Deep Kobolds[3.5, PEACH]

[Dragon Elite]

Deep Kobolds
Deep below the surface, the kobolds are even more deadly, even more evil. They have mutated into a sort of elite trapmaker, smart, long-lived, and patient. They are called Deep Kobolds and you never want to mess with them.
Deep kobolds are always alert. They have dark orange skin, and green eyes. Their claws are long and look deadly.
Size/Type: Small Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares)
Armor Class: 19, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+1 size, +2 dex, +3 natural, +3 armor)
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/-1
Attack: Claw +4 (1d6)/ Crossbow +6 (1d8)
Full Attack: Bite +4 (1d8)/Claw +4 (1d6)/Claw +4 (1d8) OR Crossbow +6 (1d8)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Slight Build, Poison resistance, Eligibility
Saves: Fort +2(+6 against poisons), Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 7
Skills: Craft(Trapmaking) +14, Craft(Weaponsmithing) +11, Listen +11, Spot +11, Move Silently +9, Hide +9
Feats: Skill Focus(Craft(Trapmaking)), Alertness,
Environment: Underground
Organization: Scouting Party(2-10) or War Band(11-150)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Double Gems & Magic items, Normal mundane and coins
Alignment: Usually LE or NE
Advancement:
Level Adjustment: —

Slight Build: The physical stature of deep kobolds lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a deep kobold is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the deep kobold is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A deep kobold is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A deep kobold can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a deep kobold remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.

Poison Resistance: Years of misfiring traps have given deep kobolds a inbred poison resistance. They get +4 on Fortitude saves against poison.

Eligibility: Deep kobolds can qualify for the Draconic Rites of Passage. In addition, they have a new Draconic Rite, detailed below.

Deep Draconic Rite of Passage

Requirements: Deep Kobold, Caster level 5, greater Draconic Rite of passage.
Benefits: Any deep kobold that takes this rite must meditate for at least a day. Then, they must spend half of their total wealth. They then can choose one of the following benefits.

Breath of the Dragon: If a deep kobold chooses this benefit, they can spew forth fire in a 30 ft. line or 15 ft. cone twice per day, dealing 4d6 fire damage. This takes a standard action

Might of the Dragon: If a deep kobold chooses this benefit, their claws deal 1d8+Strength damage, and their bite deals 1d10+Strength damage.

Wings of the Dragon: If a deep kobold chooses this benefit, they grow wings and get a fly speed equal to their base land speed plus any feats.


Sample Traps
Deep kobolds will use regular traps as well as complex ones. Here are some example complex ones:

Trap 1: Bad Wolf (http://www.celestine-empire.net/battlegrid/DM.php?sessionID=Trap%201)
Trap 2: Invisible Walls (http://www.celestine-empire.net/battlegrid/DM.php?sessionID=Trap%202)
Trap 3: The Fire Chamber (http://www.celestine-empire.net/battlegrid/DM.php?sessionID=Trap%203)
Trap 4: The Acid Waterfall (http://www.celestine-empire.net/battlegrid/DM.php?sessionID=Trap%204)
Trap 5: Blinding Lights (http://www.celestine-empire.net/battlegrid/DM.php?sessionID=Trap%205)

All critiques wanted. I am horrible at Crs, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Surgo]

CR 6 is way too high. These guys don't come anywhere close to, say, a five-headed cryohydra. I would give them...say, a 3, while dropping down the breath weapon damage to something reasonable for an encounter of that level. Or even a 2, and cut the hit dice back as well.

edit: They can't even get that breath weapon until level 9, so they are CR 2 at the most.

[Dragon Elite]

The point is that if you give one a week to prepare...
... You get killed at level 4.
I still edited it, thank you for the advice.

[PersonMan]

You misspelled "Challenge Rating".

Other than that, I don't really have much to say.

[Surgo]

Yeah, but you can say the same thing about any monster that's known for building traps. That has left the realm of the stat block, which the CR measures, and gone into the realm of DM fiat.

[Siosilvar]

Trap 1: Bad Wolf (http://www.celestine-empire.net/battlegrid/DM.php?sessionID=Trap%201)

Is broked.

Warning: fopen(Trap 1.xml) [function.fopen]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/sloki/user/t26697/sites/celestine-empire.net/www/battlegrid/DM.php on line 87
could not open XML input

[Dragon Elite]

The other ones work though.

[sigurd]

Its a good concept but I think you have to take a slightly more clinical view to represent them next to the other monsters in the game. Statements like 'you don't want to mess with them' are more like public relations or loyalty than purely descriptive. People will know they are a particularly nasty critter if you give them more details. Saying so, when demons, devils, dragons etc... don't just makes them look comical.

Compare them to a few other monsters and make sure they are different and appropriately challenging. Look at similar monsters from published collections for guidance.

Adding to the Cr of the trap maker is not really how the game works. The challenge rating should be for the creature itself. Give each trap its own Cr and assign experience for overcoming it.

I think you'd get further with a write up of the critter and then a more in depth review of a half dozen traps. I don't get much from your links. I'd rather have a write up than ascii art.


Sigurd