Kobold Love

[kaomera]

Changes & additions to the Kobold in the MM, for use as a PC (kind of off the top of my head):

Shifty: make Shifty an Encounter power. In addition to the normal effects, you may designate one enemy that you are adjacent to either before or after the shift, and that enemy grants you combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Racial Feats:

* Kobold Ambush: You gain a +2 bonus to initiative and whenever you attack a surprised enemy you gain a +1 bonus to hit.

* Kobold Mobility: Whenever you shift you gain a +2 bonus to AC against opportunity attack caused by your movement until the end of the turn.

* Kobold Weapon Training: You gain proficiency with all simple and military light blades and the javelin, spear, and kobold warblade. In addition, when you hit with a weapon attack using any of these weapons and you have combat advantage you gain a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls.

* Resurgent Shift: When you use your second wind you can also shift 1 square.

* Shifty Escape: When you use your Shifty power you can choose to forgo gaining combat advantage due to the power in order to shift a number of squares equal to half your Dexterity bonus, instead of 1 square.

* Fierce Strike (Paragon): When you score a critical hit against a target that is granting you combat advantage the attack deals additional damage equal to your constitution bonus.

* Impromptu Ambush (Paragon): When an enemy makes an opportunity attack against you and misses you can spend an action point to make a basic melee attack against that enemy as an immediate reaction and you gain combat advantage for this attack.

* Kobold Charge (Paragon): Once per encounter when you charge you can use your Shifty power in place of the movement portion of that charge.

* Shiftier (Epic): When you use your second wind you regain the use of your Shifty power if you have already used it this encounter.

Kobold Warblade: Superior one-handed melee weapon (light blade, light thrown), 15 gp, 1d6 damage, +3 proficiency, range 5/10, weight 2 lb.

 

[malcolm_n]

[sblock=Kobold Love]

Changes & additions to the Kobold in the MM, for use as a PC (kind of off the top of my head):

Shifty: make Shifty an Encounter power. In addition to the normal effects, you may designate one enemy that you are adjacent to either before or after the shift, and that enemy grants you combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Racial Feats:

* Kobold Ambush: You gain a +3 feat bonus to initiative and whenever you attack a surprised enemy you gain a +2 bonus to that attack.

* Kobold Mobility: When you shift, you gain a +2 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks until the end of your next turn.

* Kobold Weapon Training: You gain proficiency with all simple and military light blades and the javelin, spear, and kobold warblade. In addition, when you hit with a weapon attack using any of these weapons and you have combat advantage you gain a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls.

* Resurgent Shift: When you use your second wind you can also shift 1 square.

* Shifty Escape: When you use your Shifty power you can choose to forgo gaining combat advantage due to the power in order to shift a number of squares equal to half your Dexterity or Constitution bonus, instead of 1 square.

* Fierce Strike (Paragon): When you score a critical hit against a target that is granting you combat advantage the attack deals extra damage equal to your Constitution bonus.

* Impromptu Ambush (Paragon): When you spend an action point, you can also make a basic attack against the first enemy that misses you with an attack before the end of your next turn.

* Kobold Charge (Paragon): Once per encounter when you charge, you draw no opportunity attacks while doing so.

* Shiftier (Epic): You regain your shifty racial power when you spend a healing surge.

Kobold Warblade: Superior one-handed melee weapon (light blade, light thrown), 15 gp, 1d6 damage, +3 proficiency, range 5/10, weight 2 lb.

[/sblock]I've outlined the changes in bold and will explain below.


* Kobold Ambush: The change brings it more in line with other racial initiative feats. Since in practice you seldom get surprise rounds as a hero, a +2 bonus to the attack is more rewarding and balanced.

* Kobold Mobility: The change lets it be useful in more situations than just running away. Yes, it would stack with defensive mobility.

* Shifty Escape: The change makes it more useful to classes that don't rely on Dexterity.

* Impromptu Ambush (Paragon):The change makes it less situational and brings it in line with other Action point feats.

* Kobold Charge (Paragon): The change brings it in line with other paragon feats.

* Shiftier (Epic): The change brings it in line with other epic feats.

and a couple contributions from myself.

Racial Traits: Allow Kobolds to keep Dex and choose between Con and Cha. This helps them be perfect Rogues, Sorcerers, and Assassins.

Dragonborn Heritage: You gain the dragon breath dragonborn racial power (Player’s Handbook, page 34). Once per encounter, you can use your dragon breath racial power instead of your shifty racial power.

Kobold Soul: Requires Kobold, Revenant - You gain the shifty kobold racial power. In a given encounter, you can use your shifty racial power or your dark reaping racial power.

Awesome weapon.

 

[kaomera]

I've outlined the changes in bold and will explain below.

Thanks for the advice. I was kind of trying to low-ball the power level, I guess I went a bit too far on some things.

I had thought about changing the racial ability bonuses (to Con or Cha, as you suggested), but I'm still concerned that they might end up being a bit too perfect for an Artful Dodger, given the racial feats and, Shifty... In particular I worry about Kobold Weapon Training in the hands of a Rogue.

The only thing that I would question is the change to Kobold Charge. My intent was that with it you could charge 1 square (which may not have worked the way I had written it, and may be broken anyway). Actually, on second thought, I think I like your suggestion; it provides some love to Fighter-type Kobolds (Barbarians, in particular, although I guess they aren't really "fighter-types" in 4e)...

 

[Peraion Graufalke]

You could have Shifty recharge when the kobold is bloodied for the first time in an encounter, either in addition to or instead of gaining combat advantage, or make it a feat.