Wish Goblin [PEACH]

[kinem]

Wish Goblin

Stats: As per Goblin

Wish goblins are very rarely born in tribes of ordinary goblins. There are reports of entire tribes of the creatures.

Appearance: A wish goblin has a round blue mark on its forehead. After it has used its wish, the mark fades to black.

Wish (sp): Once in its lifetime, the wish goblin can cast wish as a spell-like ability. (Caster level as total HD; save DC 17 (Cha-based)). The goblin cannot be magically compelled to use its wish (e.g. by dominate person).

While its wish has the potential to grant the goblin considerable wealth, most wish goblins are extremely reluctant to use up their one wish that they will be able to get during their lifetimes, that which makes them special, after which such a goblin will be nothing more than an ordinary goblin - a has-been. As a result, it is not unusual for a wish goblin to die without ever having used its wish.

Wish goblins as characters:
No LA, but treat the wish as 25k gp worth of starting wealth. The PC must start at high enough level to be allowed that much starting wealth.

[Realms of Chaos]

1. You may want to specify that the wish cannot be used under magical duress. Otherwise, Dominate Person against a creature with horrible will saves becomes a Wish spell. Not that balanced if it comes up.
2. You may want to specify that players aren't to be wish goblins (or else you might as well hand your players 25k in gear at level 1.

[kinem]

RoC, #1 might be a good idea. Thanks.

I'd say that a PC could play a wish goblin at a high enough level, but the wish would count as 25k of starting gear.

[Mith]

There are reports of entire tribes of the creatures.

So this is theoretically a genetic trait where if two Wish Goblins have children, there is a good chance that the children will also be Wish Goblins? This is kinda scary, since a powerful wizard could start a cult in one of these tribes that results in them having a whole lot of Wishes because to use your Wish to benefit your leader, you are rewarded with honor over bettering the lot of the tribe.

[Debihuman]

Most goblins are stupid and wish for stupid things anyway. I don't see them having the patience to hold onto their wishes. Most of them would wish they could fly or be invisible or breathe underwater. Of course a tribe of flying goblins could be interesting. That doesn't mean that they fly well or even right-side up.

Debby

[kinem]

Goblins on average have no penalty to Int or Wis compared to humans, though the sample goblin warrior is less wise than average.

Their culture typically doesn't value impulse control much, true.

I'd say that wish goblins can't use their wish until they become adults, so they are used to not getting it right away. Some of them would use it as soon as they can, but others are too afraid to waste it and lose their potential.

[Dornith]

I can see them waiting if the general culture around them is to wait. As mentioned, they tend to live together in tribes so they'd probably pick up habits from each other.

[Mith]

Can you wish for a bloodline trait? As in "I wish for myself and all my descendants to have the Fast healing that will be negated by fire or acid." And then the other partner in founding this family line does a similar wish but for fire immunity. The end result is basically a troll immune to fire for as long as the bloodline lasts.

[kinem]

No. See the spell description (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wish.htm).

For example, a permanent ability (just for one person) is like a slotless magic item, which is twice the regular price. So if you wish for permanent fire immunity, the best you can get is fire resistance 10 (slotless minor ring of energy resistance (fire), cost: 24k). It would not be hereditary, of course. Permanent fast healing is an epic ring and so well beyond the spell's power.

[Mith]

OK. It still seems a bit game breaking to me to have a whole tribe of these creatures though.

[EdroGrimshell]

OK. It still seems a bit game breaking to me to have a whole tribe of these creatures though.

Make the leader punish others into using their wish for him to use if they do something against the tribe, then he could do things like force wishes to provide bonuses to him, then make them innate, then make them hereditary. It's how you use multiple wishes to make something like that work. It'd simultaneously be a punishment and a way to strengthen the tribe as a whole over time. Though doing it too much and/or without reason could easily cause a revolt that'd leave them cast out from the tribe, so it'd self balance, I think.

EDIT: I know Wishes don't have rules for this, but it's an open ended spell that could easily be used in that way. I've actually done so with a ring of three wishes on one of my characters, same with another character that managed to get his hands on a Noble Djinni, who was the descendant of the first character and had the same bonuses, it was much fun, especially when we encountered other descendants down the line.

