DM 093 Newsletter

Total warriors from this arena = 1889

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DM 093 Newsletter

DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date : 11/14/2025 Duedate: 11/27/2025

NOBLISH ISLAND ARENA

DM 93 TURN 700

This Week's Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

POSITION IS EMPTY

Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader

POSITION IS EMPTY POSITION IS EMPTY

Popularity Leader This Week's Favorite

ARCH CUMULO NIMBUS
SKYLINE (1962) SKYLINE (1962)
(93-11503) [4-3-0,28] (93-11506) [7-0-1,57]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

BASH BROS STAMPS (1964)

TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. BASH BROS STAMPS (1964) 41
2. SKYLINE (1962) 8 DARK TOADS (527)
Unchartered Team

SKYLINE (1962)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 2*SKYLINE (1962) 27 8 1 77.1 1/ 2*BASH BROS STAMPS (1964) 11 4 1
2/ 3*BASH BROS STAMPS (1964) 11 4 1 73.3 2/ 1*SKYLINE (1962) 11 4 0
3- 4*MERCENARIES INC. (1963) 3 2 0 60.0 3- 4*MERCENARIES INC. (1963) 3 2 0
4- 5*JJKIER (1935) 8 19 0 29.6 4- 5*JJKIER (1935) 0 3 0

'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank

TEAM SPOTLIGHT

WARRIOR AND TEAM DESIGN (The Consortium Way)
The design of SKYLINE

The purpose of this spotlight is to provide newer/inexperienced D2 managers with
warrior and team design thoughts and concepts, and to assist new managers by allowing
observation of the design details of a real-time team who will be competing against
them in their Noblish Island arena. I will discuss the following:

* An experienced manager's (over 100,000 warriors designed and fought) general design
principles

* Some thoughts on team balance

* A real five-warrior design (original team roll-up) just starting to compete on
Noblish Island

* Summary and comments relevant to those designs.

First you might ask, "Who is writing this? And I answer that I am "Explorer", manager
and agent of SKYLINE, a member of The Consortium, who is a long, long time (40 year)
paying competitor in Duelmasters/D2. I will be overseeing this new team and will be
offering you advice most rounds in the Noblish Island newsletter too. (Yes; free
advice!) Please think nothing of asking me questions in the personal ads, or through
diplos, or on the RSI and/or Chatzy sites. You will get answers, often very
interesting answers.

Now I have to tell you this. This is a pretty typical roll up sheet Opportunities
abound! (Some good; some bad.) Some of the fun of D2 is designing a seemingly
inadequate warrior, and strategizing them to being a winner! So, let's get at it --
the Consortium way.

First, some solid advice. There is NO one-and-only perfect design for any warrior.
Believe it! You will often find that when asking for experienced design advice,
varying opinions and concepts are offered. However, there are some guidelines that
each manager uses. The Consortium general design principles and guidelines look like
this:

* 1: WT is the first factor examined, followed by WL, which then determines the
subsequent point additions, the probable design, and potential style direction. (So
review WT/WL options first.)

* 2: Then, generally design to strengths/excesses, making high roll numbers higher.
(Accentuate the positive.) (In most cases, however, DF above 11 may not be that
advantageous.)

* 3: Design to stat/skill break points to maximize starting skills. (Know what base
skills are attached to stat points, and weapon strength requirements. Be sure to ask
RSI for the C.I.C. with helpful starting info.)

* 4: Offensive-ish warriors usually need high WT to excel. Design to 11 (very
minimum), needing 11, 13, 15, 17, 21 for skill breaks. (note: Offensives, though,
can win in the very short run on physicals only)

* 5: 21 WT, 21DF, and 21 WL are coveted. The 21DF makes an aimed-blow almost
inevitable. Most managers automatically think Aimed-Blow when they can get 21
deftness. (Not always, but most probable.) If not an aimer, then 11 DF is really all
most designs need, (7 DF is our minimum desire.) and 11 is very desirable. So while
DF is very desirable, there is no need to overdo it on designs.

* 6: All warriors except AB must have normal damage and really need good. Make certain
that ST/SZ allows that, and have high enough WL to bump stats, if not. Aimers can
and do succeed with less damage doing.

* 7: 9 WL is the reasonable min for offensives. (But we really like 17 or 21 WL!) All
warriors MUST have some decent WL. Some very few warriors might do OK with 7 or 8.
(Maybe.) Defensive warriors and burners need lots of WL.

* 8: A warrior has to have some strength; weapon choice and weapon damage is impaired
otherwise; 9 is normally minimum, but 11+ really best. Only an aimed-blow can get
away with "too low" strength.

