Kobolds! With Classes and Templates Even (Updated! 08-30-2004)

[mythusmage]

Kobolds

KOBOLD (base)

Kobold
Small Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice:1d4 (2 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +1 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: -2/–6
Attack: Spear -2 melee (1d6–2/x3) or sling +1 ranged (1d3)
Full Attack: Spear -2 melee (1d6–2/x3) or sling +1 ranged (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will 0
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 12, Con 8, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Craft (trapmaking) +2, Hide +6, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Profession (miner) +2, Search +2, Spot +2
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Gang (4–9), band (10–100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th–6th level), warband (10–24 plus 2–4 dire weasels), tribe (40–400 plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th–8th level, and 5–8 dire weasels)
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0

Kobolds are short, reptilian humanoids with cowardly and sadistic tendencies.
A kobold’s scaly skin ranges from dark rusty brown to a rusty black color. It has glowing red eyes. Its tail is nonprehensile. Kobolds wear ragged clothing, favoring red and orange. A kobold is 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and weighs 35 to 45 pounds. Kobolds speak Draconic with a voice that sounds like that of a yapping dog.

COMBAT
Kobolds like to attack with overwhelming odds—at least two to one—or trickery; should the odds fall below this threshold, they usually flee. However, they attack gnomes on sight if their numbers are equal.

They begin a fight by slinging bullets, closing only when they can see that their foes have been weakened. Whenever they can, kobolds set up ambushes near trapped areas.

Light Sensitivity (Ex): Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

Skills: Kobolds have a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking), Profession (miner), and Search checks.

Challenge Rating: Kobolds with levels in NPC classes have a CR equal to their character level –3.

KOBOLD CHARACTERS
Kobold characters possess the following racial traits.
— –4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution.
—Small size: +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, –4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
—A kobold’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Racial Skills: A kobold character has a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking), Profession (miner), and Search checks.
—Racial Feats: A kobold character gains feats according to its character class.
— +1 natural armor bonus.
—Special Qualities (see above): Light sensitivity.
—Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Undercommon.
—Favored Class: Sorcerer.
—Level Adjustment: +0

[notes] I went back to the base kobold. Once I’m done with the templates I’ll be doing first level PC and NPC class examples. I also went with a low average rating for the Characteristics, and used the ability modifiers listed under “Kobold as Player Character”. You’ll note that kobolds have a number of serious disadvantages. Given their rather poor average Strength—and a Constitution not much better—the typical kobold’s reluctance to take on big folk in open battle becomes understandable. It’s not cowardice, it’s common sense. I suspect there are more changes I need to make, but I haven’t read the 3.5 SRD through, so they haven’t been made yet. Consider this an initial draft.[/notes]

[IP] Dragon Earth

In Dragon Earth kobolds are an urban species for the most part. Only a very few are found in the woods. They have a reputation as craftsmen, and as thieves. Though the latter is not always warrented. In game terms give Dragon Earth kobolds a +2 to all craft skills.

Alignment remains Lawful/Evil, though in Dragon Earth alignment is more a behavioral descriptor. Kobolds tend to act in ways humans would consider Lawful/Evil. The species tends to be conservative in outlook, and open to opportunities that promote an individual’s position in society. They are also rather conservative when it comes to social status. It’s hard to move up or down in Kobold society.

The Dragon Earth kobold does spend more time in the open and about during the day than its standard cousin, so light sensitivity no longer applies. At the same time, they don’t have Dark Vision either. This ability being replaced by Low Light Vision. Those changes aside Dragon Earth kobolds are much like their standard counterparts.

Up until the Great War (1935-1941) kobolds were largely restricted to Western Europe. especially to Southern Germany and Eastern France. There were small colonies in Belgium, The Netherlands, and Poland with scattered individuals found around the world, but overall some 90% of all kobolds on Dragon Earth lived in France and Germany, with 75% of those being German. As a result the Holocaust struck kobolds especially hard.

The full story of the attempted genocide of the non-humans can be found elsewhere. The story of kobolds in The Holocaust can be found in Benito Mussolini’s “Extinction: The Kobold Story in the Great War” (Greyhawk Publishing, 1944). In short, out of a population of some 6 million the kobolds lost around 3 million as a conservative estimate. The only other non-human race to suffer casualties near that number were the goblins, and they lost around 200,000 souls. The Lich King’s War (1965-1980) further reduced the kobold population to around 800,000.

