Making Goblins a threat for a 3rd level party.

[mattcolville]

Why? There's no reason you can't use 3rd-level goblins (and their masters could be higher than 5th-level). In fact, the highest-level goblin around might not be the master, if he has low Int and Cha.

This is 3e, and that's one of the things that makes 3e cool.

The obvious reason is; it's a challenge I've set myself. Obviously I can take any creature and make them a threat, but I want the players to fear vanilla goblins.

I am considering removing the level of warrior and adding a level of rogue, but that's in the context of thinking the vanilla goblin should HAVE a level of Rogue instead of Warrior. I may decide against this.

 

[Zandel]

Originally posted by Arandomgod
Then, since people have meantioned harrassing the party, the cantrips come into play at night. Message is particularly interesting, as a first level sorc can whisper into the ear of the (trying to sleep) spellcaster of the group for ten minutes (Edit: per casting of the spell at first level) at up to 110 feet away. A small group of sorcs can keep this up all night, sounding like someone's right there, next to you... threatening, laughing evilly, insulting, etcetera. Then mage hand. You've got to get closer, but small things appear or dissapear. Ghost sound to accompany the mage hand can make an effective lure or distraction to the sentry. Or even better can make the sentry wake up the party for an attack he just 'heard' coming. Dancing lights thrown in for more distraction and fun.

Now that's starting to sound more and more like wicked little gnomes.
Plot Hook: The PC's find a few gnomes in the area and go after there villige for disturbing there sleep only to find out it was goblins! lol

VERY EVIL ideas there. Nothing worse than a sleep deprived party of adventurers. Can anyone say grumpy barbarians?

 

[Kobold Stew]

The obvious reason is; it's a challenge I've set myself. Obviously I can take any creature and make them a threat, but I want the players to fear vanilla goblins.

And a truly noble goal it is! As you may know, the threat of Vanilla low-level monsters goes back to first edition:

Tucker's Kobolds (Dragon 127), quoted in extenso here: <http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=89222>, where there is also a reference to a goblin version called Tallow's Deep, for (AD&D) levels 4-7 in Dungeon 18.

I don't know Tallow's Deep, but it sure sounds fun.

 

[mattcolville]

And a truly noble goal it is! As you may know, the threat of Vanilla low-level monsters goes back to first edition:

Tucker's Kobolds (Dragon 127), quoted in extenso here: <http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=89222>, where there is also a reference to a goblin version called Tallow's Deep, for (AD&D) levels 4-7 in Dungeon 18.

I don't know Tallow's Deep, but it sure sounds fun.

I just bought it off ebay! It's the reason I started this thread!

 

[werk]

where there is also a reference to a goblin version called Tallow's Deep, for (AD&D) levels 4-7 in Dungeon 18.

I don't know Tallow's Deep, but it sure sounds fun.

Tallow's Deep is the name of the adventure that I mentioned. Very nice IMO.