Kobolds?

[koboldish]

I have recently started playing D&D 3.5. I know somebody has probably already posted this, but I'm am relatively new. I love Kobolds, and was wondering if there was a way to make them work as well as other races. Thanks. :smallsmile:

[Pokonic]

Theres a couple of fixes around, but RoTD is your one-stop shop for everything to make 'bolds work.

[Gwendol]

Try google: Pun-Pun

Have fun reading!

[koboldish]

I have seen many Pun-Pun builds, but my DM does not like cheese and loopholes and such. I will be getting RoTD soon, but I do not have it yet.

[Flickerdart]

Theres a couple of fixes around, but RoTD is your one-stop shop for everything to make 'bolds work.
Actually, it's not. What you want is the free Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a).

[missmvicious]

At what level?

And work in what way? If there's one thing this Playground can do, it's optimize. Somebody here can help you build a perfectly capable Kobold who can stand his ground with any other PC in the group... but you may need to explain what you want the thing to do first.

Seeing as they're DEX based, I'm thinking Scout, Rogue, Ranger, Wizard, in that order of preference.

Prime up DEX and WIS and run through the woods turning enemies into porcupines as a scout. That Skirmish ability is pretty nice if you stay mobile (which you should probably move around a little after every attack anyway to stay hidden), and it will allow you to make STR an easy dump stat.

Incidentally, Scout is found in Complete Adventurer, page 10. All the rest of the classes I listed are found in the PHB.

[Treblain]

There are many ways to make kobolds good, without even getting into Pun-Pun or Dragonwrought kobolds. Draconic Rite of Passage, Slight Build abuse, desert kobolds, trapmaking, dragonblood abilities...

[motoko's ghost]

My favourite kobold build was actually a rogue/ bard based on leadership, basically started up the fantasy equivalent of the mafia:smallbiggrin: good times, good times

[Fyermind]

Kobolds are great even without all the things WoTC did to make them stronger. At the cost of an ability you will never use (str), and one you hope not to use much (con), you get a +3 racial bonus to AC (+1 Natural armor, +1 size, +1 from the dex bonus) it is as if someone wanted to break spellcasting (more). Anyway, with Desert kobold you take a hit to wis instead of con, and you are set to ensorcel to your hearts content.
If this is not good enough for your level of op, dragonwrought for +3 to you mentals and loredrake to alter self (wyrmiling shadow dragon) at level 2. You will never get hit in melee again.

Rite of Draconic Passage is great for Identify. Who needs detect magic when you can cast Identify for free once per day?

Kobolds can also be dragonborn to grab a breath weapon and a con boost. That frees up low level magic to do non damaging things, which is nice because at level 15, none of your level 1 damaging spells will be worth squat.

If you gain armor proficiency (say through the combat dragon thing from Dragons of Ebberon) you can trade it for a draconic husk (Dragon magic) for armor with no spell failure that grants resistances. Great at low levels especially. If your DM doesn't like Loredrake, they might still let you get away with that. Gish kobolds. What will they think of next. That might be a time to use the battle sorcerer varients from Unearthed arcana and Complete mage for a d8 HD, +2 hp/level, and some weapon proficiencies. With all that down and a few dragony spells, you are essentially a small/tiny dragon from level 1. Flavorful and decently optimized.

[NineThePuma]

Actually, it's not. What you want is the free Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a).

Seconding this.

You can play a Fighter, though I wouldn't recommend it. The best Kobold build is actually stealthy, like Rogue, or a caster.

[Piggy Knowles]

I really like kobold bards at low levels. Free web enhancement gives them a claw/claw/bite attack routine. Dragonfire Inspiration will give you +1d6 fire damage on all your attacks. I know that three attacks that deal 1d3+1d6 at first level isn't mind-blowing or anything, but it's honestly both less situational and more generally useful than the rogue's sneak attack.

[lord pringle]

Tiny Von BigMcHugeLarge? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132294)

[Greenish]

The best Kobold build is actually stealthy, like Rogue, or a caster.Yeah. A swordsage isn't a bad idea, you can wrangle out rather decent AC and stealth bonuses with damage and other utility from the class. Natural weapons come in handy with SA or boosts that give each attack extra damage.

[Treblain]

Or a kobold stoneblessed Goliath Barbarian. Small most of the time, tiny when he needs to be, LARGE WHEN HE RAGES! :smallsmile:

I love how the RotD web enhancement explicitly notes in the natural attack sidebar how the ability doesn't hold up to aggressive min-maxing PCs. They wrote this stuff, were aware of min-maxing, and still missed the point. Their idea of "aggressive min-maxing" was having a -4 STR kobold go into melee without Weapon Finesse or any means of increasing damage. :smallmad:

[Rubik]

Tiny Von BigMcLargeHuge? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132294)Take Human Heritage to qualify. :smallamused:

(Also, FTFY)

[Dr.Epic]

I have recently started playing D&D 3.5. I know somebody has probably already posted this, but I'm am relatively new. I love Kobolds, and was wondering if there was a way to make them work as well as other races. Thanks. :smallsmile:

I love kobolds too! They taste delicious!

Also, for badass kobolds, two words (kind of): Pun-Pun.

[NineThePuma]

Pun-Pun isn't badass. He's aggravating.

[motoko's ghost]

Pun-Pun isn't badass. He's aggravating.
Seconded. Motion carried.:smalltongue:

[erikun]

I'm more of a gnome fan myself, so I'm not sure where the good kobold information is located. There are a few good points to make for them, beyond on the end of a kebab. :smalltongue:

Basic kobolds (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/kobold.htm) have +2 Dex, -2 Con, small size, 30' movement, and darkvision. Oh, and a bunch of other things that a lot of characters won't care about, like -4 Str. (Don't be a big melee guy.) Overall, they're probably a better wizard than elves, which says more about how bad elves are than anything, and can make a good rogue or sorcerer as well.

One re-write of kobolds give them Slight Build, which gives them, if I recall, another +4 to hide checks. It also means you can fit four in a square, or pass unhindered through any squares occupied by large-sized or larger creatures, and can enter enemy squares whenever you wish.

Draconic Rite of Passage and/or other options give some nice buffs to Kobold Sorcerers.

[motoko's ghost]

I'm more of a gnome fan myself, so I'm not sure where the good kobold information is located. There are a few good points to make for them, beyond on the end of a kebab. :smalltongue:


Compromise then, play a kobold stoneblessed blade bravo:smallbiggrin:

[Greenish]

One re-write of kobolds give them Slight Build, which gives them, if I recall, another +4 to hide checks. It also means you can fit four in a square, or pass unhindered through any squares occupied by large-sized or larger creatures, and can enter enemy squares whenever you wish.Slight Build is a mirror of Powerful Build. Both have much more limited effect than just "you get all the benefits from another size category".

Point being, Slight Build doesn't change the space you occupy in combat or your movement options.

[Rubik]

Slight Build is a mirror of Powerful Build. Both have much more limited effect than just "you get all the benefits from another size category".

Point being, Slight Build doesn't change the space you occupy in combat or your movement options.And yet if you're clever, it can still be extremely powerful.

A RotD kobold can squeeze through a space the size of an apple. This makes Tucker's Kobolds considerably more difficult to deal with.