It is my hope to bring this list to the attention of Jervis Johnson in order to get a new "blister pack" of Special Play Cards released for Blood Bowl - yellow, of course - the "Grab Bag"!
If you have any comments about these cards - or any suggestions for new cards - feel free to e-mail me (Chet) at chz@acsu.buffalo.edu
Enjoy!
BACKFIRE - T. Lapin
You may play this card just after an opposing Wizard has cast any spell.
The Wizard has been casting a lot of spells lately, and a backload of
magical energy comes pouring out of him! The spell goes off as normal, but
the Wizard is struck with the powerful backlash. Roll a dice to determine
the effects: 1-3 = Badly Shaken, must miss the rest of the match, 4-5 =
Seriously Injured, must miss the rest of this match and the next one, 6 =
dead, dead, DEAD!
BLOODWEISER TIME - David Yellope
You may play this card before any kick-off takes place, but after
the two teams have set up. It seems that one of the alcohol vendors has
wandered a bit too close to the dugout, and the opposing team is now
drunk! All opponents suffer a -1 penalty on any roll made on the Agility
Table. The effects of this card last until a touchdown is scored or the
half ends.
BRAIN TRUST - Chet Zeshonski
Place this card at the start of the match, before either team has set up.
Renowned Orc shaman "Snortin' Louie" is in town today, and several
eggheads in his entourage become intensely interested in this fascinating
game called "Blood Bowl". Roll a dice. The result is the number of
Assistant Coaches you may add to your team immediately.
BRASS KNUCKLES DAY - Mike Laubenthal
Play this card at the start of the match, before either team has set up.
The first 50,000 fans through the gate get their own brass knuckles,
complete with official team logos! For the rest of the match, all injury
rolls are made at +1 when a player is pushed off the pitch into the crowd.
BRIBE THE ANNOUNCER - John Kipling Lewis
Play this card at the end of the match when you collect your MVP awards.
You have bribed the announcer to call the game as you see it, and may
assign your awards however you want (so long as it's legal!)
BUTTERFINGERS! - Chet Zeshonski
Play this card whenever an opponent attempts to pick up or catch the ball
(this includes taking a handoff). The player simply can't seem to find the
handle! He automatically fails the dice roll, and the ball will scatter
one square.
CLAIRVOYANCE - Chet Zeshonski
You may play this card at any time. After a successful night sharking
cards at a nearby tavern, you have placed a local seer in your debt - and
today you settle the score! Your opponent must play the game with all his
Special Play Cards face-up and in full view.
C'MON, ALREADY! - Martin Laerkes
You may play this card whenever an opposing player could score without
rolling any dice, but the opposing coach instead declares his turn over,
or performs an action with any other player instead of scoring
immediately. The fans want their touchdown now, and one of them
pelts the ball carrier with a rock in frustration! Place the ball carrier
prone, and roll for the effects of the injury straight away. Scatter the
ball one square.
CUPAJOE - Chet Zeshonski
Play this card on any player in your team just before any kickoff. The
player has gone light on the fruit punch, and heavy on the coffee! He may
stand up for free at the start of any action, just as if he had the Jump
Up skill. He also gains the Frenzy skill, but if he attempts to handle the
ball in any fashion he will fail automatically, there is no need to roll
the dice. The effects of this card last until a touchdown is scored or the
half ends.
DID SOMEBODY SAY MCMURTY'S? - Christopher M. Blanchard
Play this card immediately after a touchdown has been scored. McMurty's is
having a special on burgers today. Being the kind-hearted coach you are,
you have plastered this news all over your opponent's dugout. Roll a dice.
The result is the number of randomly selected players from the opposing
team that must miss the next kickoff, as they are waiting in line for
their burgers! Place the players in the Reserves box, they may not take
the field this drive.
