D&D 5E How fast do Kobolds dig tunnels?
jgsugden
Legend
Officially, they have interest in it, but no special abilities. As such, they progress at about the same rate as any other race would (although with a low strength score typically, they might not be that quick about it if you want to be realistic). However, as sorcery is common amongst their kind, you may have a single sorcerer with a move earth cantrip that can make things move a lot faster.
If I needed to worry about this in my game, the kobolds by themselves, working in teams of 10, digging a 5 foot wide tunnel, would go about 5 feet an hour. There is a lot of dirt to be hauled, a lot of reinforcing to prevent collapse, etc...
If I needed to worry about this in my game, the kobolds by themselves, working in teams of 10, digging a 5 foot wide tunnel, would go about 5 feet an hour. There is a lot of dirt to be hauled, a lot of reinforcing to prevent collapse, etc...
aco175
Legend
I agree with @jgsugden with about 5ft per hour. You can also take into account the type of earth being moved, but I would just generalize it to 5ft. Another point if the kobolds are digging is that the ceiling height would be only 5ft and make things difficult for PCs to move and combat inside. They would have no need to make the ceiling 10ft like most tombs and old mines.
Move Earth is a 6th level spell. The cantrip is Mold Earth, and it can move loose earth 5', but doesn't allow you to break up stone or hard packed earth.
Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)
How fast does the narrative drive them to dig?
jgsugden
Legend
Yeah, I always mix up the names. The intent, according to Crawford, is that it is to be used on dirt, not stone.
Regardless, once you free the earth from the wall, you need to remove it from the tunnel.... and this is a great way to move all of it quickly.
Last edited:
jasper
Rotten DM
Thanks for help. I was asking so I can affect the narrative. Because if something too evil the players would balk. So would you be happy, if a dm did tucker kobolds traps withing three days of you leaving the area.
jasper
Rotten DM
Thanks. My PCs are taking over the gem mine in Icewind dale. They are only feeding the kobolds for their work. As in their choice is "Work of Stew or hand crossbow to the face". Thanks for the shoring idea. That is an extra charge to company store is going to charge the new owners. Hmm. I wonder what does a 2 by 4 cost in Icewind Dale.
toucanbuzz
No rule is inviolate
I found a tunneling article, which references ancient techniques from 6 BC in which engineers through solid rock were documented tunneling around 9 meters per year, (almost 30'). Modern techniques have roughly tripled that rate. It's not a simple matter. You have to remove the earth, account for stability, and make sure fresh air is coming in. This requires a fantastically tremendous amount of labor if you don't have modern machinery, or in D&D some powerful magic.
So, in 3 days, 20 kobolds wouldn't likely make a dent tunneling anything with simply picks and hammers. But, as I think others were hinting, if the narrative fits, then the kobolds have something advanced to get the job done. Maybe they have a deal with an elemental creature of earth, and so on.
So, in 3 days, 20 kobolds wouldn't likely make a dent tunneling anything with simply picks and hammers. But, as I think others were hinting, if the narrative fits, then the kobolds have something advanced to get the job done. Maybe they have a deal with an elemental creature of earth, and so on.
