Goblins in OOTS

[The Witch-King]

Since Redcloak and other goblin characters are portrayed as the same size as Hobgoblins and other medium creatures in the comic, I assume Rich's goblins are Medium creatures and not Small creatures. Is there any other difference between "standard" goblins and hobgoblins and how they are portrayed in the comic?

[Sunken Valley]

Yes the Hobgoblins are orange. Goblins are green.

[Ancalagon]

And if The Goblins were in OotS, they'd do some serious ass-kicking! :smallbiggrin:

[irenicObserver]

I think the only difference is artistic representation.

[Ranzear]

Was it just Sylphs that were lampooned as being strangely medium sized or was the same jest made towards Goblins at some point? I cant quite recall...

[Ancalagon]

Both.

Rich's sylphs as well as goblins are medium-sized when they should not be according to the rules. This probably has to do with artistic freedom, style, and also to make the goblins from the first comics to look more like a threat (than half-sized enemies would be).

[Gift Jeraff]

Both.

Rich's sylphs as well as goblins are medium-sized when they should not be according to the rules. This probably has to do with artistic freedom, style, and also to make the goblins from the first comics to look more like a threat (than half-sized enemies would be).Ranzear was asking if the comic ever made a joke about goblin size, like Roy's "inexplicably medium-sized" comment. To the best of my memory, there hasn't been any joke like that for goblins.

[AutomatedTeller]

Well, a party that kills chimeras, dragons and goes after liches without too much of a 2nd thought runs away from relatively small numbers of goblins on a regular basis... so I'd say they are probably more powerful than we think... unless Belkar is fighting them one on one, of course. In which case, they are weak enough that he doesn't even get XP for 'em ;)

[KoboldRevenge]

@^ You didn't take into account Belkar is a Bad@$$. I mean did you even see what he said in the last panel?:smalltongue:

[super dark33]

he first introduced goblins in the first strip.
he made them medium sized so they will look more threatning to the party.

[Dr.Epic]

I know they don't try people into eating something that turns them into plants. That's a different story.

But yeah, I think the only changes Rich made to goblins is size and color. And that was so we'd take Red Cloak more seriously and so we could tell goblins from hobgoblins.

[Procyonpi]

Regular sized slyph (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0087.html)

[Gift Jeraff]

Regular sized slyph (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0087.html)I think that's a pixie. Or maybe a grig, since it's closer to Blackwing and Qarr's size (tiny), but the description doesn't really match. There was a discussion about it a while back, but I forgot what the conclusion was (if any). She might be labelled something in the board game.

Are regular 3.5 sylphs small or tiny?

[Shadowleaf]

I think that's a pixie. Or maybe a grig, since it's closer to Blackwing and Qarr's size (tiny), but the description doesn't really match. There was a discussion about it a while back, but I forgot what the conclusion was (if any). She might be labelled something in the board game.

Are regular 3.5 sylphs small or tiny?
Small. That's almost certainly a Pixie in the comic.

[King of Nowhere]

Is there any other difference between "standard" goblins and hobgoblins and how they are portrayed in the comic?

Yes, goblins and hobgoblins in the comic have personality and purpose, while the "standard" representation of those races is an xp fodder gang of indistinguishable mooks.

[thereaper]

I'm waiting for the bugbears. I mean, seriously, it's about time the third goblin subrace made its appearance.

[Steward]

I really like the way goblins are portrayed in this series. Not just the size change (which I think was a great idea for the reasons already mentioned) but the fact that they seem like real people in the way the faceless, mindless mooks that you usually see aren't. You get the feeling that they continue to exist even when they're not on panel.

[The Witch-King]

There's an Order of the Stick Wiki and it has an entry on goblins:

http://oots.wikia.com/wiki/Goblins


I really like the way goblins are portrayed in this series. Not just the size change (which I think was a great idea for the reasons already mentioned) but the fact that they seem like real people in the way the faceless, mindless mooks that you usually see aren't. You get the feeling that they continue to exist even when they're not on panel.

+1 to this.

[Quackenbush]

What about the other goblin's? On Redcloaks Gobbotopia flag (I don't know the number) there were 3 circles at the bottom; green, orange, and another color (I forget what). When is this 3rd goblin type going to make the scene?

[Gift Jeraff]

It was a brown star (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0702.html), and definitely referring to bugbears, the third major variety of goblinoids (as mentioned earlier in the thread).

They were briefly seen in SoD's crayon segment. They're yellow with a lot of hair, IIRC.

[The Witch-King]

Just out of curiosity: Does anyone recall if we've ever seen a female goblin or hobgoblin in a capacity other than mother/homemaker? I can't recall seeing a single female goblin or hobgoblin character of note.

[Gift Jeraff]

There's a female hobgoblin cleric here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0779.html).

[The Witch-King]

There's a female hobgoblin cleric here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0779.html).

Cool. Thanks!

[Bulldog Psion]

Just out of curiosity: Does anyone recall if we've ever seen a female goblin or hobgoblin in a capacity other than mother/homemaker? I can't recall seeing a single female goblin or hobgoblin character of note.

Mother/homemaker isn't a character of note? :smallconfused:

[SowZ]

Mother/homemaker isn't a character of note? :smallconfused:

Storywise, no. Wouldn't pose any threat to the party.

[Doug Lampert]

Storywise, no. Wouldn't pose any threat to the party.

There have been any number of females with weapons. The bathroom scene alone had two, the throne room even more. Goblins other than redcloak are largely either mooks or clerics, we've seen female goblins in both roles.

[SowZ]

There have been any number of females with weapons. The bathroom scene alone had two, the throne room even more. Goblins other than redcloak are largely either mooks or clerics, we've seen female goblins in both roles.

Oh, I was replying to Bulldog's 'mothers aren't characters of note?' and I was saying, "Not in this story."

I haven't noticed a presence of or lack of female warrior goblins so it is a little interesting that they are there.

[Geordnet]

I find this discussion on sizes pretty ironic. After all, the average height of a goblin was six-to-twelve inches before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Elves too for that matter.

In fact, Tolkien would have stuck with the name "Fairies" if he hadn't learned by then that nobody would take him seriously. As it was, he barely got "Elves/Dwarves" instead of "elfs/dwarfs". Oh, and let's not forget about "Dwarrows" either...

[Stick81]

Honestly I would like to see a Goblinscomic version of the Order of the Stick. I know that is totally of subject, but it just popped up in my head.

[Bleak Ink]

Honestly I would like to see a Goblinscomic version of the Order of the Stick. I know that is totally of subject, but it just popped up in my head.

You know what you did today? You made a friend. Hi, I'm Bleak and I approve your message.

[t209]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0105.html
There's another female goblin on the right!

[Draconi Redfir]

Honestly I would like to see a Goblinscomic version of the Order of the Stick. I know that is totally of subject, but it just popped up in my head.

You know what you did today? You made a friend. Hi, I'm Bleak and I approve your message.

What she said^


I'm waiting for the bugbears. I mean, seriously, it's about time the third goblin subrace made its appearance.

Hi.

[The Witch-King]

Honestly I would like to see a Goblinscomic version of the Order of the Stick. I know that is totally of subject, but it just popped up in my head.

+1 definitely. Someone should get to work on that now.