PDA

View Full Version : [4e] An Uncommon Goblin



Tiki Snakes
2009-03-03, 03:19 PM
Having spent a good bit of time running 4th Ed (Keep on the Shadowfell, inevitably), I will soon get one of my first chances to join an actually on-going campaign as a player. The DM hasn't decided yet, but it's either going to be starting around level 1 or so, or level 14. Now, while building an interesting Goblin character at level 1 is pretty straightforward (And I do enjoy character building), I've been thinking myself into knots with the idea of building a Goblin of Legend; A Level 14 Goblin.

Now, I have some ideas already. I have previously (all too breifly) ran a gob called 'Maggot', who was a (short)sword and board fighting full-plate armoured little nutter of a level 1 fighter who, due to being completely encased in metal, could more-or-less masquerade as a Halfling (Complete with preposterously hobbity alias that I've forgotten.) I enjoyed the mix of mobility and battlefield control. The high ac meant that his foes frequently missed, sending him scampering around, and he was capable of shunting them across the battlefield with the various sheild-related powers.

Damn good fun. Somehow, though being very non-typical (heavy armoured goblin fighter rather than sneaky goblin rogue, etc) It still felt like a very Gobliny build. That's the kind of feel I want for this upcoming campaign. Only, He's fourteen levels higher. That kind of character isn't going to be a simple, out-for-the-money gobbo thug, it needs to be much more epic. I'm not out for a super-optimised character, I mostly want something to sink my teeth into but I am also interested in what different mechanical / tactical options I could incorporate, so there's the rub.

What would you suggest for a suitably Epic Goblin? He should feel like he's striding from the pages of some (strangely green tinted) Norse Saga. Particular flavours of Fighter or other Defenders? What multi-class options would you consider to add flavour and depth to such a creature?

And what kind of personality twists and general backstory-quirks would you be interested in seeing? (Make him a terrifying Avenger of wrongs on Goblin-hood? An Exhiled Goblin-Prince out to reclaim his lost kingdom? A devout follower of Maglubiyet or a godslayer in training with an eye to ending the Goblin God for the good of all?)

Anyone else had much experience playing non-PHB classes in 4th ed yet? Feel free to share!

Tehnar
2009-03-03, 04:02 PM
Have you given thought to a lightly armored goblin fighter. Im thinking he would use javelins and spears. In hide armor. Maybe if you read the Wheel of Time, go for an Aiel flair to him. Focus on quick attacks, to move around the battlefield. Maybe opt for a more strikery role then a pure defender.

Maybe something like:

16 STR
18 DEX
and arrange others as you like.

Pick powers such as rain of blows and talon of the roc that compliment your weapon choice. Sadly, I do not own martial power, I think you probably could find more info there.

What I imagine is a goblin moving through the battlefield, taunting those that miss him and being a nuisance that is difficult to ignore. Maybe its more typically goblinish, but I have no ideas otherwise.

Yakk
2009-03-03, 04:07 PM
He's merely Paragon, not Epic. ;)

A backstory I've recommended before for humanoids is stealing from Joel Rosenberg's (Metzadan Mercenary Corps.) series.

The Goblinoid tribe he belongs to are a society that lives in a blasted, horrid part of the world, and they raise money and feed their families by being professional mercenaries. Your character could have 'taken the fall' legally/morally in order to ensure victory in a particularly politically charged situation, or maybe you backed out on a contract (for *gasp* moral reasons, or because you figured that the contract was a bum trap but couldn't prove it).

...

Another idea is that your character was a slave, then a gladiator. As a successful gladiator, he was exposed to the society of the empire at it's height. And then everything fell apart as the barbarians invaded.

In the chaos, your owner freed you from your magical bonds (good old gaes) in exchange for you swearing to avenge him, and to lead his family to safety. He then went off to fight the horde.

You led his family (and a rag-tag group of citizens and scum) out of the chaos, and found them a safe(r) place to live. Then you left in order to fulfil the last part of your oath to your former master.

But first you must find out who is responsible. As yet, you have killed the tribune who was supposed to be defending the city, after single-handedly chopping your way through his entire personal guard. But that isn't enough.

It may never be enough.

...

Either of those any good?

Tengu_temp
2009-03-03, 04:16 PM
Have you given thought to a lightly armored goblin fighter. Im thinking he would use javelins and spears. In hide armor.

From my experience, this is a bad idea because you lose too much AC, and at paragon levels you can have Scale Armor Specialization and suffer no movement penalties in scale anyway. High dexterity races are good for melee because they let you qualify for sword-related feats easier, but light armor is a trap for them.

Totally Guy
2009-03-03, 04:18 PM
I've just started playing a goblin character in a friend's 3.5 game (giving me a break from my amazing 4E campaign).

This goblin is called Brandazzle and because I can't really do an inspiring warlord in 3.5, I'm playing him as a bard. Unfortunately a goblin bard in 3.5 is stinky (Penalty to Cha) compared to the 4E goblin inspiring warlord (Bonus to Cha) but never mind.

My character is a hypnotist. Or rather his bardic powers are refluffed as hypnosis, and he has ranks in perform(stage hypnotism). All his other moves are explained as things he can do through his gift of non-stage hypnotism - like the mind tricks of Derren Brown. His motivation is mainly to make the party rogue speak, the one psychological case he can't solve is the mute rogue we hang out with.

So far he's not doing so well, I only really thought about it in 4E and converting over to 3.5 I kind of lost it mechanically.

