Neokobolds & Other New Monsters

[Mark Chance]

Here's an example of changing an old standard into something new in order to catch players off their guard. Mix these chaps in with standard kobolds at, say, a 1 neokobold to 3 old kobold ratio. Have kobold leaders all be neokobolds. Watch with satisfaction as assumptions crumble.

NEOKOBOLD
Small Monstrous Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
AC: 15 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +1 natural, +2 leather)
Attacks: Bite +4 melee, dagger -3 melee; or light crossbow +3 ranged
Damage: Bite 1d4-1, dagger 1d4-1/19-20; or light crossbow 1d8/19-20
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Attach, teamwork
Special Qualities: Scent, darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 13
Skills: Climb +13, Craft (trapmaking) +6, Hide +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +5, Profession (mining) +2, Search +6, Spot +2, Swim +3, Wilderness Lore +0*
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse (bite) (bonus feat)

Climate/Terrain: Any forest and underground
Organization: Gang (4-9) or warband (10-24 plus 2-4 dire weasels)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: By character class

Neokobolds are short, reptilian monstrous humanoids with fierce and sadistic dispositions.

A neokobold is nearly indistinguishable from a normal kobold. Careful observation (Spot check DC 20) notices that neokobolds have a more crocodilian cast to their jaws, and they are somewhat stockier with slightly shorter tails.

The offspring of a neokobold is 25% likely to be a neokobold even if the other parent is also a neokobold. Neokobolds speak Draconic. The statistics above show the base monster with one level of the warrior NPC class. Most neokobolds encountered are 1st-level warriors.

COMBAT

Attach (Ex): If a neokobold hits with its bite attack, it uses its powerful jaws to latch onto the opponent's body and automatically deals bite damage each round it remains attached. The neokobold and its victim are treated as if grappled. The neokobold does not provoke an attack of opportunity for moving into its foe's space when using this ability (although it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures as a result of its movement). The neokobold gains a +2 circumstance bonus on dagger attacks against its victim so long as it remains attached.

Teamwork (Ex): Neokobolds are exceptionally skilled at working together. When two neokobolds flank a target, they both gain a +3 flanking bonus to attack rolls instead of the normal +2 flanking bonus.

Light Sensitivity (Ex): Neokobolds suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

Skills: Neokobolds receive a +2 racial bonus to Craft (trapmaking), Profession (mining), and Search checks. They receive a +4 size bonus to Hide checks. They receive a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks, and they can always take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. A neokobold's Climb skill is Dexterity-based. *Neokobolds receive a +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.

Some neokobolds ride dire weasels as war mounts. Give these neokobolds Ride +5 but remove Swim +3. Exchange Alertness for Mounted Combat (reducing Listen and Spot totals by -2 each). Dire weasel riders are usually armed with a halfspear and small wooden shield, and forgo their bite attacks unless dismounted (AC 16; halfspear +2 melee, 1d6-1/x3; +1 melee attack roll bonus against Medium-size or smaller foes while mounted).

NEOKOBOLD CHARACTERS

A neokobold's favored class is sorcerer. Neokobolds are also often druids or rangers. Neokobold druids 2nd-level or above favor dire weasels as animal companions. When living among normal kobolds, neokobolds almost always dominate the group in which they are found. A neokobold character does not have one level in the warrior NPC class. It has a +2 bonus to Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma, and a -2 penalty to Strength. It has an ECL of +2.

Sample Kobold/neokobold tribe:

75 kobolds
25 neokobolds
100 noncombatants
10 3rd-level neokobold sergeants (recommended: 5 rangers and 5 rogues)
2 4th-level neokobold lieutenants (recommended: druids)
1 7th-level neokobold leader (recommended: sorcerer)
6 dire weasels (in addition to animal companions)

 

[Piratecat]

I like these little guys.

Hee hee hee... dire weasel!

 

[Mark Chance]

Danke!

I like these little guys.

Hee hee hee... dire weasel!

Thank you muchly.

But do not mock the dread dire weasel!

 

[Mark Chance]

Two More Newbies (In Brief)

Here're two minimalist examples of modified monsters. For the first, I used the basic stat block of a Medium-size skeleton, but changed its type to outsider, making relevant adjustments and some arbitrary modifications. For the second, I took the bugbear, changed its type monstrous humanoid, and added a supernatural growth ability.

PLANAR SKELETON
Medium-size Outsider (Evil)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (7 hp)
Initiative: +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
Attacks: 2 claws +1 melee
Damage: Claw 1d4
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Qualities: Outsider traits, immunities, darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/blunt
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +4, Move Silently +5, Spot +2
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness (bonus feat)

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, or group (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always evil
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Medium-size)

COMBAT

Outsider Traits: A planar skeleton is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. If slain, it cannot be raised or resurrected.

Immunities: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, and disease. Not subject to ability damage or energy drain. Immune to fire.

BUGABEAR
Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 16 (+1 Dex, +3 natural, +2 large shield)
Attacks: Morningstar +5 melee; or javelin +4 ranged
Damage: Morningstar 1d8+2; or javelin 1d6+2
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Growth
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 9
Skills: Climb +6, Hide +6, Listen +7, Move Silently +10, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness

Climate/Terrain: Any underground
Organization: Solitary, gang (2-4), or band (11-20 plus 150% noncombatants plus 2 2nd-level sergeants and 1 leader of 2nd-5th level)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class

COMBAT

Growth (Su): Once per day, a bugabear can become Large (as a free action during its turn). Growth causes the following changes:

* Hit Dice: 3d8+9 (22 hp)
* Initiative: +0
* AC: 16 (-1 size, +5 natural, +2 large shield)
* Attacks: Morningstar +8 melee; or javelin +2 ranged
* Damage: Morningstar 1d8+6; or javelin 1d6+6
* Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.
* Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +3
* Abilities: Str 23, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 9
* Skills: Climb +10, Hide +1, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +7

Size change persists for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the bugabear's HD (including any gained from class levels). Once this time expires, the bugabear reverts to Medium-size at the end of its turn. The additional 6 hit points gained from the +4 increase to Constitution are not temporary hit points, and they are not used first the way temporary hit points are.

Skills: Bugabears receive a +4 racial bonus to Move Silently checks.

 

[Bean 2.0]

ok I'd like ecls on the last two and do the neokobolds have a natural humanoid hit dice because you said that those were the stats of a 1st lvl warrior yet it had 2 hit dice?

 

[Mark Chance]

Responding...

ok I'd like ecls on the last two

So would I. Why don't you figure that out for me?

and do the neokobolds have a natural humanoid hit dice because you said that those were the stats of a 1st lvl warrior yet it had 2 hit dice?

Yes. 1d8 as a monstrous humanoid and 1d8 as a 1st-level warrior. And, just to clarify, I did not say that the neokobold's stats were those of a 1st-level warrior. I said that the "statistics above show the base monster with one level of the warrior NPC class" (emphasis added).

 

[Bean 2.0]

ok the bugbear is a +4
the skeleton is +2 maybe +3

 

[Mark Chance]

Looks good to me...

ok the bugbear is a +4
the skeleton is +2 maybe +3

I'd probably go with +2 for the planar skeletons. They lack serious offensive abilities, have no additional HD, and their ability score modifiers, while unbalanced, aren't overwhelmingly so.