Varying my Goblinoid Weaponry

[eastmabl]

In an adventure that I have a new group of players running through, they are faced off against a tribe of goblins as their antagonists. As a result, a number of fights involve them fighting MM-standard goblins with shortbows and scimitars. While I know the goblin stats in and out, it seems boring to always face the same goblins. To vary things up, I want to have them face goblins with different weapon loadouts.

My question is: what weapons should I use?

My guidelines are that the goblins aren't foolish and will use weapons which favor their dexterity over strength. Additionally, the goblins have been raiding caravans over the last several months, meaning that they likely have ready access to the full range of humanoid weapons. Edit: They also need to be stealthy, so weapons that set enemies and the scenery on fire draws unwanted attention.

Thanks!

[Glarnog]

Throwing oil and lit torches.

[MrStabby]

Throwing oil and lit torches.

Yes. Lots of this.

Alchemists fire, acid vials, caltrops... the works!

[eastmabl]

Let's add one further stricture to the post: the goblinoids are relying on stealth to move about the backwoods without detection.

Fire and stealth typically don't go hand in hand.

[Slipperychicken]

Slings, crossbows, knives, shortswords, nets, and whips. Shortswords and crossbows would probably go to the higher-ranking goblins, but they're all pretty basic weapons which fit with goblin fluff.

If your campaign is sufficiently light-hearted, you could even have a goblin Inigo Montoya expy come at them with a rapier, while accusing them of murdering his father. Though I imagine this may occur some time after they defeat the goblin tribe.

[Feddlefew]

Let's add one further stricture to the post: the goblinoids are relying on stealth to move about the backwoods without detection.

Fire and stealth typically don't go hand in hand.

Are they trying to stay undetected, or moving into position for an all-out attack? Alchemist's fire (it ignites when exposed to air) or acid should work in the second case, but not the first.

I would recommend crude machetes (stat as falchions scimitars) and poisoned blowdarts, personally. Maybe give a few of them javelins as a secondary weapon.

Edit: Bahh, wrong weapon.

[MrStabby]

Let's add one further stricture to the post: the goblinoids are relying on stealth to move about the backwoods without detection.

Fire and stealth typically don't go hand in hand.

Well you can set fires to use the smoke to screen your movement or as a diversion.

[HoarsHalberd]

Whips. ;-) Also, nets to enable them to take down larger foes. Shortswords. Handcrossbows. Caltrops and ball bearings.

[Gwendol]

Nets, plenty of nets. Also, sharp things to poke the bigguns when they caught in net.

[MrStabby]

So ambush the PCs then?
Caltrops and ball bearings on the path to slow them down whilst they sneak into cover. Some throw oil and light it whilst others throw nets to restrain the PCs in the blaze? Whilst PCs are milling around with smoke in their eyes they are being shot at by bows and crossbows? Goblins retreat after the ambush but follow the party and attack again when they rest for the night?

[some guy]

Jars of sticky tar, bags full of bees, hungry rats in cages, boxes filled with dangerous spores.

[MrStabby]

...bear traps and snares in the road, poison coated arrows, tripwires between them and the party...

[Yrnes]

Homebrew your own goblin to give them some dynamic options and make them more memorable!

Feel free to use two of mine (https://www.dropbox.com/s/qrrazw4ua3a0k7l/Excerpt%20from%20New%20Twists%20on%20Old%20Monster s.pdf?dl=0) - the goblin biter and goblin wild soul. I excerpted it from my last document just to share with you!

[Yagyujubei]

Well you can set fires to use the smoke to screen your movement or as a diversion.

yeah no jokes. if I'm trying to sneak through the woods, and I set a group of trees 100 feet in the opposite direction on fire, bet you 10 bucks I have an easier time getting where i need to be undetected lol.

[Epoch]

Two aspect of goblins that I enjoy is that they are scavengers, and they are clever (which doesn't neccessarily mean intelligent). My goblins tend to wield arms and armor that have been ramshackled together or repurposed, because most things are simply too big for them to wield or wear comfortably, or perhaps mundane items that are just the right size. Some examples:

-A steak knife lashed to the end of a stick to make a spear.
-An old wooden leg used as a club.
-Two rusted cleavers welded together to make the head of a battleaxe.
-A ballpeen "warhammer".
-A Firepoker used as a halberd.
-The head of a morningstar made out of nails and broken glass.
-A tower shield made from a wagon wheel and pieces of sheet metal to fill in the gaps (even more fun if they can roll it along beside them on its axel to provide moving cover).
-Improvised gliding wings made from canvas, allowing them to swoop down from above like bats.

It really depends on how serious/absurd you want these goblins to be. Mine are typically on the comedic releif side, despite the fact that they can still murder you.

[Shining Wrath]

The bog-standard goblin is a nasty creature - neutral evil with all that implies.

I'd say they'd enjoy attacking at range with ambush weapons, so crossbows. Nets that let them kill helpless foes, or take prisoners for later torture and feasting.

See if you can come up with a cheap poison - not too effective, but maybe something that causes 1d3 rounds of nausea (DC 10 Con save negates).

Caltrops to cut off retreat.

[Feddlefew]

Two aspect of goblins that I enjoy is that they are scavengers, and they are clever (which doesn't neccessarily mean intelligent). My goblins tend to wield arms and armor that have been ramshackled together or repurposed, because most things are simply too big for them to wield or wear comfortably, or perhaps mundane items that are just the right size. Some examples:

-A steak knife lashed to the end of a stick to make a spear.
-An old wooden leg used as a club.
-Two rusted cleavers welded together to make the head of a battleaxe.
-A ballpeen "warhammer".
-A Firepoker used as a halberd.
-The head of a morningstar made out of nails and broken glass.
-A tower shield made from a wagon wheel and pieces of sheet metal to fill in the gaps (even more fun if they can roll it along beside them on its axel to provide moving cover).
-Improvised gliding wings made from canvas, allowing them to swoop down from above like bats.

It really depends on how serious/absurd you want these goblins to be. Mine are typically on the comedic releif side, despite the fact that they can still murder you.

I've been avoiding goblins for a long time, but your post has made me want to start using then again. :smallsmile:

[Yagyujubei]

hooked chains could add grapple and prone to the possibilities of an encounter.

or smoke bombs, or slings that have pouches filled with pepper and/or sand to explode in people eyes

[Epoch]

I've been avoiding goblins for a long time, but your post has made me want to start using then again. :smallsmile:

Oh wonderful! :D

Eastmabl, have you thought about what sort of armor you want them to wear, if any? I'm guessing stuff that wouldn't make too much noise if they're going for stealth? I'm picturing the standard ratty pieces of leather all stitched together, but it could also be interesting if they've been raiding Caravans to give the goblins some piecemeal armor made from clothing stuffs they plundered. I'm seeing goblins wearing chainmal coifs like shirts, using greives and bracers like small shields, sewing coins and trinkets to leather vests to make a sort of butted plate mail. Mixed that in with random bits of fine livery they ripped off of noble persons travelling the roads. Perhaps these goblins think that by wearing puffy shirts and fine stockings, they are like hunters that wear the skins of their prey.

[Mrmox42]

I have had Goblins throw Wasp's nests in among their enemies.
They also drove wild animals (a herd of wild cattle) in amongst their foe to sow confusion.

They would be hiding under leaves and use jagged knives to hamstring the PC's horses.

They would also go Viet Cong with all sorts of nasty pit traps, buckets with poisonous insects and great logs swinging out from the trees.

And, always popular, just being guerillas. Shooting, then running. Shooting from another direction. Running. Shooting Again and so on ad nauseum.

[Glarnog]

"It's all ball bearing these days"