Help my Kobolds spank my players

[Viking Bastard]

My newbie group just finished going through White Plume Mountain, which was tons of fun. It made me think of what classic D&D tropes I wanted to introduce them to next and what came out on top is humiliation at the hands of kobolds.

I haven't thought this very far, other than PCs invading the kobolds' territory and getting to know the full wrath of kobold ingenuity. I'm thinking traps, more traps, decoy traps, trap-triggering-traps and lots of guerrilla minion warfare.

So I put it before the ENWorld hive mind: Examples from games, Kobold tactics, ingenious traps and full on Rat Bastardry--help me make them shiver at the sight of a kobold.

~

Few points:

• Whatever shape this will take, I'm gonna try to keep it contained to one session.
• The party (3-6 players) is at 6th level. Will always contain a Warpriest, Mage and a Thief. May contain a Warlock, Scout or a Knight.
• We're playing 4e Essentials, but I'm not really looking for 4e-specific things (though I'm open to ideas in all forms).

 

[Ahzad]

My newbie group just finished going through White Plume Mountain, which was tons of fun. It made me think of what classic D&D tropes I wanted to introduce them to next and what came out on top is humiliation at the hands of kobolds.

I haven't thought this very far, other than PCs invading the kobolds' territory and getting to know the full wrath of kobold ingenuity. I'm thinking traps, more traps, decoy traps, trap-triggering-traps and lots of guerrilla minion warfare.

So I put it before the ENWorld hive mind: Examples from games, Kobold tactics, ingenious traps and full on Rat Bastardry--help me make them shiver at the sight of a kobold.

Look for Dragon Magazine #127 article by Roger Moore, Tucker's Kobolds.

 

[Viking Bastard]

What latched the idea onto my brain was a story somebody posted here (I think, rather than on CM) ages ago, and recently came back to me:

Kobolds attack the PCs, but run away after minimal confrontation. The PCs pursue, but the Kobolds escape through a kobold-sized passage. The PCs follow through on their knees, only to be greeted by the "click-click-click" sounds of a ballista being cocked.

"Thwud!"

 

[Aluvial]

Get your hands on a copy of Dragon Mountain boxed set.

I ran my players through this and to this day, they are fearful of kobold tactics...

I started another group with old players in Return to the Keep on the Borderlands... The kobold cave came up (Bree-Yark) and my players immediately left the area. Ha ha.

Dragon Mountain featured lots of kobolds using missile weapons and cover in an old Dwarven city/keep/complex. They worshiped a devious red dragon. To the point, 100 kobolds roll 5 20's.... 400 kobolds roll 20 20's.... The maze was designed to trap the PC's in the mountain, and then funnel them through gauntlet after gauntlet...

I don't remember the traps, I just remember the arrows... Wait, one trap springs to mind. The funnel trap. PC fall's into a pit, which is a funnel, they go through a Dispel Magic (maybe) and then a reduction spell. They drop into the funnel and down into a tube. Then there is another Dispel Magic, which ends the reduction, trapping the PC in the tube. Squish. If the party reduces the PC somehow, the PC ends up falling into water at the end of the tube.

I also remember falling rocks and lots of harrying the party when they rested. I used some kobolds as fanatic Kamikaze's as well, always interrupting rest times. This was done by rushing the at the party with lots of oil strapped to the body, or even with loud music at night. I played a track of of Floyd's Ummagumma... grooving with a pict.... something like that.

 

[Rune]

I would definitely not have a single passage greater than 3 feet in height. In 4e terms, I would say that any medium-sized PC grants combat advantage (which kobold skirmishers should definitely take advantage of) and bows can not be used (maybe shortbows could be used point-blank). Crossbows, of course, could be used without problems--and, naturally, the kobolds should be so equipped.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

Actually, one of my favorites was a forest encounter. A lone kobold rogue with a boost to his speed (spell or item) sneaks into the encampment and steals one item. If he is successful he hurries off and gives it to his friends. Then he comes back time after time until he is discovered. With evasion and speed he runs at first detection clutching the item he was trying to steal.

He never completely outdistances the party...or individual (even better)...but makes sure they are following. Finally he darts into a thick grove of bushes at full speed and darts off to the side (unbeknownst to the players). On the other side of the bushes is a 15' deep, spiked, pit trap with a party kobolds itching to use their missile weapons and polearms surrounding the pit.

One of my favorite RBDM moments was when the party elf realized the kobolds were using his family's longbow (heirloom) on him and the rest of the party and his only ranged weapon was a dagger.

 

[Quickleaf]

I haven't thought this very far, other than PCs invading the kobolds' territory and getting to know the full wrath of kobold ingenuity. I'm thinking traps, more traps, decoy traps, trap-triggering-traps and lots of guerrilla minion warfare.

Trap-triggering-traps? You fiend!

So I put it before the ENWorld hive mind: Examples from games, Kobold tactics, ingenious traps and full on Rat Bastardry--help me make them shiver at the sight of a kobold.

I call this one "Toasty". It plays on the idea of trigger vs. trap, and it's best as one of the first kobold traps the PCs encounter (while kobolds still seem like comic relief).

A ridiculously obvious tripwire in the middle of a hallway which receives heavy kobold traffic. It's held in tension by two counterweights (clay pots filled with flammable tar) built into narrow vertical shafts running perpendicular to the hallway. Stone blocks can be removed at the top of the hallway, revealing holes a small creature could squeeze thru (what the kobolds use for trap maintenance). Like so...

Cutting the tripwire simply smears flammable tar all over vertical shafts, but has no apparent effect to those in the hall. Stepping over the tripwire bypasses the "trap." PCs could disable the trap by siphoning/draining the flammable tar from the urns (which are too big to fit through the holes up top, the kobolds usually hall them from below).

Later...

PCs can escape from another trap (or simply make a speedy ascent to the surface with loot) through some vertical shafts. If they evaded the "trap" before, good for them! A vindictive team of snickering kobolds cut the tripwire, push stone through hole, and toss torches down the shaft. Now the shaft is slick and burning.

When/if PC emerge from the shaft, they find trio of kobolds waiting around shaft's exit with sticks (like kids around a campfire).

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

If it's 3.x, make a mob template. (I would recommend having kobolds do bonus damage when they've surrounded a PC. Which incidentally will probably protect the kobolds from Burning Hands and other AoE spells.)

If it's 4e, make a "swarm" of kobolds. Or more than one type.

Kobolds are known for traps and there's no reason you can't have traps and monsters in one encounter. I would avoid pit traps and use cooler things like lightning generators. (If the PCs are good, they could take control of these generators and blast back!)

 

[[OMENRPG]Ben]

If the cave the party is entering is one well guarded and long established by the kobolds, it might have a honey comb like structure branching off of many of the primary passageways. Other than being physically difficult to travel through, the kobolds can move around these interconnected passages wielding cross bows and pole arms. They can make single round lightning attacks, never getting bogged down in combat, attacking from all angles and then retreating. They will wait for any opportunities for separation of the party, or focusing on those sleeping or already wounded.

I've used a similar tactic in a non D&D game before, the players were so worn down and afraid that they avoid caves to this day.

 

[Loonook]

Kobolds are small trapusers who should use that to their advantage. Weight-based triggered poisons, cracked floors, balance traps that send things flinging back a la a teeter-totter, small holes, poisoned "jellyfish" that hang from the beams, and murderholes. A well defended Kobold hideaway should be able to weaken any animals that could come across it to the point of death or paralysis to protect the Horde from some random bear traipsing in and eating its fill. Alarms, deadfalls, and widowmaking falling debris... I will go on later .

Slainte,

-Loonook.