DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 02/09/2024 Duedate: 02/22/2024
NOBLISH ISLAND ARENA
DM 93 TURN 654
This Week's Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
PUBLIUS SCIPIO
ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911)
(93-11188) [4-2-1,30]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
POSITION IS EMPTY PUBLIUS SCIPIO
ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911)
(93-11188) [4-2-1,30]
Popularity Leader This Week's Favorite
PUBLIUS SCIPIO BROKE NEWSLETTERS
ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911) BB FACE TO FACE (1915)
(93-11188) [4-2-1,30] (93-11210) [0-1-0,1]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. DM - FOLK (1916) 44
2. ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911) 34 IRON DRAGON (495)
3. BB FACE TO FACE (1915) 27 Unchartered Team
4. DIVIDED NATIONS (1912) 4
5. APOCALYSPE (216) 1 DM - FOLK (1916)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 0*DM - FOLK (1916) 4 1 0 80.0 1/ 3*ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911) 9 5 1
2/ 4*ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911) 20 9 3 69.0 2/ 4*SLAUGHTER HOUSE V (1913) 6 4 1
3/ 1*DIVIDED NATIONS (1912) 2 1 0 66.7 3/ 0*DM - FOLK (1916) 4 1 0
4/ 2*SLAUGHTER HOUSE V (1913) 6 4 1 60.0 4/ 6*DIVIDED NATIONS (1912) 2 1 0
5/ 0*BB FACE TO FACE (1915) 2 3 0 40.0 5/ 0*BB FACE TO FACE (1915) 2 3 0
6- 6*UBER ACES (1903) 17 27 1 38.6 6- 5*UBER ACES (1903) 1 4 0
7- 0*DRAGON BLOOD (1914) 1 4 0 20.0 7- 0*DRAGON BLOOD (1914) 1 4 0
8/ 0*WE THE PEOPLE (1910) 1 5 0 16.7 8/ 0*APOCALYSPE (216) 0 2 0
9/ 0*APOCALYSPE (216) 0 2 0 0.0 9/ 0*WE THE PEOPLE (1910) 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
WARRIOR AND TEAM DESIGN (A Consortium Briefing)
The purpose of this spotlight is to provide newer/inexperienced D2 managers with
warrior and team design thoughts and concepts, and to assist new managers by allowing
observation of the design 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 and fought)
2. Some thoughts on team balance
3. A 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 "T. C.",
manager and agent of DM-FOLK., a member of The Consortium, who is a long, long time
(nearly 40 year) paying competitor in Duelmasters/D2. I will be overseeing this new
team and will be offering you advice most rounds in the Noblish Island newsletter too.
(Yes; free advice!) Please think nothing of asking me questions in the personal ads
or through diplos or on the RSI and/or Chatzy sites. You will get answers, often very
interesting answers.
Now I have to tell you this. This is a pretty decent rollup sheet of random
warrior potential. Opportunities abound! (Some good; some bad.) But some of the fun
of D2 is designing a seemingly inadequate warrior, and strategizing them to being a
winner! So, let's get at it -- the Consortium way.
First, some solid advice. There is NO one-and-only perfect design for any
warrior. Believe it! 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 and guidelines look
like this:
1. WT is the first factor examined, followed by WL, which then determines
the subsequent point additions, the probable design, and potential
style direction. (So review WT/WL options first.)
2. Generally design to strengths/excesses, making high roll numbers
higher. (Accentuate the positive.)
3. Design to stat/skill break points to maximize starting skills. (Know
what base skills are attached to stat points, and weapon strength
requirements. Be sure to ask RSI for the C.I.C. with helpful starting
info.)
4. Offensive-ish warriors need high WT to excel. Design to 11 (very
minimum), need 11, 13, 15, 17, 21 for skill breaks. (note: Offensives,
though, can win in the very short run on physicals only)
5. 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 most probable. If not an
aimer, then 11 DF is really all most designs need, (7 DF is our
minimum desire.) and 11 is very desirable.
6. All warriors except AB must have normal damage and really need good.
Make certain that ST/SZ allows that, and have high enough WL to bump
stats if not. Aimers can succeed with less damage doing.
7. 9 WL is the reasonable min for offensives. All warriors MUST have some
decent WL. Some very few warriors might do OK with 7 or 8. (Maybe.)
8. A warrior has to have some strength; weapon choice and weapon damage
is impaired otherwise; 9 is normally minimum, but 11+ really best
9. Do not add to CN for pure offensives.
10. Defensive style warriors need big WL and CN. And, then, ST, too.
11. Physicals never hurt any warrior. Warriors can win early on with
lesser skill, but good physicals.
12. 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). But avoid those aimed-blows!
