Blood Bowl Stadia
Blood Bowl stadia can be found across the world and no two are exactly alike. Back in the old days, pretty much every team had a home stadium. Originally, these were paid for and maintained by the NAF, but by the 2450s, when the number of teams active within the NAF had grown from 16 to 40, most had taken private ownership of their home stadium. In addition to these stadia, many provincial teams active in the minor leagues owned a stadium as well, whilst others rented use of one, often NAF-owned, in their hometown. OF these stadia, most were shared by several teams. In this way, the stadia of the Old World fell into two broad categories: those privately owned by a single team, and those owned by the NAF or a local landlord which rented space to teams and tournaments.
PLAYING AWAY
The following pages contain four tables, each covering a different category of stadium and containing rules for playing games within different stadia that fall into that category. These rules allow coaches to recreate the incredible experience of playing Blood Bowl in a real Old World stadium. Sort of...
The inclusion of these rules in a league or tournament is at the discretion of the league commissioner or tournament organiser. Otherwise, coaches who wish to use these rules for an exhibition game should decide this between themselves.
Before Step 1 of the pre-game sequence, roll 2D6 on the Random Stadium table that follows to see which category of stadium the game will take place at:
RANDOM STADIUM TABLE
| 2D6 | RESULT |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | Unusual Playing Surface: This stadium has a playing surface that is best described as 'non-standard'. Roll a D6 on the Unusual Playing Surface table (see page 62) to determine an Attribute. |
| 4-5 | Rough & Ready Stadium: The owners and staff of this stadium clearly prioritise bloody violence over proper maintenance. Roll a D6 on the Rough & Ready Stadium table (see page 63) to determine an Attribute. |
| 6-8 | Nothing out of the Ordinary: This game is taking place at a perfectly average stadium; the pitch adheres to the regulations and the stadium itself is well-built and well-maintained. This stadium has no Attributes. |
| 9-10 | Luxury Stadium: This stadium is much more impressive than most! Luxurious VIP boxes and well-appointed stands attract a well-to-do crowd. Roll a D6 on the Luxury Stadium table (see page 64) to determine an Attribute. |
| 11-12 | Local Crowd: This stadium's home crowd is quirky, to say the least, but they are dedicated fans of Blood Bowl and will certainly make the game one to remember! Roll a D6 on the Local Crowd table (see page 65) to determine an Attribute. |
UNUSUAL PLAYING SURFACE
| D6 | ATTRIBUTE |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ankle-deep Water: The pitch is flooded! Not just wet, it's actually flooded and lies under a good three inches of water! Every time a player Falls Over, apply a -1 modifier to the Armour roll. Additionally, whenever a Stunned player rolls over at the end of either teams' turn, roll a D6. On a roll of 1, lying face-down in the water has done them no favours, and they remain Stunned for another turn. |
| 2 | Sloping Pitch: The stadium is built on a serious incline. Good for one team, a nightmare for the other! At the start of the first drive, roll a D6: • On a roll of 4+, it is sloping down towards the kicking team's End Zone. • On a roll of 1-3, the pitch is sloping down towards the receiving team's End Zone. Whenever the ball bounces, do not use the Random Direction template; instead, use the Throw-in template, oriented so that the 3-4 points directly down the slope. Additionally, players can attempt to Rush one additional time, as long as it takes them closer to the End Zone at the bottom of the slope. After half-time, the pitch will slope the other way, representing the teams changing ends. |
| 3 | Ice: A violent sport on ice? It'll never catch on. Every time the ball bounces, it moves two squares in a direction determined by rolling a D8 and referring to the Random Direction template, rather than the usual 1. Additionally, whenever a player Falls Over or is Knocked Down, they will slide one square in a direction determined by rolling a D8 and referring to the Random Direction template. If they would slide into an occupied square, they do not move. If they slide off the pitch, they risk Injury by the crowd as normal. If they slide into a square occupied by the ball, the ball will bounce. Note that the players are assumed to have been issued with appropriate kit to traverse the ice skates, snowshoes or enchanted cleats so their movement is not affected. |
| 4 | Astrogranite: This artificial stone substitute was all the rage in the 2480s and some stadia still keep it for its extra-grippy surface (and the fact that it's always entertaining when players fall down!). Apply a +1 modifier to the Armour roll every time a player Falls Over or is Knocked Down whilst playing on astrogranite. In addition, if a player Falls Over whilst Rushing on astrogranite, roll a D6: • On a roll of 4+, the player remains Standing, but they cannot attempt to Rush again. • On a roll of 1-3, the player Falls Over as normal. |
