OSR: Kobolds

source unknown

Kobolds are small, lizard-like creatures who yap and squeal. They are pathetic and loathsome, the servants of Dragons. They are crafty, but can be fooled by riddles and clever maids and frightened by children. And while dangerous in packs, individually, they are no threat.

Or so they say. But like most stories, most of what is said about Kobolds isn't true.

The Kobold Creation Myth:

Kobolds are hateful creatures. They despise most other species for being taller, stronger and more gifted than they. The reason for this, according to legend, is that at the beginning of History, after the Dragon-Goddess Isfet was slain and her body was used to create the world, her surviving children snatched away her power, so the Gods of LAW could not use it. The children of Isfet decided that the best thing to do was to divide the power amongst themselves, until they could figure out a way to resurrect their Mother.

However, there was some dispute. Dragon, who would have taken the lion's share of her power, had been broken into dozens of colors, all of them pale shadows of the singular Dragon's original grandeur. Some of the other children felt that the Dragons no longer deserved the vast portion he had been previously allotted in Mother's will. But then, Kobold, the Dragon-Goddess' most clever child, said that the Dragons should keep their original share. However, the share should be divided into fragments and each Dragon should receive an equal share. This was hailed as a good and fair measure and while the Dragons did not want to share, they decided it would be better than only one of them receiving the power.

However, Kobold was not doing this out of benevolence. He was jealous of the other children, who all received a greater share of Mother's power than him. He felt it unfair that he, the most brilliant of all Mother's children, would be deprived of his "fair" share. But he kept quiet. So when the day came when the negotiations were finished, Mother's power was divided among her children, Kobold took his share and then snuck away. Once hidden, he transformed into one of the Dragons and presented himself as one of the fragments of the original, to receive a share of Dragon's inheritance.

But Kobold was undone, for as he was granted his stolen share, the children realized there would not be enough power for all the Dragons, which didn't make any sense, as they had been certain to divide Dragon's inheritance fairly between the various Dragons. So they began to investigate, but no one had any idea why they had made such a silly mistake. So they decided to use their magic to locate Kobold, so that he could come help them solve this mystery. But when this happened, instead of Kobold suddenly arriving, one of Dragon's fragments was suddenly illuminated by light. The children investigated this and found out this fragment was not one of Dragon's fragments, but Kobold in disguise.

This so angered the children that they stripped Kobold not only of his stolen share, but of the vast majority of his original portion, then cast him out into the wilderness. Since then, Kobold and his children have been small and frail, possessing only the sharp mind of their Father.

The Kobolds themselves tell a similar story, but they claim that Kobold did not steal one of Dragon's share, but the Dragons manipulated his siblings into taking their Father's share. This is why Kobolds are so small and weak, because they were only given crumbs as inheritance. This is often used as a reason why they resent Dragons and seek to undermine or harm them, when they can.

His Mortal Children:

Kobolds are small creatures and their language seems primitive, but they aren't stupid. They possess a cunning that belies their appearances and a savagery that rivals most warriors. Kobolds fight intelligently and deceitfully. They use every trick in the book and have added quite a few pages to that tome themselves. "Quick as a Kobold, and twice as clever," is the description often applied to elusive criminals. For Kobolds are not only quick, but they are remorseless as well.

by Gido

Kobold Kombatant

Number Appearing: 2d6+2

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Languages: Lingua Franca, Draconic, Kobold

Treasure: Trap-making equipment, special Kobold weapons (see below), plundered jewelry or coinage

HD 1

AR 0

Atk Shortsword (1d6) or Shortbow (1d6)

Mor 7

Saves 7 or less

Pack Tactics: If two or more Kobolds wish to target the same creature, instead of making two attacks, only roll one Atk roll and add +1 to Atk for each additional Kobold attacking the creature (max +5).

Sneaky: Kobolds have advantage on stealth checks, unless some factor would otherwise interfere with that. For example, the Kobold is in bright light with nothing to hide behind.

Tactics:

- Engage the enemy in the least fair way possible

- Use Traps and Dirty Tricks

- Retreat if the enemy gets any sort of advantage or things start turning bad

by JRLewisArt

To customize a group of Kobold Combatants, roll on the tables below:

Types of Kobold:

1d3

1- Migratory Kobolds. These Kobolds travel from place to place, usually under cover of night. They carry whatever they can and steal or make whatever they need when they arrive. They may be looking for a place to live, or perhaps they don't want to settle down and provide their enemy with a place to strike.

2- Vassalized Kobolds. These Kobolds have sworn fealty to a stronger master who they serve. Depending on the master and their treatment, the Kobolds may serve faithfully, or they may be actively plotting to undermine their master.

These Kobolds are serving...

1d8

1- A Lich. The Kobolds crave power, just as Liches do.

2- A Rakshasha. These evil souls are slaves of their desires, just as the Kobolds seethe with resentment towards the world.

3- An Evil Naga. The Snake-men who turn from their righteous duties are truly the most despicable of creatures, willing to do whatever it takes. The Kobolds can admire that.