13. If the warrior is to be long-term (meaning a godling or really,
really nice roll, later intended for ADM), do not design a burner. (A
burner is one where the manager intends to raise stats and physicals
as an intended strategy to enhance winning). Burners require very high
WL as stat raises are dependent on WL.
14. However, there is nothing wrong with making a burner. (10% or so of
Consortium warriors are planned burners.) Remember, though, that stat
raises are dependent on WL. (5% times WL determine the expected
probability of a first raise.
15. Have variation in styles in arenas. This allows for better
challenging, avoiding, and match-ups. (Adding also fun and learning
through variety.)
16. Usually design to the numbers, then choose style, rather than
predetermine a style, then design. (At least until you really know
what you are doing.)
17. PRIMARY PRINCIPAL: 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 principals to
the DM-FOLK Team. (Note: While not all of the concepts will be specifically referenced
below in designing the five warriors, virtually all are truly used in one or more
places.) 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 of (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, or maybe
basher or slasher or lunger) 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 brand-new managers: AB (aimed blow=aimer),
PR (parry riposte=ripper), PS (parry strike=piker), PL (parry lunge= plunger), and
maybe WS (wall of steel=waste). Save those for later; or, if you are feeling
lucky.........
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, T. C., manager
of the DM-FOLK. team just now started on Noblish Isle.
A quick, initial thought on roll up sheets, in general. It can be hardest to
design "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! So, with that, let's get on to designing this team.
17-4-10-17-9-14-13 Basher (BA) from 14-3-10-12-5-14-12. First (looking at
concept#1, then concept #7 above) WL is an issue. My first move is to add 4 points to
9. (a general WL needed minimum and skill break point) I then look to optimizing
strengths (concept #2) and add 3 to ST(17 is a skill break point also; concept #3.)
and 5 to WT. (also a skill break point at 17.) The last 2 points I add one to DF to
get those skills (concept #3) at 13 and 1 to CN simply because 3 CN is so prone to
death in the arena. This is MANNEQUIN who's nickname is "Killer" so I choose the
bashing style.
9-13-12-9-10-8-9 to 11-19-12-9-16-8-9 Total Parry. (TP) With WL and CN being the
largest starting stats, placing 6 points on each (Concept #2) leaves 2 for ST making
this a workable TP. (Note my recommendations above of a fast offensive warrior and a
scummy type warrior have been fulfilled.) BUBBA has come to life.
4-13-13-12-9-10-9 to 10-13-13-17-10-10-11 Striker. Nothing like a very low ST to
make things difficult! I add the 5 to WT. (concepts #1 & 2.) I decide to place 6 on ST
taking it to 10. I could have stopped at 9, my minimum, but decided to go all the way,
maybe bumping ST to 11, for weapons, later in the arena. Two to DF (see concept # 5.)
I add the last to WL, knowing I am going to try to bump ST to 11 in the arena and this
bumps up my odds a little in a successful later stat raise. (Read concept # 14.) Let
me introduce DOC STEELE.
10-9-13-10-9-9-10 to 11-10-13-15-15-9-11 Lunger. (LU) A tough one to
design/decide, since there is no real high stat except ST. I place the one on ST and
DF to bring them to my presumed best. (See concepts # 5 & 8.) Concept #1 drives me to
add 6 each to WT and WL for fifteens, buth nice skill breakpoints. What to make it? It
looks offensive and ONE-ARMED BANDIT shall be a lunger.
6-5-16-9-10-11-13 to 9-5-16-15-10-12-17 AB. Several comments first. A. Aimed
blows are difficult. B. Large-sized aimers seldom work well. C. Low CN aimers seem to
die quickly, and, actually, all aimed-blows are prone to death. D. Aimers really need
all the DF they can get. (Like 21.) This one does not! But, what the heck, I am giving
it a try! So 4 to DF. (Concept #2) 6 to WT (concept #1.) 3 to DF. (Concept #8 and
stats for the scimitar.) And while I should probably added the last one to CN or WL, I
chose SP for the one decise skill. (Study that C.I.C. or Assur and/or Terrablood's
skill charts.)
The team mix is acceptable, with five different styles. I like it. I wish you
good luck competing against DM-FOLK warriors. I suspect this TEAM (I am worried about
that Aimed-blow, VLAD, though.) will meet the 60% objective (Read Concept #17.) and
each warrior will have to do its part. They will be a fun team and they will both
challenge and avoid.
Now let's take a look at my overall design tendencies for this team in this
situation. We had 70 total points to add to the designs. Totaled, they look like this:
ST = 15 (Looks typical and solid.)
CN = 8 (CN is usually minimal; but the one TP made this necessary.)
SZ = 0 (Cannot add to size.)