* 9: Do not add to CN for pure offensives. (Use all points elsewhere.)

* 10: Pure defensive style warriors need big WL and CN. And, then, ST, too.

* 11: Physicals never hurt any warrior. Warriors can win early on with lesser skill,
but good physicals.

* 12: If all else fails, make the design a TP. They can win under almost any
circumstance. However, they need a higher combination (total) of CN, WL, and ST.
(especially WL and CN). But avoid those aimed-blows!

* 13: If the warrior is to be long-term (meaning a godling or really, really nice
roll, later intended for ADM), do not design a burner. (A burner is one where the
manager intends to raise stats and physicals as an intended strategy to enhance
winning). Burners require very high WL as stat raises are dependent almost
completely on WL.

* 14: However, there is nothing wrong with making a burner. (10% or so of Consortium
warriors are planned burners.) Remember, though, that stat raises are dependent on
WL. (5% times WL determines the expected probability of a first raise.

* 15: Have variation in styles in arenas if at all possible. This allows for better
challenging, avoiding, and match-ups. (Adding also fun and learning through
variety.)

* 16: Usually design to the numbers, then choose style, rather than predetermine a
style, then design. (At least until you really know what you are doing.)

* 17: PRIMARY PRINCIPLE: Design each warrior with the idea of winning 60%+ of its
fights. Period.

Pretty simple, it would seem. Well, we will see how I applied these principals to the
SKYLINE Team. (Note: While not all of the concepts will be specifically referenced
below in designing the five warriors, virtually all are truly used in one or more
places.) But first, some comments on team design.

A variety of styles is important. Why? (a) The more differing styles you experiment
with, the more you learn. (b) It is more fun to run differing types. (c) Certain
styles are susceptible to other styles and having a variety allows you to take
advantage of (or avoid) some of those susceptibilities. (d) Testing multiple styles
allows you to more quickly find the style/s that you enjoy most or are best with.

I believe a manager, especially a new manager, should have at least these two warriors
on his team: an especially fast/quick, decent damage offensive (striker, or maybe
basher or slasher or even lunger) and a scummy warrior with lots of physicals and who
wins by wearing down foes while parrying or sucking up hit points. (Total parry or
maybe wall-of-steel or parry strike.) It is important to learn how to win with both
types, and the ST (striker) and TP (total parry) are excellent designs to do both:
teach and win. This combination is invaluable because each tends to challenge and
avoid different styles, and most importantly, they are both easy to work with. The
other warriors on the team can/should be different, but I least (meaning, these are
hardest) recommend the more difficult styles for brand-new managers: AB=aimed blow
(aimer), PR=parry riposte (ripper), PS=parry strike (piker), PL=parry lunge (plunger),
and maybe WS=wall of steel (waste). Save those for later; or, if you are truly feeling
lucky or highly inquisitive....

Now, on to a real life example. Below are listed the starting statistics (from the
roll-up sheet) and the design statistics filled out and sent in by me, Explorer,
manager of the SKYLINE team just now started on Noblish Isle.

A quick, initial thought on roll up sheets, in general. It can be hardest to design
"radical" numbers. Unusually low ST or WL or super big SZ, or very low WT/WL combo,
usually require the most design manipulation and variance from the design principles
above. Very high WT and WL and/or sometimes DF, plus very small SZ are treasured!

So, with that, let's get on to designing this team.

9-8-14-13-8-9-9
to (Using in order, these design principles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 7, 9)
15-8-14-17-9-10-11 Striker
19-9-7-9-10-7-9
to (Using in order, these design principles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11)
20-9-7-15-15-7-11 Slasher
4-9-11-14-15-9-8
to (Using in order, these design principles: 1 ,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9,)
9-9-11-17-21-9-8 Lunger
15-10-13-3-10-10-9
to (Using this one design principle: added to the 3 highest stats, but read #12)
17-16-13-3-16-10-9 Total Parry
18-8-11-4-12-13-4
to (Using in order, these design principles: 1, 2, 3, 6 , 8, 9, 10, 11, 14)
21-8-11-7-17-13-7 Basher

Five different styles is great. Lots of good challenges and avoids will be available.

Now let's take a look at my overall design tendencies for this team in this situation.
We had 70 total points to add to the designs. Totaled, they look like this:

ST = 17 Looks typical and solid.
CN = 6 CN is often 0, but with 1 TP, this looks right
SZ = 0 Cannot add to size.
WT = 16 1 of 2 most important stats. Adding many here is common & usually beneficial.
WL = 23 1 of 2 most important stats.
SP = 1 SP is usually a least added stat.
DF = 7 DF adders are often quite variable. 7 looks good for this group.

