Warrior General Games

I'm building a DT to serve in the NT role.

The idea is to focus more on run stopping than pass rushing (there are other players specialised in that), but I wanted basic ability in both.

What would the vets here advise in terms of skills focus?

On SAs, I'm between Shed Block (to improve ability to tackle the runner), Brick Wall (to stop the runner) or Beat Down (which seems helpful in terms of demoralising the opposing O-line, to enable later-game success). What's the vet view on best SA for this sort of role?

Thanks a lot!

I would say you're taking the right route. Load up on toughness, break run block, and hold ground. Go for gold shed block to get off of the engaged blocker. Then, use gold brick wall which really helps against power backs.. especially in later tiers where they are op.

Also, I would hold off on Beat Down until you can see how many REVCAKEs he's creating. Unless he's getting 100+ per season, it's probably not worth taking it. Raid has been experimenting with Resolute on a DT, with interesting results.

Originally posted by atlbruce
Also, I would hold off on Beat Down until you can see how many REVCAKEs he's creating. Unless he's getting 100+ per season, it's probably not worth taking it. Raid has been experimenting with Resolute on a DT, with interesting results.

You misread, the interesting results were from watching o-linemen who used resolute against him.

so far, I've yet to see resolute do anything outside of help spot playfakes for a DT, unfortunately. I'm going to take it to gold and continue to watch so I can see if it will have an effect against get low or other o-line special moves.

First step on the other hand... has been slightly promising actually. On a power style player he can use it right after a 'bounce' to immediately close the distance that is created in those situations. Can really cause some chaos - I'll be taking that to gold soon too to see how it works out.







But overall, if you want to stop the run and be decent against the pass, you're going to have to focus on my style of build - a power DT. They tend to do better against the run anyhow so long as you have a decent enough quickness to turn away from your blocker on a bounce and get squared up well on the HB. Even with just okay tackling skills so long as you're grabbing the back when he doesn't expect it and getting turned properly toward him with quickness, you don't miss many tackles.


Key points:

tech still needs to be at 50, for pass and run. If you don't get them there, you will fail to even have shed block activate most of the time, or spin move (those are my recommendations for this style of build at the moment)

Power needs to be over 70 in pass rush, over 80 in hold ground. You want to really be able to lean on them and get a good powerful push that separates you from your blocker when you need it.


Toughness needs to be over 75, for sure. This is a given on any linemen or HB, higher is even better, but 75 works.





My DTs are usually more evenly focused, as the power style is good against the run anyhow so I tend to just take both hold ground and pass rush power to the same high level - but you can focus it more onto the hold ground and break run block like that to make it shine.



It's a decent way to make such a run-focused dreadnaught helpful in the pass rush.

Also: keep footwork even with sprinting, that helps with the side to side mobility right off a bounce.

Tunnel Vision SA will prevent any other SA from firing during it's duration so spin cycle is very weak as is shed block. That all being said Beatdown,showboat and Tunnel vision are probably the best SA for a pass rushing DT/DE. Also since Resolute was brought up it's currently bugged to trigger after the stun from spin cycle rather than during. So spin cycle has no hard counter currently

Originally posted by ThePh33P
Tunnel Vision SA will prevent any other SA from firing during it's duration so spin cycle is very weak as is shed block. That all being said Beatdown,showboat and Tunnel vision are probably the best SA for a pass rushing DT/DE. Also since Resolute was brought up it's currently bugged to trigger after the stun from spin cycle rather than during. So spin cycle has no hard counter currently

Tunnel vision is also a trap that makes your DT completely useless against the run, which is the main purpose he is building for.

Also, the hard counter to spin cycle is to have resolute so the stun doesn't effect you, then have a good amount of quickness and footwork to re-engage the blocker since spin cycle was changed to make people move left-right with it's use instead of through the defender.

unfortunately this doesn't work too well against speed DEs - but if they've invested so much into speed you should be able to hold them off from the 'winning' situation in blocks they need to activate spin cycle anyhow.

This is great guys, thank you.

So Pass Rush Tech and Break Run Block to 50, Pass Rush Power and Hold Ground to 70/80, and toughness to 75.