WT = 21 (1 of 2 most important stats. (Adding many here is common, and
usually beneficial.)
WL = 17 (1 of 2 most important stats)
SP = 1 (SP is usually a least added stat.)
DF = 8 (DF adders are often quite variable. 8 looks good for this
group.)
The general tendencies look OK 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 a long-time veteran. May your stay in D2 be long and prosperous, and,
most of all, fun. (As mine is and has been.)
-- T. C., Manager of DM-FOLK. (Consortium affiliated)
SPY REPORT
Good day, friends and fiends, welcome to your friendly neighborhood spyreport.
I doubt NOBLISH ISLAND will ever be the same. It seems the training can make the
difference, as CHILDHOOD T.V. is pushed out of top team by ROMAN REPUBLIC, who came
from 3rd with a 4-0-0 this turn. On their very first turn, DM - FOLK had a 4-1-0,
and with this kind of luck or skill, should do well. Welcome to NOBLISH ISLAND. And
let's see, VLAD fought BALD EAGLE and gained 14 points and contributed to DM - FOLK's
4-1-0. DEVON has lost to PUBLIUS SCIPIO, falling 10 points, while helping make
SLAUGHTER HOUSE V a 2-3-0 turn. And all eyes were on PUBLIUS SCIPIO this turn as he
ascended to the throne of Duelmaster. NOBLISH ISLAND has a new victor! Can someone
confirm a rumor for me? I hear the top team makes their losing fighters do dishes at
The Warty Toad until they win. Maybe?
I tell you, a green quarterstaff lasts longer than a seasoned sapling. A basher
friend of mine assures me this is true.
A coward dies a thousand deaths, a brave man only once. Wise men know this to
be true. Kudos go out to TIBERE GRACCHUS this turn, for revenging ROMAN REPUBLIC's
bloodfeud against SLAUGHTER HOUSE V's warrior ARCHER. Well done. A brave warrior
does not carry a red shield, he has nothing to cover or hide when the fight is over.
Consider well.
I like this place, NOBLISH ISLAND, the taverns have old wine, and young serving
girls. Who could ask for more? Always good to rest in NOBLISH ISLAND, but never
good to wear out my welcome. Look for me in future turns. Until the sun next rises
and my pen sets to paper-- Alarond the Scribe
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
PUBLIUS SCIPIO 11188 4 2 1 30 ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-DAME JEDI 11147 6 3 0 33 UBER ACES (1903)
-PROTON 11144 4 5 0 32 UBER ACES (1903)
-BIG LUG 11146 4 5 0 32 UBER ACES (1903)
MARCUS CATO 11191 5 1 1 24 ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
APPIUS CAUDEX 11190 5 1 0 23 ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911)
WOLFGANG 11201 2 0 0 22 SLAUGHTER HOUSE V (1913)
TIBERE GRACCHUS 11189 4 2 1 20 ROMAN REPUBLIC (1911)
-RED ROGUE 11207 1 0 0 18 DRAGON BLOOD (1914)
-ASSURS HONOR 11145 2 7 1 17 UBER ACES (1903)
VLAD 11218 1 0 0 14 DM - FOLK (1916)
DOC STEELE 11217 1 0 0 14 DM - FOLK (1916)
HUNG OVER 11213 1 0 0 13 BB FACE TO FACE (1915)
ARCHER 11199 1 1 1 11 SLAUGHTER HOUSE V (1913)
MANNEQUIN 11215 1 0 0 11 DM - FOLK (1916)
BAD MATCH UPS 11211 1 0 0 11 BB FACE TO FACE (1915)
-ENRIQUE SUAVE 11196 1 0 0 11 DIVIDED NATIONS (1912)
DEVON 11202 1 1 0 10 SLAUGHTER HOUSE V (1913)
WILHEIM 11198 1 1 0 7 SLAUGHTER HOUSE V (1913)
-ZOGI 11187 1 1 0 5 UBER ACES (1903)
PERRY 11200 1 1 0 4 SLAUGHTER HOUSE V (1913)
BALD EAGLE 11180 1 1 0 4 WE THE PEOPLE (1910)
BUBBA 11214 1 0 0 4 DM - FOLK (1916)
JOSE SUMMERS 11193 1 0 0 3 DIVIDED NATIONS (1912)
AALIYA SAILEAS 1188 0 2 0 2 APOCALYSPE (216)
BROKE NEWSLETTERS 11210 0 1 0 1 BB FACE TO FACE (1915)
-BLACK BARD 11208 0 1 0 1 DRAGON BLOOD (1914)
-BLUE BARBARIAN 11206 0 1 0 1 DRAGON BLOOD (1914)
-WHITE WARLOCK 11205 0 1 0 1 DRAGON BLOOD (1914)
ONE-ARM BANDIT 11216 0 1 0 1 DM - FOLK (1916)
NATALIA MARAKOVA 11197 0 1 0 1 DIVIDED NATIONS (1912)
SANDY CALL OUT 11212 0 1 0 1 BB FACE TO FACE (1915)
TOMBSTONE FEATURE 11209 0 1 0 1 BB FACE TO FACE (1915)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
GREEN RANGER 11204 0 1 0 DRAGON BLOOD 1914 TIBERE GRACCHUS 11189 652
