Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mark Chance" data-source="post: 671985" data-attributes="member: 2795">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.NEOKOBOLDSmall 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 rangedDamage: Bite 1d4-1, dagger 1d4-1/19-20; or light crossbow 1d8/19-20Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.Special Attacks: Attach, teamworkSpecial Qualities: Scent, darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivitySaves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +2Abilities: Str 8, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 13Skills: 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 undergroundOrganization: Gang (4-9) or warband (10-24 plus 2-4 dire weasels)Challenge Rating: 2Treasure: StandardAlignment: Usually lawful evilAdvancement: By character classNeokobolds 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.COMBATAttach (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 CHARACTERSA 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 neokobolds100 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)</blockquote>

Verification