY weapon
is held in the LEFT hand. But this kind of ambi is extremely rare.
Well, that's it for now. Have fun, and watch out for that right hook... 'cause
it might be a left hook!!!!!
For more DM info, or just to chat you can DIPLO me at ADM 103, THE JOKER'S WILD.
You can also email me at 103260.3347@compuserve.com or visit my DM web site at the
following address: http://ourworld.compuserve.com./homepages/jessiejest/homepage.htm
Ta-Ta,
Sir Jessie Jest
The Arcane Slasher
I love the Slashing Style! Slashers are finesse artists, but they're much more
aggressive than your aimed-blow. Well-designed slashers are formidable opponents;
they are as ready to defend as to attack, though they prefer the latter. Fate has
been to kind to this style, perhaps too kind. Even a badly-designed slasher may do
well in basic, prompting many well-intentioned managers to promote questionable set-
ups as "the slasher ideal." After reading another `Eureka!' article, I am compelled
to add my 2 cents. I've learned how to design great slashers, and I'd like to pass on
my ideas to the rest of Alastari. I can't tell you how to keep them alive (in four
years I've only gotten one to ADM) but I can outline guidelines for creating a spooky
character that will win for you--until they die or get to ADM. Just remember that
decent opportunities to make a slasher aren't very common!
WT, WL, & DF--15 pts each at least. Period. If you don't have it, you don't
have a great slasher. Believe me, you can't afford to skimp anything here!
ST--Anything from 7-11 is fine. The smaller the character the higher the number,
but anything with a +9 size can get by with a 7 ST. For light armor use an epee, for
anything heavier use a pair of hatchets, a scimitar, or a broadsword, depending on ST.
CN & SP--Ideally, both are single-digit; if your con is high you're probably
looking at a WASTE. Whatever else you do, don't add them.
SZ--Since this is something we can't change anyway, don't worry about it. The
bigger they are the less points to spread around to other areas, though.
My slashers come up with the best overviews when I follow these guidelines. Most
earn at least four wit statements; about 50% either start out with an Expert or two,
or they pick them up within a couple of skills. One of my very best died in a
tourney: 6-3-11-15-51-11-17. He started out doing good damage; picked up Experts in
att, init, def, and rip. in two skills or less. This is an extreme example, but it
seems to me that the well-designed slasher gets more than their fair share of luck on
their overview. I've run one a lot worse that did fairly well--a winning record,
until he was killed by a veteran lunger: 11-7-14-15-15-7-15, good bases in attack and
init, four wit statements, great damage.
Running them?
Start out with an offensive effort of 10, and never let the OE drop below 7. How
quick you taper down depends on the endurance rating. Slashers burn endurance very
quickly; if you don't have good endurance drop right away from 10 to 7 and leave it
there unless desperate, then go back to 10. Otherwise try 10, then 9, then 7.
Remember, these are aggressive beasts; keep 'em on the offensive!
Keep the activity level fairly low except in the very beginning, when you should
be running 10. Then drop to 5 or 6, then 3 or 4m then 1. Go back up to 7 or 10 in
desperation.
Match your kill desire to your offensive effort, always.
Summary: 10-10-10, 9-5-9*, 7-3-7, 7-1-7 across. Desperation: 10-10-10 or 10-7-
10.
Avoid armor unless you MUST, but no higher than ARM and H.
Don't use tactics--they seem to inhibit the slasher's ability to riposte and
respond well to their opponent. Exception: to take out scum pick the heaviest weapon
your character can lift and use the slash tactic--go for the legs or the arms: 7-1-7.
Slash all the way!
These `rules' have worked for me. The biggest problem I've had is that my
slashers rise too high too quickly. Within five or six fights they're fighting
warriors with 15 fights' experience. So be forewarned; give them sometime off every
few turns so that they won't get clobbered by some old-timer looking for an easy win!
Good Luck!
The Arcane Kid, of Astral Kin, Osksi DM-3
*Remember, with `good' endurance only!
"The Basher"
My friends would laugh if they knew I was writing this, but who cares what they
think? The basher is not a bad style in my opinion. It starts with the same base
decisiveness as the striker, but has 4-5 more skills in initiative, and 3-4 more
skills in att. That's what makes this style so good. I mean, you have the ability to
get the jump on your opponent, you have the ability to hit your opponent, and who
cares about their high riposte with your high att rating combined with your exp+ in
initiative, they won't know what train hit them, much less think about the counter
attack.
O.K. I only make two types 1st the WL Basher:
#1 #2
12 13
10 11
10 9
21 16
15 15
9 13
7 7
Example #1--Currently 8-3-1 in Firehold (68) has Master+1 att, Master +1 init., and
Adv.Exp. dec., and is already sitting pretty with 80 recognition points.
Example #2--Currently 8-3-0 in Jhans (36) has Exp.+3 att, Adv.Exp. init., and Exp+3
dec. with 87 recognition points.
