Kobold (Revised)
Kobolds are the lackeys of the Forgotten Realms, coming into work under powerful entities such as dragons and worshipping said master almost like a god. Despite their individual weakness, kobolds are crafty and strong in numbers, turning a kobold-ridden mine or mountain into a surprising threat for adventurers of all sorts.
There is the off-chance a kobold can strike out on its own - separate from its tribe - and adjust to life as a wanderer.
Kobold Traits
The traits presented here act as an alternative to those provided in Volo's Guide to Monsters by Wizards of the Coast.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Age. Kobolds begin to walk soon after hatching and are mature at 6 years of age. It's hard to determine how long a kobold lives due to them commonly leading short lives.
Alignment. Kobolds are selfish, but see strength in tradition and family, causing them to usually be lawful evil.
Size. Kobolds typically range between 2 and 3 feet in height and weigh between 30 and 45 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Distraction. You are well accustomed to fighting dirty alongside allies to win. You can take the Help action as a bonus action, provided you are doing so to help an ally attack a creature within 5 feet of you.
Sunlight Allergy. While better accustomed to seeing in sunlight compared to most kobolds, you still have issues determining fine details. If you or a target of a Wisdom (Perception) check are in direct sunlight, you have disadvantage on the check.
Trained Trapper. You have a keen eye for traps thanks to your upbringing. You are considered proficient in Wisdom (Perception) checks made to find traps or natural hazards. You are also considered proficient in Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks made to disarm traps.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic. Kobolds speak Draconic with a yipping, dog-like accent called Yipyak.
Detect Balance
This race was run through , Detect Balance, scoring a total of about 25.
ASI: +12
Darkvision: +3
Distraction: +8
Sunlight Allergy: -2
Trained Trapper: +4
Backstory Tables
Use the following tables to create traits for your kobold, or use your own.
| d6 | Personality and Quirks |
|---|---|
| 1 | You're a bully and like to boss others around, but fear conflict and arguements. |
| 2 | You like to stay out of sight, and think they can't see you if you can't see them. |
| 3 | You considered yourself a culinary expert and frequently harvest "food" of the bodies of your enemies. |
| 4 | Anything shiny catches your eye, and you quickly become obsessed with stealing what catches your interest. |
| 5 | You're unnaturally brave for a kobold, but you yourself can't tell if it's an act or not. |
| 6 | You dye your scales a different color and avoid water at all costs to avoid it being washed off. |
| d6 | Reason for Adventuring |
|---|---|
| 1 | You were thought to be the reincarnation of an esteemed kobold leader. That wasn't the case and you were exiled. |
| 2 | The dragon you worshipped was killed or chased off, leaving you confused as what to do. You took to wandering for a purpose. |
| 3 | There's only so much wealth you can attain from sitting in one place, you took to adventuring to find as much gold as possible. |
| 4 | Your tribe was killed by adventurers, as one of the few survivors you took up the cause of exacting revenge. |
| 5 | Your egg was found by adventurers of a different race, and you were raised in their steed. |
| 6 | You had to run for your life after angering the dragon your tribe worshipped, you worry that they or their followers may still be looking for you. |
Content created by u/Hydralpha.
Changelog
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7/30/20: Reworked Distraction to be a bonus action Help, rather than a reaction. Changed Natural Trapper to Trained Trapper, gives proficiency instead of advantage.
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3/16/20: Reworded the language on Distraction for clarity. Cleaned up changelog.
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1/5/20: Rewrote parts of flavor and features for better clarity, changed Trap-Maker to Natural Trapper and expanded it to all checks relating to traps; changed some of the numbers on the Detect Balance score.
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10/8/19: Changed ASI to +2 Dex/+1 Int from +2 Dex/+1 Con, added Sunlight Allergy.
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7/7/19: Removed Lesser Sunlight Sensitivity and Pack Tactics, added Distraction.