How far can the lowly kobold be tricked out?

[Runestar]

While responding to another thread, it dawned upon me that with all the new abilities granted to kobolds, they may no longer be as puny as their cr otherwise lets on.

So this got me thinking, how many misc features can we tack onto a humble kobold npc?

So far, I can think of the following:

1) As of races of dragon, they are technically dragonblooded. So kobold warriors can take dragon magic's dragonscale husk ACF, granting them free +6AC without hampering their speed. So even a lowly cr1/3 kobold warrior would have an AC of at least 18+.

2) Draconic rite grants them a free 1st lv SLA. A kobold opening combat with sleep or colour spray can be scary indeed! Or magic missile for free damage, or blade of blood to augment its low weapon damage.

3) What else can you think of? :smalltongue:

[The Underlord]

one word- pun-pun

[NecroRebel]

All of them, at the same time. Yes, even that one. Pun-Pun, the Mighty Kobold, is exalted above all others. (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19869366/The_most_powerful_character._EVER.)

[Zale]

Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19869366/The_most_powerful_character._EVER) :smallsmile:

A Kobold casting Grease would be a sight to see. :smallbiggrin:

Edit: Swordsaged!

[Drachasor]

I think the OP means Kobold-unique things.

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19854278/Dragonwrought_Kobold

Free +sorc levels is pretty nice.

[shadow_archmagi]

I think the OP wanted a thread that wasn't just the repetition of a stale, uninteresting meme.

[Greenish]

There's gotta be something interesting an NPC can do with three attacks at level 1.

[Xtomjames]

Well if we are talking character class, a Kobold level one Dragonfire Adept could be a very big nuisance. A plain old kobold though doesn't technically gain feats except for what is plainly state in the stats block for the monster. However, Kobolds are still capable of taking any draconic feat, heritage, or template without issue.

[Zale]

I think the OP wanted a thread that wasn't just the repetition of a stale, uninteresting meme.

Stale, uninteresting memes are the building blocks of the internet! :smallbiggrin:

[Siosilvar]

A plain old kobold though doesn't technically gain feats except for what is plainly state in the stats block for the monster.

Incorrect. Since the kobold has 1 HD, it may choose any one feat it qualifies for. The statblock uses a warrior level with Alertness to keep things simple.

[Drachasor]

Ahh, here's the webpage:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a

Improves the Kobold Race a bit (gives it Slight Build and such).

There's Greater Draconic Rite of Passage (need 6 HD, one sorc level, first Rite, and Draconic Reservoir) -- costs 3 hit points, but you are treated as a sorc of one level higher (so a Sorc 6 who does this is treated as a Sorc 7 for purposes of spells -- finally you get spells when the wizard does).

Draconic Reservoir (needed above) lets you use the spell from Draconic Rite of Passage 3/day.

There are the sorc-substitution levels in Races of the Dragon too, which can be nice. Beyond that, there's apparently a feat or something in Dragons of Eberron that gives +2 Sorc levels, but I don't have that book.

[darksolitaire]

Beyond that, there's apparently a feat or something in Dragons of Eberron that gives +2 Sorc levels, but I don't have that book.

Dragons of Eberron is the book, and it's not really a feat...it's option...sovereign archtype...for dragons...if DM wants to use it...:smallconfused:

[Drachasor]

Dragons of Eberron is the book, and it's not really a feat...it's option...sovereign archtype...for dragons...if DM wants to use it...:smallconfused:

Ahh, sounds like a cheap trick then.

[Coidzor]

There's gotta be something interesting an NPC can do with three attacks at level 1.

Sneak attack, for a given value of interesting. With some more levels, Dragonfire Inspiration.


I think the OP wanted a thread that wasn't just the repetition of a stale, uninteresting meme.

Or he truly hadn't heard of Pun-Pun before & so needed to be enlightened.

[Greenish]

Ahh, sounds like a cheap trick then.+2 free levels of sorcerer casting? You bet it's a cheap trick!

Some of the Sovereign Archetypes are pretty interesting, though. Loredrake is probably the strongest, but Wyrm of War is pretty neat too.

