New EU monster idea: Vermin

[Zenithfleet]

Well, it seems Sjeng has pretty much cornered the market in cool EU monsters, but here's my own feeble effort..

Having inherited some Warhammer Quest critters (rats, spiders and snotlings), I've been thinking about ways to use them in HeroQuest. Basically, I'd like some really small weak dungeon vermin to bite the Heroes' ankles and make nuisances of themselves.

Trouble is, there's not much room at the bottom of the HQ power scale for anything weaker than a Goblin. Because of this, I decided to combine all the different creatures (spiders, snakes, rats, bats, snotlings) into one creature type:

Vermin
Move 12 squares*
Attack 1 die
Defend 1 die
Body 1
Mind 1
*May always move through other models and activated traps.

You can use any suitable models in your collection to represent Vermin - spiders, rats, snakes, snotlings, rabid numbats, whatever - but they all behave the same on the board.

They also give the Evil Wizard player a minor but useful means of getting past the old 'block the door' trick. I picture these creatures as very fast and almost impossible to obstruct or keep out, because they can scurry between legs, squirm into cracks in the walls, fly over pit traps and heads, scramble along walls... you get the idea. This is why they can ignore activated traps and move through other monsters and Heroes as if they weren't there. You might hold back the Orcs at the door, but good luck keeping out the killer bilbies

[tasoe]

I use the exact same stats but only for snotlings (don't have anything else). It's the lowest of the low.
I really like the idea of moving past heroes. I might incorporate that.

[Sjeng]

That is a good idea! I think I'll edit my swarm cards to make them able to pass models and traps as well maybe even tables and such.
I'm getting some Reaper Bones vermin anyway, so great use for those: bat swarm, beetle swarm, rat swarm, spider swarm.

[tasoe]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that monsters can always jump through traps.
At least that's how I've always made them to.

[Goblin-King]

Yet another debate emerges!

I would say that monsters never activates hidden traps. I think that's at least pretty clear in the rules.
But how about activated pit-traps? I would say monsters have to move around them or suffer the same consequences as heroes.

[Sjeng]

I agree with that.

Although we use a houserule that states that humanoid/bigger monsters also set off traps, but know where they are. That way, Zargon can trick ppl into thinking theres a trap somewhere by not moving a monster
but officially, they dont set off traps.

[tasoe]

Yet another debate emerges!

I would say that monsters never activates hidden traps. I think that's at least pretty clear in the rules.
But how about activated pit-traps? I would say monsters have to move around them or suffer the same consequences as heroes.

I understand from the US rulebook that they don't suffer any damage from pit-traps. They can just go in them and walk the other side.
But they still have the one-die penalty when fighting from inside a pit.

[Ethica]

Trouble is, there's not much room at the bottom of the HQ power scale for anything weaker than a Goblin.

Don't forget you could have monsters with 0 defence dice, so as long as you roll a skull you can kill them.

[Zenithfleet]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that monsters can always jump through traps.
At least that's how I've always made them to.

The EU rulebook (for which I finally have a replacement copy, after playing for almost two decades without it) says on p12:

"Monsters do not set off traps. (...) Once a trap has been placed onto the board, however, monsters must follow the same rules as characters."

Then the 'Pit Traps' section says characters must try to jump the pit and risk falling in.

Following the above rule, this means monsters must jump and risk damage too.

Page 12 also says "Characters and monsters may attempt to jump across a pit".

So monsters don't set off unactivated traps, but once the pit is on the board, they have to jump it just like Heroes. Hilarity usually ensues. (I reckon the Gargoyle could fly across it though... hmm... have to remember that for next time!)

The same would presumably apply to Pits of Darkness and Swinging Axe Traps in Ogre Horde (if a monster was unlucky enough to be in the way of the axe).

Of course, traps are treated a bit strangely elsewhere in the official EU rules, so I expect everyone houserules them anyway. (Apparently when you search for and find a falling block trap you're supposed to place it on the board, which makes no sense.)

Don't forget you could have monsters with 0 defence dice, so as long as you roll a skull you can kill them.

As a certain distinguished Wizard would say: Good point, that man. I think I might revise the Vermin to use 0 defence dice. Seems more appropriate.

That is a good idea! I think I'll edit my swarm cards to make them able to pass models and traps as well maybe even tables and such.
I'm getting some Reaper Bones vermin anyway, so great use for those: bat swarm, beetle swarm, rat swarm, spider swarm.

Move through furniture too? D'oh! Why didn't I think of that? Excellent - must use that. Thanks!

I've been a little wary of the Bones figures - the plastic appears to be of the bendy variety (a la Descent) that I'm not too fond of. Haven't actually held one in real life though, so might be wrong...

[knightkrawler]

Don't forget you could have monsters with 0 defence dice, so as long as you roll a skull you can kill them.

As a certain distinguished Wizard would say: Good point, that man. I think I might revise the Vermin to use 0 defence dice. Seems more appropriate.

Don't do that, man. Think of 1 Defend die as the implementation of the vermin weaseling around and about very fast. Try to hit a normal sized rat with a broadsword!
At least that's my opinion. I use the exact same stats as yours for my bugger swarms (that's not accidental, but, as you've pointed out, pretty much forced by the game mechanics) like spiders, rats, snakes & lizards (just with different special rules [poison and such].