So I've started a homebrew with kobolds. I solicited ideas for kobold villain builds, took some ideas, and made a truly cruel first encounter with them. This has had me thinking: what if they acted more like PCs?
For example in the fight I had a kobold adept 3 with a swooping dinosaur familiar with the Emissary archetype; said adept had an int of 12. Think about that from a players perspective: if a PC spellcaster had a few meager spells, lots of scrolls and a Tiny sized flying familiar that could spam Guidance every round, what would they do?
Outside combat they'd be using other party members or their familiar to scout and gather intel on threats. With most of their scrolls being party buffs with a few close combat spells they'd want to stay close to a party switch-hitter, preferably with Reach. Who else might be in this party?
You'd need someone capable of holding the line in melee, someone to deal a small but consistent amount of damage from range and perhaps another spellcaster for battlefield control. This party, if in their own home base, would have spells and mundane means of alerting themselves to intruders, reliable means of getting around, hopefully without alerting their enemy, and probably some traps to weaken trespassers. Being that these are kobolds, probably MORE traps to make up for battlefield control spellcasters.
But then I looked at some APs and how goblins, kobolds and even orcs are depicted. They use sub-standard equipment while investing most of their resources in traps. Their spells and feats are usually very general and blah. Finally I've seen kobold stuff in APs in particular where the kobolds are just standing around while near their position is rubble just begging to be used as Cover, Difficult Terrain AND a way to create a Small space that can then fall on enemies for a few HP damage.
So, what if intelligent monsters acted like PCs? What if they formed well-balanced parties, complemented one another's strengths and weaknesses, strove to improve their powers, skills and equipment, and generally used EVERY advantage they could to defend themselves? Is that cheating? Am I a bad/wrong/evil/killer GM for considering this?
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look up tucker's kobolds
In my games they often do. They run in, kill every one that resist and steal every thing not nailed down.
Edit: and if every one in the World have the mentality of PCs not a lot of normal jobs Will be done. But i Think some of the orcs should be PC classes and act like pros. Most likely among the leaders. That is how i do it.
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My monsters often DO act like PCs in this regard. However monsters usually have far fewer resources than PCs do and are geared up to defend against different kinds of threats.
You have to remember that the biggest threats to kobolds are not adventurers, it's the village militia who are much less well equipped, organized, and motivated. Adventurers are like the special forces of their world (well, the ones that survive are), the people who will take on any job. They are the guys who will attack superior numbers, relying on speed and surprise to ensure they never get overwhelmed.
When the village militia encounter those traps, they are either deterred or take forever to get past them, giving the kobolds time to raise the alarm and organise a defence. Adventurers sneak through them and hit hard and fast.
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You'd have a lot more dead PCs. ;)
That's how I like it. Beyond using intelligent tactics (including running away with their valuables if possible) I always like having bad guys attempt to parley with the party once it's clear that the PCs have them outmatched. Most intelligent creatures tend to be really confused about why the PCs broke into their homes and starting assaulting them. The confusion grows once they realize the PCs literally just wondered in and started killing because "it was there."
"So you seriously just broke into my tower and started killing my minions because you just saw the place on the hill and thought 'why the hell not?' Really? You're sure no one sent you?"
"Pretty much, man. I didn't get to kill anyone all day yesterday and I was getting antsy. Wait, why would someone send us? Are you worth money dead or something?"
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Am I a bad/wrong/evil/killer GM for considering this?
Yes, and Kobolds everywhere thank you. :)
Give them a Dragon Master and you solve your question why dragons have hoards and why these stupid Kobolds have all the cool gear.
Kobolds of Golarion has some feats to give them the ability to make ranger traps and a rogue archetype that lets them add in sneak attack damage. Plus some other cool Kobold gear.
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I think every GM should do this all the time.
Supposedly we're simulating a world full of living (and not-so-living) creatures who want to keep on living (etc.) as long as possible. As such, everything, EVERYTHING, should view every encounter, even mundane encounters, as a serious threat of dying and should act accordingly.
For unintelligent stuff, this just means using their natural abilities to their fullest. But even with that, there are plenty of real-earth examples of unintelligent animals, fish, bugs, etc., using stealth and camouflage and terrain advantages - nature adapts them to use every advantage to survive.
For the intelligent stuff, it means just what you said in the OP.
But with some limitations:
There is a reason that a basic/generic monster description doesn't have all these bells and whistles like class abilities, extra and/or alternate feats, etc. It's because the basic monster doesn't have this stuff - only the special ones do.