4- An Orc Battlechief. Orcs are brutish bastards but they actually like to fight. As such, they make decent meat-shields and cannon fodder.

5- A Beastman Herdmaster. Beastmen range wildly in intelligence and competence, but generally can be counted on to put themselves between the Kobolds and the enemy. Generally weaker than Orcs, but have the advantage of valuing such tactics as "stealth".

6- A Goblin King. Goblin Kings are those poor, wretched members of that race that attempt to reject their Chaotic nature. And though it almost always ends poorly, the Kobolds are always one of the first ones there to help and exploit the situation.

7- A Troll Tyrant. To master a group of Trolls takes a special kind of mind, intelligent and ruthless as they come. This is one of the few type of creatures Kobolds will not attempt to manipulate, for they fear a master such as this too much.

8- A Giant Community. Giants are Lawful, so Kobolds and them can usually cooperate just fine. They both hate Dragons too, which is always a bonus.

Note that while Kobolds will serve many different types of creatures, they will never serve Dragons. They regard Dragons as thieves who stole their Father's birthright and refuse to cooperate with them.

3- Settled Kobolds. These Kobolds have established a community for themselves. They have farms and houses and all the other fruits of civilization.

What Special Weapons did they bring?

Migratory Kobolds:

1d6

1- Firebombs. Made of pottery, wax, candles and oil. Shatters and does 2d6 fire damage, save for half, and on a failed save lights you on fire for 1d6 fire damage a round until the flames are extinguished.

2- Poisons. Kobolds love to use blowguns to shoot poisoned darts or arrows smeared in poison. A common poison is Cruel Crown Scorpion Venom, which does 1d6 damage a round until it does 3d6 damage or the creature affected passes a CON save (min +1d6 poison damage).

3- Snake in a Jar. A venomous serpent, trapped in a jar or a basket. They will undo the seal trapping the snake inside and then throw it at their enemies or drop it on them. Enjoy having a live, angry snake fall on you. Some particularly nasty Kobolds use Beehives instead.

4- Rabid Animals. See above, but instead it's a sack of diseased weasels stuffed in a leather sack.

5- Glue Traps. Strips of wood covered in natural adhesives. Left on the ground or concealed in doors. If you touch one, you will get stuck to it. Either used to trap someone by gluing them to a solid object or made of panels that peel off and stick to the creature that touches them. These panels are usually made of something that easily catches fire, such as woven grass or lacquered wood.

6- Hallucinogens. Sometimes Kobolds will rub their blowgun darts or arrowheads in chemicals that inflict hallucinations on anyone exposed for 1d4 hours.

Vassalized Kobolds:

Will vary depending on who they serve. For example, if serving a Lich, Kobolds will likely have access to rare potions, Undead and magically-created poisons.

Settled Kobolds:

1d6

1- Bombs. Bombs. Small pots or crude metal shells filled with black powder (or some sort of explosive compound) with a trailing fuse. Detonate for 3d6 damage within 30', save for half.

2- Runic Weapons. These are regular weapons which have been enhanced through the use of Runes (see below).

3- Handcannons. A crude form of firearm, basically a tube of stone or metal or hardwood. Does 1d8+2 damage, Save vs Firearm. Once used, takes 1d3 rounds to reload. On a Natural "1", the tube explodes, doing 2d6 damage, save for half, to everyone within 30'.

4- Firebombs. See above.

5- Gas Globes. Airtight containers filled with some sort of gas. When smashed, produce a cloud 50' cubed or enough to fill one large room or four small ones. Disperses in 1 minute outside or in a strong winds, 1d4 rounds. Lingers for hours in an area with no airflow. Most common type of gas is a choking gas- save or lose your action as you choke on foul gas.

6- Acid Flasks. Made of glass or rune-inscribed pottery. Shatters and does 2d6 acid damage, save for half, and on a failed save does 1d6 acid damage a round until the acid is diluted or wiped off. The acid will dissolve armor and clothing first before it burns your skin.

What traps have they set for you?

1d8

1- Tiger Pit. A pit, concealed with leaves or twigs, occasionally with sharpened spikes at the bottom. You fall in and get skewered. If you don't because they're no spikes, the Kobolds nearby will be coming over to throw firebombs down into the pit and burn you alive.

2- Twitch-up Snare. You accidentally step in it and just like that, you're dangling from a tree by your ankle. The Kobolds hiding close by hear the sound of it going off, come over, and cut your throat.

3- Ground Net. This time, the net grabs you and anyone immediately next to you. You can cut through it, but it's an absolute pain.

4- Horse-sock. A small pit, occasionally with a spike at the bottom. If a horse steps in this, it will probably break a leg and have to be put down. Even if it doesn't, it will still spill you onto the ground.

5- Deadly Lane. A long, narrow trail, usually sloped. The Kobolds wait until you are a good ways up it, then they roll a boulder down at you, or drop a tree on you.

6- Hanging Tree. The Kobolds are hiding up in a tree. They wait until you pass under it, then throw a noose around your neck and rappel down the other side of the branch, using you as a counter-weight. You choke and die, they remove one more enemy.

