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Black Ark Teams

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Corsairs

Doomreavers

Dreadblades

Kraken Helms


Famous Teams
Black Ark Corsairs, first mentioned in 2016 edition Spike Magazine issue 2
Dark Ark Serpents, first mentioned in Spike! Journal #1, 2018

Background

Black Ark Corsairs were the most famous and first notable Black Ark team. Like other sea faring races they sailed the oceans looting, pillaging and committing acts of piracy. The Black Ark Corsairs would chase ships down and take their crew captive, offering them a chance of freedom if they could beat the Corsairs at a game of Blood Bowl.

The Corsairs team was unlike the standard Dark Elf teams in many ways. They played a long passing game like Dark Elves of a bygone era, and moved with more grace and speed. Their blitzers played with a daredevil bravado, their fearless swashbuckling dexterity was easily transposed to Blood Bowl.

One fateful night the Black Ark Corsairs played a game beneath the waves against a Nautican team - the Southstorm Squids. The Corsairs equipment was enchanted allowing them to breath beneath waves. But during the match the enchantments faltered and most of the team died. The lone survivor Kiroth Krakeneye was given an enchanted helm by the hosts, imbuing him squid like powers; tentacles grew from the mask and a great power emanated from the helm, striking fear deep in the hearts of those that stood before him. Krakeneye re-built the Black Ark Corsairs and their infamous reputation quickly grew. When the Black Ark docked there would always be teams waiting to test their skills against the Corsairs' unqiue mix of dexterity, speed and supernatural abilities.

As the years passed many more Black Ark teams started appearing copying the style of the famous Black Ark Corsairs. In tribute to Kiroth their teams would be fronted by a number of blockers wearing a Dark Elf forged magical helm imbuing the wearer with the same abilities Kiroth gained from the Nauticans magical artifact.

Rationale

Black Ark teams are described in the official Blood Bowl background as being fast, unique, having fearless swashbuckling blitzers, and having an archaic long passing game which is clearly a nod to lrb4 and 2nd edition Dark Elves.
Unlike normal Dark Elf teams this team was more flashy, and less armoured, with the exception of the Blocker type positionals. Their linemen would lose their armour in favour of greater speed. Their thrower is basically a lineman with P access and the Pass skill as standard, referencing the passages about their archaic passing game, I named them Doomreavers after the other Dark Elf pirates from the warhammer world. In Man O War they were essentially beastmasters. Here they are just names this as a nice nod back to something that no longer exists.

Their Blitzer - the Dreadblades differ from the normal Dark Elf Blitzer in a few ways, lower AV because they are more reckless. They also do not have Block which makes them more vulnerable, but they do have Juggernaut which allows them to Blitz with safety. It fits their swashbuckling nature thematically and gives them some nice options for skill progression paths such as working with frenzy and Strip ball. This skill selection also make reference to their "dramatic blitzes" from the official background. Nerves of Steel was given to them over catch, as it felt more fitting that a fearless pirate would have the unique ability to ignore everything going on around them, while slightly increasing their dexterity. It also helps give the team a unique balling and anti balling style when combined with the Kraken Helm.

Kraken Helms are based around the official background for the star player Kiroth Krakeneye who played for the Black Ark Corsairs. As secret League rosters and setting is all set some years (approximately 20) after the currently Blood Bowl time line the new Black Ark Teams have a positional made in tribute to this legendary player. Dwarf Slayers and Wardancers both came into existence in the Blood Bowl world in much the same way, in short - one player did something unique and in the years that followed teams of the same race started imitating that event. So this positional follows that pattern, Kiroth was given a magic helm by the Nautican race, that gave him Tentacles, Foul Appearance and Disturbing Presence. In the Backstory I explained how the Dark Elves now forge their own magic helms and Black Ark teams are fronted by Blockers that wear these helms in tribute. This adds to the team's thematics, visual and play style.

Season 2 (2020 Edition) Changes
No changes other than the addition of the Pa stat. The only Pa stat that is possible contentious is the Dreadblades Pa being 3+ but I felt this small increase in passing dexterity helps add to the teams unique character. Also Elf Union teams Blitzers are also Pa 3+ so there are other instances of this in the game. In terms of fluff reasons I wanted it a bit higher on this player to show how dextrous they are and to push them somewhat closer to Dark Elves that were in 2nd Edition Blood Bowl.

Teams design by Garion and the CIBBL team.
Background and Rationale by Garion
Icons by King Mad and Det
Player Art by Knut Rookie, coloured by Garion