What do you recommend for quickness, FW and Sprint?

Have I understood correctly that my SA should be Shed Block then Spin Cycle?

Originally posted by ElDudemeister
This is great guys, thank you.

So Pass Rush Tech and Break Run Block to 50, Pass Rush Power and Hold Ground to 70/80, and toughness to 75.

What do you recommend for quickness, FW and Sprint?

Have I understood correctly that my SA should be Shed Block then Spin Cycle?

My current best builds run sprinting and footwork at an even amount and quickness about 15 points or more ahead of both of them. But overall if you're going to be run stopping you can do that and be disruptive without all that much sprinting. I've had guys do well for themselves in vet with 35 sprinting and footwork, but getting it closer to 50 is better.. but expensive, especially if you want to take quickness higher than those 2.

You can just keep them all even, that's what I was going with before to save cost - but I think the extra quickness really helps drive home the power more in the build - so I've changed the way I approached it. It also helps tremendously when getting turned back around go grab a HB who is running near you - and since you're going for a run stopper first it's important.


Also, the game is becoming more and more leaning toward snap reaction - and it's a cheap skill anyhow so don't neglect it.


And yeah, for now my opinion is that shed block and spin cycle will provide you with the best set up to be disruptive on both sides of the ball while maintaining the focus on run stopping. Just don't forget to keep up with the awareness skills, for run stoppers especially it is important, any step the HB can get away from you before you realize it's a run is dangerous to a defensive tackle - you have to make your play as early as possible on the HB or else he might just run away from you.

You probably won't be able to hit all the goals you want, the game is all about give and take. Just keep that backbone in mind and you're gonna do great

I'm always available if you want some advice, send me a PM or just post in here again and I'll prolly come stick my nose in it again

Thanks Raid!

Last question: does Intimidation remain an important skill on the line? I read that it was, so had invested in it. Is that a mistake?

Originally posted by ElDudemeister
Thanks Raid!

Last question: does Intimidation remain an important skill on the line? I read that it was, so had invested in it. Is that a mistake?

It's important in the fact that it helps create pressure on the QB when you are running at him free, so that if you don't make it to the QB you can still affect the throw - but otherwise I've seen very little help out of it - and the difference in how much pressure 50 and 75 intimidation gives off against a QB doesn't seem that different actually - it seems like it's only a slightly longer distance they will feel pressure from and if you were gonna get the one on the play you were probably going to get the other anyhow.

But, once it gets low enough you suddenly stop getting hurries almost entirely - so I tend to aim for 50 with it.

Originally posted by ElDudemeister
I'm building a DT to serve in the NT role.

The idea is to focus more on run stopping than pass rushing (there are other players specialised in that), but I wanted basic ability in both.

What would the vets here advise in terms of skills focus?

On SAs, I'm between Shed Block (to improve ability to tackle the runner), Brick Wall (to stop the runner) or Beat Down (which seems helpful in terms of demoralising the opposing O-line, to enable later-game success). What's the vet view on best SA for this sort of role?

Thanks a lot!

Spin Cycle(really the only way DTs will get lots of sacks) + Shed block is the way I go. And really, they blend nicely because footwork is need for both to get by blockers. So the main skills you focus on are Pass Rush Tech, Break Run Blk, Footwork, and Hold Ground.

Snap Reaction is a wild card at the moment, but something to consider, along with First Strike as the 3rd SA.

Originally posted by ElDudemeister
Thanks Raid!

Last question: does Intimidation remain an important skill on the line? I read that it was, so had invested in it. Is that a mistake?

Intimidation also helps drain stamina and lower moral of whoever is blocking your DT.

Originally posted by rackhound
Intimidation also helps drain stamina and lower moral of whoever is blocking your DT.

This is true, but I've found the difference is quite minimal unfortunately. My 50 INT builds tend to demoralize people just as well as my 75s. The points are better spent ensuring you win interactions while engaged in a blocking situation, as doing that consistently - especially when overpowering the guy instead of just winning the technique battle - will cause them to lose a lot more morale and stamina than anything else.

As I said though, getting some is important to applying pressure to the QB, 50 seems to be a good middle-ground in terms of cost to reward.