DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 09/27/2019 Duedate: 10/10/2019
NOBLISH ISLAND ARENA
DM 93 TURN 540
This Week's Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
PLUMBER
OCCUPATIONS (1755)
(93-10265) [8-1-1,84]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
POSITION IS EMPTY PLUMBER
OCCUPATIONS (1755)
(93-10265) [8-1-1,84]
Popularity Leader This Week's Favorite
FAST CARS SUPERFICIAL
BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754) BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754)
(93-10258) [6-3-0,31] (93-10259) [6-3-0,33]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
OCCUPATIONS (1755)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. OCCUPATIONS (1755) 39
2. BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754) 10 IRON DRAGON (495)
Unchartered Team
OCCUPATIONS (1755)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 1*OCCUPATIONS (1755) 26 19 1 57.8 1/ 2*OCCUPATIONS (1755) 9 6 1
2/ 3*BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754) 25 20 0 55.6 2/ 1*BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754) 9 6 0
3- 4*LOST LEGION (1757) 13 17 5 43.3 3- 3*LOST LEGION (1757) 2 3 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
The Total Parry
In basic, Total Parries win. And win and win. Why, then, are there not a massive
plethora of TPs? The purpose of this article is to examine the Total Parry from a
Consortium viewpoint, and to reveal the how's, what's, and why's of the oft downplayed
Total Parry.
Let us first talk about some of the facts and the environment surrounding the TP.
* They are very easy to design
* They can optimize the otherwise useless, very low wit and low WT/DF, roll ups.
* They have the best overall w/l records in basic
* They are not really long-term warriors as few-to-none excel in upper ADM.
* They can come across as boring to run.
* The aimed-blow, today's optimal and favored warrior, is their nemesis.
With that in mind what does Total Parry mean to The Consortium? A definition: "A
warrior who "fights" by parrying attacks, and soaking damage and enduring until the
opponent is so tired that the attacker falls from exhaustion or the attacker stands in
exhaustion, unable to swing, while the Total Parry gets in a final, and maybe his
first, swing/hit for a win." Most managers term this a "scum".
Oh, there are variations of the parrying/soaking/enduring Total Parry. It can be
designed to be somewhat offensive. But designs that make it "offensive" are most
likely better fitted, and will win more as wastes (WS) or slashers (SL) or pikers (PS)
or plungers (PL) or rippers (PR) or lungers (LU) or even other styles. Hence, The
Consortium recommends that managers waste little effort on any TP version except THE
SCUM.
What characterizes a Consortium TP Scum? What creates good damage soaking and
parrying? There are two stats that create neither damage soaking (hit points) nor
parry skills. They are WT (wit) and SP (speed). A real Total Parry needs neither.
Another stat, SZ (size) can negatively affect the TPs parrying ability as there are
parry skill reductions at size 15 17, and 21. (And gains at size 5 and 3.) What stats
create soaking? CN (con) primarily, and then WL (will). One other thing creates
soaking. That is armor and the weapon that one decides with which to parry. Hence
"carry", the ability to wear lots of armor and hold heavy weapons, which is comprised
of strength (ST) and con (CN), is necessary for protecting the Total Parry as it
endures.
A yet-to-be designed/base TP starts with more parry skills than any other style, but
is very weak in attack, initiative, defense and decise. Oh my! What then does this
make a designed Consortium Total Parry need to look like? (Note: Primary stats are CN
and WL.)
ST: Max it (11+ to assure C carry level, but 13+ for LG (large shield)
CN: Max it (Enough to get tremendous hit points. (Use 3.75CN+1.1SZ+0.4WL=80.26+)
SZ: Any, preferably not really big (SZ 15+ reduces parry skills)
WT: None. (We can just train stats for a long time, before we get to training skills)
WL: Max it (15+, although success has been made with some at 11+. Lots needed to
train stats)
SP: None
DF: 7+ (There are lots of parry skills in DF, so the higher, the better)
Note: Although WT and SP are "none", neither hurts the TPs ability. They merely take
points away from the needed ST/CN/WL/DF
Rather than provide an exact design, perhaps offering a variety of actual Consortium
TP warriors and their results would be more helpful.
