Agility

TACKLE ZONES

A standing player exerts individual tackle zones on each of the eight adjacent squares. A player who is Prone or Stunned does not exert any tackle zones. In order to leave a square that is in one or more opposing tackle zones, a player must dodge out of the square. The player only has to dodge once in order to leave the square, no matter how many opposing tackles zones are on it. Note that you must always make a Dodge roll when you leave a tackle zone; even if there aren’t any tackle zones on the square you are moving to.

Look up the player’s Agility on the Agility table (see below) opposite to find the score required to successfully dodge out of the square. For example, if the player had an Agility of 3 he would need to roll a 4 or more to dodge out of the square. Roll a D6, and add or subtract any of the modifiers that apply to the D6 roll. A roll of 1 before modification always fails and a roll of 6 before modification always succeeds.

If the final modified score equals or beats the required roll, the player may carry on moving (and dodging if required) until he has used up his full Movement Allowance. If the D6 roll is less than the required total, then the player is Knocked Down in the square he was dodging to and a roll must be made to see if he was injured (See Knock Downs & Injuries). If the player is Knocked Down then his team suffers a turnover and their turn ends immediately.

AGILITY TABLE

Player’s AG	1	2	3	4	5	6+
D6 Roll Required	6+	5+	4+	3+	2+	1+

 

Dodging Modifiers

• Per opposing tackle zone on the square that the player is dodging to = -1

Pick-up Modifiers

• Per opposing tackle zone on the player = -1

Passing Modifiers

• Throwing a Quick Pass = +1
• Throwing a Short Pass = 0
• Throwing a Long Pass = -1
• Throwing a Long Bomb = -2
• Per enemy tackle zone on the player throwing the ball = -1

Catching Modifiers

• Catching an accurate pass +1
• Catching a scattered pass, Bouncing ball or throw-in = 0
• Per enemy tackle zone on the player throwing the ball = -1

Hand-Off Modifiers

• Catching a hand-off = +1
• Per opposing tackle zone on the player = -1

Interception Modifiers

• Attempting an Interception = -2
• Per opposing tackle zone on the player = -1

PICKING UP THE BALL

If a player moves into a square in which the ball is lying, they must attempt to pick it up, and – if they wish and are able – carry on moving.

Players that move into the square with the ball at other times (e.g., when pushed back, thrown by another player with Throw Team-Mate, etc.) cannot pick up the ball, and instead it will bounce one square. This does not cause a turnover.

Look up the player’s Agility on the Agility table (see above) to find the score required to successfully pick up the ball. Roll a D6, and add or subtract any of the modifiers that apply to the D6 roll. A roll of 1 before modification always fails and a roll of 6 before modification always succeeds for any Agility roll made during a game.

If the final modified score equals or beats the required roll, then the player succeeds in picking up the ball. Place the ball on the player’s base to show that he has picked it up and carry on with the player’s turn. If the D6 roll is less than the required total, then the player drops the ball, which will bounce one square. If the player drops the ball then his team suffers a turnover and their turn ends immediately.

IMPORTANT: The Agility table is used to work out the success or failure of a number of different Actions in Blitz Bowl including dodging, picking up the ball, and throwing or catching the ball to name but a few. Each Action has its own set of modifiers, and it is only these modifiers which apply to the D6 roll (i.e., do not use any of the Dodging modifiers when attempting to pick up the ball).

THROWING THE BALL

Once per turn a player on the moving team is allowed to make a Pass Action. The player is allowed to make a normal move, and after he has completed the move he may throw the ball even if the receiver is in an adjacent square. Note that the player does not have to be holding the ball at the start of the Action; he could use his move to run over and pick up a ball on the ground and then throw it, for example.

Look up the player’s Agility on the Agility table to find the score required to successfully pass the ball. Roll a D6, and add or subtract any of the modifiers that apply to the D6 roll. A roll of 1 before modification always fails and a roll of 6 before modification always succeeds.

THROWING

First of all, the coach must declare that the player is taking a Pass Action. The player can throw the ball to another player in his own team (or another player in the opposing team if he really wants to), or simply to an empty square, though obviously the first of these options will be the most useful – and may keep him from being attacked by his own team members! The ball may only be passed once per turn.