If every monster is special and there are no basic/generic versions, then nothing is special anymore (all the special stuff becomes the new baseline for normal).
So yeah, some special kobolds should get class levels and retrain to different feat selections. Some of them should upgrade their gear to be not sub-standard (for this reason I have kobolds prey on halflings and gnomes rather than larger sized races - not because they're afraid to raid a group of human travelers, but because they can't wear human armor or wield human weapons so they look for victims their own size).
The best among them might develop levels and have surprisingly optimal feats and spells and gear. Those elite kobolds would quickly rise to positions of leadership or other prominence, and would probably seek the company of other elite kobolds, maybe even using the generic kobolds as cannon fodder and speed bumps to slow down any enemy threats during encounters.
I would and do totally do this - but note, it's more work. Designing a group of elite kobolds takes more time than using a group of generic ogres, so I rarely use it for random or otherwise meaningless encounters; I save it for good story-based stuff.
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The confusion grows once they realize the PCs literally just wondered in and started killing because "it was there."
I am so glad my groups don't answer that way. It's usually more like "Dude, we were just responding in kind." Made for a fun encounter in Riddleport where the PCs were mistaken for someone else, but used non-lethal damage since the opposition was doing the same. No one died, and the thugs were embarrassed and apologized, offering drinks in recompense once the party deal with their mutual adversary.
Critters with INT scores over 2 should employ SOME level of tactics... using cover and such just makes sense.
It's funny to see a Lich CHARGE someone, but it doesn't make sense.
There is nothing wrong with allowing your monsters to play their INT scores, as long as you keep in mind any suggestions/rules about their personality.
A 8 INT Orc Barbarian is far more likely to aggressively charge than a 8 INT Half-Orc Sorcerer is...
OMG if I get one more Tucker's Kobolds reference. Just 'cuz someone says "kobolds" that's not an invitation for Tuckerization.
No what I'm saying is what if you generated encounters thinking like a group of players. Put together monsters that can complement each others' roles and then have them utilize everything at their disposal.
An NPC of any race (though I have been using kobolds a lot) that takes a level in Warriror is ostensibly trained in ALL martial weapons. Why then if they had a massive strength penalty would they grab a sling or javelin? If another creature were slow in speed why would they load up on heavy armor?
Some have told me: kobolds don't have anywhere to buy weapons. How do they manufacture traps and not make weapons; why don't their warriors learn how to use captured weapons; why don't kobolds have an economy?
Others have said: orcs are already so overpowered with ferocity why give them armor? Yes the "standard" orc loves battle but don't they want to prolong the fight even longer by wearing armor; isn't there a tactical advantage they're missing?
Bottom line is you're right TOZmanian Devil: if we arm our villains with the kind of skills, tactics and gear the heroes employ, we'll kill our PCs. I know its the GMs job to lose fights and feed monsters into the grist mill that is the leveling of the PCs, but I feel like that's what the real MONSTERS are for. Your chokers and dire wolves and wyverns and such.
Maybe I'm just becoming jaded. A few sessions ago I used some stock-standard mites and vermin to make up a lair, then let the players loose. The PCs were only 2nd level at the time, properly equipped using WBL and they were nearly full strength. Inside of 16 rounds, 1 minute and 36 seconds, they had completely CLEANSED foiur rooms, securing one entire section of dungeon for themselves. These were with AVERAGE rolls hovering between 9's and 12's, with the CR 3's and 4's coming from numbers of monsters versus their individual strengths.
One minute, 36 seconds. In almost the same amount of time it takes to get coffee from a vending machine 6 mites, three giant spiders and four giant centipedes were all killed or at negative HPs. They then swept back through, used Coup De Gras and finished everything, then looted the rooms. It was... disturbing.
Not only did it not take that much time in the game but it only took a couple hours of a 5 hour session. This was probably the impetus for me looking back over my monsters and thinking, "why wouldn't the mites wear better armor, create improved cover, drink a potion to buff themselves," etc.
Anyway thanks for your input so far.
It's funny to see a Lich CHARGE someone, but it doesn't make sense.
To be fair, if your Lich isn't an idiot (i.e. isn't wearing his phylactery) he literally has nothing to fear from being defeated. Charge on ahead and go for that paralyzing touch!
I would not.
I would surrender, and let him have his way with me, then kill him in his sleep.
I would not.
I would surrender, and let him have his way with me, then kill him in his sleep.
And that's why no one feels bad when "heroes" commit complete and utter genocide against your people. Filthy, kobold savages.
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Wait, people DON'T have intelligent monsters acting like Player Characters?
