Let’s be real for a second. If you’ve ever sat across the table from a Blood Bowl Dark Elves coach, you probably spent half the game wanting to throw your dice at their head. They are annoying. They are arrogant. They have this incredibly frustrating habit of dodging out of a tackle zone, sprinting down the pitch, and scoring a touchdown while your Ogre is still trying to remember how his feet work. But that’s the draw, isn't it?
Playing the Naggaroth Nightmares or any other Druchii roster isn't about the noble "spirit of the game." It’s about being a complete jerk on the pitch. You aren't here to pass the ball like those soft High Elves. You're here to stab someone in the ribs, steal the ball, and look better than everyone else while doing it. Honestly, it’s a lifestyle.
The Glass Cannon Reality of Blood Bowl Dark Elves
Most people think Elves are fragile. Well, they’re right. But Dark Elves are a weird middle ground in the elven hierarchy. You get that sweet, sweet Agility 2+ (in the current BB2020 ruleset) which makes the game feel like you’re playing on easy mode sometimes. But unlike Wood Elves, who basically explode if a stiff breeze hits them, Dark Elves actually have some armor. Most of your key players are rocking Armor Value 9+.
That sounds great until you realize you’re paying a premium for it. A standard Dark Elf Lineman costs 70,000 gold pieces. That’s expensive. You can’t afford to lose these guys. Every time a Black Orc or a Chaos Chosen Warrior gets a clean hit on your Witch Elf, your heart skips a beat. You're playing a high-stakes game of poker where your chips are made of glass and cost a fortune.
The Blitzers: Why You’re Actually Here
If you’re building a roster, you start with the Blitzers. Period. You get four of them. Most teams dream of having four players with Block right out of the gate. These guys are the engine. They move fast, they hit reliably, and they have enough armor to survive a scrap.
In a typical league, your Blitzers are going to do 90% of the heavy lifting. They’re your ball carriers, your secondary hitters, and your safety net. If you lose your Blitzers, your season is basically over. It’s that simple. I’ve seen coaches tilt off the face of the earth because a lucky Halfling got a "Defender Down" result on their star Blitzer in turn two. It’s brutal.
Why the Witch Elf is the Most Dangerous Piece on the Board
We have to talk about the Witch Elf. She’s iconic. She’s also a liability if you don’t know what you’re doing. With Frenzy, Jump Up, and Dodge, she’s a nightmare for your opponent’s positioning.
Frenzy is a double-edged sword. You get two bites at the apple if you don’t knock them down the first time. Great! But Frenzy forces you to follow up. If you aren't careful, your Witch Elf will chase a dwarf right into a crowd of his angry friends, get surrounded, and then it’s "Goodnight, Irene."
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- Frenzy Control: You have to visualize where the second block will take you.
- Crowd Surfing: This is the Witch Elf’s true calling. Since she forces that second push, she is the queen of shoving people off the pitch and into the hands of the literal bloodthirsty fans.
- Jump Up: This skill is low-key broken. Being able to stand up for free and still block? It messes with the "math" of the game. Your opponent thinks they’ve neutralized her by knocking her down. They’re wrong.
The Running Game vs. The Passing Game
Here is a common misconception: people think because they’re Elves, they should be throwing long bombs.
Stop.
Dark Elves are a running team. Sure, you can pass. Everyone on the team has the hands for it. But you don't have a dedicated Thrower with the "Pass" skill built-in like the High Elves or Union teams do. You play a "cage and grind" style, just faster and more stylish than Orcs.
You form a loose screen, use your high movement to shift the point of attack, and look for an opening. You don't need to throw a 30-yard pass when you can just dodge through a gap that shouldn't exist. It's about being opportunistic. You wait for the opponent to make one tiny mistake—one failed "Go For It" or one misplaced tackle zone—and then you pounce.
Assassins: Are They Actually Worth the Gold?
Look, I want to love the Assassin. The idea of a guy hiding in the shadows with a poisoned dagger is cool. Shadows? Check. Murder? Check.
In practice? They’re "kinda" mediocre.
The "Stab" action replaces a block. It ignores armor and just goes straight to an injury roll based on a d6 vs. the opponent's AV. Against high-armor teams like Dwarves or Orcs, it’s a gamble. Against low-armor teams like Skaven, it’s hilarious. But the problem is that the Assassin himself is flimsy (AV 8+). If he fails to kill his target, he’s standing right next to someone who is now very motivated to punch him.