FALSE START - Stephen Babbage
You may play this card after any roll has been made on the kickoff table,
but before the result is applied. The opposing team has started before the
whistle! The referee stops and then restarts play immediately - leave the
teams in the same setups, and roll on the kickoff table a second time.
FIZZLE - T. Lapin
You may play this card when your opponent casts a spell or attempts to use
a Magic Item. Something has gone terribly wrong and the magic has fizzled
out. The spell or card is wasted, and has no effect.
GIMME THAT! - Chet Zeshonski
You may play this card after one of your players has pushed an opponent
who is holding the ball without knocking him over. Your player has waited
all game to show what he can do - and he wants that ball NOW! The opposing
ball carrier automatically drops the ball. What's more, he drops it right
into the hands of your player, who catches it automatically!
GOTTA BE THE SHOES - John Kipling Lewis
You may play this card after both teams have set up, but before the ball
is kicked off. One randomly selected player from your team has signed a
one-off endorsement contract with Orcidas. For every SPP earned by that
player this game, your team gains 10,000 Gold Crowns when you collect your
winnings at the end of the match.
HALF TIME TEAM TALK - Chet Zeshonski
You may play this card at halftime. After a stern talking-to from their
coach, your players have learned a few things from the first half of
action! Add up any Star Player Points from the first half gained by your
players immediately. If this takes any player up a level you may take the
Star Player roll before the second half starts, and may use the new
skill(s) in the second half.
I'LL TAKE THAT! - John Kipling Lewis
You may play this card when an opposing player who is holding the ball
enters a square adjacent to one of his own players. That player has been
itching to show his coach how great he is, and takes the ball! This counts
as the team's handoff for the turn, but it is automatically successful,
there is no need to roll the dice.
I'VE CREATED A MONSTER! - Jonathan Murphy
You may play this card when a player in your team is knocked out by a
player from the opposing team. Instead of placing him in the KO box, leave
the player on the field, face up - the devastating hit has unleashed his
hidden potential! The player gets a +1 bonus to all stats (MA, ST, AG, and
AV). The effects of this card last until a touchdown is scored or the half
ends.
I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU - T. Lapin
Play this card at the start of the match, before either team has set up.
An opponent has made some nasty remarks about a player's mother. Little
does he know, however, that this woman is none other than today's referee!
For the rest of the match, the ref is biased against the opposing team.
All opposing Fouls result in the fouler being ejected unless the
fouling player rolls doubles on the armor roll, and any Secret Weapons
automatically fail their penalty rolls. The effect of this card is
canceled if the fans decide to 'Get The Ref' (even if it is your own fans
who get him!).
INSTANT REPLAY - John Kipling Lewis
You may play this card after any roll made by the opposing coach. The
coach must reroll the dice and accept the new result in place of the old,
even if he has already used a skill or team reroll to do so! Note that
this is the only time a dice roll may be rerolled more than once.
JOHNNY WATERBOY - John Kipling Lewis/Sean Butler
Play this card at the start of the match, before either team has set up.
You have hired the famous Johnny Waterboy for this game, and his special
smelling salts work wonders on your players! For the rest of the match,
all knocked out players on your team recover on a roll of 2+ instead of
the usual 4+.
KEEPER - Chet Zeshonski
Play this card immediately after you have played any other Special Play
Card. You may keep the card, and use it again later in the match!
LAST DITCH EFFORT - Chet Zeshonski
You may play this card when a player on your team passes the ball.
The player may throw the ball to any square on the field, just as if he
had the Hail Mary Pass skill.
MAGIC FLUX - Chet Zeshonski
Play this card after you have taken all your Special Play Cards for the
match. The forces of Chaos are running strong at today's game! Trade this
card in for a Magic Item card, even if you have already taken one. Note
that this is the only way in which a team is allowed to pick two Magic
Items in the pre-game sequence.
MIRACULOUS RECOVERY - Martin Laerkes
Play this card at the start of the match, before either team has set up.
