Hello, All -

I am a huge fan of Descent - v1 and v2 - but my enthusiasm is often tempered by the lack of more traditional monsters. I know there is a fabulous supporting cast of creatures featured in the game, but I yearn for something less fantastic and more classical. I'm talking of things like Orcs, Skeletons, Hobgoblins and Minotaurs. These are the stuff of traditional fantasy tales, but are surprisingly thin on the ground in Descent.

I think I'm right in saying there are more Orc player characters in the game than actual enemy Orcs. That can't be right!

:0(

Perchpole

That's because Orcs are civilized race in Descent Lore. We have Trolls, Giants, Manticores and Kobolds coming though.

Omnislash024 is right. Orc are civilized hence not monster in Descent world.

Visions of Dawn new H&M pack will introduce Ogres, Trolls and Manticores.

Ogres and Trolls sound pretty traditional monsters to me! #COMINGOUTSOON

I don't think being civilized means we won't see monsters of them. Humans are civilized but we still have Bandits and Sorcerers. I'd love to see an Orc Warrior monster class or something.

The monsters I mentioned could also be used in mixed bands and communities - something else we don't see in Descent. Currently you can explore 3 rooms and bump into 3 different monsters!

I would much rather populate an entire adventure with one type of "enemy" - but with different variants of it. For example you could have an entire Orc clan with a chief, bodyguards, shamen, warriors, archers, spearman, etc. It would be far more engrossing and allow adventure builders a chance to develop interesting storylines.

Maybe it's just me, but I kinda like how Descent doesn't use, as staples anyway, the generic "classic" monster tropes. Even when they have used some of them, they often shake things up. For instance, while Trolls are "traditionally" monsters that regenerate, in Descent, they don't; Ogres do, however.

I like how the Skeletons in the game are archers, not just standard "melee hordes".

Granted, that's not to say some other things wouldn't be nice, but I like that this universe has it's own flavor. I'd rather continue to see some of the unique creations like they've made.

Maybe it's just me, but I kinda like how Descent doesn't use, as staples anyway, the generic "classic" monster tropes. Even when they have used some of them, they often shake things up. For instance, while Trolls are "traditionally" monsters that regenerate, in Descent, they don't; Ogres do, however.

I like how the Skeletons in the game are archers, not just standard "melee hordes".

Granted, that's not to say some other things wouldn't be nice, but I like that this universe has it's own flavor. I'd rather continue to see some of the unique creations like they've made.

I agree with you. Honestly, there are too many games where Orcs are used as the generic primary enemy, so it's refreshing not to have to fight them. You do have goblins, zombies, spiders... etc. And the one vampire in the game is pretty dang powerful. And of course....Dragons.

I don't know...I think they just made this game trying to be something different, in some ways, from the classic. But no matter the classic question in my opinion, it's just that descent have really few option of monsters.

Since they release the conversion kit, the monster collections should be focused in entirely new stuff. Being a remake of the old monsters, at least for me, takes a lot of the desire to buy. But imagine a H&M collection full of never seen before monsters: some of those you mentioned above, or even something really new. I would buy it in a blink!

I'm not sure I agree with the "few options" bit. With the CK (and 1st Edition minis) and all the expansions, I have a very large selection of monster choices available. True, not all of them are allowed on every quest, but I never feel like I don't have enough choices - usually, it's more of "5 of these would be perfect for this level, but I can only pick 2".

Well, with the CK, the variety improves a lot, of course. But if you think in D&D therms, there's room for plenty more. We could use a double or a triple easily.

You see, in the board game I designed, mostly of the minis are from D&D. I could set at least 60 adventures, with something between 12 - 20 creatures totally different for each map.

Regarding the clans etc., Descent does have the monster type limitations which is kind of the same thing in a looser sense.

I don't have a large selection of monsters myself, having only started playing in the last number of months, but looking at some of the expansions and H&M packs online I can see a few similarities between monster groups.

For example, ettins, goblins, trolls and ogres would all fit nicely together. Dark priests, skeletons, zombies, barghests and flesh moulders also mix quite well. Crypt Dragon, Shadow Dragon, Carrion Drake and Razorwing another.