Recently graduated: (The Consortium has over 200 graduated Total Parry fighters.)
14(+3)-21(+2)-12-9(+1)-18(+2)-13-7(+2) 30-18-0 (fave BS)
17(+3)-20(+2)-5-8-21(+1)-9-11(+1) 21-6-0, 1 DM Title, 15-12-0 in Tournament,
1 TV (fave ME)
21(+3)-21(+3)-13-5(+2)-21(+1)-4(+1)-11(+2) 20-3-0, 5 DM Title, 14-12 Tournament
(fave QS)
11(+2)-17(+1)-11-11(+1)-21(+2)-10-9(+1) 27-8-0, 4 DM Titles (fave EP)
17(+3)-21(+2)-8-9(+2)-17(+2)-9-13(+1) 38-10-1, 3 DM Titles
(Yes, had a kill with ME!) (fave LS)
17(+3)-21(+3)-11-5(+2)-18(+2)-12-11(+1) 31-9-0, 10DM Titles (fave ME)
Note: 14(+3)-21(+2)-12 ..., means 11ST started, trained to 14; 19CN started,
trained to 21, 12ST start ...
There are several worthwhile comments about these above six warriors:
- The w/l records are amazing, but typical of the 200+ Consortium grads.
- TPs can get some interesting favorite weapons, even though way unsuited to them by
stats.
- The higher than desired SPs did not at all harm the warrior's results.
- All have been "burnt". (Lots of stat trains.)
- These TPs seldom graduate "on time" (20 fights, 14 wins, 1 adex and 1 expert) as
they do not acquire enough skills.
Here are current warriors (the base design) running in arenas and doing as well as
those above.
14-19-8-5-21-5-12
21-14-8-6-21-7-7
19-19-3-3-18-12-10
21-21-7-4-19-8-4
12-19-7-9-19-9-9
16-18-10-4-19-9-8
13-20-9-8-20-5-9
17-19-11-3-19-3-12
15-21-9-7-21-4-7
16-19-6-9-18-6-10 (This one started life on Noblish Isle DM93)
What would be The Consortium "perfect" design? (One which has not been had, sadly.)
21-21-3-3-21-3-12 But, perhaps, this one would be preferable -- 19-19-3-3-19-3-18,
and have fun burning to 21-21-3-5-21-5-21.
While the design is important for a TP scum, so are the operating strategy and the
weapon and armor selection. Let's start with the armor, as it is the simplest. A scum
almost always goes out to fight in APA/F. Why? While the heaviest possible, this is
the optimum sponge, absorbing the most damage from when that opponent hits. There are
"tweak strategies" where perhaps less armor is employed, but realize that 99% of the
time a Consortium TP wears APA/F.
Weapon selection is an interesting topic for discussion. By and large, the ME or LG
are the Total Parry's best friend. There are quite a nice selection of weapons
available and suited to the TP. A scum, usually low-witted, however, tends to use very
few of them. Using Assur's weapon requirement chart, which he publishes here in DM93
periodically, the first group of weapons are suited, but TP-limited by wit and
deftness. (Code: ST/SZ/WT/DF requirements.)
LO = 11/3/13/11
QS = 11/9/11/11
SC = 9/3/11/11
GS = 15/9/9/11
EP = 7/3/15/15
Leaving, then, these weapons as the most likely for the scum.
ME = 9/3/3/5 (most common Consortium TP weapon)
SM = 5/3/3/5 (seldom Consortium used, as the ME always fits and is better)
LG = 13/7/3/7 (favored Consortium TP weapon)
BS = 11/3/9/7 (the best weapon weapon, but sometimes wit limited)
LS = 11/9/5/9 (works well as a parry weapon, but seldom Consortium used as it is
two-handed, hence, no shield)
Off-hand weapons play an important part to the Total Parry winning ways. The
interesting thing about off-hands is that a manager can place almost any weapon there
(except two-handed) and there will be no statement commentary indicating unsuited or
not-quite suited. Hence, any weapon, even unsuited, can be used as off-hand, as long
as SZ/WT/DF requirements are met. (For example it is not unusual to see a WH as an
off-hand weapon with the LG primary hand on a Consortium warrior.
