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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 6384831" data-attributes="member: 20323">While overall I like 5e and appreciate the simpler monster design, I think the 5e kobold is only a mere ghost of what it could be. To be fair, I have lots of experience running homebrewed kobolds in my 4e Dragon Mountain conversion, and, to be clear, I don't think the 4e version was all that great either. Also, I know that a lot of the fun of kobolds comes from the DM's ingenuity and trap resources, rather than the monster stat blocks.The ArtFor starters, that art looks like a little lizard man! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> Besides the slight canine jowls there isn't much that says "kobold" and it looks altogether too physically bulky to match with what I think of as a "kobold."Someone on Deviantart or an OSR blog did a great 1e-inspired kobold sketch that I'm searching for but can't find.The MechanicsMechanics-wise, I have several thoughts about things I'd expect a kobold to be able to do:Skirmishing - In 5e everyone can split move-attack-move, so I would expect kobolds to one of the following: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A free Hide/Dash like goblins. Kobolds are sneaky gits.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A defensive boost against opportunity attacks. Kobolds duck under lots of weapons and are light footed.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A reaction option to scatter when one kobold dies to an area effect spell to minimize casualties. Kobolds have all the courage of a house cat and know to fear magic.</li> </ul>Tunnel Crawling - Normally a creature can squeeze thru a space large enough for a creature one size category less, but every foot of movement costs 1 extra foot, and has disadvantage on attacks and Dex saves. I would expect for kobolds to have a trait ignoring this movement restriction and disadvantage, allowing them to move unhindered thru Tiny (1-2') spaces. Trap Savvy - I'd expect kobolds to be light weight enough and savvy enough to avoid lots of traps. Something like "Lightfoot: A kobold's movement doesn't trigger traps it is aware of." Of course, a DM can design encounters with pressure plates that don't trigger from the weight of one kobold (50 lbs), or ad lib by giving a kobold forced into a trap it's proficiency bonus (+2) to its saving throw. So this one is more a bonus rather than a necessity.---More than that, however, I find the entry lacking in the one thing I would consider essential to a kobold Monster Manual entry: TRAPS! Glorious, fiendish, hilarious TRAPS!</blockquote>

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