Rules for NAF Tournaments 2023

About this document

Annually, the NAF release rules for tournaments that take place in the following calendar year.
These rules are published after a review of official Blood Bowl 2020 (BB2020) releases by Games Workshop and consideration of any further elements we wish to include.

This process is intended to reduce confusion and provide a stable, easy reference point for Tournament Organisers (TOs) and attendees. While TOs are welcome to include house rules at their tournaments, this document serves as the baseline from which tournaments should begin in order to attain NAF sanctioning (for more details on NAF sanctioning, refer to the NAF Tournament Approval Document).

The following rules are also available as a downloadable PDF:
NAF Rules for Tournaments 2023
Règles NAF pour les tournois 2023 (French version by Thot)

Documents that make up BB2020 are

★ The rules in the BB2020 starter box.

★ Any supplementary rules published by Games Workshop, such as Spike Journals and Almanacs, in addition to rules accompanying any product release, such as the packets inside Star Player packaging.

★ The Teams of Legend document, released and hosted by Games Workshop.

★ The Errata and Designer’s Commentary (known as FAQ) published by Games Workshop.

NAF-specific deviations

NAF tournaments are expected to follow the rules published in these BB2020 documents apart from the following, listed exceptions:

★ Slann are a historical team that does not appear in BB2020. The NAF recommends you include this race at tournaments, but this is not mandatory. Please see the next page for the Slann roster. In the case of Norse and Amazons, these have been supplanted by new rosters. As these new rosters are now mandatory, the old rosters are considered obsolete and may not be used in standard tournaments.

★ Should any changes to existing rosters be published before release of the next annual NAF review, TOs may choose to include either the old or the new rosters. Which version is available should be clearly stated in the rulespack.

★ The NAF directions for TOs wishing to include Star Players at their tournaments have changed. It is now at the discretion of the TO to choose which Star Players, if any, are available at their tournament. If an official Star Player is made available, their special ability must be accessible. Custom Star Players continue to be available. For more details, refer to the updated NAF Tournament Approval Document.

★ All other inducements (optional or standard) may be included at the discretion of the TO.

Advice to TOs

The NAF makes the following recommendations to TOs running tournaments using BB2020 rules:

★ TOs are advised to use the ‘Exhibition Play’ rules (p101-103) for resurrection events, including the exhibition version of the Prayers to Nuffle table. TOs can deviate from these rules, providing adherence to the NAF Tournament Approval Document is maintained.

★ The NAF continues to allow minor changes to the kickoff table and house-ruled inducements at the discretion of the Tournament Director.

Recommended additional team

In addition to the teams available from Games Workshop, Slann are recommended for inclusion and can have their matches recorded in the NAF database.

The Slann are an ancient race of space travellers stranded on our planet many ages ago. After realising that rescue was never coming, they settled down in Lustria and enslaved their Lizardman neighbours. While most Slann prefer to become fat and lazy while reptilian thralls do their bidding, a few of the younger generation still enjoy a bit of Blood Bowl. The Slann have no passing game to speak of, but their ability to leap, dive and intercept are second to none.

QTYPOSITIONCOSTMASTAGPAAVSKILLS & TRAITSPRIMARYSECONDARY
0-16Linemen60,000633+4+9+Pogo Stick, Very Long LegsGAS
0-4Catchers80,000722+4+8+Diving Catch, Pogo Stick, Very Long LegsGASP
0-4Blitzers110,000733+4+9+Diving Tackle, Jump Up, Pogo Stick, Very Long LegsGASP
0-1Kroxigor140,000655+10+Bonehead, Loner (4+), Mighty Blow (+1), Prehensile Tail, Thick SkullSGA