In order, here are the typical weapons used by Consortium Total Parry warriors.
ME/ME BS/ME LG/LG LG/WH LG/LG BA/ME BA/LG LG/-
Back up weapons are also important to Total Parry warriors as the primary and/or off-
hand are often broken by all the parrying going on. What are good backup weapons? Any
weapon can parry, but not as well as shields. And the backup weapons do count in the
weight burden of the warrior, so do not overburden. The most common Consortium backups
are DA and WH.
Carry and endurance need to be discussed to assure optimizing the TP. There should be
no need, or desire, to overburden the TP which will negatively impact his endurance.
Using the CIC information, determine the encumbrance, and armor and weapon your
warrior accordingly. Since virtually all Consortium scum are going to be designed with
11 ST min and very high CN, the design will always carry what is considered the
minimum 27 points.
BS/ME APA/F one backup DA or ME/ME APA/F one backup DA
If the warrior has 13+ ST, often a Consortium TP might look like this:
LG/WH APA/F primary backup DA
What is a good strategy? How might The Consortium run these types of warriors? A
common theory is all one needs to do is use 1-1-1-P. We Consortium managers very
seldom run 1-1-1. Giving the strategy some OE (offensive effort) and some AL (activity
level) seems to cause that TP to swing/attack in the most surprising moments and
sometimes early on. Many battles have been won this way. And, in general, the TP's
endurance seems unaffected by these numbers. As to "kill desire" (KD), a mod/low
number (not 1) seems to enhance that early swing. The Consortium does not want to give
you the idea that this early swinging happens regularly, but that it does happen
occasionally, Perhaps it is important to point out that average/typical AL/OE
Favorites (learned at graduation) for the TP are LO/VL. Next most likely are VL/VL
and VL/LO. (VL is very low and 1-2, LO is low and 3-4, as opposed to moderate MO 5-6,
high HI 7-8 and VH very high 9-10.)
This is a typical Consortium TP scum strategy:
3-2-2-1-3-1-3
3-2-2-2-1-1-3
5-5-5-5-8-6-5
P-P-P-P-n-P-P
Now when an opponent is a known good scum also, the strategy might change to assure
optimal endurance:
1-1-1-1-1-1-1
1-1-1-1-1-1-1
1-1-1-1-1-5-1
P-P-P-P-P-P-P
There is more to "good strategy" than the numbers one chooses. To optimize any type of
warrior, one must use the challenge/avoid. Any TP that fights an AB is likely to lose.
At the lower levels (meaning DM rather that ADM) a TP loses to the aimer 90-95% of the
time. A scum TP that fights a lunger wins 60-80% of the time. So if you want wonderful
w/l rates like those listed above, you must challenge and avoid properly and always.
(The Consortium often publishes an article on challenge and avoid in DM93. Wait for
it, or find it, but certainly heed it.) To challenge and avoid properly, you must know
styles of warriors in your arena. Hence, you must fight and keep records, and/or have
friends/allies who collect and share styles, or use a common data base like that of
Terrablood.com.) The most important challenge/avoids for a TP scum are:
* Avoid teams with aimed blows able to challenge or match up with you
* Avoid teams with known hard-hitting (great+ damage) warriors
* Avoid teams with better designed scum that are able to challenge or match you
* Avoid teams with warriors that have beaten you
* Avoid teams with pikers and strikers, especially those who hit harder or have
kills on record
* Challenge lungers primarily
* Challenge small or light hitting warriors of any type but AB
* Prior to 10 fights of experience (10FE) challenge all styles but AB (maybe STs,
too)
One final item needs to be discussed. The Consortium has recommended that the TP is
meant to be a scum, and all the previous information points that out. However, were
one to want to design and run a more offensive TP, this is how The Consortium does it.