[Edit]:
Sneak attack, for a given value of interesting. With some more levels, Dragonfire Inspiration.Of course, but I was thinking of an NPC classed NPC, not something build like a PC that just happens to be an NPC.

[IncoherentEssay]

Those kobold warrior-1s make excellent area buff platforms, especially with Swarmfighting and longspears so (depending on whether Slight Build lets them count as tiny for Swarmfighting) a 15'x10' carpet of kobolds 18(natural)+6(pointy stick) or 36(n)+12(ps) attacks.
Some of those will hit, and with Warchief, Marshal and Dragon Shaman support they will hurt. Especially since Dragon Shamans can counter the 1hp/hd/turn bleed caused by the Warchief strenght buff (up to +10 str). A kobold warrior 3 would qualify for Warchief and could use feats to grab the auras besides the healing one.

A proper swarming carpet of doom :smallamused:.

It does fold to AoE blasting without sorc support (readied Dispelling Screen(SpC) is wonderful for countering most common blast spells.)

[Drachasor]

+2 free levels of sorcerer casting? You bet it's a cheap trick!

It's a sorc though, it isn't wholly infeasible it could be done in a reasonable way (I mean, compared to the wizard, cleric, or druid).


Some of the Sovereign Archetypes are pretty interesting, though. Loredrake is probably the strongest, but Wyrm of War is pretty neat too.

Hmm, wish I had the book so I could take a look at it.

[Greenish]

It's a sorc though, it isn't wholly infeasible it could be done in a reasonable way (I mean, compared to the wizard, cleric, or druid).Fine, Spellhoarding Loredrake, +2 free levels of wizard casting, happy now? :smalltongue:

[Drachasor]

Fine, Spellhoarding Loredrake, +2 free levels of wizard casting, happy now? :smalltongue:

Now THAT'S broken! :smallbiggrin:

[faceroll]

A level 4 venerable dragonwrought kobold adept with loredrake and spellhoarding casts as a second level wizard and a 4th level adept, with a CR of only 1.

It has access to things like scorching ray, bull strength and web, while also having a pretty sizeable chunk of gp to buy partially charged wands with. The wizard spells can be used to cast mage armor and shield, bumping the little bugger's AC up to 23. Its 3rd level feat should be multiattack. With bull strength up, it has an attack routine of +4/+4/+2.

It webs the party ranged/casters, then kites the party melee using its wand of scorching ray and a faster move speed thanks to not wearing armor and expeditious retreat. Once it's out of spells (should happen pretty quickly using non elite array and adept), it can easily melee and slay the squishy d6 & d4 characters with little risk, given that 23 AC.

Spellhoarding lets the kobold cast the spells out of its book (spellhoard actually; spells are tattoos on its body), so with int +3 spells, it can have plenty of first level damge spells to burn through, and shut down the party very quickly.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Fine, Spellhoarding Loredrake, +2 free levels of wizard casting, happy now? :smalltongue:

You forgot Dragonspawn abomination :smalltongue:

[Greenish]

You forgot Dragonspawn abomination :smalltongue:Blah, LA. Besides, don't you have to roll for the bonus casting?

[faceroll]

Blah, LA. Besides, don't you have to roll for the bonus casting?

Yeah, but I suppose as DM, you can just make an arbitrary number of dragonspawn kobolds until you get the one you want.

[Greenish]

A level 4 venerable dragonwrought kobold adept with loredrake and spellhoarding casts as a second level wizard and a 4th level adept, with a CR of only 1.Spellhoarding is -4 wis, so non-elite array wouldn't be enough to cast the adept's 1st level spells even as venerable.

Of course, elite array would be enough.

[faceroll]

Spellhoarding is -4 wis, so non-elite array wouldn't be enough to cast the adept's 1st level spells even as venerable.

Of course, elite array would be enough.

13+3-4 = 12. That's plenty.
starting Array:
str 12 dex 11 con 10 int 9 wis 13 cha 8

end up with 8 13 8 14 12 11

[Greenish]

13+3-4 = 12. That's plenty.
starting Array:
str 12 dex 11 con 10 int 9 wis 13 cha 8

end up with 8 13 8 14 12 11Isn't non-elite array the 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10 most monsters come decked with?

[faceroll]

Isn't non-elite array the 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10 most monsters come decked with?

