Monster of the Month - Kobolds
Welcome to another Monster of the Month post, I apologize for falling off the map in April but work and life just went crazy for awhile (it still kind of is but back to the internet word mines). But I'm glad to be at it with some of my favorite lizard dragon monsters those good old Kobolds. Out there in the great interwebs some of you had your love of these cunning creatures revitalized by Chris Perkins' appearance on Critical Role as Spurt. Many of the veteran players out there though quickly groan at the notion of another band of kobolds anytime they restart a campaign.
Just looking at what kobolds come via the WotC products one can quickly see how something that should be super fun for the DM to run, and the player to encounter, can become repetitive and predictable. Now I know that Kobold became a PC race in Volo's Guide to Monsters but lets talk just NPCs for a second.
So the flavors that we as DMs have to start with are all pretty much the same, with the last three being the ones that differ the greatest from the default monster. Still these tweaks are minor in part to keep them true to Kobold form. I do believe though that there is room for a few additions that still stay true to what a Kobold is and what they believe. But before I start going crazy we should talk Kobold PCs.
Now when the opportunity to play a Kobold first came out I was super excited. I have always loved finding a DM that would give me permission to take a monster and make a PC stated as them. I felt it added more fun to the game for me as it widened NPC reactions to the group and what could happen. Plus I mean, who doesn't want to rock a monster race? I've also always felt that a well played Kobold would make an amazing team member in a larger group setting. Why you ask dear internet person being used to continue a contrived script?
Well lets answer that totally real question, they are insane in what they can do. Disclaimer for all you about to go ham in my comments section this is all my opinion and not WotC fact blah blah blah blah. To get an idea of the barest level of crazy you can put into a PC Kobold just look at the last three standard WotC offerings we talked about. They give a peak into how a Kobold processes things and the levels that they will go to when they are on a mission. They are desperate to prove they are braver and better then they really are, even when more OP then their everyday Kobold brethren. They are smart but in that extreme weird mad scientist kind of way (please see the before mentioned Spurt's array of gear) so there is no end to the amount of ridiculous contraptions they could come up with to get into and out of trouble. They are fiercely protective of their own and devoted to a fault. Also can you imagine a Kobold and a Dragonborn in the same party? OMFG that PC dynamic would be the best~.
Back to serious talks - smart, versatile, sneaky, cunning, and pack dynamics make for a very deadly PC character when paired with an adventuring party. It lives for large groups or partnering with things it sees as more powerful then itself. They can be duty bound, fast to act, and uncommon allies that can open up alot of possibilities for the players and the DM to have fun with during a campaign. Maybe think about it next time you are having to spin up a new character for a campaign. Honestly I would put playing a Kobold over a Goblin (yo critters don't come for me, we fam).
H'okay so~ we talked existing Kobolds both NPC and PC with some RP hints thrown in through out. Now its time to talk about ways to spice up individual Kobolds and how to create some more engaging, and dare I say terrifying, encounters for your players. At this point we all know my brain can be a scary place for players because lots of wickedly fun things come out of it. I like to keep them on their toes even for seemingly "normal" encounters. My favorite lizard dragon monsters have of course been the beneficiaries of alot of extra TLC over the years because of it so I'll try to give a sampling without dumping an ocean of additional words at you.
Special Kobolds
I always like to add some fun and unique kobolds to an encounter I'm doing, hidden among the sea of their brethren to strike out with surprising force. Here a few examples of some of the ones I've sprung upon my helpless players:
Assassin Kobold - These creatures can blend into their environment in a camouflage that is extremely hard to spot. They are patient as they wait for just the right moment to blitz attack, striking an intruder down before they even know they aren't alone. Able to slow their breathing and heart beat to unnoticeable levels they are the perfect killers.
Lil Ball 'O Rage - If you have never seen a tiny creature suddenly filled with rage then you are very lucky. Suddenly filled with a strength they did not know they possessed as the firey rage of a dragon buzzes through their skull its almost as if they are nothing more then a killing machine. Point them in a direction and let loose the Kobolds of war.
Dragon Avatar - To channel great power takes immense focus and endurance, many burn out from the power before they can ever wield it. But those few that survive their first brush with the Great Dragon have a chance to become something truely amazing, its channel. When a Dragon Avatar is able to fully wield the spirit and power of the Great Dragon none shall stand before them.
Spooky Caretaker - Not sure if alive or dead the caretaker seems to almost walk through walls to protect its home. The spooky creature's cold grasp chills intruders even as their black eyes pin them in place. One can never escape the deep darkness for long, especially after losing control of your own limbs.
The Magician - Even more tricky then your typical Kobold, these good old monsters use a little illusion magic to enhance the traps of their trade. Some gain it through items stolen off of the dead bodies of adventurers, some through pledging their life to a dragon, and others through darker means. Each kind shades the types of illusions and horrors a magician can call down to play with the intruder's mind.
