The “Lions” are actually named Pride Hunters in the digital game, but since they look like lions and hunt down players we call them Lions in the board game. Now you get 2 more Gnolls & 2 more Lions enabling even bigger, more challenging maps to be forged.
The Gnolls & Lions are unusual enemies, because, uniquely, they do not target your Rift. Instead, they follow players around and inflict damage on them. Their stats are as follows:
Orcs Must Die Stats
Both Gnolls & Lions move 2 tiles, and move towards heroes. They can even move backwards on the map to find a hero. The Rift Lord gets to pick whom they attack, if they have a choice of tiles. Otherwise they just move towards the Rift. Even if they enter the Rift, however, they don’t pass through it or damage it. They just seek out heroes.
First level lions are slightly easier to kill than gnolls. Lions are somewhat more dangerous than gnolls at 2nd level. In the 3rd level, gnolls are easier to kill, but also do more damage, so lions & gnolls are comparable in terms of threat, but function differently. Last-onslaught lions are more persistent and more resistant to traps, but inflict less damage. Last-onslaught gnolls tend to be more like eggshells with hammers, if you get my meaning. They pack a big wallop, and then when you devote your full attention to them, they melt away. Of course the aftereffects of that wallop can be quite debilitating.