(Out of the 200+ graduate TPs, only 4 are of this type, and they do not fare as well
as the mighty scum; they all would have made better warriors under another design.)
The main characteristics of the OTP (Offensive Total Parry) compared to the scum is
that at least moderate (11+), and preferably high, (15+, preferably 17+) Wit and at
least 11 deftness are needed. This would mean they would have all or one of these
stats, ST, CN, WL) reduced from the scum design. Lastly, it means that the final
design will be much more in line with a very good LU or other better long term warrior
able to compete in high ADM, like Primus. Here are some typical offensive Total
Parries.
11-14-10-17-17-4-11 (wish it had been made a LU or WS or PL or even PS)
15-12-8-17-21-4-7 (wish it had been made a LU or SL or even BA)
17-14-3-17-17-5-11 (wish it had been made a LU, especially, or even a PL, PR, SL,
BA, WS)
15-15-9-15-15-4-11 (wish it had been made a WS or LU or BA)
So there you have it. The Total Parry, Consortium-style. You have learned how to
design, armor, weapon, run, challenge/avoid, and optimize a Total Parry. Prepare
yourself for lots of wins and some quite long fights. Winning is FUN.
-- The Consortium Portfolio 9-19-2019
(Brought to you by Agent of Occupations)
DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.
Hey! I love this Duelmaster gig. Just love it! That's three of those Titles I
have collected, and I expect more before I slide out of here.
But I want to take a minute to send out "kudos" to teammate Proctologist for his
fine record, so far. For his design and style, that is amazing. Perhaps we can both
finish out at 9-1? (We certainly will if we continue to fight Yuppies; yes, indeed.) I
also gotta compliment Mr. Assur for his brilliant articles on styles and types of DM
warriors. VERY good. Yessireebob!
With that, I take my leave. See you on the sands.
-- Plumber DMIII
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 BASH BROS
YUPPIE was unseated this week as OCCUPATIONS moved up from 2nd ranking to take the
top spot with a 3-2-0 record for the round. PROCTOLOGIST caught the eye of many in
the gladiatorial commission as he skillfully bested SUPERFICIAL and was awarded 15
points in recognition. In one of the week's more notable duels, PROCTOLOGIST put
down SUPERFICIAL, causing him to lose 9 points of recognition in the process.
Although KHALHUMS DWARF made a valiant effort, it did not suffice to topple the reign
of victorious PLUMBER. Heed this! A seer has warned that if exactly 6 die in duels
this week, the whole city shall perish! Just remember...5 or 7!
But come now, let us look deeper into the maze of contention and crossed blades
that is city NOBLISH ISLAND. My inside sources tell me that the team to beat in
NOBLISH ISLAND these days is OCCUPATIONS. At least, most blades in town are looking
to avoid them. Methinks more than a few here could name the guild it was that spent
the better part of last week avoiding OCCUPATIONS. Indeed it was BASH BROS YUPPIE.
Mighty fighters cannot but expect competition from those below. SELFISH take
warning! You have more than a few enemies in NOBLISH ISLAND.
Vendettas. Bloodied blades and broken spears. Indeed the city has seen more
than its fair share of red in recent times. Some say a warrior is judged by the way
he bears arms. One thing is sure, better a dagger in hand then a sword on the belt!