7- Fake Wall. The Kobolds are hiding behind a seemingly-sturdy wall. When you attempt to climb the wall, it will fall over and hopefully crush you. They will then pour oil through the slats, soaking you and then set you on fire.

8- Tripwire. A cord strung across the road, preferably in the night when no one can see it. Anyone traveling at speed will slam into it and be thrown from their horse. If the Kobolds have access to any sort of magical or technical resources, the wire could be thin and sharp enough to slice through anything.

What tactics do they plan on using?

1d6

1- Tower (of Shields). Two or more Kobolds carry large tower shields. They use them to block the path, or a hallway, and have their archers fire over the shields. Anyone who tries to approach the shields will have firebombs flung at them, to create a pool of burning oil in front of the shields.

2- Slip and Fall. A single Kobold fires at you from the end of a path or hallway, then retreats around a corner or behind a tree. You run after him and hit the tripwires set up earlier. Alternatively or perhaps additionally, the floor beneath the tripwire was greased. This causes you to slip. A bunch more Kobolds then jump out of hiding and stab you to death while you're prone and vulnerable.

3- Shield Wall plus Snuggle. Two lines of Kobolds form, one with shields, the ones behind them with swords. They form a shield wall. As you go to charge them, they open a gap in the shield wall to let one person through, then reclose it. The Kobolds in the second line pounce on the first person and cut them to shreds while the rest of them maintain the shield wall.

4- Extra Spicy Shield Wall. As above, except as an additional measure, the Kobolds have a second group sneak up from behind with bows and fire at your backs.

5- Restrained Stabbing. Two Kobolds with shields attach a length of wire between them, leaving it slack. When you try to move between them, they both loop around you, binding you in the wire. Then their friends stab you to death.

6- Fake Duel. A group of Kobolds approach and demand you leave- if you refuse, one will challenge you to single combat or demand you fight their champion. If you agree, they lure the strongest person into single combat and then, while you're watching, the ten Kobolds hiding nearby throw firebombs at you.

The standard Kobold warrior is individually quite weak, especially in a fair fight. For this reason, Kobolds never fight fair. They have dozens of strategies meant to even the odds against stronger opponents. Kobolds like this will rarely wear armor, as its simply not worth the effort. A sword-stroke from most larger opponents will still cut a Kobold in twain, even if he's wearing some kind of armor. Of course, sometimes they still will wear armor, but only when additional protection is better than being able to swiftly run away.

by Exagono16

Kobold Kavalry

Number Appearing: 1d6+2

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Languages: Lingua Franca, Draconic, Kobold

Treasure: Horses or special mounts, tack and harnesses, small treasures

Kobold Kavalry use the Kobold Kombatant statblock (see above).

To customize a group of Kobold Kavalry, roll on the tables below:

What do they ride?

1d6

1- Specially Trained Horses. As per normal Horses, but these were raised around Kobolds since a young age, so don't find the little lizards weird. Can sit two Kobolds, due to their small size.

2- Giant Lizards. Slightly slower than horses, but fast at a sprint. Have the ability to climb walls and vertical surfaces. 50% of having a venomous bite.

3- Huge Beetles. Much slower than horses, but covered in natural armor. Can fly for short distances.

4- Wolves and Worgs. Worgs are corrupted wolves, more powerful and intelligent. They can speak and act as leaders to any Wolf Pack they encounter.

5- Boars. Somehow, these mad bastards figured out how to tame some of the near-feral beasts that Orcs prefer to ride. While a War-Boar isn't as fast as a horse and can't move as fast, they are almost unstoppable in a cavalry charge. Also, due to their impressive size, it can host up to six Kobolds without being burdened.

6- Ostriches. They look vaguely ridiculous, but the birds the Kobolds ride have powerful kicks that can disembowel a man in a single swipe. They are also much faster than you'd think.

What tactics do they use?

1d3

1- Horse Archers. They will ride up towards you, pelt you with arrows or projectiles and then ride away. They will repeat until you are dead.

2- Cowboy Style. They will ride up to you, try to tie you up with lassos and ropes, then drag you off your horse or pull you behind their horse.

3- Cavalry Charge. While a Kobold Kavalry charge is less impressive than a human one, it can still finish off a group of weakened enemies.

What special weapons do they use?

1d4

1- Bolas. Used primarily against foes on foot, these balls connected by a string will entangle the limbs of a creature, restraining and dropping them prone.

2- Bullwhips. They will ride by and strike at your eyes or hands, to try and make you drop your weapon. They will also harass your horse, to try and make it flee.

3- Lassos. They will attempt to yank you off your horse, redirect your horse or restrain you, then pull you behind their horses.

4- Bombs. They will use slings to lob these at you or throw them and ride away.