| 5 | Uneven Footing: Covered in bumps and riddled with holes, the playing surface at this stadium is one big tripping hazard. All players suffer a -1 modifier to their MA for the duration of this game, to a minimum of MA3. However, players can attempt to Rush one extra square during their activation. This means most players can attempt to Rush three times, whilst players with the Sprint skill, for example, can attempt to Rush four times. |
| 6 | Solid Stone: Dwarf-owned and operated stadia started a trend for solid stone playing surfaces way back in the 2430s. Not only does a polished marble pitch look wonderful, but it is greatly entertaining! In recent years, quite a few stone stadia have been built above ground. Every time the ball bounces, it moves two squares in a direction determined by rolling a D8 and referring to the Random Direction template, rather than the usual one. In addition, apply a +1 modifier to the Armour roll every time a player Falls Over or is Knocked Down whilst playing on polished stone. |
ROUGH & READY STADIUM
| D6 | ATTRIBUTE |
|---|---|
| 1 | Apathetic Officials: Whether they don't get paid enough, don't enjoy Blood Bowl, or they are just being deliberately difficult, the officials at this particular Blood Bowl venue just don't seem all that interested. At the start of each half, each team gains a free Bribe Inducement. Note that, if a team does not use its free Bribe during the first half, it will start the second half with two free Bribes. |
| 2 | Appalling Stands: There aren't enough seats, there are nails sticking out of every surface, and there's a weird smell coming from somewhere. There is a very real risk that the fans will start leaving and, even worse, asking for a refund! At the end of each drive, both coaches roll a D6 to determine if their fans have started leaving: • On a roll of 2+, the fans are willing to put up with the discomfort. • On a roll of 1, fans have started leaving, and the team must reduce its Fan Factor by 1. Note that neither team's Fan Factor can fall below 0. |
| 3 | Uncovered Trapdoors: Either for budgetary reasons or just for the amusement of onlookers, the trapdoors on this pitch could more accurately be described as large, yawning holes in the ground. Every time any player enters a Trapdoor square (voluntarily or otherwise), the player is immediately removed from play. Treat them exactly as if they had been pushed into the crowd. If the ball ever comes to rest in a Trapdoor square, it will be enthusiastically thrown back out by a helpful groundskeeper. The ball immediately deviates from the Trapdoor square. |
| 4 | Unclear Markings: The pitch is little more than a rectangle of grass with a faded line roughly dividing it into two halves. When the kicking team sets up for a drive, they may choose to treat their Line of Scrimmage as being: • The normal Line of Scrimmage. • One row of squares further back into their own half. • One row of squares into the other team's half. This creates a temporary halfway line for this kick-off which the receiving team must adhere to when setting up their players, and which is used for the purposes of awarding a touchback. In addition, the limit of two players per Wide Zone during set-up does not apply for either team. |
| 5 | Desperate for Exposure: The owners of this stadium aren't happy that the official status of their prized possession is 'Provincial Backwater'. Recently, they have begun a drive to improve their reputation and attract a better class of clientele. For this reason, the stadium owners are offering incentives for any teams willing to play there. During Step 1 of the post-game sequence, each team receives an additional D6 x 10,000 gold pieces in winnings (make one roll and apply the result to both teams' winnings). |
| 6 | Poorly-built Dungeons: Long ago, the RARG realized that sending off certain players didn't work; many a career cheat just kept sneaking back on! To combat this, the NAF introduced guidelines requiring every stadium to feature a secure dungeon where miscreants could be locked away until the final whistle. Not every stadium owner welcomed this expensive new legislation. Consequently, many dungeons aren't up to code, and the chances of keeping a player committed to dirty play under lock and key aren't great when the dungeon locks are unreliable and the bars are surprisingly far apart. During Step 2 of the end of a drive sequence, each coach rolls a D6 for each of their players that have been Sent-off for any reason. On a roll of 5+, the player is returned to the Reserves box. |
LUXURY STADIUM
| D6 | ATTRIBUTE |
|---|---|
