HQ25 - The great TO-DO list

[Goblin-King]

I'd really like some more input on kobold appearance!

Also I think we should open up a thread dedicated to discuss the cultists. They aren't quite ready for finalizing it would seem. Tomorrowzzz...

[knightkrawler]

For kobold miniatures - and that's where designe should derive from - there are two main sources:
1. more lizard-like appearance of D&D miniatures, collectible and from the boardgames
2. more dog-like (but also scaly, I think) appearance of Reaper miniatures, available as metal and Bones.
Even the dog-like appearance is only shape, I think they are supposed to be lizardishly scaly anyway.

[Count Mohawk]

I don't have enough knowledge about kobolds to really weigh in on how they should look...

However, I skimmed the trap thread and found two that I thought would be acceptable additions to HQ25: the Slough trap and the Creeping Snare.

Slough Trap
This trap is a concealed natural occurrence and can be found by searching for traps, but can never be disarmed. If a Hero steps onto a square containing a slough trap before it is found, he triggers it and ends his move immediately. A Hero in a slough trap has to try to climb out of the slough. Each turn, he rolls a number of combat dice equal to his current Body points, but no less than two. If at least one white shield is rolled, he successfully climbs out of the slough onto an unoccupied adjacent square. If at least one black shield is rolled, he loses 1 Body point. After the roll, the Hero's turn is immediately ended.

Creeping Snare
A Creeping Snare trap ensnares a Hero in a tangle of vines. If a Hero steps onto a square containing a creeping snare trap before it is found, he triggers it and ends his move immediately. Until the snare is destroyed, a Hero cannot move or attack, except to attack the snare itself. Only the trapped Hero can attack the snare. A creeping snare trap has 1 Body Point and defends with 4 Combat Dice.

There actually wasn't much discussion about new traps, so I have to assume they weren't a very high priority. I doubt we need all that many anyway.

[cynthialee]

What is there to know about Kobolds?
They are a mythical monster that got the majority of their public attention from being a monster in Gary Gygax's Dungeons and Dragons game.

From wiki:

The kobold (occasionally cobold) is a sprite stemming from Germanic mythology and surviving into modern times in German folklore. Although usually invisible, a kobold can materialise in the form of an animal, fire, a human being, and a candle. The most common depictions of kobolds show them as humanlike figures the size of small children. Kobolds who live in human homes wear the clothing of peasants; those who live in mines are hunched and ugly; and kobolds who live on ships smoke pipes and wear sailor clothing.

An except from the Dungeons and Dragons Wiki on Kobolds:

Kobolds are a fictional species featured in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Aggressive, xenophobic, yet industrious small humanoid creatures, kobolds are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes. In the original Dungeons & Dragons game, kobolds were goblinoids, but they have been depicted as reptilian humanoids since the release of the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game.

My personal take has always been the Kobold is either a Bogan Fae, or a pigmy Orc depending on the style of game I wish to run. If it is heavy on the Tolkenesque then they are vertically challenged Orcs. If my game is heavily influenced by fairy tale style gaming, then the Koblods are naughty and troublesome Fae from the dark court.

[Goblin-King]

Been trying to get this thing right...
I think if I just smooth out the color on the water and paint the front tree a more saturated sort of orange/brown with higher contrast between dark and light; it's there...
Maybe a tad more shadow on the skulls?

I do NOT claim to be Gary Chalk! This *lemony goodness* is hard!



Also the traps looks fine

[whitebeard]

Greenskins are just a simple people who have been caught up in a war to complex for their simple minds to completely grasp.

I see Orks and Goblins as people, but not the Fimirs due to how they are created. They have wants and desires just like any other species. They love their families and fear mankind's ever forward encroachment on their ancestral lands.
They are vicious and ruthless in battle and have earned a perhaps undeserved reputation for evil.
I would try and kill heroes if they tried to infiltrate my lairs, kill my leaders and steal my tribes treasures.
In the lands of greenskins the humans, dwarves and elves are the evil ones.

