Rookie Combine By Chris Nye

The following rules are used to begin a Blood Bowl season. For the LBL, this event is held

yearly at a different city and is a place where hundreds of would-be Blood Bowl players

descend to show their abilities and to hopefully sign with a team and help lead that team to

glory.

These rules are not used for rookie leagues where all teams starting have not yet played a

game, but for leagues where established teams already exist.

After a season of Blood Bowl is complete, the Combine location is made available and

journeymen and rookies all compete to catch the league scouts attention. For a solid week

they are organized into loose pick up teams and they do nothing but play Blood Bowl and

perform physical feats such as endurance runs, tests of strength, and alcohol consumption

competitions (to test for fortitude and substance of inner gas levels of course).

After this period of time has elapsed, league scouts will have cut any players that they feel

are so hopeless that they would not stand any realistic chance making a team. Whats

remaining is put into a league pool and given an evaluation chip to tell teams what

potential the scouts feel that the individual player possesses.

Teams then may draft players in the Combine event, hoping to uncover the next league

legend, and avoid spending money on a bust.

Teams that have a low overall value draft first, and thus have access to a better selection of

players then teams that have a higher value or who have won the league championship the

season prior.

The Combine Event

Step 1 Assign Draft Modifiers to Each Team

To represent the drafting process, the league administrator should obtain the overall team

value of each team present at the Combine. This overall team value is equal to the value of

the roster (injured players count toward the roster value) plus the amount of money held

in the teams treasury.

The two teams that played in the overall championship the season before are always

considered to be the most expensive teams regardless of their actual Team Values.

Half of the teams will get no modifier to their draft rolls. Note a 0 next to these teams.

The quarter top teams that have the most TV are given a -1 value, making it harder for

them to roll an elite player (representing them going later in the overall draft and having

little to choose from).

The quarter bottom teams that have the least TV are given a +1 value, making it easier for

them to roll an elite player (for the reasons above, because they draft earlier they have

access to a more elite pool).

Of the teams split into a -1 or +1 pool, the admin will split each of those in half again, giving

the very top teams a -2 value, and the very bottom teams a +2 value. In the end, unless

your league is smaller than five teams, you should have five modifiers total (-2, -1, 0, 1, and

2).

Step 2 Trading and Transaction Phase Begins

* Teams may negotiate with other teams to buy draft picks. Teams may spend gold

or even Trade players on their roster for draft picks

* Teams that sell a draft pick obviously lose a pick and the team that obtained the

pick gains an additional draft choice at the modifier that the original team had.

* Players traded to other teams gain the LONER skill for the duration of the

upcoming season as they have to adjust to the new team they were placed on. Note:

this is the only time trades are allowed.

* Teams may trade players at the Combine without obtaining or losing draft picks. It

can just be a trade transaction for money or other players.

The potential of a rookie is rated by a series of chips explained below:

Red Chip Rookies These rookies barely made it through the combine. Scouts are

generally unimpressed with them, and while these players may make great amateur Blood

Bowl players, the odds of them performing well at the professional level are slim. While

the odds are that they would be a draft bust, their contracts are cheaper and some red-chip

players have been known to surprise their coaches. They cost 20k less than a player of

their standard race and position.

White Chip Rookies White chips are your standard rookie recruits that have standard

abilities and playing skill. They are the level of player that teams normally sign, and have a

chance of being a bust or an exceptional player. Their contract rates are standard.

Blue Chip Rookies Blue chips are players that showed great promise in their amateur

career and also at the Combine tests. Scouts that grant a rookie a blue chip are fairly

certain that the player has great potential at being a star player. Their contracts will be

slightly higher to indicate their elevated status. A blue chip player costs 10k more than

normal.

Gold Chip Rookies A gold chip is very rare. This is typically a player that led their

respective league in a category such as rushing, scoring, injuries inflicted, or loudest belch.