| 1 | Integrated Merchandise Stalls: From team flags and noisemakers to giant, pointing fingers and woodcut portraits of popular players, this stadium sells it all. What's even better is the teams are entitled to a healthy cut of the profits, huzzah! During Step 1 of the post-game sequence, each team receives an additional D3 x 10,000 gold pieces in winnings (each coach rolls a D3 and applies the result to their team's winnings). |
| 2 | Reputation for Spectacle: This stadium is well-known for the spectacular games (and half-time shows) it hosts, and visiting teams can expect a sizeable allowance from the promoters to make the game more interesting. During Step 4 of the pre-game sequence, both coaches are awarded additional gold pieces in the form of petty cash to spend on Inducements for the game ahead. To determine how much, each coach rolls a D6. The results are then added together and multiplied by 10,000. Each team gains that many gold pieces in petty cash. |
| 3 | Broadcast Studio: Every game played at this stadium goes out live on one of the big networks. Every single one, even the rather rubbish ones. Unsurprisingly, the big names of the game are always happy to be seen running across the pitch or shouting from the sidelines at this stadium. During Step 4 of the pre-game sequence, Star Players, Mercenary Players, (In)Famous Coaching Staff, Named Wizards and Biased Referees can all be Induced for D3 x 10,000 gold pieces less than normal (to a minimum of 10,000 gold pieces). Roll separately for each Inducement you wish to hire to determine the discount being offered. |
| 4 | On-site Apothecaries: This stadium is so well-heeled that the teams are given top-notch, first-class medical assistance, often by trained medical professionals capable of giving them more than just a shave and a haircut! During Step 4 of the pre-game sequence, a team that can hire an apothecary is granted a free Wandering Apothecary Inducement. In the case of teams that are unable to hire an apothecary: • A team with the 'Masters of Undeath' special rule is granted a free Mortuary Assistant Inducement. • A team with the 'Favoured of Nurgle' special rule is granted a free Plague Doctor Inducement. |
| 5 | Enclosed Pitch: The pitch is surrounded by a high and sturdy wall, or is built into the very ground in the form of a pit. Spectators sit high above the pitch, looking down upon the action below. Players cannot be pushed into the crowd for any reason. Rather than being pushed into the crowd, a pushed back player is instead slammed with great force into the stadium wall and is Knocked Down in the square they occupy. In addition, the ball cannot bounce into the crowd (though a kick-off or Pass action can still cause the ball to deviate or scatter into the crowd). Instead of bouncing into the crowd and being thrown-in, the ball will bounce off a wall. Use the Throw-in template to determine the direction as normal, but rather than travel 2D6 squares, the ball bounces only one square away from the wall before coming to rest. Note that thrown players can land in the crowd as normal. |
| 6 | Deluxe Seating: The stands at this stadium have all the mod cons: heated seats, plentiful bars, and even toilet facilities! The resultant good mood amongst the fans means the atmosphere is very jovial and, consequently, generates lots of support for the teams. During each start of drive sequence after the first, between Steps 2 and 3, each coach rolls a D3 and adds their team's current Dedicated Fans characteristic. If the result is higher than their team's Fan Factor for this game, their team gains one extra team re-roll for the drive ahead. If this team re-roll is not used before the end of this drive, it is lost. |
LOCAL CROWD
| D6 | ATTRIBUTE |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ale-fuelled Maniacs: The local fans are a bunch of rabid nutters, and that's before they start drinking. At the start of each drive, before rolling on the Kick-off Event table, roll a D6. On a roll of 1 during the first half, or a roll of 1 or 2 during the second half, do not roll on the Kick-off Event table. Instead, roll another D6: • On a roll of 1, resolve a Get the Ref result. • On a roll of 2-3, resolve a Time-out result. • On a roll of 4-5, resolve an Officious Ref result. • On a roll of 6, resolve a Pitch Invasion result. |
| 2 | Boisterous Rabble: The crowd today has come for a good time and is looking to get seriously involved in the game! The stadium's security staff are doing their best to prevent the fans storming the pitch, but woe betide any player daft enough to set foot in the stands! Each coach's Fan Factor is increased by 1. In addition, if a player is pushed into the crowd, apply a +1 to the Injury roll. Finally, if a Pitch Invasion result is rolled on the Kick-off Event table at any point, apply a +1 modifier to the D3 when determining how many players are affected. |
