JellyPooga
2020-04-27, 11:23 AM
So it's pretty well known that Kobolds are the not-so-underrated-anymore underdogs of the D&D community and love 'em or hate 'em, it's a fair bet that you're going to see them in games you play or use them in your own. Thought I'd open some discussion on them; test the waters, get some ideas, share some of mine; that sort of thing. Open to any and all thoughts. Here's some of mine...
It strikes me that the Monster Manual entry for them is...a little unfair to the scrawny little dudes. Dagger, sling and a loincloth? Really? Were the devs expecting PCs to catch them with their proverbial pants down in their geothermally heated, subterranean hot tubs (you know they have them :smallbiggrin:), or something? I know they're limited on what weapons they might intuitively use because of that -2 Strength modifier, but is it really so bad for them if they use a non-finesse melee weapon?
Let's explore some options;
- My first thought was to exploit their numbers and when you have a lot of soldiers to hand and you're fighting in a narrow space, long, pointy sticks are never a bad shout, right? D&D doesn't do polearms near the justice they deserve, but that particular argument aside, I initially thought "Pikes". They're long, pointy and unfortunately Heavy. Not so much of a problem for Kobolds, because Pack Tactics counteracts the Disadvantage from being Small with a Heavy weapon and Reach means they can get twice as many attacks in. Then it struck me...why give them Pikes when I can give them Lances instead? They're a third of the weight, have the same Reach, aren't Heavy and deal more damage to boot, off-setting (somewhat) the -2 damage penalty they'll be suffering. The only addendum is the disadvantage for attacking within 5ft...but like the Pike, Pack Tactics offsets this.
Now, strictly speaking, that -2 Strength modifier means that if they roll a 1 for damage, they heal their opponent by 1HP. I've been scouring the core rulebooks and errata for clarification or a "damage minimum" or something, but can't find it; damage rolls are made by rolling the weapon damage die and adding the ability score modifier (PHB pg.196). In the Kobolds case, this means inflicting -1 damage when they roll a 1 for damage. If someone has a pg. reference or something for a rule I've missed, I'd appreciate it. Until then, in the interest of my own sanity, I'm going to make a House Rule; "All damage rolls inflict a minimum of 1 point of damage". Anyway, I digress. Back to the Kobold "Pike"men...
So, Kobolds with Lances deal 1d12-2 damage, which is an "average" (in flagrant disregard for to D&D's "always round-up" rule, but in line with the MM standard of rounding down damage averages) of 4 damage on a hit. The same as our MM dagger wielding Kobolds. This does have a -2 penalty to hit, however, for a total attack modifier of +0. Not great. BUT...with Reach, the Kobolds are now able to bring twice as many attacks to bear when fighting in the narrow corridors and passages you'd expect to encounter them in. Granted, the 2nd Rank will be (effectively) at -2 to hit due to the Cover being granted by the 1st Rank, but it's more attacks nonetheless.
"But JP" I hear you cry "If you're giving Kobolds martial weapons, why not give them a better finesse weapon, like a Rapier or Shortsword?". Well, yes, it would give the Kobolds a higher damage output, due to both higher to-hit modifier and damage; a Rapier gives +4 to hit, dealing 6 (1d8+2) damage. Add in Advantage from Pack Tactics and Rapiers start sounding like a much more attractive option. However, the goal here is not to make the Kobolds super-foes...they're still supposed to be an underdog, they're still supposed to be weedy little dudes. With Lances, they don't deal any more damage on a hit than they do with Daggers and they have a much lower chance of a given attack landing, but they get twice the number of attacks when they're operating in terrain appropriate to their naturally favoured terrain; narrow, underground passages.
Not only does it feel appropriate and put Pack Tactics to good use, it actively encourages them to engage the invading PCs on a defensive footing (which is far more satisfying for the Players than going full Tuckers' Kobolds on them), as well as still allowing you to throw hordes of them into the mix without inflating the CR too much. From the Players perspective, the sheer number of attacks flying in their direction is going to be pretty scary, even though the odds of being hit and damage output is low. This can help to give the Players a real sense of achievement for overcoming massive odds, when in reality it's all a bit of smoke-and-mirrors. It's important to remember that the primary goal of Kobolds is to defend the tribe; they're not generally put into the role of raiders or bandits like goblins are. Kobolds are defence players and giving them Lances really emphasizes this aspect when you give them a good defensive position for the PCs to assault. Throw in some Kobold Crossbowmen (putting some of that Kobold trap-cunning and ingenuity to good use) for ranged support and any adventurer invading Kobold territory is going to at least feel like they've had a hard time getting past the "home guard".
- Additionally, making the Lance the Kobold weapon of choice also means you don't have to change anything if you decide to put them on a more aggressive footing. Give a Kobold Lancer a mount and he's not just Cavalry, he's Mobile Infantry; able to use the Lance while mounted for increased speed and maneuverability, but also able to dismount, close ranks and defend a position. Being an organised and flexible fighting force like this suits the natural Kobold tribal inclination and their Lawful nature; unit tactics were developed by those that value the greater whole over individual merit and that is the Kobold mentality all over.