Gold chips are not drafted per normal, they are given the ability to choose what team they

want to belong on (no gold chipper wants to land on a crappy team where they will be

injured or have a career marred by many losses and obscurity).

Gold chip players may be selected by either the winner or runner up of the Combine Event

(discussed later)

Gold Chip Rookies cost 20k more than a standard player of the same position.

Platinum Chip Rookie Only one rookie can be given the Platinum Chip, and it is typically

the winner of the World Wide Heinzmann Trophy. The Heinzmann winner is highly sought

after, for he not only leads the amateur world in what he does on the field, he goes far and

beyond it, and typically has great taste in gourmet ketchup.

Like a gold chip player, Platinium Chip players cannot be drafted per normal, they may be

chosen by the winner of the Combine Event (or the runner up if the winner chooses to pass

him up).

Platinum Chip Rookies cost 40k more than a standard player of the same position.

Did you know Meinburg Scholars thrower Gerard Helmsley was a red chipper who

was said by the scouts to be so bad that his only redeeming qualities were his bench

warming abilities. Helmsley went on to lead the league in passing and scoring the

following season and became one of the top throwers to step foot on the pitch, and all

for a bargain recruiting price.

Step 3 Generate Rookie Prospects

Each player will then roll on the Draft-Chart three times to determine their three prospects

and their potential. They will generate the potential of the player on the chart, and then

they will generate the position. On a D6 roll of a 1-4, the player is the standard cheapest

position on the team (usually a lineman). On the roll of a 5-6, the player is one of the other

positions available and that should be randomly generated.

At the end of this stage, each player will have a list of rookies available to them that they

can try out.

It is important to note, that a max of three Combine rookies can be signed during this event, so

teams that buy additional draft picks are essentially buying the ability to roll more on the

prospect chart and generate additional positions.

Step 4 Sign a Rookie and Play Him

The Combine Event is three rounds. Before each round, teams may sign one of their

rookies generated and add him to their roster. Once finished, the player generates any

traits (positive or negative) and adds any skills necessary before playing each round of the

event.

The game can be a normal game of Blood Bowl, but in the LBL it will be a game of Street

Bowl (which is detailed in the Street Bowl rules, but is essentially a 7 on 7 scrimmage

match where coaches work their lower skilled players and their higher skilled players get a

break played in the streets of the city where the Combine is being hosted)

This does mean that yes indeed one must pay the money and sign the rookie player

BEFORE one knows if he is a bust or if he is the next legend.

Important League Rule The Combine is the ONLY time a team roster may have 17

players on it.

Step 5 Finish the Event and Sign Gold and Platinum Chippers

After three rounds, the overall winner of the event may select to sign the Gold or Platinum

chip candidate. These two players should already be generated by the administrator, with

the additional bonus that the players are of a random race.

This is the one and only time a team may draft a rookie player not of their team race

(though again teams can trade for other players on other teams as noted above at this

event)

The runner-up of the event may choose to sign the player that the overall player did not.

The gold chip and platinum chip candidate will not sign for a team that did not place first or

second at the combine. If they are not signed, they will seek another league to ply their

skills in.

Table Prospect Generation

Players roll on the table below to generate potential prospects. Once a prospect is

generated, randomly generate his position. On a D6 of 1-4 it is the lowest costing position

on your team. On a 5-6 it is a specialty position, and you should randomly determine

which.

Add or subtract your multiplier given to a roll of 2D6:

2D6 Result

2-4 Red Chip 5-9 White Chip

10-12 Blue Chip

Table Prospect Abilities

Once a player is signed, their abilities will need to be generated. Players will either be a

Bust, Standard, or Elite.

A Standard player is a normal Blood Bowl player with no traits attached to him at all. A

Bust player has negative traits, and an Elite player has positive traits.

Red Chip, White Chip, and Blue Chip players roll once on the below table. Gold Chip players

roll twice, and Platinum Chip players roll three times.