Kobolds hate fair fights and love running away, so deploying their Cavalry against enemies on foot is the perfect marriage of these two desires. As for how they acquire their mounts, that varies. Settled Kobolds will tame and raise what animals they can, while Vassalized Kobolds will use whatever mounts their master grants them access to. Migratory Kobolds are good at training and breeding animals, usually horses, and greatly value them. To Kobolds that migrate, their mounts are the center-piece of their culture.

from here

Kobold Champion

Number Appearing: 1d4

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Languages: Lingua Franca, Kobold

Treasure: Better quality weapons and armor, jewelry and ropes of coins or precious metals

HD 4

AR 1d4

Atk Weapon (1d8+1/1d8+1)

Mor 12

Saves 11 or less

Walking Cover: A Kobold Champion functions as walking cover from missiles. If a Kobold is behind a Kobold Champion, that Kobold receives +4 to any Defense rolls against ranged attacks or advantage on any save against ranged attacks using physical projectiles as long as the Kobold Champion blocks the way.

Tactics:

- Assist your smaller cousins

- Take the hit so weaker Kobolds don't have to

- Retreat if you lack back-up everyone else retreats

To customize a Kobold Champion, roll on the tables below:

What was his Mother?

1d20

1-10- Beastman. A Kobold Champion bred from a Beastman will inherit his Mother's racial trait from what kind of Beastman she is, along with her amazing fecundity, able to breed with anything.

11-13- Orc. A Kobold Champion bred from Orcs will possess their battle-rage and great strength.

14-15- Human. A Kobold Champion bred from a human will be more resilient, 1/Day able to recover 1d6 HP as a free action.

16-17- Troll. A Kobold Champion bred from a Troll will regenerate 1d6 HP per round unless he has taken acid or fire damage in the last round.

18-19- Naga. A Kobold Champion bred from a Naga will be able to manipulate 1d3 [1= Lightning; 2= Water; 3= Air] as if he was a Free-Form Wizard.

20- Dragon. A Kobold Champion bred from a Dragon will have a 3d6 fire breath, save for half, that can affect a 20' cone. This firebreath can be used every 1d4 rounds.

What weapon does he carry?

1d6

1- A giant hooked polearm. He uses it to try and yank down shields or trip enemies, so his smaller cousins can swarm all over them.

2- A huge bow. His bow is so large it instantly shatters shields if they are used and allows the Champion to reroll damage against leather or hide armor.

3- A brace of javelins. The Champion will hurl these at you, keeping one for melee.

4- A huge hammer. 1/Round, the Champion can force a creature who he hit to save. On a failed save, that creature is stunned and loses his next action. He can move, but take no further actions.

5- Big sword. The Champion gains the ability to 1/Round, parry an attack, reducing the damage the attack does by 1d8.

6- An axe. The Champion carries multiple axes, so he can throw them.

Kobolds are often hated by most as nuisances who steal livestock and occasionally burn a farm to the ground. They generally aren't thought of as that dangerous. This is because very few people actually live through a Kobold raid. You can tell if someone is from the frontier through the Kobold test; if they shrug, they aren't. But if they spit or tell some blood-curdling tale about how Jon Hammond and his whole family were roasted alive in their barn and then eaten by a murderous pack of Kobolds, then they are.

However, among the Reptilian species, Kobolds are loathed with a blistering passion that surpasses all others. For Kobolds commit a unique sin against these species. For when the Kobolds attack the Lizarians or the Crocolings, they come not only for the livestock and the larder, but they also come for the wives and daughters of their victims. Kobolds kidnap the fertile females of these cold-blooded communities and drag them back to their hovels. They do this to breed Champions.

A Kobold Champion is the offspring of a Reptilian woman and a Kobold Father. (The opposite sometimes occurs, but this is often fatal to the Kobold mother, with her child often dying shortly after her.) From the Father, the Champion gains the Kobold's savagery and cold cunning, from his Mother he gains prodigious size and strength. Unlike most Kobolds, who are little taller than a grown man's waist, Kobold Champions can easily be as tall as most species, only being rivaled by the taller species, such as the Oxmen or the Elephantmen.

Kobold Champions lead the way for their lesser brethren, charging in, armed with enormous blades or massive lengths of hardwood. They often act as distractions for the clever tactics of their smaller kinsmen, pre-occupying the enemy while the others surround them. As such, let this be a lesson to you. A Kobold Champion is as smart as any of his brethren and occasionally, more so.

Kobolds usually make Champions opportunistically- if they see a young Reptilian woman while out raiding, they might snatch her up if possible. Sometimes however, they will try to kidnap certain specific creatures, such as a Reptilian woman of a specific blood-line or one blessed with prodigious skill, in the hopes that the Champion will inherit some of that skill. However, the grand prize of any such stock to create a Champion with would be a Dragon.