O.K., the other kind I like to call it the "High damage, low will, needs to end
the fight before he passes out with exhaustion" Basher. This type of basher relies on
his high damage capabilities to make up for his low WL. I've not had the best of luck
with these types of bashers, but I do know they can win (Warbeast has proved that to
me). The key is to get at least great damage on the roll-up. O.K. some examples:
#1 #2 #3
11 13 17
11 9 12
16 17 10
17 17 17
7 10 11
11 11 10
11 7 7
Example #1--I DA'ed, he didn't win
Example #2--Killed in round 1 of the winter FTF, went 4-3 in the Oct. Tournament,
learned 6 skills 5 being Att.
Example #3-1-0 in Jhans(36)
I run both styles ALE +L, WH light armor, mace medium armor, and WH heavy armor.
Go 10-10-7 dec 1st minute, and after min 1, go 8-8-5. WL basher, and the other kind
drop down drastically. Always aim for the head (it gets you an att bonus and could
score you a kill every now and then) unless you know you're gonna be up against a TP
or waste, then aim for a leg. Well that's gonna be it. Somebody write me and tell me
what you think.
Uncle Charlie Mgr.
Genocide (68)
Helter Skelter (36, 100)
The Anti-Thesis Slasher
Greetings all. No, this is definitely not another "Perfect" article. In fact,
it actually is just the opposite--finding success with a warrior whose stats were just
average. I am not an expert at this game and do not have near the experience that
some managers have. What I do have is some now solid experience with Slashers thanks
to this guy. So what I will do with this article is show you how my first attempt at
building a Slasher went, what it taught me, and maybe I can show a new or old manager
something about the style that can help their game.
This Slasher was my first attempt at the style. His starting stats were average
at 13-11-12-10-16-11-11. Definitely no Primus-quality warrior. By most people's
standards, he wouldn't have even been thought of as an ADM warrior because of his low
wit and will combo. Today, I don't know if I would even keep this guy, but at the
time I didn't know any better and kept him. I'm glad I did because he turned out to
be a good warrior, not great, but good and a fun one to watch.
He had three statements to start: "...learned how to be decisive and quick",
"...conserve his endurance past what might normally be expected", and "does great
damage". The last statement I think helped him a lot in many of his fights.
Weapons and Armor
Weapons-wise, all I knew about the Slashing style at the time was that a scimitar
was good, so I gave him one. He did well with it, so I kept using it. I didn't use
any off-hand weapon because I knew that an offensive-styled warrior could make quicker
attacks with a weapon using two hands. I gave him one back-up scimitar, knowing that
scimitars break though not that often.
Early on, I may have given him light armor and a helm, but later I discovered
that if he didn't get the first hit, he almost had no hope of winning. After all, the
credo of an offensive warrior is to "hit first, hit hard" and hope it ends the fight
quickly. I also started to realize he would never be a "great" warrior. My
philosophy changed and I could only hope to get him to ADM. So, I decided to use no
armor or helm, which slows warriors down.
Strategy:
Ah, the most important part of this warrior's winning ways. Looking back at his
early strategy, I wonder how he did so well. I started him going 10-10-10, attack and
protect the head with no tactics. My desperation strategy was usually 10-10-5, which
did nothing to help him. I used the decisiveness tactic since his overview said he
was decisive.
Through observing his fights and looking at what he preferred, I ironed out a
general strategy which I think is good for a lot of Slashers:
min. 1 2 3 4 5 6+ desp
OE 10 8 6 4 4 4 5
AL 10 4 2 2 2 2 8
KD 6 8 6 4 4 4 5
AL RA HE ----------------------->
PL AM BD -------------------> HE
Against more parry-type warriors like WOS and TP's, I've used a 10-6-6 min. One
strategy that he seems to like.
Design and Trains:
I started him off training skills only. But I soon learned that his average
stats meant that he wasn't going to learn very well. I decided late to train skills,
then stats, every other turn. The training of his will to 17 really helped his
endurance out. He finally went to ADM at 15-11-12-12-17-12-11. If I had recognized
earlier that he would not be a great warrior, and accepted that, then I might have
been about to train everything twice like in the "old" days and he would have gone at
15-13-12-12-18-13-13.
Record:
He started out great at 4-0-0, then was 8-4-1. He hit a rut and was soon 9-7-1.
He was mediocre in his middle fights but was above .500% at 14-12-2. He was under
.500% once at 14-15-2. Near the end of his regular DM career, with some careful
challenges and strategy changes, he went 5-0-0 and ended up 21-16-2. He was
Duelmaster for three turns in Cliffhome.
Final Notes:
So, what's the purpose of all this? It's to show that anyone can take a mediocre
warrior and through careful strategy and design build them into a formidable warrior.
I recognized long ago that this Slasher would never be great and accepted it. That's
what turned him into the warrior he is today. I was willing to take the risks
necessary to make him win. His name is E.G.B.D.F. (Every Good Boy Does Fine) and in
this case his name is true. I couldn't have asked more from him in his
accomplishments. He can be found fighting occasionally in Darkholm. He's taught me
an incredible amount about this style and has contributed to my 65% overall win-loss
record with them.
I'm open to feedback, positive or negative, and hope in some way that I've helped
someone learn more about this style.
So, good luck to all and may your swords ring true!
Brought to you by Talon, mgr. of
Eagles Claw (38,104), Farfignewtons (32)
where I'm known as Volksie, and other teams
throughout Alastari.