It looks to me that Descent does have these "groups" so to speak, just maybe on looser terms than the OP suggested.

Well, with the CK, the variety improves a lot, of course. But if you think in D&D therms, there's room for plenty more. We could use a double or a triple easily.

You see, in the board game I designed, mostly of the minis are from D&D. I could set at least 60 adventures, with something between 12 - 20 creatures totally different for each map.

Understood

Although, for my part, I don't care for D&D and really don't want to see D&D stuff encroach in this. I like how Descent is it's own thing, in terms of flavor and theme. I don't want it to be invaded by D&D.

When D&D invaded Heroscape, it kind of killed the game in my opinion. I'm not saying D&D is bad, just that if I wanted D&D, I'd buy one of the D&D games.

I agree that every game must keep in his own "territory". I mentioned D&D just to compare...but I still think that with the amount of tiles, heroes, quests and etc, that Descent have, more monsters would be better. You know, if you have all the expansions and the CK you'll end with less than 50 different types of monters (or less than 100, if you want to count minions and masters, due some different abilities in some cases). Few, in my opinion. I'd like to see monsters with different abilities too, I'm sure ther is room for a lot of stuff yet

I think the game would benefit from the development of one good monster "clan". Goblins currently seem the best placed for development - with archers, witchers and Splig as a leader. What they need is some sword /spear men and a few heavies to bolster the front line.

A Banshee is among the new monsters for BattleLore (alongside classic Descent monsters like Barghets, Skeleton Archers, Wraiths, and Reanimates... a figure for the Reanimate familiar finally?), so it'd be cool if we saw some of them in Descent. The description of the Banshee in BattleLore sounds a bit too much like Descent's Wraiths, though (and the fact that she's chained definitely makes me think of Shiver... maybe he's tied to the Banshees in some way?).

I don't think they will release plastic figures for any familiar. But I think that the lieutenants should come with the core and expansion boxes

I don't think they will release plastic figures for any familiar. But I think that the lieutenants should come with the core and expansion boxes

Impossible without affecting the cost.

I don't think they will release plastic figures for any familiar. But I think that the lieutenants should come with the core and expansion boxes

Impossible without affecting the cost.

Sure. But I'd rather spend more money in the core and/or expansions than buy 1 mini box for each. I thinks that, for example, if yous spend 100 $ to buy all lieutenants from the core game, the cost of the core game would not raise more than $ 80 with all the lieutenants included.

But LT packs come with a plot deck and threat/fortune tokens. Even if they included those figures on the main boxes (which I doubt), for sure they would'nt include any threat-mechanic-stuff, and I would still buy the packs separately.

And if LT packs some without figures, probably very few people would buy them, maybe me included.

I don't think they will release plastic figures for any familiar. But I think that the lieutenants should come with the core and expansion boxes

Impossible without affecting the cost.

Sure. But I'd rather spend more money in the core and/or expansions than buy 1 mini box for each. I thinks that, for example, if yous spend 100 $ to buy all lieutenants from the core game, the cost of the core game would not raise more than $ 80 with all the lieutenants included.

A $160 price tag would turn a lot of people off, though, even if they'd end up paying about the same to buy them separate.

Some would pay for the whole thing all at once, of course, but I think it would hurt sales quite a bit to set that high a price. For someone who is wanting to try it out, that's a steep price to pay.

I know...all things have good and bad sides. I just played "A Fat Goblin". With the token for Splig. I missed the miniature. Don't know about those fortune/threat tokens, I'm not familiar with these mechanics.

By the way, the lieutenants should come in a different color. Blue, or black. Or even one color for all of specific box, but imo theyu should not be grey like the heroes.

Well, maybe once I complete the expansions, I'll start to buy these. H&M collection is on the bottom of the list.

I usually buy all the Lieutenants for the campaign first before moving onto another expansion. It's good to have my antagonists represented in figure form. Some of this figures are just really awesome too.

Skeletons! Now I'm thinking of a fun undead crypt sort if expansion. Skeleton warriors and archers! Great idea!