Substitute for Goblins in LMoP

[strix]

Howdy!

I'm gonna be running the Lost Minds pregen soon to kick off my campaign. However, in the world I've created, I can't have Goblins and Hobgoblins be the baddies. I don't have the MM yet, so I was wondering if those that do could give me some ideas for some good substitutions.

Ideally it would be creatures that have some basic form of societal structure, chain of command, etc., are able to speak (or learn) common, and can easily be plugged into the prebuilt encounters (same CR/difficulty).

I'm really open to any ideas of less "common" creatures (not goblins, orcs, the standards). Demons and Devils would be cool.

Thanks in advance!

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Acolyte of the Skin cult of humans, with leaders gaining magical power through their demon skins

Degenerate ancient cyclopeans, a dying race that is so locked into its patterns that they will die rather than change

A bunch of kobolds dressed up as goblins to throw playersoff

EDIT:

Run with this "Lost Minds of Phandelver" theme and make every single enemy intellect devourers

[Yorrin]

Just looking through the creatures of the same CR (1/4) as Goblins that are available outside of MM. Acolyte could be interesting. Sprite could be VERY interesting if you do it right. Skeletons/Zombies are a 1st level classic.

To replace the bugbear you've got an Imp for the Acolytes, a Ghoul for the undead, and perhaps a mind-controlled Dire Wolf or Brown Bear for the Sprites? That should get you started at least.

[strix]

RE: "Lost Minds" - I didn't even notice, and that is hilarious. I'm sorely tempted to do it.

RE: Acolyte of the Skin - this is an incredibly creepy idea. I may use it at some point.

Are there any suggestions for creatures that are in the MM? I'm going to pick it up next week, I just want to get started on the fluff changes now.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[AugustNights]

I'm running it with all the same mechanics, but calling the goblins and hob-goblins wild elves, and the bugbears as Drowned, and the Black Spider as an Orc with a distracting name.
Only problem I've had is that I've accidentally called 3 elves "Goblin" on accident and the players decided that was the particular elves' names.

No reas

[squashmaster]

Honestly this setting you've developed with goblinoids as being only good aligned is most intriguing. Or are your PCs only evil aligned, on the side of the goblinoids?

[stitchlipped]

One option from the MM would be to replace the goblins with kobolds. They fill a similar niche.

You'd have to use a few more to make up for the loss of CR in hobgoblin encounters. Give class levels to kobolds who are meant to replace leaders and maybe add the half-dragon template to kobolds replacing bugbears.

Honestly though, there are plenty of creatures in MM that could fill the same niche.

I think the best advice would simply be to wait until you have a copy and pick for yourself - no one is better able to populate your game world than you, after all.

[LtDarien]

Really you can just reflavor the goblins to something else. Use their stats but describe them differently. You're players won't know the difference.

[Balyano]

Really you can just reflavor the goblins to something else. Use their stats but describe them differently. You're players won't know the difference.

This was my thought, and I know what to re-fluff them as. Have them be the terrifyingly deformed player race known as ''halflings''...*shudder*...creepy looking critters, and I hear they cant keep their hands out of other peoples pockets.