When does the OL have to check for lingering effects like Burn or Web, etc. on his monsters?

Both effects say:

At the start of each of that figure’s
turns, its owner must roll a power die
for each burn (or web) token on the figure.

(Stun for comparison explicitly mentions the monster´s next activation.)

In the German forum, some people argue that the OL has to do all of these rolls at the start of his turn (not at the start of each monster´s activation), since monsters do not get a turn, only the OL does.

The further argument of these people is that if the OL doesn´t have to roll at the start of his turn, he may choose to not activate a burning monster this turn to avoid damaging it.

Opinions? Missed rulings?

I would have thought at the start of the OL turn, not activating a monster just means its not moving or attacking, it can still burn.

I'd say on activation, because it specifically states Figures turn. The heroes turn starts and all 4 don't go at once, they activate one at a time like monsters. Granted, by not activating the creature it just means the heroes will get free punches at it anyways.

+1 I'd also add that just because the OL chooses NOT to do anything with a monster doesn't mean that figure doesn't "activate".

Well, they're correct that figures don't have turns. Not even hero figures have turns (hero players specifically are the ones that have turns). So the rule saying that you should do stuff at the start of the figure's turn has to be an error. They might have meant that you should do it at the start of the figure's activation , or they might have meant that you should do it at the start of the owner's turn.

I've always played that they happen on the figure's activation, but the only evidence I have for that interpretation is that another status effect (Stun, I believe) specifically says it's dealt with at the start of a figure's activation for monsters, and I like having all the effects be consistent.

I also wouldn't allow the overlord to not process the effect tokens by not activating the figure, though that's a little ambiguous as well, since it says the overlord's turn ends "after the overlord player has had the chance to activate every monster on the board" (p. 9).

See, I wouldn't mind letting an OL *not* activate a monster to avoid status effects, because by doing that he only hurts himself. The effects won't go away unless he rolls them away, and the heroes would just get another turn to swing at the monster anyways (potentially adding extra effects too)

niarBaD said:

Not true.

Take, for example, a Master Beastman with 1 wound token left and a bleed/burn token.

By not activating, the OL not only keeps the Beastman alive keeping his Command bonus intact, but also forces the heroes to use another attack if the Beastman is physically creating an obstacle (even, say, just for LOS to target other monsters).

Worse, a Master Dark Priest. The heroes continue to suffer the Black Curse effects and again may be forced to attack the Master Dark Priest, not only wasting an attack but also gathering the Curse token, despite their cleverness/luck in creating a probable 'non-killing-blow' death (which avoids the curse).

The whole activating or not-activating question has been addressed before, at length IIRC, in this forum.
The summary, by my recollection (so not guaranteed 100% correct), is that;
- The rules are badly written in respect of figures/players turns and activation and it is not explicitly clear how to operate.
- The rules imply that every figure gets an opportunity at least to activate
- 'Not activating' to avoid effect tokens (or mess with Guard opportunities) is dubious rules wise and extremely dubious with respect to the general playing of the game (even though that is a subjective standard)

This sort of thing is what I would call 'ambulance chasing' rules lawyering.