The team apothecary said it couldn't be done - but it has! Remove any one
permanent injury from the player of your choice.
MOTHER, MAY I? - T. Lapin
You may play this card at the start of the match, before the ball has been
kicked off. Nominate a player from the opposing team. That player's mother
is attending today's game, and she has warned him that he had better play
nice with the other boys - or else! All injury rolls made by that player
automatically result in "Stunned," there is no need to roll the dice.
NOT-SO-SECRET WEAPON - Sean Butler
Play this card at any kickoff, after both teams have set up. One of your
players manages to smuggle a two-handed greatsword onto the pitch while
the ref has his back turned. Treat this player as if he has a running
chainsaw, but he does not need to make a roll to start his weapon. The
effects of this card last until a touchdown is scored or the half ends,
after which the referee finally catches up with this maniac, and the
player is ejected automatically.
PALMED COIN - Chet Zeshonski
Play this card before any coin toss. Your team captain has sneakily
replaced the usual coin with a double-headed eagle! You win the coin toss
automatically, there is no need to flip the coin.
POOR BODILY HYGIENE - Jonathan Murphy
You may play this card at any kickoff, before either team has set up.
Nominate a player from the opposing team. This player is suffering from
some extremely bad body odor, and his team-mates have forced him to take
an early shower! The player must remain in the Reserves box until a
touchdown is scored or the half ends.
RAINDANCER - Stephen Babbage
While traveling between matches, you encounter a wandering wizard who
gives you this scroll. Play this card at the start of any team turn. The
scroll's magic allows you to choose the weather from the options on the
weather table immediately!
REVENANT - Chet Zeshonski
You may play this card immediately after one of your players has been
killed. The player's body has thrown in the towel, but his mind hasn't!
Leave the player on the field, face up. Treat the player as normal for the
rest of the game, but he will come back from any injury automatically just
before the next kickoff. At the end of the match the player gives up the
ghost, and you must remove him from your roster permanently.
RINGER - Sean Butler
You may play this card at the start of the match, before either team has
set up. Nominate a player on your team. That player has taken the day
off, and has hired a lookalike to play in his place. The substitute player
has the stats of any rookie player from your team roster. Note that this
is the only way your team can violate the usual limits on position
players.
STOLEN PLAYBOOK - Stephen Babbage
You may play this card when any player on your team makes a Star Player
roll. The player has stolen the opponent's play book, and has studied it
carefully at every opportunity. Because of his increased understanding of
the game, you do not need to roll for a new skill. Instead, the player may
gain a new skill as if he had rolled a double on the Star Player table.
STOP FAKING IT! - Jon Inge Teigland
You may play this card when one of your players has been caught fouling,
but failed to penetrate armor. The referee comes running over to eject the
fouler, but when he sees the victim on the ground, moaning in pain, he
realizes no foul has been committed at all. The "victim" is just faking it
- so he ejects the victim instead!
THAT BABE'S GOT TALENT! - Thomas Kaule Polsen
Play this card at the start of the match, before either team has set up.
Your team visits a local tavern the night before the game. One of the
exotic dancers displays her, umm, "talents," and your players leave her
a very generous tip. She and a couple of her friends decide to join your
team. Roll a dice. The result is the number of Cheerleaders you may add to
your team immediately.
WE'Z GOT DIS ONE IN DA BAG - John Kipling Lewis
Play this card just after the opposing team has scored a touchdown which
gives them the lead. The other team is so confident they have the game
won, they send out the second string. For the ensuing kickoff, your
opponent may only set up the 11 players on his team with the fewest Star
Player Points.
YOU LOOK FAMILIAR - Martin Laerkes
You may play this card when an opposing player declares a foul while
standing next to a prone team-mate. The fouler has gotten a little
confused, and fouls his team-mate instead! Your players may assist the
fouler.
And once again, if you have a suggestion for the Grab Bag, feel free to mail me (Chet) at chz@acsu.buffalo.edu