All monsters equal? Goblin Warrior vs Kobold Skirmisher.

[DracoSuave]

you cannot compare parts of anything vs parts of something else. you must compare the whole, not the parts thereof.

classic statistical analysis problem.

Shifty bastages for the win!!

Ninja

Stats do not determine the challenge of a monster. Each monster in its element is a reasonable level 1 monster. They both shine in different encounter set-ups, and as a DM, you're encouraged to use both monsters to their strengths.

Besides, even if they were unbalanced, they're level 1. You can't grade a monster lower than that.

 

[Nail]

you cannot compare parts of anything vs parts of something else. you must compare the whole, not the parts thereof.

Sure.

That said, it's still pretty strange the differences are so comparatively large, especially defences.

 

[Hambot]

I make zombie rotters that are destroyed become bloodied instead. One more hit and they die. One critical hit kills them completely.

It makes them much more zombie like, my players like it when I tell them they've hacked off an arm or a head so its bloodied but still coming at them!

goblins vs kobolds doesn't bother me, as the full package they're both capable of nasty tricks.

 

[DracoSuave]

Sure.

That said, it's still pretty strange the differences are so comparatively large, especially defences.

Defenses are the only difference that will actually come up in play. The rest evens out giving an edge in different points of combat. One is a better flanker, and the other is a better ranged attacker. You don't even fight them the same.

The Kobold will probably be the larger threat because of better effective accuracy and the slightly larger hp pool.

Regardless, it doesn't matter. IF one were better, the other worse, the only solution would be to lower the level of the other one: You can't do that. They're at the bottom of the list.