★ Dark Elf ★
| QTY | Position | Cost | MA | ST | AG | PA | AV | Skills & Traits | Pri | Sec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Lineman | 70k | 6 | 3 | 2+ | 4+ | 9+ | – | AG | S |
 | Runner | 80k | 7 | 3 | 2+ | 3+ | 8+ | Dump-Off | AGP | S |
 | Blitzer | 100k | 7 | 3 | 2+ | 4+ | 9+ | Block | AG | PS |
| Assassin | 85k | 7 | 3 | 2+ | 5+ | 8+ | Shadowing, Stab | AG | PS |
| Witch Elf | 110k | 7 | 3 | 2+ | 5+ | 8+ | Dodge, Frenzy, Jump Up | AG | PS |
 | ReRolls | 50k | Apothecary: Yes | |||||||
| Special Rules | Elven Kingdoms League |
Strengths:
- Four AG4 Blitzers
- Witch Elves
- Agile
Weaknesses:
- Expensive
- Some Low armour players
- Positionals that can be tricky to use
Basic Set-Ups
Offence
W = Witch
B = Blitzer
R = Runner
L = Lineman
Defence
W = Witch
B = Blitzer
R = Runner
L = Lineman
Starting Roster Dark Elf Team
Basic Dark Elf Team
| QTY | Players / Extras | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Dark Elf Linemen | 420k |
| 1 | Runner | 80k |
| 4 | Blitzer | 400k |
| 2 | Rerolls | 100k |
| Total | 1000k |
This is probably the most common way to start with Dark Elves. Their players are all expensive, so teams like to start with all their Blitzers. They have the best armour available to Dark Elf teams, along with the Blitzer, both for protection and for hitting all those non-Blitzer starting players on other teams.
Although runners have little armour, they are the easiest way to get another dice roll in the form of a leader skill. Trying to save up for a new roll while also wanting to get an apothecary and your expensive Witch Elves means that any shortcut will help. The apothecary is the first purchase, as Witch Elves, like Runners, have fairly low armour.
An alternative option is to swap the Runner and one of your Blitzers for another Lineman and a Witch Elf if you want the added threat that the Frenzy can bring to the team. The Witch Elf, having dodge, also gives you slightly more reliable manoeuvrability when you only have a couple of dice rolls. Giving up the runner means it’s harder or will take longer to get reroll and it will hurt more if the witch elf dies before you can get the apothecary.
Dark Elf with 3 Rerolls
| QTY | Players / Extras | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dark Elf Linemen | 560k |
| 1 | Runner | 80k |
| 2 | Blitzer | 200k |
| 3 | Rerolls | 150k |
| Total | 990k |
If you want to have three dice rolls from the start, the change is quite pronounced, forcing you to drop from four to just two Blitzers. This halves the number of players you have with the Block, so it needs careful consideration. The runner is perhaps a little less desirable, as you have the third dice roll, so you can save another 10,000 MO by switching to another lineman. On the other hand, you have 10k in the bank and can turn a Linemen into a second Runner. I think that money is best saved, or get some more buffs.
There is a roster option where you used to spend a big chunk of your money on the fanatic factor, so all dark elf teams used to go with 11 Linemen and 3 rerolls. Fortunately, now you have more money to spend on players and dice rolls. Starting with ten Linemen and a Blitzer or a runner, you can include four reinforcement rerolls in your starting squad
Complete Dark Elf Team
| QTY | Players / Extras | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Dark Elf Linemen | 420k |
| 1 | Runner | 80k |
| 2 | Blitzer | 200k |
| 1 | Assassin | 85k |
| 1 | Witch Elf | 110k |
| 2 | Rerolls | 100k |
| Total | 995k |
A different swap for two of your Blitzers and you can get a Witch Elf and an Assassin. Both are more fragile than Blitzers but give you more options. The Witch Elf, having Frenzy, gives you a greater lateral threat and the Assassin can chase some players with low armour or dodge.
1 Reroll and 2 Witches
| QTY | Players/ Extras | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Dark Elf Linemen | 280k |
| 2 | Runner | 160k |
| 2 | Blitzer | 200k |
| 1 | Assassin | 85k |
| 2 | Witch Elf | 220k |
| 1 | Rerolls | 50k |
| Total | 995k |
Going down to a single dice roll can leave you in trouble, although it means you can afford two Witch Elves who have their dice roll built in. Two runners can work in tandem with their enhanced Dump Off ability to keep the ball. Although you can now Dump Off before the opponent is next to them, their passing ability is slightly worse than under the previous rules. However, this list has many more players with little armour, so attrition could be a problem, especially with a single dice roll as a safety net.
To counter this, you could drop the Assassin and perhaps a Runner to Linemen. This would free up a bit more money to get the Apothecary after the first game.
Evil to the core, skilful to a fault, the Dark Elves take to the field to prove their superiority.
Over View
Jim: “Good evening Blood Bowl lovers! Tonight we’re going to talk about the Dark Elf team, and I’m joined by Bob Bifford”.
Bob: “Thank you, Jim. From the cold lands of Naggaroth, the Dark Elves are one of 4 elven teams available. Unlike their cousins, the Dark Elves prefer a more physical game.”
Jim: “Evil to the core, skilled to a fault, the Dark Elves take to the field to prove their superiority. With their Witches and Assesinos they have everything they need to pass through, rather than surround their opponents.”
Bob: “However they are the slowest elven team, but they are still faster than many other teams. Not having catchers in their ranks means they can’t play much of a passing game.”
Jim: “That’s why they make up for it with their 4 standard Blitzers with a lot of agility that will give any team that faces them problems.”
Bob: “Plus, they have the Elf Witches, with ‘Dodge’, ‘Frenzy’ and ‘Standing at a Jump’ right out of the gate, makes them a very tough team to be reckoned with.”
Jim: “We can’t forget the Assassins, who chase their prey until they finish him off relentlessly.”
Bob: “They are not an easy team to take as the abilities they have can be deceiving. For example the Elf Witches have “Frenzy” but not “Placate” so they could bring problems to novice trainers.”
Summary:
Jim: Bob, have you heard of the Dark Elf teams in this game?
Bob: Yeah, I’ve heard of them. What do you want to know about them?
Jim: Well, I was reading about the Dark Elves and I want to share what I learned with you.
Bob: Sure, go ahead.
Jim: So, out of the four Elf teams, the Dark Elves are considered the most challenging to play. They focus more on running the ball instead of passing it like the other Elf teams.
Bob: Hmm, that’s interesting. What about their players?
Jim: Unlike the other Elf teams, Dark Elves don’t have catchers but they do have the ability to start with four Blitzers. And, with higher armor, they have the best fighting ability of the four teams. They also have Witch Elves who have three great starting skills, although they can be fragile.
Bob: That’s a lot of information. Are there any drawbacks to playing Dark Elves?
Jim: Well, they are the slowest of the four Elf teams and lack dedicated catchers which makes it hard to build a team that’s great at passing. Their players are also not cheap and some of them can be difficult to use, like the Assassins and Witch Elves with Frenzy.
Bob: I see. What do the rulebook say about Dark Elves as a beginner team?
Jim: The rulebook mentions that Dark Elves might require slightly more advanced skills to coach because of their pricey players and the lack of passing ability compared to the other Elf teams. The Witch Elves starting with Frenzy and without block can also lead beginner coaches into trouble. However, Dark Elves do present a different feel compared to the other Elves and with AG2, they’re good at moving the ball or dodging when needed.
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