Skills & Traits
Strength 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.
Arm Bar
Strength
If an opposition player Falls Over as a result of failing their Agility test when
attempting to Dodge, Jump or Leap out of a square in which they were being Marked by this
player, you may apply a +1 modifier to either the armour roll or Injury roll. This modifier
may be applied after the roll has been made and may be applied even if this player is row
Prone. If the opposition player was being marked by more than one player with this Skill, only
one player may use it.
Brawler
Strength
When this player performs a Block action on its own (but not as part of a Blitz
Action), this player may re-roll a single Both Down result.
Q: If a player has both the Pro and Brawler skills, can they re-roll a single Both Down result
for the Brawler skill, and then use the Pro skill to attempt to re-roll another dice from the
same dice pool?
A: Yes, so long as the same dice is not re-rolled more than once.
Q: A player with both the Pro skill and Brawler skill performs Block, rolls two Block Dice and
rolls Both Down on both dice, can the controlling coach choose to use Brawler on one of the
dice, and then subsequently attempt to use Pro on the other dice that has not yet been
rerolled?
A: Yes, so long as the same dice is not re-rolled more than once.
Q: Brawler states that a player can use this skill when making a Block action on its own (but
not as part of a Blitz action). Can a player with this skill use it when it has an assist from
a friendly player?
A: Yes. The 'on its own' part simply means it can only be used as a regular Block action, and
not part of another action that includes a Block (such as a Blitz action).
Q: Can a player with the Ball & Chain trait use the Brawler skill?
A: Yes
Break Tackle
Strength
Once during their activation, after making an Agility test in order to Dodge, this
player may modify the dice roll by +1 if their Strength characteristic is 4 or less, or by +2
if their Strength characteristic is 5 or more.
Grab
Strength
When this player performs a Block action (on its own or as part of a Blitz action),
using this Skill prevents the target of the Block action from using the Side Step skill.
Additionally, when this player performs a Block Action on its own (but not as part of a Blitz
action), if the target is pushed back, this player may choose any unoccupied square adjacent
to the target to push that player into. If there are no unoccupied squares, this Skill cannot
be used. A player with this Skill cannot also have the Frenzy skill.
Q: Can a player with the Grab skill choose not to use it if they wish?
A: Yes. Remember that only Skills and Traits marked with an * are compulsory.
Q: If a player with Multiple Block also has the Grab skill, can they place the second opposition
player that they Blocked into the square that was initially occupied by the first opposition
player that they Blocked?
A: No, as both Block actions happen simultaneously.
Guard
Strength
Q: Can a player with the Guard skill still provide offensive and defensive assists when they
have lost their Tackle Zone?
A: No.
Juggernaut
Strength
When this player performs a Block action as part of a Blitz action (but not on its
own), they may choose to treat a Both Down result as a Push Back result, in addition, when
this player performs a Block action as part of a Blitz action, the target of the Block action
may not use the Fend, Stand Firm or Wrestle skills.
Mighty Blow (+1)
Strength
When an opposition player is Knocked Down as the result of a Block action performed
by this player (on its own or as part of a Blitz action), you may modify either the Armour
roll or Injury roll by the amount shown in brackets. This modifier may be applied after the
roll has been made. This Skill cannot be used with the Stab or Chainsaw traits.
Q: Can a player with both the Claws and Mighty Blow (+X) skills use them together to allow them
to break an opposition player's armour on less than 8+ provided by the Claws skill?
A: No.
Q: If a player has both the Mighty Blow (+X) skill and the Claws trait, they cannot use the
Mighty Blow (+X) skill to modify the Armour roll due to Claws, but can they still use it to
modify the Injury roll?
A: Yes.
Q: If a player with the Mighty Blow ( +X) skill makes a Block action, and chooses the Both Down
result and is Knocked Down themselves, can they still apply the effects of Mighty Blow (+X)?
A: No, as when the Armour roll is made for the opposition player, the player with Mighty Blow
(+X) is Prone and so cannot use the skill.
Q: If a player that is performing a Block action against a player with the Mighty Blow (+1)
skill rolls the Player Down! result, can the defending player use the Mighty Blow (+1) skill?
