Encounter Crafting~

[tortor]

Just pondering, I need a CR 11 encounter using Goblins.

I could just use a metric crap ton of goblins, but I was hoping to get some ideas of OTHER creatures that hang out with goblins, or ways to make goblins a bit more frightening than Average.

I am HOPING to have maybe 9 or 10 creatures total

[Enguebert]

Barghest (they can take the form of a goblin)

Or the psionic goblin (don't remember the name) from Psionic Book

[TuggyNE]

Advance goblins with suitable character classes?

[tortor]

No one likes a classy goblin~

[Rabidmuskrat]

Infinite goblins, grouped into 'squads' that operate like swarms.

Basically, the goblins keep coming until certain conditions are met. In order to keep down overhead of playing all these goblins, group them twelve - twelve into 'huge creatures' with attack values as if 50% of the group is using aid another and two or three attacks. HP = 50% * 12 * goblin HP. AC = goblin AC. Saves same as goblin saves.

The only special consideration you would have to keep in mind is in the case of AOE spells/abilities, so let attacks like whirlwind do x3 damage and spells like fireball do x2 (the crispy remains of their mates shield some of them from the blast).

You can spawn 1-2 of these squads every round until the PCs kill the leader/use the macguffin/collapse the tunnels/run away/get captured or whatever.

[Red Fel]

Tucker's Goblins (http://www.tuckerskobolds.com/)?

[lytokk]

Goblins riding Wargs is always a fun little challenge, especially ones with ride by attack. Or give the wargs a pounce ability to take a PC to the ground, with a goblin on top with a spear. Could always put some gnolls in the group too, maybe even an ogre mage.

You could also give the goblins a situational advantage, high up on a rock hill firing down at the PCs. The angle can give the gobbys a concealment bonus, and if the PCs get too close, they can always unleash a rockslide. Keep them in small groups not close enough for a fireball to get more than 1 cluster of them.

[tortor]

In regards to Tuckers Kobolds.. I did that once, I gave them masterwork crossbowss and had them hiding in alcoves etc, oodles of fun. ;3

[Maginomicon]

There's a "Mob" template in DMG2 IIRC. It acts mechanically almost as if one creature, but in fluff it's a ravenous mob of many of the base creature.

[Red Fel]

In regards to Tuckers Kobolds.. I did that once, I gave them masterwork crossbowss and had them hiding in alcoves etc, oodles of fun. ;3

Precisely.

Raising the CR doesn't have to mean adding templates, adding class levels, or making a monster tougher.

It can mean making the monster smart enough to use tactics.

[nedz]

It can mean making the monster smart enough to use tactics.

Monsters should always use tactics.

I'd consider something like
1x8th level caster + 6x5th level rogues
or
1x7th level caster + 7x5th level rogues
depending upon what you chose for your caster.

A Cleric or Bard is the obvious choice, though a Beguiler would be fun too.

These are both ECL 11 (http://www.d20srd.org/extras/d20encountercalculator/)

An ambush is the obvious tactic, though hit and run might be more interesting since ambushes are quite common. Just make sure that they use a lot of deception, because goblins.

[John Longarrow]

tortor

Ever study the tactics used in Vietnam? Between spider holes, simple traps, and lots and lots and lots of continued contact with small groups you can keep ANY force locked down and enguaged.

The trick is that no one item is all that dangerous. It is the continual, relentless pounding that the party faces that makes the fight difficult. Treat it more as a type of terrain than an encounter, at least in how you lay out the fight.

If the party is in area X, they get attacked by 1-4 goblins per round. They also get hit with A,B,C traps or nasty tricks.