I'm running a game with my own setting called Mirth Island Mists.
Mirth Island is overrun with cannibal tribes of ghouls that hunt down humans in packs, flay them, and drag their disembowled corpses back to their underground lairs to eat.
The ghouls hunt in organized packs, Festrogs in place of dogs, a stealthy tracker or two, and a few others to run down the game.
They set up ambushes along well travelled paths, take advantage of early morning fogs and the near constant mist that covers much of the island. They build pit traps, log traps, nets, alarms, and use undead crows and ravens to scout ahead for the living without alerting anyone to their presence.
Their gear is about what you would expect these kinds of intelligent monsters to have. Bows, spears, leather armor, and of course the occasional equipment scavenged from their quarry.
But by that argument, every random villager and farmer in the land should be combat optimized - because "everything, EVERYTHING, should view every encounter, even mundane encounters, as a serious threat of dying and should act accordingly."
No, the farmer is optimized for farming. But he won't defend himself with a pitchfork and no armor. My farmers always manage to have a reasonable weapon, even if it's a simple one, as well as a shield and some basic armor lying nearby. Or maybe a crossbow or at least a sling. If they spot trouble, or even possible trouble, coming their way, they'll take a couple rounds to put on that leather armor and grab their combat gear.
And if that farmer has been around for a few years, defending his farm against whatever wicked this way comes, he might even have a few levels. If so, likely one or two of them might involve some martial training. Unless his farm is safely inside well-defended city walls which is pretty much never the case. And if he has martial training, he probably has better gear and maybe a feat or two that should help him win a combat. Not all of his feats need to be Skill Focus (farming).
It's not the way the real world works.
Even in our most barbaric times, our real world was not as dangerous as golarion. Real-Earth farmers didn't have to contend with raiding bands of goblins, kobolds, orcs, ogres, etc. No griffons to steal farm animals and children. No ankhegs, no bullettes, no basilisks, no dragons, etc.
It's not the way fantasy works. Most people aren't elite killers.
I didn't say "most people" would be elite.
Even in my example, I said many creatures would be "basic/generic" but some would rise above.
And NONE would be caught unarmed, unprepared, and unready to defend himself. Not unless their enemies were successfully stealthy and reached them without being observed.
And I didn't say anyone would be a killer.
But everyone whose been around for a while, survived hostile Golarion for any real length of time, probably picks up some combat ability. This does not mean "elite killer" but it means no longer generic/basic".
Even among criminals and bandits, most aren't elite killers. Throughout history most soldiers weren't elite killers. Think of most of them as common militia or conscripts, who grab up a spear when they're attacked or go out to raid the local villages, where they hopefully won't face any real opposition. Most of the time they're back in their little underground village living their lives.
That's all well and true, but the real world is not the same as Golarion.
In Golarion, anyone who lives outside of well-defended city walls is subject to constant and imminent danger, far more often than real-Earth peasants.
And when called up to do soldiering, a real-Earth peasant generally fought against other levvied peasants - they were never asked to fight against orcs or ogres or dragons, nor against other bad people who also fought against orcs, ogres, and dragons.
I almost always have intelligent monsters use tactics and strategies along with different/better equipment, altering modules and APs when I use them to reflect the creatures having an IQ above room temperature.
I tell my players to expect these things as well and in being informed it makes them think more about what they are doing.
I'm reminded of an article for Champions from years ago, explaining that the enemy troops should use tactics, cover, an array of weapons and in general act like they're out there to fight people and not run around like the Three Stooges.
This sort of approach can surprise players that aren't used to it, that expect guards to act like mall cops or just stand static and wait to die. This is why I let it be known from the outset -- don't be complacent. Expect the enemy to possibly be prepared for someone to attack them, or for spell casters, or otherwise exist in a world where PCs exist, where other intelligent creatures might attack them, where there are things that come out of the walls and take you away.
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What and have them ignore carrying capacity, common sense, and general decency?
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Sometimes a GM is asked to portray a superhuman intellect.
I like to think of myself as a smart guy, but I have to be realistic and acknowledge that I can't think like an immortal, especially not something on the order of an ancient dragon or a hellish archduke.
In times like those, I feel that the best way to simulate a superhuman intellect with the "handicap" of your real-world human intellect is to just shamelessly abuse meta knowledge of the PC's capabilities.
Critters with INT scores over 2 should employ SOME level of tactics... using cover and such just makes sense.
It's funny to see a Lich CHARGE someone, but it doesn't make sense.