Because of The Holocaust the surviving kobolds decided to spread out around the world. Currently (2004) there are only 10,000 kobolds living in Germany, with another 25 in France, and the French kobolds are elderly. Inside another 10 years it’s expected that France’s kobolds will become extinct. The United States has the largest kobold population at 100,000 individuals (according to the 200 census), with the Chinese Empire have around 80,000.

Outside America and China, where kobolds have been accepted, the species is largely distrusted Except in France, where they are actively hated. The last few French kobolds live in a protected compound run by the Russian embassy, of all people. The Russian Republic would love to move the kobolds to a safer location, but their health is precarious, and it’s considered too dangerous to move them. In concert with Austria, The United States, and Japan Russia also runs a Holocaust museum in Paris, which the Parisian authorities are constantly trying to get shut down.

So there you have a bit on Dragon Earth kobolds. With the exception of the game mechanics stuff it is IP and so cannot be used without the express permission of yours truly.[/IP]

That's the base kobold according to Mythusmage plus some information on kobolds in my modern day D&D homebrew setting. I’ll be going through the 3.5 SRD and adapting the base animal using the 3.5 templates and classes. With luck you may see the first templated kobold up in a day or so. Enjoy.

 

[mythusmage]

Kobold (Celestial)

Kobolds

KOBOLD (Celestial)

Kobold
Small Humanoid (Reptilian, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice:1d4 (2 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +1 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: -2/–6
Attack: Spear -2 melee (1d6–2/x3) or sling +1 ranged (1d3)
Full Attack: Spear -2 melee (1d6–2/x3) or sling +1 ranged (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Smite Evil (SU)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.; Resistence to Acid, Cold, and Electricity; Spell Resistence
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will 0
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 12, Con 8, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Craft (any) +2, Hide +6, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Profession (miner) +2, Search +2, Spot +2
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Celestial temperate forests
Organization: Gang (4–9), band (10–100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th–6th level), warband (10–24 plus 2–4 dire weasels), tribe (40–400 plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th–8th level, and 5–8 dire weasels)
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful good
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +1

The Celestial Kobold looks much like the standard model, but somehow, better. They tend to be more confident and forthright, and are much more dependable. They have glowing green or blue eyes, the skin is a mottled green and brown, and their clothing (in much better condition than the mundane Kobold’s) comes in reds, green, yellows, and browns. Other than that they look much like mundane Kobolds and can be mistaken for such at first glance. Celestial Kobolds speak Celestial Draconic in voices that sound much like yapping Celestial dogs.

Celestial Kobolds have a friendly rivalry with Celestial Gnomes

COMBAT
A Celestial Kobold will face a larger opponent one on one, if he absolutely has to. But he prefers to get help from those more capable. If worst comes to worst a Celestial Kobold gang or warband will try to subdue the miscreant, killing only as a last resort. They do prefer to attack from ambush and with overwhelming odds, using such tricks and strategems as seem prudent, the better to get the fight over with quickly and with the fewest fatalities on either side. Nets and ropes are popular weapons.

Special Attacks: Smite Evil (1/day): A Celestial Kobold may do +1 in damage against an evil creature. If he has hit dice with class levels he gets an additional +1 per die, up to a maximum of +20

Thanks to their life style and abode Celestial Kobolds do not have Light Sensitivity.

Skills: Kobolds have a +2 racial bonus on Craft (any), Profession (miner), and Search checks.

SPECIAL QUALITIES: Dark Vison 60’ range; Resistence to Acid, Cold, and Electricity 5; Spell Resistence 6.

Challenge Rating: Kobolds with levels in NPC classes have a CR equal to their character level -2.

