Kobolds

[Allegro]

Another point of evil koboldness is to only have 3 foot ceilings (or normal ceilings that can collapse down to 3 foot tall ceilings). This will allow the kobolds to volley arrows and run and hide from most PCs. Remember 100 kobold archers will roll 10 natural 20s per round on average. So if they volley and then scamper each volley 1d6 * 10 can take a good chunk out of most PCs especially wizards. Although a simple protection from arrows spell can neutralize this.

Kobold strengths are 30 foot movement, dark vision out to 30, mining and trap making.
Kobold possible strengths are being small creatures and cunning
Kobold weaknesses are limited hit points and they are bad in melee

To maximize the effectiveness use hit and run tactics. The run part is especially fun when the kobolds run through a mine field of traps. Remember 1 fireball can take out most of the tribe of kobolds.

I'd throw at least 200 kobolds against a 12th level party per encounter.

 

[ericpat]

Warning: Contains Bad Joke

Oh, and make them all "trollbolds" -- give them all Regeneration 1.

Doing so will cause the bard to compose a new song:

"Nobody knows the trollbolds I've seen."

 

[Werebat]

Hi, I was wondering you guys thought was a good number of Kobolds to throw at my lvl 12 party.

One 14th level sorcerer, or a 12th level sorcerer and a couple of 10th level minions, or some other combination adding up to an EL of 14.

Then, to make it a real challenge, add an unending horde of normal 1st level kobold warriors. Maybe a certain number at the start supplemented by 2d12 reinforcements per round afterward.

Since they are at this point little more than terrain, maybe add a +1 to the EL of the encounter due to "terrain" circumstance presented by the unending horde of 1st level kobold warriors.

This is how I ran my game-ending encounter at the end of a campaign featuring Skaven as the main enemy, and it worked well.

- Ron ^*^