Make Kobolds Horrifying?

[atemu1234]

I need a way to scare some low level players a la heroes of horror suggestions; any ideas?

[The Glyphstone]

In terms of description, or as an encounter?

For just sounding creepy - they're dog-dragon-lizard-men who are so flexible they are practically boneless. Especially with the Slight Build ability - they're about as big as a human child, but can squeeze their entire body through a hole six inches across. Play that up, how they move not like something with a skeleton but more like a bunch of snakes with their tails knotted together inside a skin suit. Have them rotate their heads backwards like an owl. Make their speech super high-pitched on the verge of being ultrasonic, and describe how just listening to them yip-yap is like nails down a chalkboard.

For making Kobolds a horrifically deadly enemy to fight...

https://tuckerskobolds.com/

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

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

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?288440-3-5-Challenging-a-Party-of-Six#12

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?272735-Core-3-Tucker-s-Kobolds-Tactics-Sought#11

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?246708-Appropriate-challenges-for-an-E6-party#3

[Jopustopin]

Kobold (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) Barbarian (Pounce VariantCC, Whirling Frenzy VarientUA)
All their gold was spent on the Draconic Rite in Races of Dragon for a 1/day spell like ability. Pick Fist of Stone. They are naked.

Level 1 feat: Dragon TailRoD

Level 1, while raging, after casting Fist of Stone, built with elite array
Str 21 (15 for damage on non-slam attacks), Dex 12, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8

Charging: Slam/Slam +7 (1d6+5/x2) and claw +2 (1d3+1/x2) and bite +2 (1d4+1/x2) and Tail +2 (1d4+1/x2)


Depict them like wild dogs, they run on all four like mini velociraptors. They are deranged, fearless, and hungry. Describe them like the Reavers from Firefly. Self mutilated, etc.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

"Kobolds with levels in NPC classes have a CR equal to their character level -3. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/kobold.htm)"

A Kobold gets claw/claw/bite natural weapons and Slight Build (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a).

Dragonwrought feat, Races of the Dragon, makes it creature type: dragon and it now uses age categories (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm).

Dracolich template, Draconomicon, CR +3. It has a phylactery deep within the kobold lair, surrounded by corpses of lizardfolk and giant snakes (since it can only reform in a medium or larger reptilian or dragon corpse). To reach this room one must crawl through miles of tunnels of such a small diameter that a tiny size creature must squeeze. Kobolds can squeeze through due to their Slight Build.

Warrior 1, it gets a d12 HD, and the elite array (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#addingHitDice) (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8), and it's only CR 1.

Give it two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) for two extra feats. Draconomicon page 66: "Dragons of at least old age also can choose [epic] feats even if they have no class levels." Give it Epic Toughness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#epicToughness) twice for a total of 72 hp.

It has Control Undead which it would use on any undead creatures accompanying the party (DC 19).

It gets two claws at +2 (Str 15 base, -4 race, +1 BAB, +1 size) for 1d3 plus 1d6 cold plus paralyzing touch (DC 12 Fort, 2d6 rounds), and one bite at -3 for 1d3 plus 1d6 cold plus paralyzing touch.

It has a paralyzing gaze (40 ft., DC 12 Fort, 2d6 rounds).

It has SR 16, undead immunities, and it's immune to polymorph, cold, and electricity.

Its AC should be 21 (+3 natural armor from Kobold and Dracolich, +1 for size, +3 Dex (14 base, +2 race), and +4 Scale Mail).

It has 72 hp, and it's only CR 1.

[inuyasha]

-Snip-


You are HORRIBLE

That is the scariest use of math I have ever witnessed...

