Why do elves pick on goblins?

[Emirikol]

The 4E description is definately going in the opposite direction as before. Now the elves are on the offensive. Is this a good thing? Elves picking on goblins now that goblins are so incredibly weak as it is? Couldn't they have picked a "real" monster in this day and age? Goblin adventures are barely suitable for a 1st level character, much less as a campaign theme for an entire race. (rant off)

jh

 

[shilsen]

Where did you get the idea that goblins are incredibly weak? In 3e, with class levels and templates available, goblins can be a challenge at any level. Presumably 4e will carry on some aspects of that approach, esp. since part of the design decision seems to be that monsters of a given difficulty level should be useable across a larger span of levels.

 

[Emirikol]

Where did you get the idea that goblins are incredibly weak? In 3e, with class levels and templates available, goblins can be a challenge at any level. Presumably 4e will carry on some aspects of that approach, esp. since part of the design decision seems to be that monsters of a given difficulty level should be useable across a larger span of levels.

Let's be realistic here. Goblins are weak.

jh

 

[Zurai]

Let's be realistic here. Goblins are weak.

jh

Tell that to the Order of the Stick.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Let's be realistic here. Goblins are weak.

jh

nUmbers can be also very dangerous...

 

[shilsen]

Let's be realistic here. Goblins are weak.

jh

Realistic? About a fantasy race?

Goblins are whatever the DM wants them to be, and without having to house rule things, goblins with classes are just as deadly as most other races with classes. Sure, the goblin mooks that simply guard the warren entrance may be a pushover, but the elite tunnel-crawlers, who draw enemies into quarters too small for them and then strike, are another matter. And what about the worg-riders, trained to fight from the saddle of their lupine mounts, or the night fangs, the goblin rogues and rangers that ambush elves in the wild and sneak into elven villages? Or the priests of Maglubiyet, empowered by their god to greater prowess? Or the war-chief and his elite guard, skilled enough to take down giants through teamwork and tactics?

Goblins can be whatever the DM is creative enough to make them.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Bah!

Its not like they're Tucker's Kobolds or something...

 

[Friadoc]

I've gotta agree with Shilsen's comment; goblins, as with any race, are whatever a DM wishes them to be.

One of the more recent examples, in my experiences, is their treatment in Paizo's Pathfinder series and in the Play-by-Post I'm currently in, goblin's are anything but pushovers.

With the right DM, goblins are as scary as anything, perhaps more so because of their numbers; heck, one of my earliest scary goblin images is Blix form Legend. Creepy, foul, and evil in both temper and skill.

Anyhow, if you've found goblins to be pushovers than they weren't ran right. *shrugs* Stats ain't everything, at least not in pen and paper RPGs.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

Humans seem to be the only race not bound to cosmic symmetry, i.e. they don’t seem to have an opposite. Goblins oppose gnomes, orcs oppose elves, bunnies oppose trolls and so forth. Goblins (mostly evil) have enemies and elves (mostly good) and enemies and so it meshes up.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Nature Loving hippy Elves vs Chainsaw wielding goblins who love blowing things up with alchemical toys..... I think Goblins would win.