CELESTIAL KOBOLD CHARACTERS
Celestial Kobold characters possess the following racial traits.
— –4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution.
—Small size: +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, –4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
—A kobold’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Racial Skills: A kobold character has a +2 racial bonus on Craft (any), Profession (miner), and Search checks.
—Racial Feats: A kobold character gains feats according to its character class.
— +1 natural armor bonus.
—Special Qualities (see above): Acid, Cold, and Lightning Resistence; Magic Resistence
—Automatic Languages: Celestial Draconic. Bonus Languages: Celestial Common, Celestial Undercommon.
—Favored Class: Sorcerer.
—Level Adjustment: +1

Notes: You’ll note that not much changed. Probably the biggest change was in alignment. Celestial Kobolds are still lawful by nature, but much more trustworthy than their mundane counterparts. I also reduced the Level Adjustment by 1 point downwards, since even with the Celestial knacks added Kobolds aren’t that impressive as foes.

Play: Cautious, with a tendency to hide until they’re sure they can trust those they encounter. A Celestial Kobold will confront a fellow openly if he feels it absolutely necessary. Fight to subdue, rarely to kill. Treat all they defeat with dignity and honor. When a Celestial Kobold gives his word he keeps it, even to the death.

Dragon Earth

The Dragon Earth post mortem cosmology has substantial differences from standard D&D. For one thing, getting to Heaven is a killer. Besides which, even though there are kobolds in heaven, they don't live as they did in life.

On occasion however God will send one of his angels or a Kobold soul to Earth to assist an individual Kobold or Kobold community. Such an emissary (Angel, according to the original meaning) will have the stats listed above most of the time, with such additional abilities as God feels applicable. Said additional abilities being expressed through appropriate class levels. So an angel sent as a Celestial Kobold to help defend a home against foes may have a couple levels of Fighter, while one sent to help find a lost Kobold child will have a few in Ranger.

As with the standard Celestial Kobold one from Dragon Earth will appear to be a base Kobold at first glance. Often the differences don't become apparent until one has come to know the person better. (Yes, people do miss such things as glowing blue eyes in place of the standard red. )

So there you have my version of the Celestial Kobold. Try 'em and see how they work out in your game.

 

[pyrobob]

o god just what we need- kobolds.
Kanon
Offal
Born
Only to
Lie and
Die

but why a celestial kobold? all it is is a kobold that's a sin to kill....

ps think u can write up stats for the kobold in my sig?

 

[mythusmage]

Why Celestial?

Because not even "Always (insert alignment)" means you can't have specimens that are a different alignment. And since you can have good (in a moral sense) Kobolds you can have Celestial Kobolds.

Remember...

The demonic population of the abyss is infinite.

One out of 8,000,000 demons (approximately) is Lawful Good.

The population of Lawful Good demons is infinite.

Be , be very

 

[Nifft]

Maybe you're not interested, but here are my kobolds:

Kobold
Small size (+1 Attack & AC, +4 Hide checks, 75% carrying capacity)
Base Speed 30 ft.
Str -4, Dex +2
+2 Racial bonus on Climb, Jump, Move Silently, Spot, Search, Craft (Trapmaking), and Profession (Miner) checks. Natural Armor bonus +1.
Daylight Blindness: Dazzled by Daylight spell or natural sunlight, no save vs. Flare spell.
Darkvision 60 ft.
[/b]Draconic Heritage[/b] (Ex): Choose one chromatic Dragon type, which is your ancestor. Your scales are tinged with this color, and you have Energy Resistance 5 against damage of one energy type:

Red: Fire
Green: Acid
Blue: Electricity
Black: Acid
White: Cold

Favored Class: Sorcerer
Special : A kobold may take levels in a racial prestige class. (As a Prestige Class, these levels cannot cause a multiclassing XP penalty.)

-- N

 

[mythusmage]

I wouldn't use it as is, but I like your treatment. The Kobold PRC is also nice, and I might adapt that. I take it the racial PRCs are your version of racial paragons (Unearth Arcana).

I hope you realize you've given me another web site to visit (nice graphics and layout BTW).

Almost Forgot: Does it have to be a species of chromatic dragon? What about the Metallic and Gem dragons? Or other species for that matter.

What would be the special quality of a Kobold with Shadow Dragon ancestry?

 

[Nifft]

IMC, Dragons are elemental spirit/mortal hybrids. They are inherently tied to an energy type, but not an alignment. So, I've only got the chromatics there because they're all that exist in my setting. If you insist in metallics, the base I've given you will hopefully make them easy to adapt.