[VoxRationis]

Emphasize that they a) eat people, and b) don't like playing fair. Fill the area with traps, usually gruesome ones. Describe the traps as rusting and blood-dripping. Happen upon larders with half-dead humanoid victims missing limbs. Pepper the periphery of a kobold den's territory with archers who fire shots from hiding, taking advantage of long range and the sniping rules to remain hidden even as they do heavy crossbow damage (and of course they focus down lightly-armored characters, particularly wizards and rogues, first). Have kobolds flee, drawing the PCs deeper into the lair until the kobolds hit a critical mass, at which point they rush the PCs, trying to pull them down with sheer numbers, biting and clawing as they tear weapons away and start trying to drag the wizard off. Emphasize the benefits of darkvision—the lights go out as the PCs approach a chamber, and there are always eyes glinting in the dark just outside of the torchlight... Reinforce a sense of dread, and of the PCs being very much in hostile territory. The PCs might be stronger than even a good-sized group of kobolds, but the kobolds know the terrain and they see the PCs coming. They follow the PCs, just far enough to avoid retribution, waiting for a good moment to strike.

[Uncle Pine]

"Kobolds with levels in NPC classes have a CR equal to their character level -3. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/kobold.htm)"

A Kobold gets claw/claw/bite natural weapons and Slight Build (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a).

Dragonwrought feat, Races of the Dragon, makes it creature type: dragon and it now uses age categories (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm).

Dracolich template, Draconomicon, CR +3. It has a phylactery deep within the kobold lair, surrounded by corpses of lizardfolk and giant snakes (since it can only reform in a medium or larger reptilian or dragon corpse). To reach this room one must crawl through miles of tunnels of such a small diameter that a tiny size creature must squeeze. Kobolds can squeeze through due to their Slight Build.

Warrior 1, it gets a d12 HD, and the elite array (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#addingHitDice) (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8), and it's only CR 1.

Give it two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) for two extra feats. Draconomicon page 66: "Dragons of at least old age also can choose [epic] feats even if they have no class levels." Give it Epic Toughness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#epicToughness) twice for a total of 72 hp.

It has Control Undead which it would use on any undead creatures accompanying the party (DC 19).

It gets two claws at +2 (Str 15 base, -4 race, +1 BAB, +1 size) for 1d3 plus 1d6 cold plus paralyzing touch (DC 12 Fort, 2d6 rounds), and one bite at -3 for 1d3 plus 1d6 cold plus paralyzing touch.

It has a paralyzing gaze (40 ft., DC 12 Fort, 2d6 rounds).

It has SR 16, undead immunities, and it's immune to polymorph, cold, and electricity.

Its AC should be 21 (+3 natural armor from Kobold and Dracolich, +1 for size, +3 Dex (14 base, +2 race), and +4 Scale Mail).

It has 72 hp, and it's only CR 1.

To expand on this, make it Colossal as well. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19351765&postcount=16)

[Tvtyrant]

In my experience the most horrifying things are ones that are quite reasonable but completely inhumane in its mannerisms and goals. Maybe Kobolds coat themselves in a mixture of enemies blood and feces for "protective armor," maybe they think their own babies are delicacies and have to fight the urge to resort to cannibalism every moment. Maybe they mate like snakes as a giant ball of bodies, or kill their parents when they become enfeebled.

[manyslayer]

I had a dungeon room with Michael Bay themed kobolds for an Xcrawl. They charged under the effect of a slow spell but became hasted once they engaged. Also, a single point of damage caused them to explode in a 5' radius for 1d6 fire damage (they each had Fire Resistance 5).

But for more horror (and less horrifying) play up their traps and favored class of sorcerer. Have lots of illusions (silent image, ghost sound, ventriloquism) to cover traps and make it appear victims are trapped within trapped areas. Since it is a low level party, a lot of the traps can be just things to entrap characters or split the party up. Making it easier for kobold round-up teams to capture tonight's dinner.

[RedMage125]

I had a dungeon room with Michael Bay themed kobolds for an Xcrawl. They charged under the effect of a slow spell but became hasted once they engaged. Also, a single point of damage caused them to explode in a 5' radius for 1d6 fire damage (they each had Fire Resistance 5).

But for more horror (and less horrifying) play up their traps and favored class of sorcerer. Have lots of illusions (silent image, ghost sound, ventriloquism) to cover traps and make it appear victims are trapped within trapped areas. Since it is a low level party, a lot of the traps can be just things to entrap characters or split the party up. Making it easier for kobold round-up teams to capture tonight's dinner.

Love it.

Especially because it was Xcrawl