The general tendencies look OK to me, as WT and WL are prime stats, ST and DF are
probably next, and CN/SP are usually least added. (Well, except for SZ!)

So there you have it: a new team; insight to warrior and team design; useful tidbits
from a long-time veteran. May your stay in D2 be long and prosperous, and, most of
all, fun. (As mine is and has been for many years.)

-- Explorer, manager of SKYLINE (Consortium affiliated)

***---------*---------*---------*---------**---------*---------*---------*---------***

RANDOM TIDBITS of KNOWLEDGE
For Newbies and Oldies
(from The Consortium)

1. It's all about skills in the long run.

2. The best specific STATS for adding skills are:

21 WT = 9
21 DF = 9
11 WT = 8
21 WL = 7
11 DF = 6

3. Encumbrance matters a lot. Overencumbering (e.g., too much weight in armor + helm +
weapons) reduces performance.

4. A fighter short on ST (for the weapon) will increase its endurance burn.

5. There is no "perfect" design for each rollup.

6. All off-hand weapons are exempt from style suitability.

7. The virtues and costs of a very high kill desire are: more offensive, more power,
berserker-like, more likely to kill, less precision, makes more mistakes, easier to
be killed, easier to be riposted. (And vice versa for low KD.)

8. FE? (Fight equivalent = number of arena fights + number of odd-numbered tournament
fights.) For example, a 4-1-1 arena warrior who went 2-3-0 in a tourney has 5 + 3 =
8FE. Had the warrior gone 3-3-0 in that tourney, he still has 5 + 3 = 8FE.

9. There are charts and info available showing weapon performance and suitability,
endurance factors, stat/skill info, weights, damage-doing, etc.

10. The advanced Duelmaster game is somewhat different than standard Duelmasters.
Warriors have been granted immortality. There are more similarities than
differences.

A. It is best to sign up for DM93 first as it is an introductory arena for new
managers. Experienced managers are there to provide advice and answer questions.

B. Tournaments are held 4 times per year; 2 Mail-Ins, an "Eastern" Face-To-Face, and a
Tempe Face-to-Face.

C. There are four key decision strategies:

Warrior design (from a roll up sheet) (one-time only)
Weapon and armor selection (can vary per each fight)
Fighting actions per minute (can vary for each fight)
Challenge and Avoid decisions (can lead to an alternate fighting strategy)

D. There are active managers in the game from ages appx 12 through 80, from virtually
all states in the US and Canada and Europe, some having participated for over 40
years.

DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.

Seems appropriate, doesn't it? Mountain on top. I kind of like this fine, fine DM
throne. I may not be much, but I am on top.
Come on up here and get me!

-- Mountain DMII

SPY REPORT

If you were disturbed from your beauty rest only to have to watch a bunch of
NOBLISH ISLAND brutes like you, you'd be grouchy, too. Later days, SKYLINE, since
BASH BROS STAMPS took top team from you this turn, you guys are old news. Of course,
we're all terribly impressed to see RAN OUT win a fight and gain 14 points, terribly.
Tsk, tsk, ARCH beat POSTAGE DUE and POSTAGE DUE lost 3 points. You're breakin' my
heart. Our last turn's Duelmaster has lost, folks, lost to KUNG-FU MASTER, and
MOUNTAIN has made the way for a new Duelmaster! Kickbacks and bribes, kickbacks and
bribes, how else do you think some of these guys win their fights? Skill? Ha!
He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day, the coward. NOBLISH
ISLAND, I am losing what little hope I had in you. SKYLINE the most avoided team?
What insult will suffice, I cannot say. And who led the way in this mass act of
cowardice? Let's see, well, whatcha know? It was BASH BROS STAMPS. Ha ha ha ha!
Some people like volunteer work in the hospitals. I volunteer for NOBLISH
ISLAND's morgue. More variety. Titanium shields and bamboo daggers, guess what
brave team is developing these kinds of weapons?
I was about to buy a new quill pen the other day, but some fighter took it for
an epee. Forgive me for writing with a dagger. Well, I've had enough of this
drivel, and I'm sure you have too. Off like a dirty shirt of padded leather. Glad
to see the back of this place-- Snide Clemens

DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
CUMULO NIMBUS 11506 ST 7 0 1 57 SKYLINE (1962)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MOUNTAIN 11502 BA 6 1 0 57 SKYLINE (1962)

ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SKYSCRAPER 11505 SL 5 2 0 51 SKYLINE (1962)

CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-SHIELDER 11336 SL 4 4 0 33 JJKIER (1935)
MAIL ORDER CHARGE 11516 AB 2 1 0 29 BASH BROS STAMPS (1964)
ARCH 11503 LU 4 3 0 28 SKYLINE (1962)
PRICE INCREASE 11514 ST 3 0 0 28 BASH BROS STAMPS (1964) *

INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
RAN OUT 11515 AB 2 1 1 19 BASH BROS STAMPS (1964)
TREE 11504 TP 5 2 0 17 SKYLINE (1962)
EXTRA CHARGES 11517 AB 2 1 0 15 BASH BROS STAMPS (1964)
POSTAGE DUE 11518 WS 2 1 0 14 BASH BROS STAMPS (1964)
-BLOWER 11334 AB 2 6 0 12 JJKIER (1935)
-DARRIAN NUV 11511 1 0 0 12 MERCENARIES INC. (1963) [PS-WS]
-RIPOSTER 11335 PR 1 2 0 9 JJKIER (1935) *
-GIGI ASHBLIGHT 11513 1 0 0 8 MERCENARIES INC. (1963) [PS-WS]
-DIETHEN DUNDAB 11512 1 0 0 7 MERCENARIES INC. (1963) [PS-WS]
-CHAIM ANG 11509 0 1 0 1 MERCENARIES INC. (1963) [AB-BA-LU-TP]
-KYLER MAR 11510 0 1 0 1 MERCENARIES INC. (1963) [AB-BA-LU-TP]

'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.

THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?

PERSONAL ADS

Welcome, Mercs. Welcome. Is there anything we can do to help? -- Explorer of Skylines

Assur, we need to talk more. Personal ads.................. -- Explorer

Good luck to all. -- Explorer

LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

MOUNTAIN was devastated by KUNG-FU MASTER in a 1 minute mismatched fight.
CUMULO NIMBUS won victory over FRATSFA SLAVE in a action packed 1 minute battle.
SKYSCRAPER demolished FRATSFA SLAVE in a 1 minute uneven fight.
TREE was viciously subdued by RAN OUT in a 4 minute gory contest.
ARCH defeated POSTAGE DUE in a 2 minute match.
PRICE INCREASE devastated PERSISTANT BEGGAR in a 1 minute uneven brawl.
MAIL ORDER CHARGE overpowered EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute one-sided struggle.
EXTRA CHARGES devastated MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute one-sided competition.

BATTLE REPORT

MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|AIMED BLOW 3 STRIKING ATTACK 17 - 4 - 2 81 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 2 WALL OF STEEL 10 - 3 - 1 77 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 1 SLASHING ATTACK 12 - 5 - 1 71 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 1 TOTAL PARRY 11 - 6 - 0 65 |
|BASHING ATTACK 1 PARRY-STRIKE 4 - 3 - 0 57 |
|TOTAL PARRY 1 BASHING ATTACK 12 - 10 - 0 55 |
|WALL OF STEEL 1 LUNGING ATTACK 13 - 11 - 1 54 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 AIMED BLOW 7 - 8 - 1 47 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 5 - 7 - 0 42 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 2 - 0 0 |

Turn 700 was great if you Not so great if you used The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles: the fighting styles: top eleven warriors are:

AIMED BLOW 3 - 0 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 3 SLASHING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 3 STRIKING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 2 BASHING ATTACK
STRIKING ATTACK 2 - 0 BASHING ATTACK 0 - 1 2 LUNGING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 0 - 1 1 AIMED BLOW
WALL OF STEEL 0 - 1

TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
STRIKING ATTACK CUMULO NIMBUS 11506 7 0 1 57 SKYLINE (1962)
BASHING ATTACK MOUNTAIN 11502 6 1 0 57 SKYLINE (1962)
SLASHING ATTACK SKYSCRAPER 11505 5 2 0 51 SKYLINE (1962)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is ARCH 11503. The most popular warrior this turn was
CUMULO NIMBUS 11506. The ten other most popular fighters were RAN OUT 11515, ARCH
11503, SKYSCRAPER 11505, PRICE INCREASE 11514, MAIL ORDER CHARGE 11516, EXTRA CHARGES
11517, MOUNTAIN 11502, POSTAGE DUE 11518, TREE 11504, and 0.

The least popular fighter this week was TREE 11504. The other ten least popular
fighters were POSTAGE DUE 11518, MOUNTAIN 11502, EXTRA CHARGES 11517, MAIL ORDER
CHARGE 11516, PRICE INCREASE 11514, SKYSCRAPER 11505, ARCH 11503, RAN OUT 11515,
CUMULO NIMBUS 11506, and 0.