ColdSepp
2009-03-03, 05:01 PM
From my experience, this is a bad idea because you lose too much AC, and at paragon levels you can have Scale Armor Specialization and suffer no movement penalties in scale anyway. High dexterity races are good for melee because they let you qualify for sword-related feats easier, but light armor is a trap for them.

A BattleRager Vigor Fighter (Martial Power) can manage in Chainmail, and the Chain Spec is just as good as Scale Spec. You are one AC behind, but you do extra damage in Chain or lighter. And you can get stacking Temp Hit Points with the right power selection.

Granted, you need STR and CON (I use this build with Warforged) and I don't know what a goblins stats are. The Temp Hit points synergize well with a Bloodclaw weapon from AV, and you can do nasty damage for a Defender. With an At Will, I can do 2d6+14 at level 6. If you have a Brutal weapon, even better.

Tengu_temp
2009-03-03, 05:04 PM
Yeah, but I was talking about standard fighters there, not battleragers.

ColdSepp
2009-03-03, 05:09 PM
Yeah, but I was talking about standard fighters there, not battleragers.

Ah, cool, my mistake. :smallbiggrin: Definitely agree with you, then. You want heavy armor as a fighter.

Tiki Snakes
2009-03-03, 05:28 PM
He's merely Paragon, not Epic. ;)

A backstory I've recommended before for humanoids is stealing from Joel Rosenberg's (Metzadan Mercenary Corps.) series.

The Goblinoid tribe he belongs to are a society that lives in a blasted, horrid part of the world, and they raise money and feed their families by being professional mercenaries. Your character could have 'taken the fall' legally/morally in order to ensure victory in a particularly politically charged situation, or maybe you backed out on a contract (for *gasp* moral reasons, or because you figured that the contract was a bum trap but couldn't prove it).

...

Another idea is that your character was a slave, then a gladiator. As a successful gladiator, he was exposed to the society of the empire at it's height. And then everything fell apart as the barbarians invaded.

In the chaos, your owner freed you from your magical bonds (good old gaes) in exchange for you swearing to avenge him, and to lead his family to safety. He then went off to fight the horde.

You led his family (and a rag-tag group of citizens and scum) out of the chaos, and found them a safe(r) place to live. Then you left in order to fulfil the last part of your oath to your former master.

But first you must find out who is responsible. As yet, you have killed the tribune who was supposed to be defending the city, after single-handedly chopping your way through his entire personal guard. But that isn't enough.

It may never be enough.

...

Either of those any good?

Both of these are pretty good food for thought.

And yes, Paragon rather than Epic, but I think this is very much a character who I'd like to have chosen the epic destiny for, before I even start writing him up. ;)
Not that it's likely to get to that point, but it'll help with inspiration.

Shadow_Elf
2009-03-03, 09:40 PM
Can you wait for the Chaos-Touched Sorcerer? I think that would be a lot of fun as a Goblin. He used to be Lawful Evil, and the leader of his tribe, until said tribe lost a battle against a troupe of Slaadi. He was hit by their chaotic magic, but kept attacking them relentlessly. He never faltered, and he slew the Slaadi. But his tribe was dead. And then the chaos began to warp his mind.

Several years later, he walks into a civilized town a different person. The chaos shifted his alignment across the spectrum, to Chaotic Good, and he is covered in runic marking he carved and painted onto himself during his self-exile in insanity. He always speaks in rhymes and riddles, and uses his magic to protect others. The only thing he remembers from his "past life" is his drive fighting the slaadi after his tribesmen fell in battle. He will fight to the death to save a friend.

For added drama, make his former personality occaisionally manifest in the roiling maelstrom that is his Chaos-Touched Mind.

How's that?

NPCMook
2009-03-04, 12:49 AM
I built a Goblin Fighter using the Tempest Technique, but the One-Handed Weapon Talent can also work. Gave him the Former Gladiator Background(4 death saving throws instead of 3) and was originally going to have him wielding a Craghammer and Net, but since he's small he can't... For him to dual wield he'd have to wield Off-hand weapons, so instead of the Craghammer, I gave him Kukri Proficiency

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
level 14
Goblin, Fighter, Pit Fighter
Fighter Talents: Tempest Technique
Background: Former Gladiator

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 22, Con 12, Dex 20, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11.

Starting Ability Scores
Str 18, Con 11, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8.


AC: 22 Fort: 25 Reflex: 23 Will: 17
HP: 115 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 28

TRAINED SKILLS
Heal, Endurance, Athletics.

FEATS
1: Deft Hurler Style
2: Far Throw
4: Improved Initiative
6: Toughness
8: Weapon Proficiency (kukri)
10: Net Training
11: Two-Weapon Fighting
12: Devastating Critical
14: Armor Specialization (Chainmail)

POWERS
1, At-Will: Cleave
1, At-Will: Footwork Lure
1, Encounter: Distracting Spate
1, Daily: Flanking Assault
2, Utility: Boundless Endurance
3, Encounter: Rain of Blows
5, Daily: Agonizing Assault
6, Utility: Defensive Training
7, Encounter: Twofold Torment
9, Daily: Terrifying Impact
10, Utility: Defensive Resurgence
13, Encounter: Chains of Sorrow (replaces Distracting Spate)

ITEMS
Victory Flash Net +3, Oathblade Kukri +3, Agile Braidmail Armor +3, Adventurer's Kit
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======


Powers can be changed, and some feats adjusted, though the Deft Hurler is actually nice if you want to keep the Net Training(when using Cleave you can instead of dealing the extra damage, make a ranged Basic attack that does not provoke AoO), but mostly that was based on Yakk's Gladiator background...