| 3 | Know-it-all Hecklers: Everyone in this crowd seems to be an expert on the finer points of the rules of the game, and their screamed corrections are doing nothing to improve the referee's temper. If a player commits a Foul which results in the victim of the action being removed from the pitch, but is not Sent-off for doing so, roll a D6: • On a roll of 4+, the referee ignores the crowd's indignation. • On a roll of 1-3, the referee hears the crowd's screamed indignation, and the player is Sent-off. |
| 4 | Bunch of Pacifists: The local crowd are much happier watching the violence than getting involved with the weirdos! If a Pitch Invasion result is rolled on the Kick-off table, roll again. In addition, if a player is pushed into the crowd, roll a D6: • On a roll of 4+, there is no risk of Injury by the Crowd, and the player is placed in their team's Reserves box. • On a roll of 1-3, the player risks Injury by the Crowd as normal. |
| 5 | Fickle Fans: Maybe this stadium gives away lots of free tickets because at least half of the crowd look like they've got places they'd rather be. At the end of each drive, roll a D6 to determine if the fans have started leaving: • On a roll of 2+, the fans are willing to stay for a little while longer. • On a roll of 1, fans have started leaving, and both teams must reduce their Fan Factor by 1. Note that neither team's Fan Factor can fall below 0. In addition, if the ball leaves the pitch, it might take a while for someone to throw it back. Unless this is the final turn of the half, roll a D6: • On a roll of 4+, the ball is thrown back in as normal. • On a roll of 1-3, the ball is not thrown back in until the end of the next team turn. In either case, the ball is thrown in as normal from the last square it occupied before leaving the pitch. |
| 6 | Solemn and Silent: An old sporting legend tells of the god, Kri-wiket, who forbade any noise other than polite applause at the day-long games played in his honor. The crowd at this stadium seems determined to follow his teachings! For the duration of this game, cheerleaders have no effect on the Kick-off Event table results. In addition, if a player is pushed into the crowd, they do not risk Injury by the Crowd and can return to play at the start of their next team turn. When a player is returned to the pitch in this way, they are Placed Prone in a square that is both: a. Adjacent to the Sideline. b. As close as possible to the square they last occupied when pushed off the pitch. |
BECOMING RESIDENTS
If a team finds a stadium they like, they might petition the owners to take them on as a resident team. The benefits are obvious: a big billboard out front with their name on it, an inflated sense of self-importance, and most importantly, the ability to use the stadium's quirks to their advantage.
In league play, any team can attempt to strike a residency deal with the owners of a stadium they have just played in, as long as it has a special Attribute and if another team in the league doesn't already have a residency deal there. At the end of Step 1 of the post-game sequence, a coach that wishes to strike a residency deal should roll a D6 on the table below, applying the following modifiers:
- If the team won the game, apply a +1 modifier.
- If the team lost the game, apply a -1 modifier.
- If the team has an Ongoing Sponsorship, apply a +1 modifier (+2 if their Ongoing Sponsorship is a Major Sponsorship).
- If the team's Dedicated Fans characteristic is 4 or more, apply a +1 modifier.
- If the team's Dedicated Fans characteristic is 7 or more, apply a +2 modifier.
RESIDENCY TABLE
| D6 | RESULT |
|---|---|
| 5 or less | Rejected: The stadium owners aren't keen, and the deal is not made. |
| 6-8 | It'll Cost You: The stadium owners will let the team stick around for a small donation. The deal is made, but all of the team's winnings from this game are forfeit. The team can choose to reject the offer and keep the winnings. |
| 9+ | Unconditional Offer: The owners are delighted by the team's offer, and the deal is made. |
Should both teams wish, they may both attempt to strike a residency deal. Should this happen, the team that rolls the lowest has their offer automatically rejected, regardless of the actual result on the table above.
In the case of a tie, both teams should roll on the table above again.
Once a team has struck a residency deal, its coach should both make a note of this on their Team Draft list and inform the league commissioner. The team's new home stadium should of course be given a name, and its special Attribute should be noted down. A team can only ever have one home stadium however, they can cancel the contract at any time (for example, after playing at another stadium they prefer) by spending 50,000 gold pieces to cover the moving costs.
The league commissioner should keep a record of all the teams that have struck residency deals and the Attribute of their home stadia.
BENEFITS OF RESIDENCY
Having a stadium to call home brings huge benefits, but just because a team has a home stadium, that doesn't mean they'll always play there after all, no Blood Bowl player wants to give up a carefree life on the open road!