- In 3ed, Kobolds used Giant Weasels as their mount of choice and that can still be a valid choice, if you want to stick to that "tradition". Looking through Appendix A of the Monster Manual, however, I have some other suggestions;
The Giant Badger, with it's Burrow Speed and semi-subterranean nature might seem appropriate, but it's a tad slow for an efficient mount. Perhaps relegate the Badger to the role of "Mule"; a useful domestic animal for a Kobold tribe, but hardly a beast of war.
One I'm particularly drawn to is the Hyena. Sure, Hyenas aren't naturally subterranean, but I like that they're both fast (50ft speed) and have Pack Tactics to complement the Kobolds. Not only that, but they also have the same "scrawny underdog with a pack mentality" feel (and similarly low CR) of the Kobolds themselves. Also, I really like the idea of a pack of kobold lancers, mounted on cackling hyenas, yipping their war-cries as they charge the lines! Or the psychological warfare of the hyenas laughter and being hunted by the pack, being an above-ground deterrent for potential invaders; something that could really set the tone as a prelude for what to expect before the PCs get to the tunnels of a kobold warren.
Another fun option could be Vultures for Flying Cavalry. Their Strength is a little low to really be used as a good mount, but Kobolds are scrawny little buggers, so as long as we aren't putting them in plate armour or anything, I'm sure we can get away with it! Again, Vultures have that "scrappy, unloved, underdog" feel that I can see kobolds identifying with and once again, they have that glorious Pack Tactics. For our Vulture Cavalry, I'd suggest more focus on ranged weaponry than the Lances, but there's no good reason why we can't still use the idea of Mounted, or in this case Airborne Infantry. You can even bust out the Ride of the Valkyries for a laugh, if you do decide to use them. Mounting a Kobold Sorcerer on a Vulture would make for a terrifying "Gunship" support.
- What's more(!), without requiring a whole bunch of different weapons for different "arms" of their military, so to speak, this also allows a Kobold tribe to arm more soldiers more easily; to simplify production and reduce costs in both resource, effort and time. Details like this might go overlooked by your Players, but it's touches like this that allow you to easily improve the immersion of a setting or campaign if your players do notice it or work it out (or if you have an NPC point it out for them).
Well, there we go. That's some simple thoughts about how you might rearm your kobolds to feel a bit more immersive, thematic and competent, but without drastically changing anything. I'd welcome criticism and comments and would love to hear any of your stories or ideas regarding our little lizardy underdog friends.
It strikes me that the Monster Manual entry for them is...a little unfair to the scrawny little dudes. Dagger, sling and a loincloth? Really? Were the devs expecting PCs to catch them with their proverbial pants down in their geothermally heated, subterranean hot tubs (you know they have them :smallbiggrin:), or something? I know they're limited on what weapons they might intuitively use because of that -2 Strength modifier, but is it really so bad for them if they use a non-finesse melee weapon?
Let's explore some options;
- My first thought was to exploit their numbers and when you have a lot of soldiers to hand and you're fighting in a narrow space, long, pointy sticks are never a bad shout, right? D&D doesn't do polearms near the justice they deserve, but that particular argument aside, I initially thought "Pikes". They're long, pointy and unfortunately Heavy. Not so much of a problem for Kobolds, because Pack Tactics counteracts the Disadvantage from being Small with a Heavy weapon and Reach means they can get twice as many attacks in. Then it struck me...why give them Pikes when I can give them Lances instead? They're a third of the weight, have the same Reach, aren't Heavy and deal more damage to boot, off-setting (somewhat) the -2 damage penalty they'll be suffering. The only addendum is the disadvantage for attacking within 5ft...but like the Pike, Pack Tactics offsets this.
Now, strictly speaking, that -2 Strength modifier means that if they roll a 1 for damage, they heal their opponent by 1HP. I've been scouring the core rulebooks and errata for clarification or a "damage minimum" or something, but can't find it; damage rolls are made by rolling the weapon damage die and adding the ability score modifier (PHB pg.196). In the Kobolds case, this means inflicting -1 damage when they roll a 1 for damage. If someone has a pg. reference or something for a rule I've missed, I'd appreciate it. Until then, in the interest of my own sanity, I'm going to make a House Rule; "All damage rolls inflict a minimum of 1 point of damage". Anyway, I digress. Back to the Kobold "Pike"men...
So, Kobolds with Lances deal 1d12-2 damage, which is an "average" (in flagrant disregard for to D&D's "always round-up" rule, but in line with the MM standard of rounding down damage averages) of 4 damage on a hit. The same as our MM dagger wielding Kobolds. This does have a -2 penalty to hit, however, for a total attack modifier of +0. Not great. BUT...with Reach, the Kobolds are now able to bring twice as many attacks to bear when fighting in the narrow corridors and passages you'd expect to encounter them in. Granted, the 2nd Rank will be (effectively) at -2 to hit due to the Cover being granted by the 1st Rank, but it's more attacks nonetheless.
