HQ25 monster stats and abilities #1 the Kobold

[cynthialee]

I like the dragon scale storyline. Fits in well with some of the Lore I have for my dungeons. Dracomen (half dragon, half men) are created by a powerful spell that sacrifices the lives of a number of men and dragons to produce eggs that hatch into dracomen that are in complete thrall of the wizard that created the monsters. Perhaps this relic is a way to create an even more powerful version of this monster...or perhaps a key to destroying the dracomen that terrorize the local they live in?

[Big Bene]

If others are also interested, the next step would be to work on the spells. Does anyone else feel it is worth adding an extra six cards (WoM spell set size)?

Well, obviousely, I would find it worthwile.

I'm fully aware the spells are probably unbalanced, I wrote them down as they came out of the back of my head. I can think of ways to better balance them, if you tell me the concerns. You have more experience than me in this kind of thing, and I have no opportunities for playtesting at the moment.

I wouldn't want to undo the consensus

Uhm, if memory serves me right, there wasn't a "winner" when I brought in my 2c, so there was no "consensus" on one of the "warrior" type variants.

[Daedalus]

We've been kicking this project around for quite a while, so no wonder you missed the news. I think I got the idea of a consensus from here. Also, This post has the winning Kobold stats, which were tagged in the poll as the winning choice. It only has 1 MP, which isn't good enough for a Kobold with spells. That's why I prefer a trickster Kobold or two as a named monster. Maybe it can be a returning thorn in the players' side, but sometimes helpful.

You are right about the ability, though--this part of the poll was never closed. One of the spells could be featured as an ability, as with the Ice Gremlin. Personally, I like your bag of tricks version more as a mischievous, malevolent challenge. As a spell caster, your Kobold best resembles the Frozen Horror, Vanestra, or one of the Wizards of Morcar. They are all unique monsters, so a tricky Kobold should be styled the same, in my opinion. The six monsters of this Quest pack are meant to be generic, reusable, and possibly modifiable. I like the favored mob combatants for this.

My ideas about your spells are in the 5. HQ25 - Spells, tiles, mechanics and misc topic.

[Anderas]

I am currently on the search for good pictures. I was a little bit surprised how many different depictions of Kobolds there are in fantasy.

Are we talking about this kind of Kobold?

[knightkrawler]

That is a very spcific type of kobold-like folklore creature, the Irish leprechaun.

[Daedalus]

People are going to use the miniatures they want for standard Kobolds, but D&D influence is likely to play a role. That means the most likely Kobold figures will either look somewhat dog-like or more reptillian.

When I think of the Kobold Trickster Spell Card back, I feel it's okay to diverge a bit from the appearance of the Kobold rank and file. Here's a Gary Chalk image that might work with some work on the background and centering, with maybe some coloring:



Matching a figure without a scratch-build is unlikely, but most will probably use whatever they feel like anyway. [A Quest should probably call for a Kobold figure (or the Chaos Sorcerer) to represent him, as per the design document. -edit]

[Daedalus]

Back to the basic Kobold monster. There are two semi-official instances of a Hero Quest small monster. One is an incidental Snotling found in the back of the EU Kellar's Keep . The other is from the HeroQuest Marvel Winter Special, standing behind Morcar's cape.





Of these two, I'd pick the MWS gremlins look over the KK goblin mini-me for style direction.

Some Kobold image links I think have potential for a Monster Card:

dog-faced, dog-reptile hybrid?, reptile, One-Monk Paper mini, nice Kobold paper minis, a purchased flat mini, another flat mini

[j_dean80]

I know nothing about what a kobold is but I like that hairy guy.

[Anderas]

I think I will start to colorize that Gary chalk artwork up there. First it is Gary Chalk, second, when I work sufficiently on it, we can claim enough distance to be more or less safe from copyright stuff.
Only thing is, maybe not this week as I am currently full time in the hospital.

[Daedalus]

I went ahead and added ability options--and lost the prior poll results! No matter, choice "o" was the clear winner with 6 votes. First runner up was choice "a" with 3 votes. There was a three-way tie for second runner up with 1 vote each for choices "e", "h", and "l."

Assuming Sjeng and Goblin-King see no need for further modification (as per the design document), the Kobold stats will be Mv:9 At:1 De:2 BP:1 MP:1.

You may now vote for [up to 2 choices 1 choice -edit] for the Kobold ability/abilities (choices P,Q,and R.) Then we'll have the Kobold ready for ability wording and ratification. When the Kobold is near completion, I plan to start a new monster poll topic and we can go at it again.

Time to call the Kobold ability. The original, lost poll result:

a) ranged attack, combine attack with other Kobolds . . . . . . 3 votes
e) sling, diagonal attack, gang-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 vote
h) diagonal attacks and gang up with any monster . . . . . . . . 1 vote
l) gang up +1 AD for each Kobold that already attacked
a target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 vote
o) +1 AD when attacking for each other Kobold adjacent
to that Hero. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6+ votes

The succeeding, clarifying poll result:

P) gang-up from 4 adjacent squares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 votes
Q) gang-up from 4 adjacent squares and 4 diagonal
squares (spears) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 votes
R) +1AD for each Kobold that is adjacent to and has already attacked that Hero that turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 vote

Both polls agree. Kobold will use a gang up ability. Here is the final Kobold choice that will be used for our project:

Kobold
Mv:9 At:1 De:2 BP:1 MP:1, +1 AD for each other Kobold adjacent to that Hero.