The Art of Blocking

An introduction to blocking in Blood Bowl, with the name borrowed from the classic article by Doubleskulls that can be found on thenaf.net, in the Playbooks section.
Learn about the basics of Assists, the importance of Guard and Frenzy, and the skills of Crowd Surfs and Chain-Pushing.
0:00 Intro
0:45 The teams
1:20 Block dice and mechanics of blocking
3:30 Assists
5:55 Pushback directions
6:45 Maximising dice and probability
10:25 Blocking from setup
13:00 Guard
15:10 Frenzy
19:20 Crowd Pushes
23:50 Chain Pushing
For more, see the "New to Blood Bowl" list: • New to Blood Bowl

[@Nomore304s]

I’m still traumatized from a halfling killing my Minotaur on a tree skull, that loner wouldn’t let me re-roll.

[@KarmaSangheili]

Played the video game for a while and just could not wrap my head around assists/counter-assists. Thanks for going over that so clearly!

[@FoulPet]

Still the best tutorial online

[@thedarkone2444]

Hi Mike, I've recently purchased BB and your videos are coming in very handy, please keep them coming. As a side note, I'm about to enter my first BB league and loving the game.

[@brianhess5150]

Thank You, Mike for a fantastic video series...it helps a ton

[@babayagob2243]

This has helped me immensely!

[@nsoncrantful]

Thanks for the video Mike, there very handy

[@johnwoodworth9127]

Great video, thanks :)

[@AlexA-wb9pr]

nice vid very usefull tank you for taking the time, in other news my pestigor now has str4 agi 4 on lvl 3 lol

[@axivx965]

Hi mike good video keep it up👍👍👍

[@chrisjanquart7550]

Good primer, been a while since 3rd edition and now with rule changes, this is a good refresher.
I'll need to check it out, but I thought that you must keep the opposing player on the pitch on the second crowd push example (even if there's another player occupying a square). Besides, best way is to get the perpendicular block so there's no other option. Things get even more hinky with say a Wardancer with Side Step and someone with Grab that wants to toss the elf off pitch.
I do agree that Guard is a great skill for S4 players, but I'm just really fond of Block (just personal preference); gets really interesting if you have a Chaos Warrior with Block and Dodge (even if you don't use the skill for doing, it cuts the chances of getting knocked down tremendously).
I'm looking forward to trying combinations of new or revised skills; Fend seems interesting, Piling On got "fixed", Jump Up is different with a Blitz now, Diving Tackle got a much-needed fix (no more Diving Tackle Wardancers screening ball carriers on the sidelines and making them untouchable), Wrestle has some interesting utility (especially coupled with Grab...get for throwing players in the crowd). Again, good overview.

[@MikeDavies_sann0638]

Hi, missed this! Yes, if you fill the square then the player does get pushed off the pitch. Block is best for S4, definitely, but Guard is a close second. Only Piling On actually changed in the new box set/DZ1, all the rest have been errata back to CRP, or did not have any change. Thanks for watching :)

[@Stormtrooper1787]

When the black orc POWs the blitzer into the crowd doesn't the black orc roll to break armor and possibly injure, and then you roll the crowd injury roll for possibly two injury rolls on the blitzer?

[@syteanric]

No mention of Dauntless skill?

[@useyourlefthand]

This is something I have struggled to find an answer to. The rules state "If one player has more strength, you roll 2 dice and the stronger player chooses the result"...
does the +1 strength from assisting add to this or is it only the base
strength of the two units? (so a black orc being hit by a lineman with 2
assists would chose the dice used to pick the outcome)
ps Thanks for these videos, they are a big help.

[@MikeDavies_sann0638]

yes, the comparison is after assists. So a lineman with 2 assists against a Black Orc would roll 2 dice and choose the result.

[@useyourlefthand]

Thank you, that made sense but I wasnt sure :D All the best.

[@aidancorrigan7998]

Can a catcher block a black orc without an assist?

[@MikeDavies_sann0638]

Yes indeed! But it will be two dice, and the black orc chooses the result.

[@aidancorrigan7998]

Oh ok. Thanks a million!

[@HeadHunterSix]

Well, what makes Black Orcs better at blocking is that their strength gives them at least 2 dice against most opponents, and as you said that's better than one dice with Block, right?

[@MikeDavies_sann0638]

HeadHunter sure! But if you get your assists right then the blitzers do a better job of blocking :)

[@chrisjanquart7550]

Mike Davies Get a blitzer with Dodge and watch out!

[@BaalinKnight]

Like the intro states, this should be called An Introduction to Blocking; not the Art of Blocking... Misleading title.