The girls are as pretty in NOBLISH ISLAND as ever I remembered them....and the
fighters as ugly! Don't let your reputation slip! Ahh, but I can hear the spires of
a far off city calling to me. I must away! Till next we meet remember: a fool
flies into a rage quickly and often. The wise are angered by the same thing only
once. Zontani Sharp Eyes
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
PLUMBER 10265 8 1 1 84 OCCUPATIONS (1755)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-RAMIAL 10276 5 1 1 62 LOST LEGION (1757)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
PROCTOLOGIST 10266 8 1 0 40 OCCUPATIONS (1755)
-SPINX 10273 4 2 4 40 LOST LEGION (1757)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SUPERFICIAL 10259 6 3 0 33 BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754)
FAST CARS 10258 6 3 0 31 BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754)
ENGINEER 10267 4 5 0 30 OCCUPATIONS (1755)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SELFISH 10260 3 6 0 22 BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754)
SELF GROOMING 10295 2 0 0 22 BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754)
-ATTICUS 10277 3 3 0 18 LOST LEGION (1757)
NO FAMILY 10281 3 3 0 18 BASH BROS YUPPIE (1754)
MODEL 10263 3 6 0 15 OCCUPATIONS (1755)
REFEREE 10279 3 5 0 14 OCCUPATIONS (1755)
-DIEGO 10282 0 3 0 3 LOST LEGION (1757)
-TAVIN 10294 0 2 0 2 LOST LEGION (1757)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
ARROGANT 10262 3 4 0 BASH BROS YUPPI 1754 PLUMBER 10265 538
ITALIN JOE 10278 3 2 0 THE FAMILY 1756 SPINX 10273 537
PERSONAL ADS
Shucks, sure, a 3-2, but Assur took me 2-1. the cretin! -- Agent
Welcome back, Lost Legion! -- Agent
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
ENGINEER slimly won victory over SELFISH in a crowd pleasing 3 minute Challenge fight.
PLUMBER subdued KHALHUMS DWARF in a exciting 2 minute Title melee.
SUPERFICIAL was luckily beaten by PROCTOLOGIST in a crowd pleasing 6 minute duel.
FAST CARS overpowered MODEL in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
REFEREE was bested by SELF GROOMING in a action packed 1 minute brawl.
NO FAMILY overpowered CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute one-sided struggle.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|BASHING ATTACK 3 TOTAL PARRY 8 - 3 - 0 73 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 STRIKING ATTACK 22 - 13 - 1 63 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 2 PARRY-STRIKE 3 - 2 - 0 60 |
|TOTAL PARRY 1 LUNGING ATTACK 10 - 8 - 1 56 |
|WALL OF STEEL 1 BASHING ATTACK 29 - 24 - 7 55 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 7 - 8 - 0 47 |
|AIMED BLOW 0 WALL OF STEEL 7 - 12 - 0 37 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 - 0 0 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 AIMED BLOW 0 - 2 - 0 0 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 0 SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 1 - 0 0 |
Turn 540 was great if you Not so great if you used The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles: the fighting styles: top eleven warriors are:
PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 - 0 AIMED BLOW 0 - 0 3 STRIKING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 3 BASHING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 1 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE
WALL OF STEEL 1 - 0 LUNGING ATTACK 0 - 1 1 LUNGING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 1 TOTAL PARRY
BASHING ATTACK 0 - 3 1 WALL OF STEEL
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
STRIKING ATTACK PLUMBER 10265 8 1 1 84 OCCUPATIONS (1755)
TOTAL PARRY PROCTOLOGIST 10266 8 1 0 40 OCCUPATIONS (1755)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is FAST CARS 10258. The most popular warrior this turn
was SUPERFICIAL 10259. The ten other most popular fighters were PLUMBER 10265,
SELFISH 10260, ENGINEER 10267, FAST CARS 10258, REFEREE 10279, SELF GROOMING 10295,
NO FAMILY 10281, MODEL 10263, PROCTOLOGIST 10266, and 0.
The least popular fighter this week was PROCTOLOGIST 10266. The other ten least
popular fighters were MODEL 10263, NO FAMILY 10281, SELF GROOMING 10295, REFEREE
10279, FAST CARS 10258, ENGINEER 10267, SELFISH 10260, PLUMBER 10265, SUPERFICIAL
10259, and 0.
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, a few additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament.
SPANDEX SNOWMAN (84-10074) 072209C (1821)
BLUE WAFFLES (84-35277) BUBBA'S DINER (6183)
TP-AB (85-3045) A-GQ-DECEIT (565)
Congrats to the grads. -- Green Eyes