Block Skill

[TeLef0n0]

As I see it, Relborn wishes to limit the number of block-players, so everyone doesnt have teams where every player has block. I find the proposition very unbalancing as many others do, enough said about that.

In the league I play in, we also try to prevent access to a number of skills (to prevent teams with all players developing alike, thats kinda boring), but we do not change skill-categories the different skills belong to. Instead we have made a rule, that says you can only choose block (and a number of other skills like MB) for 6 players, not counting starting-skill-blockers. That rule prevents us from choosing block for all our players, and promotes other skillchoices.

My Human team for example have 4 with block from the start, bringing the total number of potential blockplayers up to 10 no matter how long the league runs or how many skills I get. I can never field a team with 11 block-dudes, and my skillchoices have to be more versatile (and fun...).

The number 6 can of course be discussed, but in our league it has worked well. I know its a house rule, but it does the job Relborn wants it to, limiting block on every player. The bonus is, that it is not unbalancing all the rosters.

[Zombie]

I didn't realise you declared sidestep before the block...
by your reasoning THAT should happen too.

Why should it have to be? Realistically, the player with side step will only move out of the attacker's way if the attacking seems like he'll be at all successful. If he's missing you by 3 feet, why even care to move at all?

Quit being a pedant for five seconds and realise its just a game mechanic would you?

I'm being "pedantic" because rules that make no sense like this, while another version that makes 10 times more sense could be easily seen, make the game tougher to teach to a newbie, not to mention less fun to play.

[Mestari]

The problem with that, Zombie, is that Cut Block would quite rarely be used. If you don't have to declare it before the roll, it's a nice security option to have. But if you do have to, it's kind of pointless to use it as the odds of it actually being of use are quite small.

[Thadrin]

I didn't realise you declared sidestep before the block...
by your reasoning THAT should happen too.

Why should it have to be? Realistically, the player with side step will only move out of the attacker's way if the attacking seems like he'll be at all successful. If he's missing you by 3 feet, why even care to move at all?

Try answering the question. Your problem with the mechanic was the timing of the declaration. You think that it should be - because of real world stuff - before the block is made. Lots of the rules make less sense than they would if they were absolutely realistic. Its called game mechanics.

You want real? ok: The cutblocker gets blocked, realises he is going over and takes the other guy with him. Some might call it "Holding", but in BB that doesn't matter. I've had that happen to me in real life (ain't life on the line grand?).
OR: The cutblocker makes a block, realies he hasn't succeeded and goes to the knees instead. Again, I've had it happen to me.

You don't declare sidestep until you see the block result. You don't declare Dodge or tackle until you see the block result.
How exactly is this different?

[Zombie]

The problem with that, Zombie, is that Cut Block would quite rarely be used. If you don't have to declare it before the roll, it's a nice security option to have. But if you do have to, it's kind of pointless to use it as the odds of it actually being of use are quite small.

Exactly what i said in my post above.

[Zombie]

You don't declare sidestep until you see the block result. You don't declare Dodge or tackle until you see the block result.
How exactly is this different?

I already answered that above. It makes sense for those skills to work after the block, because the player realistically wouldn't try to dodge or side step until you're right in his face and otherwise bringing him down.

But if you're gonna hit someone in the knees, you better know it before you even start your motion, or it ain't gonna work.

[Thadrin]

That argument holds a LITTLE water - most, NOT all, cut blocks are preplanned - but if that's all that's bothering you we can just come up with a different name - Rollblock maybe.

On the other hand, "Cut Block" sounds so much easier for someone NOT into the technicalities of football.