ecology of the kobold

I mentioned that I have trouble playing kobolds and goblins differently. Two undifferentiated weak, trap-setting, underground cannon-fodder races is too many, so a while ago, I came up with some new quirks for goblins.

Here’s my take on kobolds.

Kobolds are scavengers

I decided that goblins were producers – they don’t need other races to survive.

Kobolds, on the other hand, don’t produce anything. They live on the edges of settlements and steal garbage, set up traps for travelers, and raid farms. Kobolds are the first thing you fight at level 1 because they’re right on the edge of town.

Therefore, kobold weapons are likely to be daggers, scythes, and shortbows created by other races. Their industry goes as far as weaving ropes into nets and turning leather into slings (but not making the rope or the leather).

When they’re unable to steal food, kobolds eat bugs and small animals, and set traps to catch large animals and humans.

Kobolds worship fear

I had a bit of a problem coming up with a kobold gimmick. Recent editions have them as dragon-worshippers, which is fine, I guess, but it’s limiting. For instance, you don’t want to design a system that has kobolds and dragons (a high and low level encounter) always sitting on top of each other. What level party will face them?

In the past, I’ve also experimented with kobolds as demonic minions suitable for level-1 parties to face. They’re scaly and have horns – all they need and pitchforks and the smell of brimstone to fill that role.

Kobolds’ defining characteristic is that they’re the weakest monster in the monster manual. Individually, they’re afraid of everything. I decided that was the key to their psychology. They worship fear. If a creature is strong enough to kill a lot of them, they will serve that creature. The more frightened they are of the creature, the more fanatically loyal they become.

Kobolds will fear any creature that kills a lot of them, but the creatures they worship most slavishly are those with cause fear effects: typically dragons and demons have such powers. Conveniently, that preserves the lore of the dragon-worshipping kobold.

Kobolds like to cause fear

Kobolds try to inspire fear in others. They’re too weak to do so with force of arms, so they do so by exploiting traps, darkness, and trickery. They prefer traps that don’t kill instantly. Fiery logs rolling towards their target; poison that weakens over time; pit traps that hurt but don’t kill; those are their favorite. They also have a weakness for Scooby Doo style trickery, terrifying villagers with phosphorescent scarecrows and devil masks.

When Mike Mornard ran us through a kobold maze, he had a handful of kobolds, striking from the darkness, terrifying a well-armed band of stronger first-level characters. That’s part of a tradition going back to Gary Gygax’s brutal level 1 kobolds. Kobolds are most effective when they’re scary.

Kobolds mutate

Like goblins, kobolds have their own brand of magic. Kobold magic lets them take on the characteristics of the thing they fear most. Thus, kobolds enslaved by a white dragon might gain icy dragon breath (for 1d4 damage). Kobolds enslaved by an evil necromancer might gain wimpy little Emperor Palpatine lightning. Kobolds used by drow might gain the ability to create shadows.

Kobolds will also gain obsessions related to those of their masters. A dragon’s kobolds will hoard treasure. A vampire’s kobolds will drink blood. An evil knight’s kobolds might actually learn to march in step.

Independent kobolds

Some kobolds can’t find any evil creature to act as their master/protector. These tribes tend to gravitate to the edge of human settlements, where they steal from, and to some degree imitate, adventurers and city guards.

14 Responses to “ecology of the kobold”

  1. Baf says:

    I really like the idea of kobolds imitating the behavior of adventurers. Presumably this means sending raiding parties to burst into people’s homes, murder, loot, and flee. This could make for a good “I learned it from you!” moment when the players realize that this isn’t normal kobold behavior.

  2. Philo Pharynx says:

    Some cool ideas! I like the idea that they mutate – that opens the door for a few kobolds to become mutant champions. Mostly they would be the leaders of kobold bands, but I could see a few striking off on their own.

    Another idea for scavengers – imagine what happens if a group of kobolds were to get a big haul of potions, wands and scrolls. I see a party coming across a wagon that was disabled and looted. They follow the kobolds back to their lair and face a group where most of them have one or two magical effects on them.

  3. Tom Coenen says:

    The mutate ability opens up a lot of possibilities:
    what if they fear mindflayers, Medusas or lawful good dwarves?
    I like what you’ve done to give kobolds their own characteristics.

  4. Philo Pharynx says:

    Hmmm… I’m imagining an evil wizard who is experimenting on his kobold prisoners in order to try and see what the limits of this mutation are. I can imagine dozens of unique kobold monstrosities.

  5. paul paul says:

    Philo, that evil wizard is a real jerk! I should steal that idea.

  6. Michael (Gronan) Mornard says:

    “An evil knight’s kobolds might actually learn to march in step.”

    😀

  7. […] articles by Paul over at the Blog of Holding about “The Ecology of the Goblin“, and “The Ecology of the Kobold”. After reading both of these I decided while his take on Kobolds was nice I preferred my […]

  8. […] other day I stumbled upon a pair of articles titled The Ecology of the Goblin and The Ecology of the Kobold on the Blog of Holding. It reminded me that once upon a time I had this thing going where I would […]

  9. Kobold says:

    What if you had a kobold who figured out the whole “they mutate” thing and wandered around looking for someone to learn from. “First stop, necromancer and get the poopatine lightning that everyone is talking about. then i’ll find a rogue and learn how to loot properly. next lets find a fighter, stalk him for a bit, and learn how to wield a sword with efficiency. next time to rob a alchemist and get rid of the foul smell that is following me around all the time. next i’ll find a dragon and learn how to breath fire. and finally i’ll steal some exercise equipment and work on my abs, arms and legs, and after thats done, i’ll eat the gymnest”

    so that was the inside look of a super kobolds mind!!!

    so how ya like them apples.

  10. B.O.B. says:

    He still won’t be able to find good company, or fix his shortness.
    Plus he is still ugly as heck :)

  11. Kobold says:

    Hey!!! I resemble that remark!

  12. B.O.B. says:

    Wait, your a kobold? prove that your not trying to be funny and say something in kobold!!!

    If I’m wrong and your telling the truth than i’ll email you $50

    OH and don’t forget to visit my house in order to prove it further!

  13. Kobold says:

    this is the closest thing there is on my keyboard.

    &^&*^^*(*()(*&%$@$^&*((%^@#^*&)**(*@

    hows them apples :)

    one step closer to 50 bucks :)

  14. Hooduh Fukcares says:

    Wow. Some folx have a LOT of time on their hands.

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