Goblin Skills Question

[Turlogh]

Goblins are Small humanoids as such they get 6+Int in skill points.
Now the goblin with its intelligence of 10 would get 16 skill points, the skills as mentioned do equal 16 points but they do not take into account certain things like small creatures get +4 to hide, and that alertness gives +2 to spot and listen checks so the skills seem lower than they should be (most other creatures in the monster manual do add these into the skill total).
But my real question is about the +4 racial bonus to Move Silently should it not be figured in to the stat block for skills? Also do mounted goblins lose skill points in other areas or is the +6 ride check also a racial bonus thing? Anybody have any ideas about this or if there is MM errata yet?

 

[hong]

Goblins are Small humanoids as such they get 6+Int in skill points.
Now the goblin with its intelligence of 10 would get 16 skill points, the skills as mentioned do equal 16 points but they do not take into account certain things like small creatures get +4 to hide, and that alertness gives +2 to spot and listen checks so the skills seem lower than they should be (most other creatures in the monster manual do add these into the skill total).
But my real question is about the +4 racial bonus to Move Silently should it not be figured in to the stat block for skills? Also do mounted goblins lose skill points in other areas or is the +6 ride check also a racial bonus thing? Anybody have any ideas about this or if there is MM errata yet?

Don't forget that goblins, as base 1HD humanoids, have their monster levels replaced by class levels (MM p.14, DMG p.23). The stat block in the MM is for a goblin warrior, which gets (2+Int mod) x4 skill points at 1st level. Working backwards, it is found that the goblin has 2 ranks in Hide, 1 rank in Listen, and 1 rank in Spot. Each of these costs double because they're cross-class skills for warriors, thus 8 skill points in all.

In general, you can assume that the MM stat blocks have all racial and other bonuses already figured in. The exception would be if the bonus only applies in specific circumstances, eg "only in wilderness" or "only underground".

 

[Turlogh]

I wondered if I had missed something thanks. Between being stated as a warriror and Armor check penalties I found what I was missing!

 

[Storm Raven]

I wondered if I had missed something thanks. Between being stated as a warriror and Armor check penalties I found what I was missing!

A more intseresting point to note is that the standard goblin stat block in the MM has them armed with morningstars and small shields. But they are small creatures, so a morningstar is a two handed weapon for them, meaning they can't use their shields while they fight.

 

[Turlogh]

Hadn't noticed about the morning star being two-handed for them but the shield only appears in the picture not the stat block so maybe artictic license?

 

[Forrester]

Another amusing thing about the goblins as portrayed in the MM . . . they start at medium-load, if you add together the weight of their gear (morningstar, javelins, armor, etc.).

Much better idea if they would use short swords instead, IMO.