Making a 5th level goblin respectably competent?

[Shin Okada]

There is another way to make him survivable. Make him an adorable character!

Do you remember Meepo the kobold (Sunless Citadel) or Deekin the kobold bard (Neverwinter Nights PC game expansions)? They survived not because they were very efficient adventurers. But because they were cute in their own ways and loved by players!

 

[Ahnehnois]

For a weak race with no magic items, I'd say a warlock would be best. Then you can give him good Dex and pick up nonmagial light armor with ease, which along with sixe bonus offers respectable AC for a caster. Because they use touch attacks, they can at least hit higher-level enemies and do damage.

That's a spellcaster, and there is an invocation at higher levels called "flee the scene" which would nicely fit that requirement. He can have charisma-based skills (particularly Bluff) allowing him to play the fool and stay alive when overmatched.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I would fiddle with his array of stats and bump up his Wisdom & Charisma and knock down his other stats (Str, Con, Int) so he gets more spells. I think goblins get a Dex & Size bonus to hit, so using a ranged touch spell like Scorching Ray can be very effective as well at lower levels. 4d6 damage (avg of 14) with no save is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[Gregor]

I think it would be an interesting approach to make the Goblin extremely learned about a great deal many things. Throw all his skill points into every single knowledge skill available and have him be a wealth of available knowledge. I think this will achieve two key things for your game:

1) If you don't already have a Bard or a Wizard who specializes in knowing everything, then you have an NPC who can help the PCs in every situation by potentially knowing a clue or some context.

2) It challenges the PCs existing assumptions about goblins and can even help you, as a DM, to expand it into more campaign stuff. Perhaps in your world, there is a Goblin prophecy that predicts that once every 500 years, a Goblin will be born in the image of their God. This goblin was assumed to be he and was worshipped and lavished with plundered treasure - most of that treasure was books, scrolls, ancient tablets, etc. The Goblin literally taught himself a ton of information and then took off out of his community once he realized what idiots they all were.