I could not disagree more. This is fantasy and some things are just plain evil and it really is meant to be black and white like that. Orcs and Goblins (of lore) prefer the dark and raid/plunder human villages in the night because it is far easier (and more fun) than doing the work themselves. They are bullies and the biggest (or most powerful) one is always in charge and individually they are cowards. They will stab you in the back. They are Evil.

If you try to put human characteristics on the monsters like this, then we are no longer talking about a child's game, which HeroQuest is. If I want to hear about complex conflict with no absolute right and wrong, there is plenty of upsetting material like this in the news. Fantasy is an escape. JRR Tolkien's generation served in horrible World Wars and my understanding has been that the origins and appeal of the fantasy renaissance was that in these universes right and wrong were more absolute and easily understood and a lot of people really needed that.

I recommend you keep complex politics and monster emotions out of the game.

[Big Bene]

When thinking of kobolds, I have the images from the early Dark Eye publicatons in mind.
I readily recognized them as good representations of the actual myth.

[cynthialee]

Greenskins are just a simple people who have been caught up in a war to complex for their simple minds to completely grasp.

I see Orks and Goblins as people, but not the Fimirs due to how they are created. They have wants and desires just like any other species. They love their families and fear mankind's ever forward encroachment on their ancestral lands.
They are vicious and ruthless in battle and have earned a perhaps undeserved reputation for evil.
I would try and kill heroes if they tried to infiltrate my lairs, kill my leaders and steal my tribes treasures.
In the lands of greenskins the humans, dwarves and elves are the evil ones.

I could not disagree more. This is fantasy and some things are just plain evil and it really is meant to be black and white like that. Orcs and Goblins (of lore) prefer the dark and raid/plunder human villages in the night because it is far easier (and more fun) than doing the work themselves. They are bullies and the biggest (or most powerful) one is always in charge and individually they are cowards. They will stab you in the back. They are Evil.

If you try to put human characteristics on the monsters like this, then we are no longer talking about a child's game, which HeroQuest is. If I want to hear about complex conflict with no absolute right and wrong, there is plenty of upsetting material like this in the news. Fantasy is an escape. JRR Tolkien's generation served in horrible World Wars and my understanding has been that the origins and appeal of the fantasy renaissance was that in these universes right and wrong were more absolute and easily understood and a lot of people really needed that.

I recommend you keep complex politics and monster emotions out of the game.

Seriously?

Fail bot.

[cynthialee]

As I have already developed a RPG and have invested complex emotions and ideals to the 'monsters' to go back and undo what is brilliant would be foolish.

I suggest you don't slap me back so glibly. Highly upset with that post.

[Jafazo]

@Cynthialee

You make a good point about Orcs and Goblins having feelings and what not but I think the basic idea is that so much elaboration or consideration on them, for the sake of the HQ game, just isn't worth it. HQ doesn't have or need in depth stories about their monsters except for what the Quest Introduction tells us. I personally love the detailed aspects of making adventurers realize that "The bad guys have lives too" and actually employ this in lots of my D&D sessions, but for HQ, I have to side with that they're just bad guys.

On another note though, fantastic idea with the Cultists. You inspired something really good in me with that idea. If it's alright, I'd like to slip the Cultist into my games with credit to you as inspiration for them. I don't really make it a point to give credit to anyone in the things I do, not out of selfishness but because I just consider these games a hobby and don't feel it affects anything. I should probably start doing that though.

@Goblin-King
The artwork you did for the Swamp themed spell deck is phenomenal. I was discouraged when I read about yet another themed spell deck, but the spells themselves are simple and sweet and introduce variety without trying to stand apart as something new. I like that, very well done. The only thing I noticed that I'd probably edit is the water itself. I envision swamp water as being so murky it doesn't reflect anything. Current reflection of the skulls and such just makes me think, 'Clean'. I like it when it makes you think, "Eww what's under all that muck?"