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Most competitive coaches skip the Assassin in favor of more Linemen or saving up for a Reroll. But if you’re playing for fun? Stab away. There is nothing more satisfying than watching a 140,000-gold Mummy get taken out by a 100,000-gold Elf with a small knife.
Managing the "Elf BS" Factor
There’s a term in the community: "Elf BS." It refers to that moment when a Blood Bowl Dark Elves player needs to make four 2+ rolls in a row to win the game, and they actually do it.
It feels like cheating. It isn't. It's just probability.
The catch is that when the "BS" fails, it fails spectacularly. When you roll a 1 on that first dodge, your whole turn ends. Your players are left out in the open. Your defense collapses. Because your players are so expensive, you usually have a very thin bench. You might only have 11 or 12 players on your roster.
- Reroll Management: You need at least two, preferably three. They are expensive (50k at creation, 100k later).
- Positioning: Just because you can dodge doesn't mean you should. Every roll is a chance to die.
- The Grind: Don't be afraid to slow play. If you score too fast, you give the other team eight turns to smash your face in.
Real-World Nuance: The Tier 1 Curse
In the official Games Workshop tiering, Dark Elves are firmly Tier 1. This means they are expected to win. A lot.
This puts a target on your back. In a league setting, other coaches will go out of their way to "foul" your expensive players. They know that killing one of your Blitzers is worth more than winning the game in the long run. You have to be paranoid. If one of your stars is down on the ground, expect a boot to the face. It’s part of the Dark Elf experience.
How to Actually Win Your Next Match
If you’re looking for a "win button," it doesn't exist, but there are ways to tilt the odds.
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First, focus on the "Surf." Most coaches worry about the ball. You should worry about the sidelines. Dark Elves are masters of using the Frenzy skill and high Agility to push opponents off the pitch. Once you have a numbers advantage, the game becomes trivial.
Second, embrace the "Defensive Screen." Don't try to go toe-to-toe with a Strength-heavy team. Stand one square away. Make them use their Blitz action to reach you. If they want to hit you more than once, they have to move, and movement means potential mistakes.
Third, take "Dodge" as your first skill on almost everyone. Blodge (Block + Dodge) is the most frustrating combo in the game for a reason. It makes your players incredibly hard to take down without specific "Tackle" pieces.
Skill Progression Priority
- Blitzers: Dodge, then maybe Side Step or Tackle.
- Witch Elves: Block (immediately!), then Side Step.
- Runners: Leader (for the cheap reroll) or Nerve of Steel.
- Linemen: Wrestle. It’s better than Block for them because it brings the opponent down too, protecting your thin line.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Lore
People think Dark Elves play Blood Bowl because they like the sport. They don't. According to the lore (specifically the older fluff that still holds true in the Spirit of the Game), they play because their god, Khaine, demands blood. They see the pitch as a legal way to murder people in front of a cheering crowd.
This isn't just "flavor text." It informs how you should play. You aren't playing a sports sim; you’re playing a skirmish game where a ball occasionally gets in the way. If you play too passively, you’ll get bullied. You have to be the aggressor.
Actionable Next Steps for Aspiring Coaches
If you're ready to start a Dark Elf team, don't just go out and buy every shiny model. Start lean.
- Buy the Box, But Be Smart: The standard Games Workshop "Naggaroth Nightmares" box is a great start, but it only comes with two Blitzers. You really want four. You might need to snag a second box or look for third-party "pro-elf" miniatures to fill the gaps.
- Roster Build: Start with 4 Blitzers, 1 Witch Elf, and the rest Linemen. This gives you a solid core with decent survivability. Save the Assassin and the Runner for later in the league when you have some spare cash.
- Practice the 2+: Go to a simulator like Blood Bowl 3 or FUMBBL. Practice nothing but dodging and positioning. Learn what a "one-die block" feels like, because as a Dark Elf, you'll be throwing them more often than you'd like.
- Study the Rulebook on "Frenzy": This is where 90% of new Dark Elf players mess up. Understand the "Push" mechanics perfectly. If you don't know where a player is going to land after a second block, don't throw it.
- Focus on the "Column Defense": Learn how to set up two-player columns to slow down "bash" teams. It’s the only way to stop a Chaos or Orc "Death Star" from rolling right over you.
The Dark Elf path is one of high highs and miserable lows. You will have games where you feel like a god, dancing through entire teams. You will also have games where your expensive athletes trip over their own shoelaces and die in the first half. If you can handle the emotional rollercoaster, there is no more rewarding team in the game.