It would have to be a young Dragon, on the cusp of adolescence, as it would need to be sexually mature enough to reproduce, but it couldn't be too old, as otherwise it would be all but impossible to overpower and keep captive. The Champions produced from such a mother are glorious beings, terribly powerfully, inheriting some of the Dragon's majestic grace. These creatures are revered as The Exemplars, windows into the ancient, mythic past of the Kobolds: a promise of the glory that was theirs and will be once again, one day.

by Shaun Linn

Kobold Sage

Number Appearing: 1d3

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Languages: Lingua Franca, Kobold, 1d8 other local languages

Treasure: Books and scrolls of lore, special weapons and armor, equipment based on knowledge (see below)

HD 1d3

AR 1d3+1

Atk Weapon (1d6+1/1d6+1)

Mor 10

Saves (7+HD) or less

Pack Tactics: If two or more Kobolds wish to target the same creature, instead of making two attacks, only roll one Atk roll and add +1 to Atk for each additional Kobold attacking the creature (max +5).

Sneaky: Kobolds have advantage on stealth checks, unless some factor would otherwise interfere with that. For example, the Kobold is in bright light with nothing to hide behind.

Tactics:

- Avoid battle if possible

- Fight from the rear

- Retreat from any battle where you could die

To customize a Kobold Sage, roll on the tables below:

What is he armed with?

1d6

1- Bow and arrow with special arrows. He carries 1d4 [1= Flaming arrows- +1d6 fire damage; 2= Explosive Arrows- 2d6 damage on a hit, save for half; 3= Poisoned Arrows- (see above); 4= Arrows of Slaying- has 1d6 of a certain type of Arrows such as Arrows of Manslaying- on a hit, save or die, on a successful save, +2d6 damage.]

2- Wand or Stave. He can fire blasts of 1d6 [1= Fire; 2= Ice; 3= Lightning; 4= Acid; 5= Necrotic; 6= Radiant] damage.

3- Firearm. He has a gun- use the Firearm rules found here.

4- Diplomacy. He relies on his bodyguard for protection. His bodyguard(s) is a 1dX [1= An Ogre; 2= A Troll; 3= 1d4+1 Orcs; 4= 1d6+2 Beastmen; 5= 1d4+1 Evil Adventurers; 6= A Human Wizard.]

5- Sorcery. He has made a contract with a Spirit that granted him spell-casting abilities.

6- A magic weapon. He carries the Bow Dreadstrike which grants the user the ability to 3/Day, infuse an arrow with shadows. When a creature is struck, that creature must save or be blinded for one hour. On a successful save, the creature takes 2d6 damage. The creature can choose to fail it's save if it wishes.

What armor does he wear?

1d4

1- Decent armor. He wears high-quality armor, causing him to ignore critical hits.

2- Runic armor. His armor has runes carved into it to help it make no noise and function as heavy armor, even though it's light armor.

3- Stealth cloak. The cloak functions like active camouflage, like in The Predator. This allows him to perfectly hide when still and when he moves, grants him +4 to any stealth roll, not counting advantage.

4- Magic Armor. He wears the Barbed Chain, which allows the wearer to 3/Day, cause spikes to grow out of any piece of metal he touches. So he can touch your armor and causes spikes to grow out of the inside, piercing you.

What special knowledge does he have?

1d8

1- Animal Taming. He knows how to tame different animals. He rides a 1d4 [1= Bear; 2= Giant Spider; 3= Lion; 4= Giant Owl.] He will teach any Kobold group he joins how to tame and breed said animals as well.

2- Forging. He knows how to forge high-quality steel. Any Kobold group he joins will be able to produce good quality weapons and armor.

3- Chemix. He knows how to create dangerous compounds such as acids, gunpowder and other useful chemicals. Kobolds who receive help from him will have easy access to acid and explosives.

4- Alchemy. He knows how to brew potions and utilize Advanced Alchemy to create new materials. Kobolds who receive his help will have access to potions to harm their enemies or aid their allies.

5- Rune-Smithing. He knows the language of Runes and is able to use them to improve items and create Runic items. Kobolds that he helps will have access to Runic technology.

6- Summoning Rituals. He knows how to summon a number of useful Outsiders, who will offer aid in exchange for favors and services.

7- Mutagenetics. He knows how to utilize mutagenic chemicals and substances to mutate creatures to make them more powerful/useful, though this is an inexact science.

8- Archeotech. He studies ancient technology found in dungeons and ruins, attempting to extract knowledge from it. He has a piece of Archeotech with him (see below).

Kobolds have no known homeland and no few permanent institutions. While some of them manage to build the occasional settlement or village, by and large they are a landless people, wandering from place to place, hiding in the wilderness and in unsettled regions, occasionally emerging to plunder civilized lands, sometimes by themselves, or as the auxiliaries to the other Savage Races. As such, Kobolds often lack in knowledge. They are intelligent creatures, but many of the innovations of civilized man are unknown to them. And if they are known, they are often ignored or neglected in favor of the pressing needs of the day.

This is a problem that intelligent Kobolds realized, and so a solution was devised. Certain Kobolds were taught to read and to remember bits of information, acting as living libraries of vital information. These Kobolds Sages' job is to uplift Kobolds, to aid them in their goals and to help the Kobolds continually educate themselves, to learn from the mistakes and successes of other groups. Once a group has been sufficiently aided, the Kobold Sage will continue on his way, traveling to the next group of Kobolds to share information and continue the process.

