What can I use instead of kobolds, goblins & orcs?

[Lord Zack]

Gremlins, mites and ratfolk are all possibilities.

 

[Systole]

Two Words: Zombie Apocalypse.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

Giant Space Hamsters!

 

[Starman]

Gnolls.

 

[Donal Graeme]

Gnolls.

Gnolls are a good choice for low level adventures. They are vicious, dangerous and players can safely enjoy putting them down. The only problems with using gnolls are the fact that they are almost as common as the other races mentioned, and that they are pretty dangerous in even small numbers. A single gnoll can put down a PC with one hit if it rolls well on damage, and one that crits can even kill a low hp PC. Of course, so can an orc...

 

[Argyle King]

Humans


There's nothing quite like a villain who can exist with the rest of society undetected. It's even better if you build up to a Lawful Evil BBEG who is evil, but finds a way to be evil without (technically) breaking the law of the place he lives. Maybe I'm just an evil DM, but I thoroughly enjoyed having the BBEG of a campaign I once ran (D&D 3.5) take the PCs to court for attempted murder in town.

 

[Starman]

Awesome artwork of gnolls, where'd you find it?

I just did a GIS for 'gnoll.' I found it on the Forgotten Realms Wiki.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I just did a GIS for 'gnoll.' I found it on the Forgotten Realms Wiki.

Cool, thanks for the info.

 

[Werebat]

Mites are great for low level villains, and I was going to suggest gnolls but someone beat me to it.

I once ran an entire campaign around one villainous race I retconned to D&D -- Skaven. With their different clans and Moulder-bred beasts of war (you could use dire rats, advanced dire rats, and reskinned owlbears work very well as rat ogres), plus the magic of the grey seers (with rat familiars, natch) -- well, it was a fun campaign.

Oh, and 3.5 Warlocks can be adapted quite nicely into the warplock engineers of Clan Skryre.

 

[DMBrendon]

Mites are great for low level villains, and I was going to suggest gnolls but someone beat me to it.

I didn't know anything about mites, they look like a good threat for the PCs when they are just starting.