Goblin characters in 5th?

[Iron Angel]

Is this possible? I have the MM and I see the stats for a Goblin but I'm not sure what I'm reading. I see plusses and minuses next to stats; Are those what I want? I kind of wish they hadn't made the idea so confusing.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

I don't have a DMG yet, so there may be some guidance there, but a Goblin PC would have whatever stats and abilities you make for it. You could use the MM entry for inspiration, but there's no system for converting it to a character.

[Daishain]

Is this possible? I have the MM and I see the stats for a Goblin but I'm not sure what I'm reading. I see plusses and minuses next to stats; Are those what I want? I kind of wish they hadn't made the idea so confusing.
Those would be the stats of a goblin you're likely to find out in the wild. They would not be the stats you would use as a goblin PC. The pluses and minuses in question would be the ability modifiers.

If you want to do this, you're going to have to work with your DM to come up with something appropriate, because there is no hard mechanic as of yet to allow it.

Generally speaking, a PC race gets a +2 to one stat, and a +1 to another, along with a collection of appropriate racial features. Take a look at what's in the PhB and model your goblin race off of what you can find there.

Alternatively, you can poach someone's homebrew. I believe that one of the forumgoers here have a goblin PC race ready to go, complete with multiple subraces. Find that, and it just becomes a matter of getting your DM to accept it.

[Iron Angel]

Alright, thanks for the insight guys. I'll whip something up with the DM whenever we decide we want to try 5th.

[Daishain]

Just found something. Its not the article I was thinking of, but even if you don't quite like it, it should serve as a reference.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?356829-PC-Goblins-for-D-amp-D-5E

[Iron Angel]

Thats actually pretty great! The overall fluff and the description of Forest Goblins suits me very well, as you can see from my avatar here.

[Shining Wrath]

I am not certain I would let a Goblin PC start out with the same plusses and minuses as a player from a standard race, because Goblins as a whole are not supposed to be a one-on-one match for Elves or Gnomes or what have you.

On the other hand, a Goblin PC presumably is exceptional, and should exceed the run-of-the-mill Goblin as an Human PC exceeds a Commoner.

[Envyus]

-2 str +2 Dex, Nimble Escape; Small size; darkvision 60ft.; speaks Common and Goblin

That's what a goblin gets according to the DMG.

This is what Nimble Escape does.


Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

Here's my take on a goblin PC race

Goblin PC
+2 dex
Proficient in Stealth
Dark Vision 60'
Speaks Common, Goblin
Nimble escape: can take the Disengage or Hide
action as a bonus action on each of its turns

Subrace:
Cave Goblin
+1 Con
Proficient in light armor, shields

Sewer Goblin
+1 Int, Cha or Wis
Speaks an additional language
Proficient in Deception or Survival

[Longcat]

Reflavor the Halfling or Gnome, which should be the simplest way.

[Envyus]

-2 str +2 Dex, Nimble Escape; Small size; darkvision 60ft.; speaks Common and Goblin

That's what a goblin gets according to the DMG.

This is what Nimble Escape does.

This is the DMG goblin and more or less the official goblin as mentioned.

[Inevitability]

Reflavor the Halfling or Gnome, which should be the simplest way.

This.

I have a player who is a halfling reflavored as kobold. It works out fine.