Sometimes Kobold Sages also carry out other duties as well, such as acting as negotiators with more learned or civilized folk or providing advice to a Kobold King as a permanent advisor.

by StefanoMarinetti

Kobold Chromat

Number Appearing: 1

Alignment: Any Evil

Languages: Lingua Franca, Kobold

Treasure: Drugs (medicinal and recreational), alcohol, pain-killers, experimental runic technology, surgeon's tools

HD 1d4

AR 1d3

Atk Weapon (1d6/1d6) or Chromatic Blast (2d6 damage in a 30' line, requires an Attack roll)

Mor 15

Saves (7+HD) or less

Pack Tactics: If two or more Kobolds wish to target the same creature, instead of making two attacks, only roll one Atk roll and add +1 to Atk for each additional Kobold attacking the creature (max +5).

Sneaky: Kobolds have advantage on stealth checks, unless some factor would otherwise interfere with that. For example, the Kobold is in bright light with nothing to hide behind.

Unbound Mana: A Kobold's Chromat's blasts cannot be countered by any sort of anti-magic effect that cancels the spell, such as Counterspell, Spell Collapse, etc. There is no spell to counter-act.

Danger of Detonation: If a Kobold Chromat takes more than 8 damage from one attack, he must save. On a failed save, he explodes doing (HD)d6 damage, save for half, to any creature within 30'.

Tactics:

- Charge in with reckless abandon

- Blast the most dangerous/obvious target

- Revel in your power

by Croxot

To customize a Kobold Chromat, roll on the tables below:

How many types of Chromatic Blasts can this Chromat channel?

1d6

1- 1

2- 2

3- 1d3

4- 1d4

5- 1d4+1

6- All of them.

What kind of Chromatic Blasts can the Chromat channel?

1d8

1- Red. Does 2d6 fire damage, sets flammable objects on fire.

2- Yellow. Does 2d6 radiant damage, burns people's souls, if it kills you, it leaves an unblemished corpse.

3- Orange. Does 2d6 acid damage, dissolves metal and organic material, but not stone, glass, plastic or magic items.

4- Green. Does 2d6 poison damage, creatures hit must save or have disadvantage on all Atk (but not Defense) rolls for the next hour.

5- Blue. Does 2d6 ice damage, creatures hit must save or receive -1d4 to any roll based on fast movement or reactions.

6- Indigo. Does 2d6 psychic damage, creatures hit by this must make a COG save or be frightened of the Chromat. Frightened creatures will not approach and have disadvantage on all attacks against the Chromat.

7- Violet. Does 2d6 lightning damage, any creature wearing metal armor counts as vulnerable to this damage, allowing the Chromat to roll damage twice and take the better result.

8- Superviolet. Does no damage, but infuses a creature with magical energy, spell-casters must save or cast 1d4 spells, targeting random creatures. Spell-casters are considered to have +2d6 MD for the purposes of casting these spells. Non-spellcasters take 2d6 COG damage, save for half, as their spirits are overwhelmed and their mana networks are flooded. If reduced to 0 COG, these creatures fall into a catatonic state for 1 hour.

All races have different levels of magical affinity, which governs the number of their kind that can manipulate mana to use magic. Races with high affinity include the Elves and Goblins, while races with low affinity include Orcs and Humans. Kobolds fall into the latter category, as their race has almost no magical affinity. There are basically no naturally occurring Kobold Magi, all of them acquired their ability to channel mana through external aid.

Now, having lower magical affinity is not crippling as there are ways around this. Orcs famously call upon the servants of their Demonic Patrons and bind the summoned spirits to warriors, creating Demoniacs, who possess magical abilities. However, this is not an option for Kobolds either, as their bodies are naturally weak. Orcs are very strong and able to host powerful spirits for extended periods of time, while most Kobolds could only host a weak spirit and not for very long before the spirit burned out the Kobold's flimsy mana network and left it a husk.

Kobolds are clever creatures however and did not allow this seemingly major obstacle to stop them. Instead they attempted a bold experiment. By modifying the bodies of test-subjects by inscribing runes directly onto their bodies, they were able to enhance the Kobold's ability to channel mana. This method was crude and dangerous to the test-subjects however, as it did persistent damage to the Kobold's mana network. Becoming a Chromat is extremely dangerous- the more one uses his incredible abilities, the more damage he does to himself. All Kobolds who undergo the procedure to become Chromats die within 5 years and that's when they do not extensively use their abilities, nor does it include accidents.

Despite the manifold dangers and shortened life it promises, many Kobolds still accept the offer to become Chromats. The power it grants is potent indeed and it is extremely appealing to many of that weak race. The specific reason why they crave such power varies- some do it for love of family or country, or to carve their names into history, or for revenge. Some Kobolds probably do it for wealth and comfort, as many Kobold leaders use luxury to control their Chromats, bribing them with women, wine and prestige. Regardless of why they choose to do it, all Chromats agree that it is better to burn out than fade away.

by BryanSyme

Kobold King

Number Appearing: 1

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Languages: Lingua Franca, Kobold, 1d4 other local languages

Treasure: Stacks of coins, magic or runic weapons, excellent armor, books of lore, potions

HD 3

AR 3

Atk Weapon (1d6+1/1d6+1)

Mor 13

Saves 10 or less

Pack Tactics: If two or more Kobolds wish to target the same creature, instead of making two attacks, only roll one Atk roll and add +1 to Atk for each additional Kobold attacking the creature (max +5).