Next, the coach must measure the range. It is perfectly acceptable to pre-measure the range to several players at any point during the throwing player’s move before you declare the target of the pass. Once you have thrown the ball, however, you may not move the throwing player any farther that turn, even if he has spare MA left.

Look up the player’s Agility on the Agility table (see above) to find the score required to successfully pass the ball. Roll a D6, and add or subtract any of the modifiers that apply to the D6 roll. A roll of 1 before modification always fails and a roll of 6 before modification always succeeds.

If the final modified score equals or beats the required roll, the pass is accurate and lands in the target square. If the D6 roll is less than the required total, then the pass is not accurate and will scatter. Roll for scatter three times, one after the other, to see where the ball ends up. Note that each of the Scatter rolls is made separately, so it is possible for the ball to end up back in the target square (though it will be harder to catch). The ball can only be caught in the final square where it ends up – if it scatters through a player’s square then the player is not allowed to try and catch the ball.

CATCHING THE BALL

If the ball lands in a square occupied by a standing player, then the player must attempt to catch the ball. Prone and Stunned players may never attempt to catch the ball. Either team’s players may attempt to catch the ball (if a player from the other team manages to catch the ball he can yell and jump around a lot).

Look up the player’s Agility on the Agility table (see above) to find the score required to successfully catch the ball. Roll a D6, and add or subtract any of the modifiers that apply to the D6 roll. A roll of 1 before modification always fails and a roll of 6 before modification always succeeds.

If the final modified score equals or beats the required roll, then the player succeeds in catching the ball. Place the ball on the player’s base to show that they have caught it and carry on with the turn. If the player who caught the ball has not taken an Action yet, he may do so as normal. If the D6 roll is less than the required total, then the player drops the ball which will bounce (see Bouncing Balls, below).

INTERCEPTIONS AND FUMBLES

When a player throws the ball various things can go wrong. Usually, the ball will be slightly off target or will be dropped by the intended receiver, and these events are handled by the normal throwing rules. Sometimes, however, the thrower may completely fumble the throw, dropping the ball in their own square, or the ball may be intercepted by an opposing player before it reaches the target square. Both of these events are handled by the new rules below.

Interceptions

One player on the opposing team may attempt to intercept a thrown ball. To be able to make an interception, the player must:

• have the ruler pass over at least part of the square the intercepting player is standing in, and …
• have a tackle zone, and …
• be closer to the thrower than the thrower is to the target player/square of the pass, and …
• be closer to the target player/square of the pass than the thrower is to the target player/square of the pass.

Note that only one player can attempt an interception, no matter how many are eligible.

The coach must declare that one of his players will try to intercept before the thrower rolls to see if he is on target. Look up the player’s Agility on the Agility table to find the score required to successfully intercept the ball. Roll a D6, and add or subtract any of the modifiers that apply to the D6 roll. A roll of 1 before modification always fails and a roll of 6 before modification always succeeds.

If the final modified score is less than the required total, then the player fails to intercept the ball and the pass can carry on as normal. If the D6 roll equals or beats the required roll, then the player succeeds in intercepting and catching the ball. Place the ball on the player’s base to show that they have caught it. A successful interception causes a turnover, and the moving team’s turn ends immediately.

Fumbles

Sometimes a player attempting to throw the ball will drop it in their own square. This is more likely if the player has any opposing players breathing down his neck! To represent this, if the D6 roll for a pass is 1 or less before or after modification, then the thrower has fumbled and dropped the ball. The ball will bounce once from the thrower’s square, and the moving team will suffer a turnover and their turn ends immediately.

HANDING-OFF THE BALL

A hand-off is where the ball is simply handed to another player, friend or foe, in an adjacent square. The Hand-Off Action is added to the list of Actions like Move, Block, Blitz and Pass. You may only declare one Hand-Off Action per turn. You may move before performing the hand-off, but once you attempt to hand-off the ball, you may not move the player performing the Hand-Off Action any farther that turn, even if he has spare MA left. The ball may not be handed off in the opponent’s turn. If the ball is handed off and comes to rest without being caught by any member of the moving team, it causes a turnover. No dice roll is required to see if the player attempting the hand-off is successful – it automatically hits the targeted player. However, the player that the ball is handed off to must roll to see if they catch the ball.