Blood Bowl Tier List: Blood Bowl is a unique mix of strategy, brutality, and a bit of luck, where fantasy races take the field in a football-like sport. With over two dozen teams to choose from, each with its strengths and weaknesses, knowing which teams dominate the pitch and which ones are more challenging to win with is crucial for aspiring coaches. In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive Blood Bowl tier list, breaking down the teams into various tiers and explaining their key attributes.
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Understanding the Blood Bowl Tier System
Before diving into the tier list, it’s essential to understand that Blood Bowl is a game of balance. The tiers indicate the general strength and ease of play for each team, but with proper strategy and a bit of luck, any team can pull off victories. Teams in the higher tiers tend to perform more consistently and have fewer glaring weaknesses. However, teams in lower tiers offer fun and challenging gameplay, rewarding coaches who can master their intricacies.
S-Tier: The Elite Teams
S-Tier teams are the pinnacle of Blood Bowl. They have powerful abilities, excel in both offense and defense, and are usually strong contenders in both league and tournament play.
Wood Elves
Wood Elves are arguably the best team in Blood Bowl. Their defining characteristic is agility, making them extremely efficient at moving the ball and scoring touchdowns. Their players have incredible movement and the ability to dodge opponents with ease. With Wardancers leading the charge, Wood Elves can often score in just two turns, making them dangerous in any format. However, their low armor makes them fragile, so coaches need to avoid prolonged brawls with stronger teams.
Lizardmen
Lizardmen are a team with a mix of brutal power and blinding speed. The team’s Saurus players provide overwhelming strength, while their Skinks are among the fastest players in the game. This combination allows Lizardmen to bash opponents into submission and then zip past them to score. Their main challenge is the lack of versatility, as the Skinks are fragile and the Saurus players lack agility, but in the hands of a skilled coach, Lizardmen dominate.
Chaos Dwarves
Chaos Dwarves blend toughness with bashing ability. With powerful blockers, bull centaurs for mobility, and hobgoblins as cheap ball carriers, they can control the pitch and dominate physical play. Their resilience and adaptability make them a strong choice in any league, though they lack speed compared to some other top-tier teams.
A-Tier: Very Strong Teams
A-Tier teams are highly competitive but have a few small weaknesses that keep them from being S-Tier. These teams still excel in the right hands and are often seen in tournament finals.
Dark Elves
Dark Elves share many of the traits of Wood Elves but with slightly more durability. They are fast, skilled, and agile, making them excellent ball handlers. Their ability to perform both offensively and defensively is impressive. However, they lack the brute force of stronger teams, so coaches need to rely on strategy and positioning rather than sheer power.
Orcs
Orcs are a quintessential bashy team. With Black Orcs and Blitzers to provide strength and aggression, Orcs are excellent at grinding down their opponents. While not the fastest team, they are resilient and can dominate in longer games where attrition plays a role. The downside to Orcs is their limited agility, making them susceptible to fast, dodgy teams like Elves and Skaven.
Undead
Undead teams are a solid mix of bashing and ball handling. With powerful Mummies leading the charge and Ghouls providing agility, they offer versatility on both offense and defense. Their ability to regenerate adds durability over a long campaign. However, the lack of speed can be an issue against faster teams.
Skaven
Skaven are one of the fastest teams in Blood Bowl, known for their ability to score quickly and frequently. Gutter Runners are the stars of the team, able to dodge and run past most defenses. The downside is their fragility—Skaven players have low armor, making them susceptible to injuries, especially in physical matchups.
B-Tier: Solid, but Flawed
B-Tier teams are generally solid choices, but they have more pronounced weaknesses that can be exploited by stronger teams. These teams require more careful management and skill.
Humans
Humans are the most balanced team in Blood Bowl, making them a great choice for beginners. They have decent agility, strength, and movement, making them a versatile team. However, their lack of specialization means they don’t excel in any particular area, and against more focused teams, they can struggle.
Necromantic
Necromantic teams feature Werewolves, Flesh Golems, and Wights, giving them a mix of agility and bashing potential. Werewolves are quick and can score efficiently, while Flesh Golems provide a solid defensive front. However, the team’s overall reliance on these star players can be a drawback if they get injured.
C and D-Tier: Challenging Teams for Fun Play
C-Tier teams require more specialized play and are generally harder to master. D-Tier teams, meanwhile, are for players who enjoy a challenge and want to have fun with unconventional tactics.
Halflings
Halflings are one of the weakest teams, relying on trick plays like tossing Halfling players with Treemen to score. Their low armor and strength make them easy to injure, but they offer a fun and chaotic experience for those who enjoy the underdog role.
Ogres
Ogres have the potential for massive damage but suffer from unreliability due to Bonehead rolls. They rely heavily on their small and fragile Snotlings, making them a difficult team to win with consistently.
Conclusion
The Blood Bowl tier list offers insight into how teams generally perform, but as with any strategy game, skill and tactics can overcome tier limitations. Whether you enjoy the fast, agile plays of the Elves or the brutal bashing of Orcs and Chaos Dwarves, there’s a team for every type of player in Blood Bowl.
