HQ25 monster stats and abilities #1 the Kobold

[Daedalus]

Discussion links:

1. Choose your monsters for the 25th Quest Pack

• Kobold (Warrior)
  
  a) Mv:9 At:1(1) De:2 BP:1 MP:1, more here, more here, ranged attack, combine attack with other Kobolds
  b) Mv:7 At:1(2?) De:2 BP:1 MP:2, more here, more here, maybe spears, combine attacks into a single attack
  c) Mv:10 At:1(1) De:2 BP:1 MP:2, combine attacks into a single attack
  d) Mv:9 At:1(1) De:2 BP:1 MP:2, range-6 throwing weapons

3. HQ25 - Choose your monsters + stats

Kobold

e) Mv:10 At:1(1) De:2 BP:1 MP:1, sling, diagonal attack, gang-up
f) Mv:10 At:2 De:1 BP:1 MP:1, ambush or gang up +1 AD for each Kobold that already attacked a target
g) Mv:11 At:1 De:2 BP:1 MP:2, more here, more here, sling (on black shield +1At/+1De)
h) Mv:9 At:1 De:1 BP:1 MP:1, diagonal attacks and gang up with any monster
i) Mv:9 At:1 De:2 BP:1 MP:2, Hero defends once against all skirmish attacks
j) Mv:8 At:1 De:1 BP:1 MP:1, more here, more here, more here, gang up for a single attack
k) Mv:10 At:1(1) De:2 BP:1 MP:1, gang up for each Kobold attack
l) Mv:8 At:1 De:2 BP:1 MP:1, gang up +1 AD for each Kobold that already attacked a target
Ambusher

m) Mv:10 At:2 De:1 BP:1 MP:2, ambush attack may combine or split all attacks
Skirmisher

n) Mv:8 At:1(2) De:3 BP:2 MP:3, sticky bomb- 2 AD damage and immobilization

HQ25 - The great TO-DO list (scroll down)

Kobold

o) Mv:9 At:1 De:2 BP:1 MP:1, +1 AD when attacking for each other Kobold adjacent to that Hero.
j) Mv:8 At:1 De:1 BP:1 MP:1, Moving and attacking in turn, a Kobold rolls one combat die for each Kobold adjacent to a defending Hero.
R) +1 AD for each Kobold that is adjacent to and has already attacked that Hero that turn, more here

In the hopes of reviving some interest in our community project, I'd like to invite Inn members to vote in the first of 6 polls dealing with the six chosen monsters for the HQ25 Quest Pack. Each monster's stats and abilities will be dealt with its own separate poll. If you're not sure of an entry's description, follow the matching link for a fuller explanation at the original post.

Though a good deal hasn't yet been fully agreed upon, many good decisions have already been made that I expect at least some of these polls will verify. Still, second looks might provide new and useful insights for some of the monsters. Later polls will deal with monsters that were less fully realized. Perhaps discussions will bear out new, useful stat and ability choices that may be added in after a poll has begun (not sure.) The goal is to provide contributors and editors with enough information in an organized location for finalization and reference. (Editors may still alter a monster for inclusion.) From there, I hope the monsters can be called ready for Quest writing.

[knightkrawler]

Just keep in mind that the monsters should all be very different from each other and as different from existing ones as possible.
Goes without saying, actually.

[Goblin-King]

My :

I don't like kobolds having 10 movement. That's the only thing goblins have going for them. Don't take that away from them...
And 9 just seems weird to me.

My favorite ability is diagonal attacks and +1 AD for each kobold adjacent to the hero.

[knightkrawler]

I voted for a). They should be very versatile. 1 AD is not much, but combined with their quick feet they can perpetually poke the heroes with rocks from their slings.
And 9 as Movement aren't any more weird than the NA Chaos Warrior's 7.
2 DD are vital.

[Anderas]

I think you have to do a run off with the best three or four - there's just too much choice!

My picture of a cobold is a guy who appears, does something, laughts and disappears. That can be difficult if they team up: You look in one direction and get attacked from another direction. So i voted for f),

[knightkrawler]

I think you have to do a run off with the best three or four - there's just too much choice!

My picture of a cobold is a guy who appears, does something, laughts and disappears. That can be difficult if they team up: You look in one direction and get attacked from another direction. So i voted for f),

That's not the kobold we decided on. We chose the Kobold roughly as described by D&D, a small Lizardman kind of thing, poking with sticks and shooting rocks.
I can live with option o), the current leader of the pack, but I strongly insist on ranged attacks.

[EvilWizardCharacter]

Agree w/ knightcrawler; they should be able to perform ranged attacks, but without the attack bump they would get in melee combat.

[knightkrawler]

You're right. I'd also prefer just one special rule and ranged attacks are more important.
I'd use the attack bonus on Rats for my own quest packs who also have 1 AD.

[Daedalus]

I think you have to do a run off with the best three or four - there's just too much choice!

My picture of a cobold is a guy who appears, does something, laughts and disappears. That can be difficult if they team up: You look in one direction and get attacked from another direction. So i voted for f),

Glad to see you're in with ideas. I agree there are a lot of choices. I wanted everybody's suggestions to have an equal chance. I just enabled the ability to change your vote so that members can can add their weight to more popular choices, thus making a switched vote count toward a more likely choice. Not exactly a run-off, but much of the same effect is possible with the benefit of allowing this thread's disscussion to affect a member's vote.

My :
Like Goblin-King, I'm for seperating a Kobold's movement sufficiently to leave fast movement for Goblins.

I'd like the Kobold's ability to be focused on gang-up. Their role need be no more than delaying fodder that needs to be prioritized due to strength in numbers. Other options based on weapons work as power bumps to this already effective core mechanic. This may actually limit how often or how many Kobolds will be chosen for Quests, which works contrary to their original purpose, in my opinion. Therefore, I'd say save extra abilities for the Quest notes where a room full of Kobolds with special weapon attacks can provide a cool highlight.

[Count Mohawk]

Here's my analysis of what people have said and voted on regarding the Kobold's stats and abilities:

• Eleven votes have been submitted so far. Of these, everyone who voted chosen an option in which the Kobold has 1 Body Point, 1 Mind Point, and some sort of "gang-up" bonus for attacking in mobs.
• Pretty much all of the options selected have the Kobold's defense at 2.There are a couple where it has just 1 defense die, but those are the minority. Now, most of the options on offer are for 2-Def Kobolds, so a case could be made that a 1-Def Kobold is under-represented, but I think they work better as 2-defense figures anyway.
• There doesn't seem to be anyone arguing for the Kobold to have more than 9 movement, while a couple have argued against it.

The above qualities of the Kobold appear to be roughly in consensus across the active members of the HQ25 author community. Ergo, unless someone raises an OBJECTION!, all we need to do is decide what form the Kobold's gang-up attack should take and whether or not the Kobold should have ranged attack options in its base form. I'm personally ambivalent on whether they need slings or whatever to do their job effectively, bu lean towards "no" because, if I recall correctly, Skaven exist and already embody the archetype of "fast-moving sling-user".