Do baby kobolds detect as evil?

[Aloïsius]

All neutral children? Hmmm, that's a good point. Have very young children (ie less than 2 years old or the equivilant for Kobolds) the capacity to distinguish good and evil? I don't really know but in D&D children could be assumed to take on the traits of (ie be born with) the parents. That is how I have always read things of this nature. Even if the Kobold was hatched by kind and loving people (not other Kobolds) there would always be the inbred instinct to act in an evil manner. It would be the rare and one-in-a-billion case where a Kobold could overcome its basic instincts and become, say a Paladin or even just LG.

Kobold: Alignment: Usually lawful evil.

Alignment: Usually merely means the majority (51+%).
The one-in-a-billion figure is for the always aligned.

In the PH, in chapter 6, kobolds are described as being "less evil" than beholders. Take that how you want.

IMC, about 60% of kobolds are LE. The remaining % are spread into other alignment: 15% LN, 15% NE, 2% LB, 3% N, 2% CE, 1% NB, 1% CB, 1% CN. I use similar figures for most "usually aligned" creatures. Of course, these stats are as a whole, not something equally distributed among each tribe. You won't have CG kobolds in a LE tribe. But you may have some in a N tribe. And there may be a CG tribe.


Edit: Oops, this is Gez. Didn't saw I was logged as my brother. Sorry !

 

[Psyckosama]

Careful, there; such statements can lead to political flame wars really fast.

I was born in the midwest, live in Philadelpha. I am an American.

Just to clear things up, and as Drakron pointed out. That little opinion is best expanded to cover Modern Western Civ, or dare say, most of humanity.

 

[Tiefling]

Allow me to expand upon my previous suggestion of enslaving them.

Goblins and, to a lesser degree, kobolds make great farming and general laboring slaves because of their low food requirement; Small creatures eat only a quarter of their Medium-size cousins, occupy smaller living areas, and consequently have a fraction of the upkeep costs of a Medium-size humanoid. As farm laborers, where sheer strength and skills usually isn't very important, they excel. Even in general laboring jobs involving carrying heavy material they are superior. An average kobold can carry nearly half as much as an average human or other Medium-size creature with a Strength of 10. But requiring a quarter of the food and living space, they become twice as cost-effective. An average goblin can carry nearly two-thirds as much as an average human, and has the same benefits. Additionally these Small creatures can generally be captured with less difficulty than Medium-size humanoids, and would therefore have a lower price, meaning that the buyer can make a lower initial investment. The appropriate slaving guilds and middlemen may have contact with buyers interested in kobold concubines (either deviant humans or kobold tribes). This is a good way to get extra money from the prettier kobold females. In conclusion, there will be a good market for kobold slaves, and this is a good way for an adventuring party to make quick cash.

 

[RangerWickett]

Um, myself being a paladin, I checked this morning, to help settle this question. After tracking down some kobolds, I asked to see one of their babies, in exchange for some shiny baubles. And yep, the baby detected as evil, as did the rest of the kobolds.

And, being a paladin, I did not kill the kobolds or their baby. As I hope you all know, evil alignment does not mean they will try to kill innocents. I mean, my brother detects as evil (chaotic evil, actually). It just means he's selfish, generally unwilling to do good deeds unless someone forces him or offers him something in return, and that he thinks others deserve to be bitched at because they're better off than him. He's not going to kill anyone for pocket change, but if a friend of his did and then split the money with him, his first concern would be getting arrested, rather than the murder.

 

[Saepiroth]

economic treatise on the benefits of koboldic enslavement

I'm sold.

 

[Tiefling]

I'm sold.

I'm glad to show you the opportunity to be had in the slavery business!

 

[Angcuru]

KOBOLDS=LVL 1 MAGE SLAYERS! EXTERMINATE THEM WHILE YE STILL CAN!

They're all innately evil wizard-butcherers who are gonna BURN BURN BURN!

 

[Bendris Noulg]

At least the party doesn't have a paladin.

Actually, a Paladin would be most helpful in this instance. He casts detect evil on the babies, and whatever the DM says about it answers the question.