"But JP" I hear you cry "If you're giving Kobolds martial weapons, why not give them a better finesse weapon, like a Rapier or Shortsword?". Well, yes, it would give the Kobolds a higher damage output, due to both higher to-hit modifier and damage; a Rapier gives +4 to hit, dealing 6 (1d8+2) damage. Add in Advantage from Pack Tactics and Rapiers start sounding like a much more attractive option. However, the goal here is not to make the Kobolds super-foes...they're still supposed to be an underdog, they're still supposed to be weedy little dudes. With Lances, they don't deal any more damage on a hit than they do with Daggers and they have a much lower chance of a given attack landing, but they get twice the number of attacks when they're operating in terrain appropriate to their naturally favoured terrain; narrow, underground passages.
Not only does it feel appropriate and put Pack Tactics to good use, it actively encourages them to engage the invading PCs on a defensive footing (which is far more satisfying for the Players than going full Tuckers' Kobolds on them), as well as still allowing you to throw hordes of them into the mix without inflating the CR too much. From the Players perspective, the sheer number of attacks flying in their direction is going to be pretty scary, even though the odds of being hit and damage output is low. This can help to give the Players a real sense of achievement for overcoming massive odds, when in reality it's all a bit of smoke-and-mirrors. It's important to remember that the primary goal of Kobolds is to defend the tribe; they're not generally put into the role of raiders or bandits like goblins are. Kobolds are defence players and giving them Lances really emphasizes this aspect when you give them a good defensive position for the PCs to assault. Throw in some Kobold Crossbowmen (putting some of that Kobold trap-cunning and ingenuity to good use) for ranged support and any adventurer invading Kobold territory is going to at least feel like they've had a hard time getting past the "home guard".
- Additionally, making the Lance the Kobold weapon of choice also means you don't have to change anything if you decide to put them on a more aggressive footing. Give a Kobold Lancer a mount and he's not just Cavalry, he's Mobile Infantry; able to use the Lance while mounted for increased speed and maneuverability, but also able to dismount, close ranks and defend a position. Being an organised and flexible fighting force like this suits the natural Kobold tribal inclination and their Lawful nature; unit tactics were developed by those that value the greater whole over individual merit and that is the Kobold mentality all over.
- In 3ed, Kobolds used Giant Weasels as their mount of choice and that can still be a valid choice, if you want to stick to that "tradition". Looking through Appendix A of the Monster Manual, however, I have some other suggestions;
The Giant Badger, with it's Burrow Speed and semi-subterranean nature might seem appropriate, but it's a tad slow for an efficient mount. Perhaps relegate the Badger to the role of "Mule"; a useful domestic animal for a Kobold tribe, but hardly a beast of war.
One I'm particularly drawn to is the Hyena. Sure, Hyenas aren't naturally subterranean, but I like that they're both fast (50ft speed) and have Pack Tactics to complement the Kobolds. Not only that, but they also have the same "scrawny underdog with a pack mentality" feel (and similarly low CR) of the Kobolds themselves. Also, I really like the idea of a pack of kobold lancers, mounted on cackling hyenas, yipping their war-cries as they charge the lines! Or the psychological warfare of the hyenas laughter and being hunted by the pack, being an above-ground deterrent for potential invaders; something that could really set the tone as a prelude for what to expect before the PCs get to the tunnels of a kobold warren.
Another fun option could be Vultures for Flying Cavalry. Their Strength is a little low to really be used as a good mount, but Kobolds are scrawny little buggers, so as long as we aren't putting them in plate armour or anything, I'm sure we can get away with it! Again, Vultures have that "scrappy, unloved, underdog" feel that I can see kobolds identifying with and once again, they have that glorious Pack Tactics. For our Vulture Cavalry, I'd suggest more focus on ranged weaponry than the Lances, but there's no good reason why we can't still use the idea of Mounted, or in this case Airborne Infantry. You can even bust out the Ride of the Valkyries for a laugh, if you do decide to use them. Mounting a Kobold Sorcerer on a Vulture would make for a terrifying "Gunship" support.
- What's more(!), without requiring a whole bunch of different weapons for different "arms" of their military, so to speak, this also allows a Kobold tribe to arm more soldiers more easily; to simplify production and reduce costs in both resource, effort and time. Details like this might go overlooked by your Players, but it's touches like this that allow you to easily improve the immersion of a setting or campaign if your players do notice it or work it out (or if you have an NPC point it out for them).
Well, there we go. That's some simple thoughts about how you might rearm your kobolds to feel a bit more immersive, thematic and competent, but without drastically changing anything. I'd welcome criticism and comments and would love to hear any of your stories or ideas regarding our little lizardy underdog friends.