Sneaky: Kobolds have advantage on stealth checks, unless some factor would otherwise interfere with that. For example, the Kobold is in bright light with nothing to hide behind.

Kingly Aura: When fighting alongside a Kobold King, Kobolds have advantage on all morale checks.

Tactics:

- Avoid the most dangerous parts of the fight

- Command your subjects tactically

- Retreat if the battle is lost

by Hoodwinks

To customize a Kobold King, roll on the tables below:

How does he plan to fight you?

1d6

1- He will seal himself in a secure part of his fortress and have his men attack using ranged weapons from a fortified position. When you finally break in, you will find out he left through a secret passage hours ago. He will also have left behind some treasure, which is booby-trapped. Touch it and enjoy what happens next (you won't).

2- He will retreat to a part of his stronghold separated from the rest of the structure by a long bridge or walkway. When you go to cross it, he will blow the bridge and send you falling to the ground. If the fall is not thought dangerous enough, the Kobolds will have dug pits full of spikes or oil that can be set alight at their King's command.

3- He will be escorted from the room by his bodyguards, while a number of armored warriors will stay behind to hold the line. In actuality, he is one of the armored warriors and the "king" you just saw escorted away is a subordinate in disguise. After fighting for a bit, the armored warriors will "break" and run away in different directions.

4- He will lure you into his throne room then retreat through a hidden door. His subjects will seal you inside and then he will have the room flooded with poison gas.

5- He will wear you down with waves of harassing attacks, then when weakened, ambush you with his strongest troops.

6- He will invite you to dinner. At dinner, he will explain to you the plight of his people and why you should help him, or leave in peace. He is not above resorting to bribery or threats. He might have poisoned the food and will explain that he will only turn over the antidote if they leave him in peace.

With what is he armed?

1d6

1- A crossbow. He can fire a bolt that does 1d8 damage, then he needs to spend an Attack to reload.

2- A pistol. Use the firearm rules found here.

3- A Rune-Blade. His blade has been covered with runes that make it do more damage, allowing him to do +1d6 damage on a hit 1/Round.

4- A bandolier full of explosives, dangerous compounds and potions. He carries 1d6 bombs, 1d4 flasks of acid and 1d4+1 random potions.

5- A Wand or Stave. He can fire blasts of 1d6 [1= Fire; 2= Ice; 3= Lightning; 4= Acid; 5= Necrotic; 6= Radiant] damage.

6- A magic weapon. He wields the spear Scarlet Screams, which gives the user the ability to 3/Day cause a creature who has taken a wound to start bleeding from any existing wound as if that creature's blood couldn't coagulate. The creature takes 1d4 damage per round for 1 minute or until the affected creature moves at least 100' from the user of Scarlet Screams.

Who are his bodyguards?

1d6

1- A pair of Ogres. They are stupid, but incredibly loyal.

2- A Troll. Trolls are vicious, blood-thirsty killers, but the Kobold King somehow managed to convince one to side with him.

3- A Pet Wyvern. Raised from an egg, this animalistic cousin of the Dragon has a venomous sting and jaws powerful enough to bite a man's arm off in a single bite.

4- A Demoniac. A 1d3 [1= Human; 2= Orc; 3= Goblin] possessed by a Demon. The Demoniac is 1d3 [1= A willing partner; 2= Bound by contract; 3= Enslaved through magic.]

5- 1d4 Elite Human Slave-Soldiers. They were trained to obey whoever bought them- they don't really care that the Kobold King isn't human- he treats them better than most human masters would.

6- 1d4 Automata. Constructs that can move and act on their own, these ones are 1dX [1= Autonomous, but they obey orders; 2= Remote-controlled, either by the King or by some of his trusted servants. These Automata have 1d4 [1= Spinning sawblades on their arms- 1d6+Atk, and +1d6 sharp damage on a hit; 2= Flamecasters- 2d6 fire damage in a 15' cone, save for half; 3= Windshooters- fire metal darts that do 1d8 damage on a hit; 4= Shock-Whips- electrified whips made of wire, do 1d6 damage, grapple on a hit, Automata can do 1d6 lightning damage as a free action to grappled creatures on it's turn.]

What blessings have the Gods given him?

1d8

1- He is a spell-caster. He can cast spells as a Level 3 Wizard.

2- He can see the future. He has a 50% of detecting any trap or ambush before it occurs and 1/Round he can switch any d20 and take it for himself, forcing the opponent to reroll.

3- He has (1d8)-in-10 Magic Resistance. When targeted with a magical attack, he rolls 1d10. If he rolls under his Magic Resistance, the spell does not affect him, but jumps to the nearest available target. If he is targeted as part of an AoE effect, if he rolls under his Magic Resistance, he gains advantage on any save against the magic.