Before Step 1 of the pre-game sequence, before rolling on the Random Stadium table, check whether either team has a home stadium:
If one or both of the teams does, the coaches should each roll a D6, re-rolling ties. The winning coach then rolls on the Random Stadium table. If the result is 6-8, the game takes place at an average, regulation stadium as normal. Otherwise, the coach can choose to play at their home stadium (using its Attribute) instead of rolling on the Unusual Playing Surface, Rough & Ready Stadium, Luxury Stadium or Local Crowd table.
In a league, a team can only face each other team in its division in one league fixture per season at its home stadium; if they play against the same team again in the same season, they count as not having a home stadium.
When a team plays at their home stadium, they may apply a +1 modifier to the D3 roll when determining their Fan Factor for the game. In addition, it's understood that playing against a home team can be disadvantageous, so it's common to sweeten the deal for the away team. The opponent of a team that is playing at their home stadium gets an additional 50,000 gold pieces in petty cash for the purchase of inducements.
Finally, if a player from the home team is pushed into the crowd, roll a D6. On a roll of 5+, they are safeguarded by local fans. There is no risk of Injury by the Crowd and the player is placed directly into the Reserves box.
LOSING RESIDENCY
When things take a turn for the worse, stadium owners have an incredible knack for finding loopholes in even the most well-worded residency contract and breaking off the deal. If a team with a home stadium loses a game (whether that game took place at the home stadium or elsewhere), they might lose their residency. Of course, if they can still draw a crowd, they've got a strong argument in their favour! Roll a D6 at the start of Step 4 of the post- game sequence. If the result is higher than the team's current Dedicated Fans characteristic, or is a natural 6, the team is booted out of the stadium and loses its residency delete it from their roster. Otherwise, the team is allowed to stay. After rolling, the coach can sweeten the deal by spending gold from their Treasury each 30,000 gold pieces spent deducts 1 from the result of the dice roll. A roll of 6 cannot be modified in this way.
TAKING OWNERSHIP
For a successful team, owning their home stadium is a real mark of prestige and can even be a sound investment! A team with a residency can buy their home stadium during Step 4 of the post-game sequence, whether or not they played that game at their home stadium. The cost to buy a stadium is 250,000 gold pieces. If the team pays this amount, they should update their roster to show that they now own their home stadium. A team can only own one stadium at a time, and they cannot take up a residency at a different stadium while they own one if they wish to do so, they must first sell up as described opposite.
When a team plays at a stadium they own and wins, their winnings are increased by D3 x 10,000 gold pieces. If they play at a stadium they own and lose, their winnings are decreased by D3 x 10,000 gold pieces.
Most importantly, a team that owns its home stadium is never at risk of losing its residency, no matter how many games it loses.
PARTIAL PAYMENTS
Several banks, ever aware that Blood Bowl teams often struggle to save up enough money to buy a stadium, offer a regulated system to those who wish to purchase a piece of prime grassland surrounded by wooden stands. Instead of paying the full amount for a stadium, a team can spend 70,000 gold pieces during Step 4 of the post-game sequence. This puts 50,000 gold pieces into the team's Stadium Fund (the other 20,000 goes elsewhere), which should be noted on the Team Draft list.
The team counts the gold in the Stadium Fund as a discount on the price of a stadium; for example, if a team has 100,000 gold pieces in their Stadium Fund, they could buy a stadium for 150,000 gold pieces. Teams cannot access the gold pieces in their Stadium Fund for any other reason, no matter how much they might want to, even if the team loses its residency. The only way for gold pieces to be removed from the fund is for the team to buy a stadium, at which point the fund is emptied.
Should a team lose its residency, the gold pieces in the fund are unaffected. Should the team strike a residency deal with another stadium, the gold pieces in the fund will become available should the team wish to buy that stadium.
SELLING UP
At the start of Step 4 of the post-game sequence, a team that owns a stadium can choose to sell it, whether or not they played that game at the stadium. To make the sale, the team's coach rolls a D6 on the table below to see how successful the sale is:
SELLING UP TABLE
| D6 | RESULT |
|---|---|
| 1 | Swindled: Through some very dodgy dealing indeed, a third party purchases the stadium for a pittance. The team no longer owns the stadium and receives 2D6 x 10,000 gold pieces. |
| 2‑5 | Sold at a Loss: This is the normal way of things after all, wear and tear on Blood Bowl stadia is rather excessive! The team no longer owns the stadium and receives 100,000 gold pieces plus an additional 2D6 x 10,000 gold pieces. |
| 6 | Break Even! Don't question how you did it, just be glad you did. The team no longer owns the stadium and receives 250,000 gold pieces. |