Tribes
There are alot of different types of structures, hierarchies, and flavors that you can use for the Kobold community. When setting them up in a location you can change how they function and what they may do to protect their homes with a little bit of effort on the part of how they work together. I feel just even thinking about something like this quickly helps deepen how they come off in game as it opens up RP opportunities on both sides of the table.
Matriarchal - They are ruled by the oldest female Kobold, a scarred and wizened lizard who wields a staff with the claw of a dragon tied to the top. Its deadly glint hypnotizes in the fire light as she reigns from a pile of junk turned throne. The females are trained and made warriors while the males tend to the dragon's eggs and those of their own young. Very few internal disputes erupt and those that do are handled swiftly with the Matriarch seeming to descend upon it from nowhere.
Chromatic - A sea of every color Kobold sweeps wide and away as they scurry about their business. In these caves your color rules where you can go and what you can do. But they have been promised by the Dragon Council below that if they serve faithfully they have a chance of returning in the next life as a better color. From greatest to least the Kobolds hold their caste system as Red, Blue, Green, Black, White, Brass, Copper, Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
Feral - After a landslide sealed off the ways out of their mountain the Kobolds were left to stew on their own for more then a decade before some poor miner decided to try their luck prospecting there. Blowing a small hole into the side of the mountain the miner put their face close to see, and all they saw was the writhing waves of scales and claws as it slammed into them. Their attack was so sudden and fierce that they stood no chance and were quickly ripped to shreds and bits pulled back into the hole. These Kobolds have reverted into an almost purely instinctual, extremely viscous, and mad bunch.
Isolated Advancement - Unlike their feral brothers above when these Kobolds were trapped underground they found that they were finally safe. They didn't have to worry about adventurers or strange visitors wanting to take things. There was plenty of food from the mushrooms, cave fish and bugs and the underground lake was massive with cool clean water. With no need to worry they focused on developing, no longer hunting and gathering but rather growing and cultivating. In the mere few decades since they were closed off they have become a fully functioning civilized society that works together to all thrive.
Encounter Examples
Now Kobolds themselves aren't always where the groaning about knowing whats going on or the sudden fun drain comes from. Its from how we as DMs use them against our players. The easiest thing is the thing that gets used the most and can lead to heavy eye rolling when used yet again for the 6th campaign you've played in. That being a cave system with Kobolds shooting at you from behind holes in the walls with some traps thrown in for good measure. So I hope some of my encounter blurbs of things I've run in the past help tweak your ideas on what you can use these fantastic monsters for.
Its Too Quiet
(Assassin Kobolds & Spooky Caretakers)
You had heard terrifying tales about these caves and everyone who saw where you were headed tried to stop you with warnings from voices that trembled. But as you sneak into the mouth of the system you think for a moment how quiet it is. Maybe they were wrong and had just worked themselves into a frenzy. It was far too late for your party even before you'd actually gone into the cave...good thing the walls will muffle your screams.
Something Wicked Lurks
(Lil Ball 'O Rage & Assassin Kobolds)
Something dark brews beneath the city, nightmares haunt the inhabitants and tales of monsters seen at night run rampant. A cult of Kobolds have moved in beneath the city following a Nightmare Dragon to do its bidding. The Dragon has plans for all those who live above and it can't be good.
The Devoted
(Dragon Avatar & The Magician)
Tasked with the retrieval of an object that might bring them closer to releasing their god from its prison, a small band roam the land. Imbued with powers before leaving they take strength in the strange power coursing through their veins and wield illusions to avoid most other travelers. Though when they find that an adventuring party making camp after a successful tomb raid have the object they need things are about to become a little more bloody.
Kobolds can be really fun to see in a game as long as you come at it from the perspective of figuring out why they are there and then making it matter. What are the Kobolds like? It effects what they would do to intruders and how they would go about it. It might even effect how they have set up their homes and tunnel systems. Give yourself as many hooks both mechanically and RP wise as possible, I know it takes some prep work but it will make your life as a DM way easier. Especially because we never know what our crazy players will try during an encounter. Don't be afraid to go outside of the norm and throw your players for a loop. I can guarantee it will be something they won't stop talking about after.
With that little rambling over with, I’m JustKay your regular DM Dalliance on the web and I’ll see you next post.
PS - Tucker's Kobolds is one of my favorite things to read before going to bed. It brings all the best dreams. As a quick overview a DM, named Tucker, created a nightmare first floor of a dungeon using just Kobolds that his players were absolutely terrified of. It lead to many PC deaths and marvelous antics to try and get around having to deal with them. This is a prime example of what I mean when I say you can make any encounter, no matter the monster, deadly to your players... also a ton of fun to run on your end.