Chip Bust Roll Elite Roll Rolls Salary

Red 2-6 11-12 1 -20K White 2-4 10-12 1 Standard Blue 2-4 8-12 1 +10K Gold 2-4 7-12 2 +20K Platinum 2-3 6-12 3 +40K

Table Elite Bonuses and Bust Penalties

Elite players roll a D6. On a 1-4 they get to level up as if they earned star points to do so.

Follow the normal rules for leveling up. Note that their SPPs are still 0, they are still

considered rookies.

On a 5-6 they have earned a trait and one more 2D6 roll should be made and consulted.

Busts simply roll on the Bust table.

ELITE BONUSES

2D6 Bonus Description

2 Solid Background Solid player. May choose to boost a random attribute by 1 or gain a skill

3 Endorsement The player is endorsed by a major company. As long as the player started the match, the team gains a +10,000

gp bonus to the gate. 4 Connected The player has connections with the league. The

referee counts as being bribed when the player commits a foul and is caught.

5 Good Personality The player enjoys the good will of his teammates. While he is on the field, grants the team a re-roll just like the Leader skill does. Counts as an extra leader

(and can stack if the player gets Leader) 6 Intimidating The players presence on the field un nerves the

opposition. Any opponent wishing to tackle this player is at a -1 to do so

7 Clutch Player Dependable player that always manages to pull off victories. Player gains a free re-roll per turn that

only he can use while his team is losing in non-exhibition games

8 Fan Favorite This player entertains the crowd and people come to games just to watch him. So long as this player is in

the starting lineup, the team may add +1 to the number of fans rolled, and the team counts as having

one extra cheerleader (the player!) 9 Favrian Stamina The player can take a pounding that normal players

would crumple under and still come back for more. Player counts as thick-skulled, and may always re-

roll the injury result 10 Driven The player works hard. He can go for it three times

instead of the normal two 11 Resourceful The player will do anything to win, even cheat.

Player has the secret weapon rule 12 Strong Heritage Related to a successful Blood Bowl player. Raised

from a child to play the game, this player gains +1 in a random attribute and gains a skill

Bust Penalties

2D6 Bonus Description

2 Sub Par Athletics The player loses a point in two random skills. The two skills can be the same skill, but can never be dropped lower than a 1. If the result would drop the skill below a 1, re-roll the skill that is affected.

3 In Debt The player has a mountain of gambling debts or other debts to his name. In his desperation, he

pilfers the teams treasury to help make amends. So long as the player is on the roster, roll a D6 at the end of each game. On the roll of a 1-3, the

player has stolen 10,000 gp to help pay his debt. 4 Bad Personality The player does not get along with his team

mates. He gains the loner skill 5 Trouble Maker The player has a very loud mouth which gets him

in trouble. Opponents gain a +1 to all armor and injury rolls against this player (this only counts

when an opponent knocks the player to the ground (to include opposing fans)) not for

something like a failed go for it 6 Hot Headed The player has anger management issues. For

every turn the player is on the pitch, roll a D6. If the result is a 1 then the player must try to foul if

possible. If the player is engaged in the tackle zone of an opponent, he will try to throw a block instead no matter how much of a disadvantage.

7 Chokes The player has a reputation for failing when it matters most. During non exhibition games the

player may never use a team re-roll 8 Glass Jaw The player is prone to injury. All injury rolls

gain a +1. When attempting to wake the player up after being knocked out, the roll is at a -1.

When the player receives an injury that causes him to miss the next game, that period is

extended a game on the roll of a 1-3 9 Lazy When attempting to go for it, the player will

not try on the roll of a 1-3. 10 Alcoholic The player has a bad drinking problem. Before

each game, roll a D6. On the roll of a 1, the player misses the game as he is passed out in his

tent. 11 Crumples The player has a hard time handling the

pressures of a professional Blood Bowl pitch. The player counts as being Bone-Headed,

though not from stupidity, rather from being overwhelmed

12 Weak The player is at -1 Strength