Skills & Traits
Passing Skills
Every Blood Bowl player has access to a category-coloured pool of Skills and Traits that shape how they play. Use the filter above to drill into one category, or browse the full list with descriptions and rulings.
Accurate
Passing
When this player performs a Quick Pass action or a Short Pass action, you may apply
an additional +1 modifier to the Passing Ability test.
Cannoneer
Passing
When this player performs a Long Pass action or a Long Bomb Pass action, you may
apply an additional +1 modifier to the Passing Ability test.
Q: Does the Cannoneer skill still apply when a player makes a Hail Mary Pass?
A: Yes.
Q: Is a Hail Mary Pass treated as a Long bomb when determining any modifiers for testing for
accuracy?
A: Yes.
Cloud Burster
Passing
When this player performs a Long Pass action or a Long Bomb Pass action, you may
choose to make the opposing coach re-roll a successful attempt to interfere with the pass.
Dump-Off
Passing
If this player is nominated as the target of a Block action (or a Special action
granted by a Skill or Trait that can be performed instead of a Block action) and if they are
in possession of the ball, they may immediately perform a Quick Pass action, interrupting the
activation of the opposition player performing the Block action (or Special action) to do so.
This Quick Pass action cannot cause a Turnover, but otherwise all of the normal rules for
passing the ball apply. Once the Quick Pass action is resolved, the active player performs the
Block action and their team turn continues.
Q: If a player with a Trait that requires them to roll a dice to see if they can activate
normally (such as Bone Head or Unchanneled Fury) and wishes to declare a player with either
the Foul Appearance or Dump-off skills as the target of an action, do they roll for their
Trait or for the opposing player's Skill first?
A: The player will first nominate the target of their action, then roll for their Trait, and
then the opposing player will use their Skill.
Q: When a player with the Dump-off skill is nominated as the target of a Blitz action, when do
they make their Quick Pass action?
A: As soon as they are nominated as the target of the Blitz action.
Q: Can a player with both the Dump-off and the Pass skills use the Pass skill when making a Pass
action as part of the Dumpoff skill?
A: Yes.
Q: Can a player with both the Bombardier trait and the Dumpoff skill use the Dump-off skill to
perform a Throw Bomb Special action when they are chosen as the target of a Block Action?
A: No.
Fumblerooskie
Passing
When this player performs a Move or Blitz action whilst in possession of the ball,
they may choose to 'drop' the ball. The ball may be placed in any square the player vacates
during their movement and does not bounce. No turnover is caused.
Q: If a player with the Fumblerooskie skill begins their Activation without the ball, and then
picks it up during their Activation, can they still use the Fumblerooskie skill during their
Activation?
A: Yes.
Q: Do Skills that apply to the ball, but are not part of a Pass action (such as Fumblerooskie),
also apply to a bomb?
A: No, because a bomb is not a ball.
Hail Mary Pass
Passing
When this player performs a Pass action (or a Throw Bomb action), the target square
can be anywhere on the pitch and the range ruler does not need to be used. A Hail Mary Pass is
never accurate, regardless of the result of the Passing Ability test it will always be
inaccurate at best. A Passing Ability test is made and can be re-rolled as normal in order to
determine if the Hail Mary Pass is wildly inaccurate or is fumbled. A Hail Mary Pass cannot be
interfered with. This Skill may not be used in a Blizzard.
Q: Does the Cannoneer skill still apply when a player makes a Hail Mary Pass?
A: Yes.
Q: Is a Hail Mary Pass treated as a Long bomb when determining any modifiers for testing for
accuracy?
A: Yes.
Leader
Passing
A team which has one or more players with this Skill gains a single extra team
re-roll, However, the Leader re-roll can only be used if there is at least one player with
this Skill on the pitch (even if the player with this Skill is Prone, Stunned or has lost
their Tackle Zone). If all players with this Skill are removed from play before the Leader
re-roll is used, is lost. The Leader Re-roll can be carried over into extra time if it is not
used, but the team does not receive a new one at the start of extra time. Unlike standard Team
Re-rolls, the Leader Re-roll cannot be lost due to a Halfling Master Chef. Otherwise, the
Leader re-roll is treated just like a normal team re-roll.
Q: If a player with the Leader re-roll is removed from the pitch before their Leader re-roll has
been used, then the re-roll would be lost. If the player would subsequently return to the
pitch (such as recovering from being KO'd), is the re-roll available again?
A: Yes.
Nerves of Steel
Passing
This player may ignore any modifier(s) for being Marked when they attempt to
perform a Pass action, attempt to catch the ball or attempt to interfere with a pass.
On The Ball
Passing
This player may move up to three squares (regardless their MA), following all of
the normal movement rules, when the opposing coach declares that one of their player is going
to perform a Pass action. This move is made after the range has been measured and the target
square declared, but before the active player makes a Passing Ability test. Making this move
interrupts the activation of the opposition player performing the Pass action. A player may
use this Skill when an opposition player uses the Dump-Off skill, but should this player Fail
Over whilst moving, a Turnover is caused. Additionally, during each Start of Drive sequence,
after Step 2 but before Step 3, one Open player with this Skill on the receiving team may move
up to three squares (regardless of their MA). This Skill may not be used if a touchback is
caused when the kick deviates and does not allow the player to cross into their opponent's
half of the pitch.
Q: Q. Can the Dodge skill be used on moves outside of a player's activation, such as those
provided from On the Ball, or the Blitz result on the Kick-off Event table?
A: No. The Dodge skill can only be used to re-roll a Dodge roll during that player's activation
during their own team turn.
Q: Can multiple players from the same team use the On The Ball skill in response to the same
Pass action? If so, what happens if one of them Falls Over before the others have been able to
use the On The Ball skill?
A: Yes. However, if one player Falls Over before the others have been able to use the On The
Ball skill then the sequence ends and no further players can move.
Pass
Passing
This player may re-roll a failed Passing Ability test when performing a Pass
action.
Running Pass
Passing
If this player performs a Quick Pass action, their activation does not have to end
once the pass is resolved. If you wish and if this player has not used their full Movement
Allowance, they may continue to move after resolving the pass.
Q: If a player with the Safe Pass skill and Running Pass skill fumbles a Pass action, does their
activation end or can they make use of Running Pass?
A: Their activation will end.
Q: Does the Running Pass skill allow a player with the Bloodlust (X+) trait to continue moving
after biting a Thrall and then performing a Pass?
A: Yes.
Q: If a player making a Throw Bomb Special action fumbles the Bomb, does this cause a Turnover?
A: No.
Safe Pass
Passing
Should This player fumble a Pass Action, the ball is not dropped, does not bounce
from the square this player occupies, and no Turnover is caused. Instead, this player retains
possession of the ball and their activation ends.
Q: If a player with the Safe Pass skill and Running Pass skill fumbles a Pass action, does their
activation end or can they make use of Running Pass?
A: Their activation will end.
Q: If a player making a Throw Bomb Special action fumbles the Bomb, does this cause a Turnover?
A: No.