There is nothing wrong with allowing your monsters to play their INT scores, as long as you keep in mind any suggestions/rules about their personality.
A 8 INT Orc Barbarian is far more likely to aggressively charge than a 8 INT Half-Orc Sorcerer is...
To be fair... A charging Lich is a super viable tactic. Some defensive self buffs and then wade in and poke people for piddly damage and a decent DC permanent paralysis is deadly.
Sometimes a GM is asked to portray a superhuman intellect.
I like to think of myself as a smart guy, but I have to be realistic and acknowledge that I can't think like an immortal, especially not something on the order of an ancient dragon or a hellish archduke.
In times like those, I feel that the best way to simulate a superhuman intellect with the "handicap" of your real-world human intellect is to just shamelessly abuse meta knowledge of the PC's capabilities.
One thing I do is leave some spell slots open and fill them in as needed because "NPC would've known the best spell for this slot!"
One minute, 36 seconds. In almost the same amount of time it takes to get coffee from a vending machine 6 mites, three giant spiders and four giant centipedes were all killed or at negative HPs. They then swept back through, used Coup De Gras and finished everything, then looted the rooms. It was... disturbing.
In this sort of situation I usually have non-intelligent monsters run away. Most of the time when the stat block says 'X fights to the death' I ignore it. Unless it's something crazy like an owlbear, an animal is going to run if it gets badly hurt. Even in a situation like this, where their mite trainers were probably directing them to fight, once they got under around half or 1/4 HP my spiders and centipedes would have started scuttling for the door.
For kobolds, in particular, if they live in a mine and can build traps, I give them well made armor and weapons, too. And when the PCs got into a fight with them, they took cover, flanked, used narrow passages the PCs couldn't fit through- pretty much what you're saying. And they ended up cutting a deal with the PCs.
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Bottom line is you're right TOZmanian Devil: if we arm our villains with the kind of skills, tactics and gear the heroes employ, we'll kill our PCs. I know its the GMs job to lose fights and feed monsters into the grist mill that is the leveling of the PCs, but I feel like that's what the real MONSTERS are for. Your chokers and dire wolves and wyverns and such.
I actually prefer NOT to play my NPCs like they are PCs.
PCs will fight to the death over a barren hall. The thought of running away doesn't usually occur until half the party is unconscious or dead.
My NPCs are very attached to their skin (with notable exceptions) and will throw up their hands when they see the writing on the wall. Wyverns and other predators will back down and run when they realize they are facing an apex predator. (The fact that parties never seem to just let animals and magical beasts go is another difference between my NPCs and most PCs.)
mdt does a wonderful job of enforcing repercussions for such acts. Become known as the mercs who offer no quarter and execute opponents without a thought after the battle, and suddenly EVERYONE the party encounters fights to the death, because that's what they'll get if they lose. Become known as honorable warriors that tend to surrendered foes and negotiate truces, and suddenly the enemy bloodlust fades away.
Of course, it's nigh impossible to accomplish in organized play, but specific circumstances require specific responses.
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Bottom line is you're right TOZmanian Devil
...I'd assume most of the kobold traps would be clever, but primitive. Deadfalls and wooden stakes and things like that. Not requiring metalworking.
Why wouldn't kobolds know how to work metal? They're noted as miners- why are they mining if they're not going to work that metal? And if they have metal, and they're good with mechanical stuff, why wouldn't they know how to beat swords, spears, and breastplates out of that metal?
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One minute, 36 seconds. In almost the same amount of time it takes to get coffee from a vending machine 6 mites, three giant spiders and four giant centipedes were all killed or at negative HPs. They then swept back through, used Coup De Gras and finished everything, then looted the rooms. It was... disturbing.In this sort of situation I usually have non-intelligent monsters run away. Most of the time when the stat block says 'X fights to the death' I ignore it. Unless it's something crazy like an owlbear, an animal is going to run if it gets badly hurt. Even in a situation like this, where their mite trainers were probably directing them to fight, once they got under around half or 1/4 HP my spiders and centipedes would have started scuttling for the door.
For kobolds, in particular, if they live in a mine and can build traps, I give them well made armor and weapons, too. And when the PCs got into a fight with them, they took cover, flanked, used narrow passages the PCs couldn't fit through- pretty much what you're saying. And they ended up cutting a deal with the PCs.
Running away; pretty much what started what has come to be known as the "murder train" at my gaming table. Room 1 a pair of mites on giant centipedes as guards. PCs gain initiative, use a light-based Domain power and blind creatures for a round, then charge. One mite survives initial round and flees on its mount. PCs give chase, murdering the creature as it withdraws into the adjoining hall.
