Yeah, I know, but since the 9th Age fluff isn't available yet, I'm going off of what I've got. We at least know that the new fluff has to create armies of similar character to what we have, so there's that. Also, I didn't write that to argue that Saurus should be unbreakable. I'm just pointing out that we've always had concessions to balanced play, even when they're not strictly...logical.
so I just played a game with my wood elves and I have to say that dryads played exactly like I wish saurus would. same points but better WS huge initiative upgrade and a 5+ ward save. The good thing is that SE are now an amazing CC army and I love the play styles I can combine, they are fast, hard hitting and flexible. The bad news is that I'm certain now SA is outclassed at least against them.
Biggest issue with the change that i see is kinda what Proctor just said in reverse. It is making an effective shooting based or just non-saurus army is pretty much not an option anymore. The skink braves shooting is a joke without poison, and even with poison in CC they always needed to weaken an enemy before having a chance with ws2 T2. If we are relegated to a magic+cc army saurus are the only real option as far as I can see in core. even Skrox got horrible with the skinks losing poison shooting and the krox losing predatory.
Surely they could be found a happy halfway point between the poison of old and something new? Giving skinks some optional "abilities" to spice up their uses might help, giving them nets or toad bombs or something like that. A bit orc-ish, but I'm sure there could be things to give them more synergies and make them more useful than being a swarm of non-toxic mosquitoes. Even if they were given more ambush or forest/swamp terrain type bonuses, something to make them play and feel more like the reptile light troops they should be, offset against the marching-scale-wall-of-death the Saurus are.