[jiriku]

It's an intriguing idea. Goblins have a culture and live a life that is nasty, brutish and short. They don't don't respect one another as individuals and they're traditionally of the opinion that the only thing making one goblin better than the goblin next to him is whether he's quicker with a knife. Wish goblins create a new dimension to their society. Some of them are inherently special, but their uniqueness only exists as the ability to sacrifice that which makes them special. Once it uses its wish, a wish goblin might be forever haunted by regret, wondering whether the wish was used unwisely or too soon. Much like how people who win a lottery are often poor again within a few years, I'd imagine that most wish goblins who wish for wealth or material possessions lack the wisdom to manage their newfound wealth and quickly end up poor again, only now without their wish. It's a sad kind of gift, really.

[kinem]

Thanks, jiirku. Well said.

[IllogicalBlox]

That is a pretty cool idea.

But, just imagine the players if a wish goblin jumped out at them, and the 5 level 14 adventurers are so scared of it they turn and run.

[NickChaisson]

I LOVE this idea. so using this in my next campaign. I like the suggestion on limiting selection of this race based on money and not just LA.
I would imagine these wish goblins would be feared by their normal goblin tribesfolk.
I could so see a dragon having a bunch of these guys around.

Thanks for the awesome idea! ^_^

[kinem]

You're welcome :)

[ben-zayb]

It's funny how Wish Goblins can accidentally screw themselves with poorly worded wishes that end up like Planar Binding, Plane Shift, Polymorph and Object, etc.

[Realms of Chaos]

My last real concern with these things are CR. How on earth do you calculate the CR for what is a normal warrior 1 99% of the time but that can throw out a single Flamestrike (and that has no reason not to take out attackers if it would die either way).

[kinem]

I'd say that given the low caster level, a wish goblin is an Encounter Level of about 7. Basically, treat it much like a magical trap.

[Arkhaic]

I altered the wish goblin's ability to create rings of infinite wishes and other such monstrosities, reformatted the text for aesthetics and modified the section on Wealth by Level. Otherwise, it should be mostly untouched.

The Wish Goblin

DESCRIPTION
Save for the Wish Mark upon their forehead, wish goblins are identical to their less-magical kin. A wish goblin stands 3 to 3½ feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Its eyes are usually dull and glazed, varying in color from red to yellow. A wish goblin’s skin color ranges from yellow through any shade of orange to a deep red; usually all members of a single tribe are about the same color. Wish goblins wear clothing of dark leather, tending toward drab, soiled-looking colors. A wish goblin has a round blue mark on its forehead. After it has used its wish, the mark fades to black.

Wish goblins are very rarely born in tribes of ordinary goblins; however, there are reports of entire tribes of the creatures. While its wish has the potential to grant the goblin considerable wealth, most wish goblins are extremely reluctant to use up their one wish that they will be able to get during their lifetimes, that which makes them special, after which such a goblin will be nothing more than an ordinary goblin - a has-been. As a result, it is not unusual for a wish goblin to die without ever having used its wish.

Language
Wish goblins speak Goblin; those with Intelligence scores of 12 or higher also speak Common.

Wish Goblin Racial Traits
Abilities: -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma.
Size: Small
Type: Humanoid (Goblinoid)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Small Size: +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits ¾ those of Medium characters.
Darkvision: Out to 60 ft.
Wish Mark (Sp): Once in its lifetime a wish goblin may cast Wish as a spell-like ability. Caster level equal to hit dice; save DC 19 + the wish goblin's Cha modifier. Unlike a normal spell-like ability, the Wish Mark reduces the total experience point cost by 5000 XP but otherwise still incurs an experience point cost; similarly, no experience point costs are incurred when used to create or improve a magic item with a base price not exceeding 25,000 GP. Any material component of the Wish must be supplied. No effect short of a Wish or Miracle may duplicate, remove, exchange, alter or otherwise effect the wish mark. In addition, a wish goblin may not be compelled to use its Wish Mark by any effect short of a Wish or Miracle.
Skills: +4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Ride checks.
Languages: Automatic: Common, Goblin. Bonus: Draconic, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Orc.
Favored Class:
LA: +0
Special: If they have not already used their Wish Mark, a wish goblin player character must expend 25,000 GP from their Wealth by Level to begin play; this effectively means that they may not enter play until 8th level. If the Wish Mark is expended while in play, it is the DM's responsibility to ensure that the wish goblin reaches the same wealth as the rest of the party in a timely, if not necessarily immediate manner.