For a Shadow Draconic Kobold, I'd do the following:
- Naturally resists 5 Cold (boosted to 10 Cold at 1st PrC level)
- Draconic Ability (Ex): Hide in Plain Sight, and +5 racial bonus to Hide checks
- Breath Weapon (Su): Ray of Exhaustion 4/day

-- N

 

[Knight Otu]

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but why does the base kobold use a d4 for hit dice? And I'm not quite sure how the kobold has a +2 Fort save with a -1 penalty to Constitution-based checks.


Also, the lawful good demons wouldn't remain on a plane whose very essence opposes them. They might not get all the way to Celestia, but maybe the Outlands.

 

[mythusmage]

You've got a point. But I'm only up now because I had to get a bit of business down on 'paper' before I forgot, and so making the Con connected corrections will have to wait for later.

Thanks for catching it.

Speaking of forgetting things, the base kobold uses a d4 for hit points because the 3e version (unclassed) used a d4. The sample SRD kobold, being a Warrior, gets a d8.

 

[mythusmage]

They're Back!

KOBOLD (Fiendish)

Kobold
Small Humanoid (Reptilian, Extra-planar)
Hit Dice:1d4 (2 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +1 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: -2/–6
Attack: Spear -2 melee (1d6–2/x3) or sling +1 ranged (1d3)
Full Attack: Spear -2 melee (1d6–2/x3) or sling +1 ranged (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Smite Good
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity. damage reduction
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will 0
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 12, Con 8, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Craft (trapmaking) +2, Hide +6, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Profession (miner) +2, Search +2, Spot +2
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Fiendish Temperate forests
Organization: Gang (4–9), band (10–100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th–6th level), warband (10–24 plus 2–4 dire weasels), tribe (40–400 plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th–8th level, and 5–8 dire weasels)
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil (lawful good)
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +1

Kobolds are short, reptilian humanoids with cowardly and sadistic tendencies.
A kobold’s scaly skin ranges from dark rusty brown to a rusty black color. It has glowing red eyes. Its tail is nonprehensile. Kobolds wear ragged clothing, favoring red and orange. A kobold is 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and weighs 35 to 45 pounds. Kobolds speak Draconic with a voice that sounds like that of a yapping dog.

COMBAT
Kobolds like to attack with overwhelming odds—at least two to one—or trickery; should the odds fall below this threshold, they usually flee. However, they attack gnomes on sight if their numbers are equal.

They begin a fight by slinging bullets, closing only when they can see that their foes have been weakened. Whenever they can, kobolds set up ambushes near trapped areas.

Special Attacks: Smite Good: Once per day the creature can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD total (maximum of +20) against a good foe.

Light Sensitivity (Ex): Fiendish Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

Cold and Fire Resistance: 5

Spell Resistance: 6

Skills: Kobolds have a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking), Profession (miner), and Search checks.

Challenge Rating: Kobolds with levels in NPC classes have a CR equal to their character level –2.

KOBOLD CHARACTERS
Kobold characters possess the following racial traits.
— –4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution.
—Small size: +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, –4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
—A kobold’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Racial Skills: A kobold character has a +2 racial bonus on Craft (any), Profession (miner), and Search checks.
—Racial Feats: A kobold character gains feats according to its character class.
— +1 natural armor bonus.
—Special Qualities (see above): Light sensitivity.
—Automatic Languages: Fiendish Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Undercommon. Fiendish Common
—Favored Class: Sorcerer.
—Level Adjustment: +0

Dragon Earth:

Dragon Earth does not have the standard cosmology. Instead fiendish creatures are divided into two groups. One serves God and serve Him willingly. The other hates God with a passion, and tries to oppose Him every chance they get. These are the fiends most people think of when they think of fiends.

On occasion God will send a fiend in the appropriate form to correct an errant soul. Such a fiend is always lawful good in alignment, but it can and will act in any manner necessary to get the point across.

The other type of fiend sometimes shows up in the mortal realm in the form of some mortal creature, in order to corrupt mortals. In the case of a fiendish kobold the form is taken to bring mortal kobolds to despair and in their despair to the arms of the fiends.

Naturally, there is a great deal of animosity between the two groups.

Further information on Dragon Earth cosmology can be found here.