From the SRD:
Nonelite Array

The nonelite array is: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8. The nonelite array does not necessarily make a monster better than normal, but it does customize the monster as an individual with strengths and weaknesses compared to a typical member of its race. The nonelite array is most appropriate for monsters who add class levels in a NPC class.

From the Kobold entry on the SRD:
The kobold warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.
Challenge Rating

Kobolds with levels in NPC classes have a CR equal to their character level -3.




I am a chronic over-optimizer of my NPCs. :smalleek:

[Greenish]

Ah, my bad then.

[dextercorvia]

I'm a fan of giving them the Dragon Tail feat from RotD. Using the Half-Minotaur template on them is also fun.

[term1nally s1ck]

Power Word: Pain 1/day.

[Jack_Simth]

Ahh, sounds like a cheap trick then.
Yes. Loredrake. Available for true dragons, reduces racial hit dice to d10's, increases sorcerer casting by 2. The Dragonwraught feat gives Kobolds the dragon type, and a combination of Races of the Dragon and the Draconomicon was nice enough to accidentally arrange for kobolds to qualify as True Dragons with that feat (age category stuffs).

So theoretically, with the Greater Draconic Rite of Passage, Dragonwraught, and Loredrake, you can have a Kobold Sorcerer-6 that casts as a Sorcerer-9, with no further effort. Then there's spellhoarding (also mentioned) which changes a Dragon's casting to Wizard, rather than Sorcerer. So that's casting as a Wizard-9, at 6th level. Tier-1, and strong for a tier-1, even.

It gets better.

Due to a line in the Draconomicon, any True dragon of Old age or higher can take Epic feats. A Dragonwrought Kobold technically qualifies as a True Dragon. Now, there's not a lot of Epic feats that don't have high ability or skill requirements, but hey: Have fun when you've got 30 Old Kobold Warrior-4's who all have Epic Toughness (+30 HP), and they're only CR 1.

[Coidzor]

Isn't non-elite array the 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10 most monsters come decked with?

That's the standard array.

[term1nally s1ck]

No, standard array is 13 12 11 10 9 8.

The elite array is 15 14 13 12 10 8.

Standard stats for monsters is 11 11 11 10 10 10

[Drachasor]

Yes. Loredrake. Available for true dragons, reduces racial hit dice to d10's, increases sorcerer casting by 2. The Dragonwraught feat gives Kobolds the dragon type, and a combination of Races of the Dragon and the Draconomicon was nice enough to accidentally arrange for kobolds to qualify as True Dragons with that feat (age category stuffs).

Wow, Loredrake sounds pretty broken for even for non-kobold dragons.

[Coidzor]

Wow, Loredrake sounds pretty broken for even for non-kobold dragons.

Considering the amount of HD and Dragons in general, it's barely enough to get their casting to be more than an afterthought until you've got insane-old dragons in play anyway.


No, standard array is 13 12 11 10 9 8.

The elite array is 15 14 13 12 10 8.

Standard stats for monsters is 11 11 11 10 10 10

The d20srd (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm), while I cannot find where it defines the standard array, defines that first array as the nonelite array and defines a standard array as separate from the nonelite and elite arrays.


Ability Score Arrays

Monsters are assumed to have completely average (or standard) ability scores—a 10 or an 11 in each ability, as modified by their racial bonuses. However, improved monsters are individuals and often have better than normal ability scores, and usually make use of either the elite array or the nonelite array of ability scores. Monsters who improve by adding a template, and monsters who improve by increasing their Hit Dice, may use any of the three arrays (standard, nonelite, or elite). Any monster unique enough to be improved could easily be considered elite.
Elite Array

The elite array is: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. While the monster has one weakness compared to a typical member of its race, it is significantly better overall. The elite array is most appropriate for monsters who add levels in a player character class.
Nonelite Array

The nonelite array is: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8. The nonelite array does not necessarily make a monster better than normal, but it does customize the monster as an individual with strengths and weaknesses compared to a typical member of its race. The nonelite array is most appropriate for monsters who add class levels in a NPC class.

[term1nally s1ck]

Ah, I am corrected. How odd. I shall do my best to remember that.