Dark Elf Arena build

[Saint Scylla]

I'm a big fan of Dark Elfs: they're the best of both worlds, able to dodge like noone is watching as well as bash lighter teams into submission.

Two nights ago my Dark Elf team was sitting at 4 wins and 1 loss in their current Arena run. I looked for a new game and found myself matched with a Wood Elf team managed by AndyDavo, one of the best BB3 players. Andy meant the end of this run. He often does livestreaming so I joined his Twitch channel to hear him expressing his surprise at my "very unusual" build. And an hour later, to everybody's surprise, my team won the game.

You can watch the full game here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2348745339?t=00h24m08s

Let's be very clear: Andy's the better player. He was distracted by the chat and made a mistake which allowed me to steal the ball in the second half. He snaked a couple of important rolls, which led to the injury of a Wardancer and failing to even the score with an OT on turn 16.

But if anybody's curious, here's my team and how I build it.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3405065486

• With the resurrection mode toggled on for the Arena, I don't think DE really need an Apo. 12 players and AV9+ on most players make them resilient enough to perform well in one-shots. I'd rather save the 50K and invest it into the actual players.
  
• I need a Witch Elf for its surfing threat, and she needs Block. No way around it.
  
• A pair of runners with Dump-off is a fun and effective way to spoil enemy blitzes, as shown again during the game with Andy. The main thrower got Pass, and the other one got Leader, because pulling out proper elven bullish!t can burn through RR like there's no tomorrow.
  
• This leaves enough cash to hire three Blitzers, skilled up with Dodge of course. Blodgers are such a pain.
  
• Most people do, but I personally don't believe in Kick. I'm fine with the highly random deviation of vanilla kicks, and I'd rather spending a skill slot for on something which will pay back on more than 1 or 2 opportunities per game.

Let me know what you think of it and how can I improve my game. Thanks!

[dunnothisguy]

With the resurrection mode toggled on for the Arena, I don't think DE really need an Apo. 12 players and AV9+ on most players make them resilient enough to perform well in one-shots. I'd rather save the 50K and invest it into the actual players.

1. AV 9+ is nothing, due to huge variance this game has it can break as easy as AV8+ sometimes. Like, literally, with AV9+ you can have 2-3 players removed in one turn, and it's not even that rare. Also, they have vital AV8+ players too

2. You do invest in players with apo, I don't know what you're talking about. You can buy an extra lino with 70k, or you can buy Apo for 50k which you can use to prevent KO or BH with 100% guarantee not just on lino, but on more important blitzer or witch. That's why people prefer having Apo over an extra players in Res, you won't be holding that Apo till the end of game as in progression mode, ignoring BH and KOs - you can just spend it on first turn if it makes sense and keeps a player in the game

[Saint Scylla]

AV9+ has only 27.7% chance to fail without armour modifiers versus AV8+'s 41.6%. It makes a huge difference. In Arena, Mighty Blow is uncommon except on Dwarfs, Dirty Player is never seen on more than one player per team, and Claw is near absent.

The key of course is not to give free 2D blocks to your opponent. Better screen than mark. The AV8+ positionals must not be left exposed unless there's a very solid tactical reason. Andy knew and tried to take out my Leader runner with a couple of blitzes.

If you limit your exposure, an Apo isn't that necessary. So far, my two Arena runs have told me that the extra lino was a better investment than the Apo. If and when a gutter runner or wardancer goes down, I'm glad to foul him and trade him for a sent-off lino which I'll be able to replace.

[dunnothisguy]

That's theorycrafting in it's finest. That's the kind of mentality that make people believe 33% chance of something means they will see the event happening roughly 1 out of 3 times, and when they get 2 quadruple skulls in one match they come screaming about broken RNG lol. I'm playing elves, they are my main factions. I had more than enough matches with delves where I had 3-4 players missing at midgame already.

I separately laughed at "limiting your exposure" and such. No you don't, it's random. You will get blitzed each turn, you'll get based, you fail a roll, leave a bunch of players based, they will get beaten. You don't control snakes, or armor rolls, it's just world fallacy at its finest. You will regularly have matches where every armor break you get is CAS or KO for several turns in a row. You can have snakes 2-3 times in one match. The game is pretty random even in a span of 7 or so matches.

You can argue dorfs may play without Apo, but elves - lol. Then again, what exactly will you buy for the saved 50k? Another lino may be? But Apo is, roughly, another player, you just can choose which one.

[crazy.culture]

Furthermore the Apo is able to keep a player on the pitch. An additional player sits at the bench for the same drive.

Not saying that your roster is wrong. If you like it to play this way - just do. It's fine.
The more common roster widely plays at tournaments - and it is known for working. As "Kick" is - it's not a skill, it's a tactical device that can make a difference (i.e. slow opponents).
While you maybe prepared a bit better against "elven bullish!t" - on the otherhand, you might suffer more against bash teams. With elves versus elves it's also a bit situational.

As we need to built teams prepared for everything...

Long term results show how good a roster is, not a single game, nor streak.

[dunnothisguy]

Yea, that's too. Something as common as KO can still easily remove your vital player for the whole match, if you'll get particularly unlucky on KO rolls between drives. Or if that player is KOed at the start of the 2nd half, chances are high you may not see them anymore in this match, so that's as good as CAS in this case. And Apo will even allow you to keep such KOed player on the pitch in the current drive!

So I would say Apo is about as good as extra player - but it allows you to choose what extra player it is (can be extra blitzer, if your blitzer is BH midgame). While 50k extra money will only buy you an extra lino usually

[albmarq]

Hi. I don't like the passing runner: third weak armor on the team and too situational a skill to be on my pay roll, just take a lineman.
I Also think 2 rerrols is enough with leader, I'd take the apo instead.
I like a tackle blitzer and at least one wrestle player (either on witch or lineman). but it also all boils down to your playstyle. good luck