A: No, as the player with the Mighty Blow (+1) skill has not performed the Block action.
Q: If a player with Animal Savagery knocks down a friendly model, are they forced to use Claws,
Piledriver, Mighty Blow (X+) (or any other Skills that would affect Armour or Injury rolls),
or can they choose not to?
A: The only Skills the opposing coach may choose for the player with Animal Savagery to use are
Claws and Mighty Blow (+X). In this case, treat the Knock Down as being the result of a Block
action.
Multiple Block
Strength
When this player performs a Block action on its own (but not as part of a Blitz
action), they may choose to perform two Block actions, each targeting a different player they
are Marking. However, doing so will reduce this player's Strength characteristic by 2 for the
duration of this activation. Both Block actions are performed simultaneously, meaning both are
resolved in full even if one or both result is a Turnover. The dice rolls for each Block
action should be kept separate to avoid confusion. This player cannot follow-up when using
this Skill. Note that choosing to use this Skill means this player will be unable to use the
Frenzy skill during the same activation.
Q: If a player with Multiple Block also has the Grab skill, can they place the second opposition
player that they Blocked into the square that was initially occupied by the first opposition
player that they Blocked?
A: No, as both Block actions happen simultaneously.
Q: When a player with the Multiple Block skill declares two adjacent opposing players the target
of their Block, do both opponents grant defensive assists to each other if there are no other
players from the active team marking them?
A: No.
Q: Q. Can the Stab trait be used in conjunction with the Multiple Block skill to make two Stab
Special actions?
A: Yes.
Pile Driver
Strength
When an opposition player is Knocked Down by this player as the result of a Block
action (on its own or as part of a Blitz action), this player may immediately commit a free
Foul action against the Knocked Down player. To use this Skill, this player must be Standing
after the block dice result has been selected and applied, and must occupy a square adjacent
to the Knocked Down player, After using this Skill, this player is Placed Prone and their
activation ends immediately.
Q: Does the free Foul action from Pile Driver happen before or after making the Armour roll (and
potentially an Injury roll) for the player being Knocked Down?
A: After – so long as the player is still on the pitch of course!
Q: The Pile Driver skill states that the player performing the Block action may then perform a
'free' Foul action against the Knocked Down player. Does this 'free' Foul action mean that it
does not count towards the team's one Foul action per turn, or does it mean that the player
can perform this action for free?
A: This means that the player may perform this action for free. This Skill cannot be used if the
team has already used their Foul action for that team turn, and if used will mean that another
player cannot also make a Foul action during the same team turn.
Q: If a player with Animal Savagery knocks down a friendly model, are they forced to use Claws,
Piledriver, Mighty Blow (X+) (or any other Skills that would affect Armour or Injury rolls),
or can they choose not to?
A: The only Skills the opposing coach may choose for the player with Animal Savagery to use are
Claws and Mighty Blow (+X). In this case, treat the Knock Down as being the result of a Block
action.
Q: If my player with Animal Savagery trait lashes out against my own teammate and also has the
Pile Driver skill, is my opponent able to make me perform a foul against my own teammate?
A: No, they cannot force you to use the Pile Driver skill.
Q: If a player with the Ball and Chain trait rolls the Piledriver skill as a random Skill, can
they re-roll it?
A: Yes.
Stand Firm
Strength
This player may choose not to be pushed back, either as the result of a Block
action made against them or by a chain-push. Using this Skill does not prevent an opposition
player with the Frenzy Skill from performing a second Block action if this player is still
Standing after the first.
Strong Arm
Strength
This player may apply a +1 modifier to any Passing Ability test rolls they make
when performing a Throw Team-mate action. A player that does not have the Throw team-mate
trait cannot have this Skill.
Thick Skull
Strength
When an Injury roll is made against this player (even if this player is Prone,
Stunned or has lost their Tackle Zone), they can only be KO'd on a roll of 9, and will treat a
roll of 8 as stunned result. If this player also has the Stunty trait, they can only be KO'd
on a roll of 8, and will treat a roll of 7 as Stunned result. All other results are
unaffected.