Help me defend my goblin's lair

[NewJeffCT]

A couple of things:

0. Goblins are NE. Selfish, not chaotic.

1. Remember that goblins are cowards, but maliciously, deliciously evil cowards. They fight only when they have numbers. Consider violating DM code of an EL "fair fight." It's possible that they all gather together in a huge horde for protection. Party breezes through, deals with a few nasty but simplistic traps ... and then comes in to face 35 goblins all with that sharp-toothed smile: "Bugger," says the first PC in.

1a) When the party, hopefully, runs, they now have an incentive to figure out ways to trick the goblins into facing them with smaller sizes... picking off patrols, stealth, looking for hidden entrances, etc.

2. In addition to the other nasty tactics, have the noncombatants fling poo at the PCs. You might rule that the PCs have to make a Fort save DC5 or be nauseated at the first hit.

3. Goblins should be easily distracted. A smart sorceror who throws fistfuls of shinies (copper) or food ought to take 1d6 goblins out of the fight for a few rounds.

4. Second the motion for small sized tunnels if you don't go for the unexpected big swarm of gobbos.

5. Glass jar with a hornet's nest is absolutely perfect.

I like the glass jar idea, as it's now the equivalent of April in the South for weather, so hornets should be readily available. (I described the weather as akin to Georgia in this area, so warm springs & autumns and hot, sticky summers)

The goblins will retreat if the PCs continue to chomp through them... however, they're not quite at the breaking point yet.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Some general goodies here: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=17131

Cheers, -- N

Thanks - some good stuff.

 

[reveal]

You need to add more lava to your lair. That will slow down many an adventurer.

 

[Hypersmurf]

One-shot magic item... problems with Sleep... make goblins tougher...

According to the latest update to the Main FAQ, for what it's worth, one of the 'compulsion effects that grant the caster ongoing control over the subject' that Protection from [Alignment] suppresses is Sleep.

Give the goblin leader a potion of Magic Circle Against Good. Not only will it grant a +2 deflection bonus to AC to all goblins within 10 feet of him for nearly an hour (assuming the PCs are good), it will also suppress the effects of a Sleep spell on anyone within 10 feet of him.

And yeah, be certain you're enforcing the one-round casting time for Sleep. It hurts.

-Hyp.

 

[SorvahrSpahr]

one thing i like to do in these cases,is having a special treat for the PCs. couldn't the goblins have captured a small dire animal? just keep it jailed, and release it agaisnt the PCs when they walk into that room.

 

[MarauderX]

Without reading everyone else's responses...

Traps, traps, traps.

• 
  Give them flour from a raided miller's wagon. Have the PCs throw off a trip wire that drops the flour from above, give an Obscuring Mist feel along with coating them in flour - negatives to Hide.
  
  Have a simple pit trap, then bait it with a frightened goblin wearing something gold on the other side. PC catches the goblin 'flatfooted' and charges straight into the pit trap. Add spikes and some disease at the bottom for nastyness.
  
  Prep a Gust of Wind or do the same with air pressure by having them open a major door to the outside. If the torches go out, they can't target too well, but the goblins can.
  
  Add tiny viper snakes that are released from a number of urns where the goblins keep them. They could fill a corridor if motivated by fire, and if the party retreats down the tunnel have it blocked off with a thorny mobile barricade moved into place.
  
  Drop one or two tiny viper snakes on them from above just for some creepy fun.
  
  Cave-ins in front of and behind the party are always fun until your torches run low.
  
  Drench a hall in oil or strong distilled spirits and light it up when the goblins hear the splash of heavy feet. No sight necessary.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I like the idea of sending small groups (1-3) to try to draw off sleep spells until the P reaches the point where they want to retreat and rest. Then the entire goblin force (which has been watching from a distance) attacks in the middle of the night. If they can fight a way to extinguish any light sources, all the better (5 humans, remember ).

Fight a defensive battle and try to use up the P's resources. Then launch a counterattack once they PCs' assault has petered out.

Or just have the goblins wake up their sleeping comrades. So it burns a standard action. It also burns a 1st-level sleep spell. Eventually the PCs will want to retreat and rest.

 

[Rechan]

Give them flour from a raided miller's wagon. Have the PCs throw off a trip wire that drops the flour from above, give an Obscuring Mist feel along with coating them in flour - negatives to Hide.

Flour (or other particles) in the air + fire = Explosion. This is why granaries explode.

 

[jaerdaph]

One word: Lava.

 

[Rechan]

One word: Lava.

... That's a little overkill for 1st level.