I am not an adept of variantism, as many may have noticed over here.

But, thinking of the marked preference by some players for large monsters, I am asking myself if smaller ones could be given a really good defense dice pool (such as a black + a gray dice).

One imagines that the defense dice reflect armour/protection, but they easily can be a "design for effect" for being small and swift.

There could be an advantage when attacked at a distance (an additional die), to reflect their smallness.

When attacked by an adjacent hero, they could have a "spring about" capacity (tested like a heroe's attribute, with a fixed number) which could allow them to move one square further than the attack (which still would be counted as having taken place). They could thus escape blast effects in some occasions...

Imagine zombies and goblins with such features.

They would be much more used in open groups.

There would much less testimonies of heroes wiping a whole monster group in one blow/turn...

Heroes would really come to hate those pesky, tricky little beasts !

In any case, such features could simply be given within a scenario special rule.

I am not an adept of variantism, as many may have noticed over here.

But, thinking of the marked preference by some players for large monsters, I am asking myself if smaller ones could be given a really good defense dice pool (such as a black + a gray dice).

One imagines that the defense dice reflect armour/protection, but they easily can be a "design for effect" for being small and swift.

There could be an advantage when attacked at a distance (an additional die), to reflect their smallness.

When attacked by an adjacent hero, they could have a "spring about" capacity (tested like a heroe's attribute, with a fixed number) which could allow them to move one square further than the attack (which still would be counted as having taken place). They could thus escape blast effects in some occasions...

Imagine zombies and goblins with such features.

They would be much more used in open groups.

There would much less testimonies of heroes wiping a whole monster group in one blow/turn...

Heroes would really come to hate those pesky, tricky little beasts !

In any case, such features could simply be given within a scenario special rule.

This sounds like a good idea to me. But I've never had a problem with my mobs getting blasted like that yet! Mainly because my group chooses two scouts,healer and tank most of the time.

I think of running shot, a hero skill for a scout. I can see goblins having this. Before or after a shot is made, they can move two spaces.

A little extra health would be nice. Act II with low health and only a gray die is a huge turn off.

Can I say, though, Sorcerers are boss? Even act ii? I wasn't sure about it at first, but because of the master having undieing, he is boss. If an OL has Act II Splig, look into this. You send the master out, send a minion back to be promoted as soon as the master dies. If you have blood rage, you can blood rage the master and still not be out a monster.

Just some ways to get wee ones some buffs.

Cannot gobs already interrupt their move to shoot then finish their move action?
Perhaps simply giving them 2 more MP would do it?

7 Movement Points might be a little much (but man wouldn't that be awesome)

Maybe more of a modification to Scamper - "This monster may move through spaces containing heroes. In addition, the first time this monster performs an attack action, it receives 2 movement points. The monster may spend the movement points immediately before or after the attack action is declared."

The reason I figure to tack it onto the Scamper ability is that Goblin Archers already have a lot of abilities already. Also I put in "the first time..." so it couldn't be abused with things like Blood Rage/Frenzy/Flurry/Overwhelm/etc.

Although adding that to Scamper might make Kobolds even more powerful than they already are. This might need some more tweaks.

I definitely agree that small monsters need some help, although maybe it could be done in the reinforcement side of things. Sorcerors, Hybrid Sentinels and Kobolds are pretty awesome though.

Goblins just came to mind. It could be for other things as well. Just, goblins are cowardly, so running away fits them, haha.

I love the addition with scamper, but I feel Goblin Archers are a pretty good group. They might be weak, but they are fast! They are great early act I monsters. After that, maybe not so much.

I have learned the value of range. Range is amazing.

I would like to see some kind of buff for the healing monsters. I want to, so much, use dark priests and flesh molders. I hate that most of the time one swing from a hero and they are done. Mend becomes useless if they can't last a round that they are injured.

I think goblin archers serve a good purpose in quests where you have to get a token and get to the exit. Protect them with a tank and have them run for their lives. Forgot attacking with them, they are all about speed.

Last quest I had them I used them to snipe. They did fairly well, for that they are, even if it was mid act ii. They took out a mage and an ally. Well, got her down to nothing and the mimic threw it's self at her to finish her off. x.x