QUINTUS FABIUS 11192 2 3 0 ROMAN REPUBLIC 1911 ARCHER 11199 653 JUST REVENGED
SAIGH EUBHA 11094 0 1 0 SANGUIS ITER 1894 PUBLIUS SCIPIO 11188 650 NOT REVENGED
PERSONAL ADS
While conversing with the smith, he mentions that Caudex is a skilled fighter and has
been bestowed with divine gifts. I express my respect for the Gods, but also point out
that Their influence cannot be credited for everything. Dedication and hard work are
the true keys to success, while being lazy -- physically or intellectually -- is the
surest path to mediocrity. -- Valerius Flamma
I wake up to the lingering scent of a seductive perfume. Did she ever tell me her
name? A lupa has many names. She dedicates herself to pleasing men, while I dedicate
myself to entertaining the crowd. Two sides of the same coin. -- Scipio
After only half a minute of fighting, it's quite an achievement that the Blue
Barbarian became exhausted. You may call me a log of wood, but it was on that log that
you stumbled. -- Cato
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
PUBLIUS SCIPIO devastated DEVON in a 1 minute mismatched Title fight.
TIBERE GRACCHUS won victory over ARCHER in a 6 minute battle.
APPIUS CAUDEX overcame CULT MEMBER in a 2 minute match.
MARCUS CATO defeated EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute duel.
AALIYA SAILEAS was bested by WILHEIM in a 2 minute gory novice's contest.
BALD EAGLE was subdued by VLAD in a 2 minute amateur's competition.
PERRY was vanquished by DOC STEELE in a 1 minute mismatched fight.
WOLFGANG overpowered NATALIA MARAKOVA in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
JOSE SUMMERS outlasted TOMBSTONE FEATURE in a crowd boring 14 minute beginner's melee.
BROKE NEWSLETTERS was outwaited by BUBBA in a action packed 7 minute novice's duel.
BAD MATCH UPS vanquished ONE-ARM BANDIT in a exciting 1 minute one-sided fight.
SANDY CALL OUT was handily defeated by MANNEQUIN in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
HUNG OVER demolished MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute mismatched match.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 5 PARRY-STRIKE 10 - 3 - 1 77 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 4 TOTAL PARRY 12 - 5 - 0 71 |
|BASHING ATTACK 4 AIMED BLOW 18 - 10 - 0 64 |
|AIMED BLOW 3 STRIKING ATTACK 18 - 16 - 1 53 |
|TOTAL PARRY 3 SLASHING ATTACK 12 - 11 - 0 52 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 5 - 5 - 1 50 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 1 BASHING ATTACK 16 - 16 - 2 50 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 LUNGING ATTACK 15 - 18 - 1 45 |
|WALL OF STEEL 1 PARRY-LUNGE 4 - 5 - 0 44 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 0 WALL OF STEEL 2 - 9 - 0 18 |
Turn 654 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 LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 3 3 STRIKING ATTACK
PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 0 TOTAL PARRY 1 - 2 2 SLASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK 3 - 1 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 1 2 LUNGING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK 3 - 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 1 1 AIMED BLOW
SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0 1 BASHING ATTACK
WALL OF STEEL 0 - 1 1 PARRY-LUNGE
1 TOTAL PARRY
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 PUBLIUS SCIPIO 11188. The most popular warrior this
turn was BROKE NEWSLETTERS 11210. The ten other most popular fighters were WILHEIM
11198, ARCHER 11199, VLAD 11218, BAD MATCH UPS 11211, MANNEQUIN 11215, PUBLIUS SCIPIO
11188, APPIUS CAUDEX 11190, MARCUS CATO 11191, DOC STEELE 11217, and WOLFGANG 11201.
The least popular fighter this week was TOMBSTONE FEATURE 11209. The other ten least
popular fighters were JOSE SUMMERS 11193, BUBBA 11214, SANDY CALL OUT 11212, NATALIA
MARAKOVA 11197, PERRY 11200, AALIYA SAILEAS 1188, TIBERE GRACCHUS 11189, DEVON 11202,
HUNG OVER 11213, and ONE-ARM BANDIT 11216.