Do Kobolds Deserve a +1 to an Ability Score?

[Gale]

It seems the standard going forward for new races is that they will all be able to increase one of their scores by +2, and one other score by +1. If you're using the optional rules from Tasha's then this is true for mostly all races in the game with a few exceptions. But overall, nearly every race in the game has the option to start off with at least a +2 to one stat, and a +1 to another.

Kobolds are the exception however. They can only increase a single stat by +2, and unlike Custom Lineage they don't get a feat to compensate. Instead, they get Pact Tactics, which is arguably one of the strongest racial abilities in the game. But they also get Sunlight Sensitivity, which is easily the worst racial ability. In direct sunlight Kobolds are simply the weakest race in the game, as they have the fewest number of ability score increases, and have constant disadvantage on attack rolls. Pact Tactics is meant to mitigate the disadvantage, but it still means no attacks can be made with advantage for the entire fight.

In my opinion, Kobolds are really strong if you build around Pact Tactics, but are otherwise quite weak and inflexible. I know Kobolds were intentionally designed to be weak, but I've never been a fan of significantly penalizing players for their choice of race; and it seems like this type of design is antithetical to how races are handled nowadays.

This has left me wondering if we shouldn't just go back and give Kobolds an extra +1 to one other ability score. It would bring them more in line with the other races, and make them less of a niche choice. However, I'm a bit concerned this might just make them overpowered. And I feel there is a good argument that if you don't like Kobold then you should simply choose Custom Lineage instead. But I guess I'd rather try and find a solution to fix them then have the solution be "don't play a Kobold."

What do you guys think?

[KorvinStarmast]

Do Kobolds Deserve a +1 to an Ability Score? No. Pack tactics is on average a +4 to attack rolls. That's +7 or +8 to an attack ability score.

[Dork_Forge]

In my opinion they should have a +1, 120ft of Darkvision (keeping the sensitivity) or 60ft (losing it) and drop their speed down to 25ft.

I know there's an argument for maintaining them inline with the monster block, but that's nonesense that applies only to 'evil' monsters.

[DwarfFighter]

No. Pack tactics is on average a +4 to attack rolls. That's +7 or +8 to an attack ability score.

With only improvements to hit rate and not damage, that's like half the ability score advantage.

But should a Kobold PC even have Pack Tactics? The name suggests that the pack is co-operating, so fluff-wise (if not rules-wise), this really only suitable while working with a larger number of allied Kobolds. And a racially diverse adventuring party is hardly a "Kobold pack".

-DF

[Kurt Kurageous]

My bigger gripe is the ludicrous "grovel" racial trait.

I've never had a PC kobold yet, but I'd be open to rewriting that as something to do with basic traps.

I'd be open to waiving off the pack tactics (a kobold PC got that way by not being a pack player with other kobolds) in favor of a feat.

Don't worry too much. Just wait. I predict there will be a "feral" kobold or some other such addition/correction masquerading as more (better) options if enough people like playing kobolds.

Playing a kobold means you are taking on the underdog role. Few players want to do that, they want to be "the best." Embrace the stats. Let your resentment and jealousy seethe. Its what a kobold would do.

[Dalinar]

But should a Kobold PC even have Pack Tactics? The name suggests that the pack is co-operating, so fluff-wise (if not rules-wise), this really only suitable while working with a larger number of allied Kobolds. And a racially diverse adventuring party is hardly a "Kobold pack".

I dunno, I think with WOTC moving in the direction of making as many aspects of race cultural suggestions as possible rather than biological imperatives, I see little reason to see Pack Tactics in the latter category rather than the former. So it makes sense that a Kobold PC would view their fellows as their pack. (Which is also a rather heartwarming interpretation that you might not be going for on your particular Kobold.)

The trick with balancing Kobolds is that they're very good when a) not separated from their buddies and b) not in bright light. If your campaign takes place outside or otherwise in brightly lit areas, Kobolds will struggle. And they're certainly not ideal for a solo campaign, unless perhaps you go the summoner or necromancer route. On the other hand, if you're spelunking with your cohort all campaign and are careful to not split the party too much, that's the ideal time to pick Kobold.

To me, being a situationally good pick is fine as long as the results aren't too extreme. And how often do outdoors solo campaigns come up compared to group dungeon-crawl campaigns?

So I'm inclined to say they don't need a buff. If I were to say otherwise, I think maybe making Sunlight Sensitivity less debilitating somehow would be the play rather than a +1 ASI to make them better at everything (well, one-sixth of everything anyway).

[Willie the Duck]

Instead, they get Pact Tactics, which is arguably one of the strongest racial abilities in the game. But they also get Sunlight Sensitivity, which is easily the worst racial ability. In direct sunlight Kobolds are simply the weakest race in the game, as they have the fewest number of ability score increases, and have constant disadvantage on attack rolls. Pact Tactics is meant to mitigate the disadvantage, but it still means no attacks can be made with advantage for the entire fight.
...
This has left me wondering if we shouldn't just go back and give Kobolds an extra +1 to one other ability score.

I think this is the biggest problem with high-benefit/high-cost options in the game -- it is very hard to balance around them, especially if someone might want to play against type. Overall, I would say that a +1 here or there (or in multiple places) wouldn't actually 'balance' kobolds, it would just add a little to the noise.

Overall, If I were to address kobolds, I would do this:
For kobold built around pack tactics, the issue will never be the lack of a +1, it will be sunlight sensitivity. If I think the kobold is (even with pact tactics) too weak, I would remove that (orcs too have traditionally had sunlight sensitivity, yet now don't, so why not kobolds?), and rebalance the class around that.
For kobold not built around pack tactics, whoo booy, that's a tough one. I'd be tempted to just make an alternate version of the kobold without pack tactics (or some deeply muted version of it, perhaps DwarfFighter's idea of kobold-only) that players looking for that could play. Otherwise it's just makes hash of the balancing (if you give too many perks since the default pack tactics isn't being used, and then they decide to grab Moderately Armored and can suddenly mix it up in melee...).

[Amnestic]

I wonder if the UA Tunnel Fighter fighting style might make an interesting alternative to pack tactics+sunlight sensitivity. It's thematically on-point for kobolds at least (though that does depend on your specific kobold lore, which doesn't always line up 100%).

[KorvinStarmast]

With only improvements to hit rate and not damage, that's like half the ability score advantage. You can only damage what you can hit. :smallwink:

But should a Kobold PC even have Pack Tactics?
Nope. Poor design decision IMO.

As to the grovel trait: I also find it a poor choice.

[rlc]

I think just removing the -2 that they used to have was enough of a buff, but I would probably also give them the option of two +1s.

[PhantomSoul]

You can only damage what you can hit. :smallwink:


Or better still, crit!