4- He takes half damage from all non-magical weapons.

5- He can teleport 1/Day. When he teleports, he can travel to anywhere within 1000' he can see or is intimately familiar with.

6- He naturally produces venom. He can inject this through his fangs or spit it at enemies. His venom 1dX [1= Causes 1d6 damage per round until you pass a CON save or take 3d6 damage; 2= Causes 1d6 DEX damage per round until you pass a CON save or take 3d6 DEX damage, if reduced to 0 DEX you are paralyzed for 1 hour; 3= Heightens pain, any creature exposed to it takes +1d4 damage from all sources for 1 hour; 4= Save or die, on a successful save, take 1d8 damage.]

7- He is so charismatic that this functions as a low-level Charm ability. If he has done nothing to harm a creature, that creature must save to attack or take any action that might harm the Kobold King. Creatures have advantage on this save if they have a special reason to dislike the King.

8- The Kobold King is tied to a prophecy. As such, he can only be killed under specific circumstances. For example, "No man of woman born can kill Macbeth."

by Atc-illustration

Kobold Warrens:

Whenever Kobolds set up their settlements, they recognize their physical inferiority as compared to most other races. As such, they dig out underground nests and spaces to use as public gathering spaces, barracks and strongholds. They dig networks of tunnels that are too small for Medium creatures to comfortably move through to connect these underground places.

While you stumble around their fake settlment, all the real action is happening beneath your feet. The buildings on the surface are decoys, meant to distract and mislead you. These buildings are designed to be part fortress, part death trap to anyone who comes to cause the Clan harm. The Kobolds will infest these buildings with hidden booby-traps, murder-holes and secret doors.

If the Kobolds don't have the time or resources to dig such elaborate networks, such as when they are taking over an abandoned village or town, they will designate certain buildings as "living" and some as "dead". Living buildings will be used for actually helpful purposes, while dead buildings are there to function as decoys. The "living" buildings will be smashed and damaged as much as possible, to make sure it looks like they have been abandoned.

Migratory Kobolds do not typically build structures, but when setting up camp, they will hide them very well and typically set up decoy camp-sites in a place where scouts can see them, but not so close to the real camp that any creature who happens upon their decoy camp-site would be able to find the real camp.

by phosfen

Kobold Archeotech:

The scholar Vitten of the Imperial University had a theory that the mythic origins of the Kobold Race was not a literal account of events from the beginning of the Second Age, but instead were a mythologized retelling of their history. His theory was that the Kobolds once possessed their own advanced civilization with all the trappings we associate with the Civilized Races, architecture, art, philosophy and etc., but that this civilization was destroyed and the Kobolds were left a stateless people.

Vitten also suspected that the Dragons were somehow responsible for this downfall, which would explain the unique enmity Kobolds seem to hold towards those creatures, which is unique, as most other Reptilian races idolize Dragons as paragons of their kind.

Vitten's theory was not popular at the time, as he explained many of the strange ruins dotting the Empire, as well as the byzantine labyrinth of tunnels carved into many of her mountains and under most of her cities as products of this long-vanished Kobold Empire. At the time, this was considered an insult to the ingenuity to the people of the Empire and their willingness to work to serve future generations, which is why Vitten never rose higher than he did.

He further made enemies of the Mechanist's Guild when he argued that many of their advances, which were mostly learned from studying works of Ancient Artifice, would have actually been derived from this theoretical civilization. The Guild further worked to discredit him, to protect their own reputation.

Yet his theory did spread, first as rumor and gossip, but somehow it reached the Kobolds themselves. Since many nobles employ Kobold slaves, it was likely overheard by some of their bonded workers, who passed it along until it reached Kobolds in the wild. This prompted many Kobold Sages to begin studying the ruins that dotted the Empire, plumbing them for secrets.

The theory became believed by many Kobolds who came to accept it as gospel, it fitting neatly into their narrative of oppression and unfairness. However, unlike their former myth, this one promised hope. If only the Kobolds could rediscover the secrets of their ancestors then they could take revenge on all those who wronged them.

Example Archeotech:

1d6

1- The Black Tiger. A suit of power armor that can be worn by a Small creature. When worn, it allows the user to change his size, growing up to a Large size and increasing strength proportionally. Also enhances the wearer's stealth abilities so you can sneak even as a Large creature.

2- The Creation Forge. A device that, if programmed, can recreate any non-magical item it has the information for.

3- The Logician's Core. A metal sphere that, when activated, banishes Outsiders and Spirits, driving them away.

4- Transporter Cannon. A cannon that, if loaded with a stone, can open a portal to wherever that stone was harvested from.

5- Memory Scarab. A metal beetle that, when worn on the forehead, records all the wearer's memories. The beetle can then be removed and the memories can be played back.

6- Elemental Transformation Matrix. Allows the user to transform all examples of one specific substance within a selected area into another. For example, turn all the Air in a room into Stone.

by chochi