What Are The Pro's and Con's of Using Coach Skills

[TarHeelPhenom]

Ever since I got this game way back in 2013 and worked on editing rosters, I have always zeroed out Coach Skill points with the exception of Recruiting. I'm thinking about adding them to my Fictional Roster but would first like to hear some pros and cons, how they affect the game during the game...if they affect roster attributes during the season or is it just something that affects the game while it's played on the field? What are the cons? Do coach skills when they kick in give unnecessary boosts to teams during the game? Do QB's turn into ROBO QB? Do defensive players warp to make unrealistic plays?

Most important question for me is... My ratings scale using the editor is 0-127 whereas in game the scale is 40-99. If I were to assume that when coaching skills kick in that's when ratings "under the hood" in-game go above 99. So does that mean my rating scale would cancel out Coach Skills anyway because I already have certain ratings(attributes) at 127...if that makes sense? Thanks.

[Tuscaloosa]

Quote: Originally Posted by TarHeelPhenom

Ever since I got this game way back in 2013 and worked on editing rosters, I have always zeroed out Coach Skill points with the exception of Recruiting. I'm thinking about adding them to my Fictional Roster but would first like to hear some pros and cons, how they affect the game during the game...if they affect roster attributes during the season or is it just something that affects the game while it's played on the field? What are the cons? Do coach skills when they kick in give unnecessary boosts to teams during the game? Do QB's turn into ROBO QB? Do defensive players warp to make unrealistic plays? Most important question for me is... My ratings scale using the editor is 0-127 whereas in game the scale is 40-99. If I were to assume that when coaching skills kick in that's when ratings "under the hood" in-game go above 99. So does that mean my rating scale would cancel out Coach Skills anyway because I already have certain ratings(attributes) at 127...if that makes sense? Thanks.

Here's the short on my experiences with Coach Skill Trees as a strict Fatigue Off guy:

With sliders, can't play with them. Too easy, if you do.

Without sliders, on default Heisman, can't play without them. It's as if your team can never play up to their team (or really even individual) ratings, if you do.

As far as your 0-127 scale, I can only assume that, numerically, it wouldn't impact you too much, seeing as all of the skills tell you what individual ratings they improve and, IIRC, most of the skills when maxed out only raise certain individual ratings by a +4 to +6 range, I believe. I'll check mine in a bit, just to be sure.

Personally, even though sliders with and default without both have their merits, I definitely prefer default with them on. Not just for the on-field play, but also to be able to feel the difference between going up against experienced and inexperienced coaches.

[Von Dozier]

I allow myself to use every function and advantage the CPU does, including coach skills. Sometimes I do go back and forth on it, but it feels weirder to me to purposely nerf myself when the CPU accrues and uses them freely.

It also allows you to feel the hit when your offensive or defensive coordinator leaves, and you can possibly end up with someone much worse, and pay for it.

Although I never put any points into recruiting (i prefer recruiting sort of "blind" and only using the metrics that are there from the start on that player. makes recruiting much more organic and boom or bust.)

[cajunman]

I think the coaching tree gives you ways to "nerf" yourself to make the game more challenging. Once you've had a number of successful seasons in a dynasty, recruiting becomes very easy if you load up the recruiting tree. But if you simply don't upgrade "scouting", you are recruiting blind and get quite a few busts - which helps offset the ease of recruiting. Don't upgrade pipeline and you'll have significantly less pipeline states to work with. Don't upgrade kitchen sink and you'll have less to spend per week on each recruit ... Frankly, I find recruiting too easy with the tree loaded up, even with the worst school. Same thing for the game management tree, coachstradamous can give you a huge advantage if you know, for example, that a run middle or screen pass is coming...

[ZN30]

An annoying aspect of the trees is that they are layered--you have to complete one level to get to the next. I would love to have the ability to not selected scouting, but have access to 3 player-pipeline state, or insta-commit.

Likewise, I'd like to have improvements to catching and arm strength without first the need for lowering the probability of fumbling or injury.

[Von Dozier]

And of course you can set the speed on which points are gained. I find Normal a bit too fast, but Very Slow WAY too slow. Slow speed seems to be fine. What these speeds do is simply raise/lower the amount of points needed for attaining a coach goal.

Also, there's a curve to how quickly you gain them. When you start at Default, you gain them quicker because you're completing simple tasks quick. But once you hit higher levels, the challenges become tougher, and the amount you gain starts slowing to a drip. I've had succesful seasons where I'd only gained 1 or 2 points the entire time, and that was pretty early in my career on Slow.

[NoleFan]

Being a CPU vs. CPU guy, I definitely use all the tools (coach skills) at my disposal. I rely mostly on coordinator skills while I build up my recruiting ability since I start at weak schools and build from there.

[TarHeelPhenom]

Quote: Originally Posted by NoleFan

Being a CPU vs. CPU guy, I definitely use all the tools (coach skills) at my disposal. I rely mostly on coordinator skills while I build up my recruiting ability since I start at weak schools and build from there.

This is more of what im looking for because im a cpu vs cpu guy as well. Does Coach Skills enhance cpu teams against one another or is it moreso for the user? In other words does Coach Skills make the cpu teams play better or worse...smarter or dumber based on coach skills or lack their of?