There is one BIG PROBLEM playing with the new Monster Figures, you can not see the Borders for Movement and would have to check every Monster on the board by removing the base Monster cards.

I certainly agree that would be a problem with using the monster figs in Arkham Horror games. Other problems I can see:

- finding a way to fit all the monsters that belong on a particular space into that space (a single token generally does a good job of filling a single space on the board.) Having two or three monsters in a single space is manageable when you can stack the tokens, but with the figures I imagine even just two monsters would make things a headache. Especially if one of them is a big monster like the shog.

- finding a place to keep all the monsters figs that are out of play which is both easy to reach and not crowding the players. Extra hard since Arkham Horror itself has a way of filling up most reasonably sized tables.

- constantly popping the tokens in and out of the figure bases would be an inconvenience at best, and a significant threat of wear and tear to the tokens at worst. But you have to do it because you can't really "randomly draw" monster figures the same way that you can randomly draw tokens. (Not to mention having a monster fig for EVERY SINGLE TOKEN would be mad expensive.)

- Assuming you DON'T have a monster fig for every single token, you also have live with the fact that sometimes you'll end up with monster tokens running around without figs. More of a nuisance for those who like consistency than a real problem, but based on my observations of the board gaming community in general, I'm guessing this will register as an issue for more than just a couple people (I know it would for me.)

- Storage. Whaaat?

Of all these issues (and I'm sure there are more besides), I'd say the "fitting all the monster figs on the board" would be the biggest problem. Not knowing how to move a monster is an issue, but less so than not knowing which space each monster is on to begin with. The bottom line is these figures are for Mansions of Madness. The fact that they're compatible with Arkham Horror is really just a gimmick. (A gimmick the fans asked for, admittedly, but a gimmick nonetheless.)

Even in MoM I hear rumblings of how there might not be enough room on a single space for too many monsters, but considering that game was designed with a selection of these figures in the base box, I'm assuming the problem is at least manageable there.

I admit the figures make terrific eye candy. I might even be tempted to pick up a couple just as models to put on my shelf, but I don't see myself making a serious effort to play Arkham Horror with these things. If anything, what I'd want them for is playing the Call of Cthulu RPG...

Steve-O said:

Wow, Steve-O. I just said all this on the other "Monster Figures" thread. Now I wish I had read one thread ahead and just "thumbed up" your post.

But it certainly helps to reinforce one's opinion when others reach the same conclusions independently.

Christian Petersen already commented on BGG that the bases were designed to see some of the border color, and that for the Shoggoth piece, a black-bordered insert was used; they'll update it to show a red-bordered insert.

i thought everyone had learned the colors of all monsters.. (or perhaps only i have since i have severe troubles seeing the colors, i have to learn them instead).

but! you don't have to have token in the base, if it hides some of the info. have a stack by the side of the board (in LiTaS perhaps?) which represent monsters on the board which have figures. that way you still move the figure about, you can easily see the stats and you don't have to throw the figures around when different players want to see the stats. so that i don't see as an issue.

cash investment and space management if you'd get them all though.. that i can see as an issue.

You can also insert monster tokens into the place for damage tokens designed for MOM.

Man, I have a second set of monster trophies I don't use that would be of perfect use in these stands, where I could still have a set to be drawn from a bag. But, again, I don't have $800 so there it is.