2 more "relief guards" make Perception, hear the combat and come to investigate. Same blindness mixed with a color spray, and several rolls later one centipede is confused and both mites are dead. As they moved down the hall towards the secondary guard chamber they disturbed a pair of giant spiders in a side chamber. The PCs noticed them, charged and the spiders were toast.
During all of this one mite sniped from the fourth room down the hall dealing some damage. When the PCs turned it used Doom to no effect, they charged and murdered it finding a mite on the ceiling riding the last giant spider. Said mite tried to flee and was injured as it's mount was killed from ranged attacks and then finally the mite was cloven in twain. At this point the confused centipede staggers drukenly along the wall, earning it the nickname Wavy Gravy and it is summarily executed by the rest of the PCs.
16 Rounds. 1 minute, 36 seconds.
Even taking a 20 to clean up and search they were in and out of these rooms in 25 minutes tops. What do PCs do with the rest of their days? *panting* "Man, that was a good warm-up cardio run. Now that the monsters are gone, you guys want to do upper body or lower body?" Rest of the party glares at the fighter.
Rogue: whatever meathead, I'll be over here stretching
Cleric: Tis a high-holy Leg Day, so sayeth the scripture...
Wizard: umm... I'll just be reading with my cat. Let me know when we need to work again...
I'd say don't get caught up too much in how brief the fights are in duration in real time. Most medieval combat was very brief. Each swordsman might swing once or twice (per combatant) in a real fight. Parry, hard downward slash onto the arm or hands, fight is over. Movies portray fights with multiple parries, dodges, blocks, etc. It just doesn't go down that way. Block with a real sword a few times and somebody is breaking a weapon.
One strategy for prolonging or challenging the players that can consistently work is by having additional troops in reserve. These troops only exist if the PC's are mopping the floor with the challenge. "Having heard the sounds of battle six more of X come dashing around the corner and join the fray."
Complicate the battle. I remember a year or so ago I gave you some advice about using an epic setpiece in every game and let your combat revolve around that (and you alluded to me changing my profile picture from green scum swamp creature-which deeply hurt my feelings, and I have since become a goat demon). I like to keep the clock ticking, so to speak. To prevent the combat from being a simple bit of our team vs their team.
A few examples:
"A mass of crimson robed priests are blocking your way, you can determine based on the state of the spell (spellcraft check) that within 4 turns the Cultists prayer will open a portal to the (insert dimension of vile horrors here)"
"The room will have filled with magma in six turns-sealing you in the volcanic lair with the Lich, there is a lever on the south wall that will stop the magma, but in two turns the Fire Lich's minions will have dragged the helpless prince through the north door. All the while, a horde of burning skeletons are raining burning oil covered crossbow bolts down onto you from the wall to the East."
The goal should not be to simply prolong the combat with the same number/type of enemies. If you want to prolong the combat, make it because there is another layer of action taking place. Kind of how those absurdly complex transformers battle scenes from Michael Bay aspire to have all the fight scenes at once instead of spread out like a sensible director would...cough, ahem. The point is make a cake.
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From the title, I assumed this thread would be about an adventure idea where the PCs have to deal with a gang of kobolds that has taken up "adventuring" to wipe out the "villager menace" once and for all. Y'know...
"You pick the lock and open the door. Inside is a 10x10 room with an old woman holding a baby. Roll initiative."
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So, what if intelligent monsters acted like PCs? What if they formed well-balanced parties, complemented one another's strengths and weaknesses, strove to improve their powers, skills and equipment, and generally used EVERY advantage they could to defend themselves? Is that cheating? Am I a bad/wrong/evil/killer GM for considering this?
Wait...they don't!? D:
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So, what if intelligent monsters acted like PCs? What if they formed well-balanced parties, complemented one another's strengths and weaknesses, strove to improve their powers, skills and equipment, and generally used EVERY advantage they could to defend themselves? Is that cheating? Am I a bad/wrong/evil/killer GM for considering this?Wait...they don't!? D:
They used to until I realized that it took like 4 hours to lovingly craft dudes that were going to die in 5 or less rounds anyway... god, it was a gestalt game too >_<
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No what I'm saying is what if you generated encounters thinking like a group of players. Put together monsters that can complement each others' roles and then have them utilize everything at their disposal.
That's actually not only a good idea but it's pretty expected. Pathfinder sorts monsters into different roles just like PCs.
An NPC of any race (though I have been using kobolds a lot) that takes a level in Warriror is ostensibly trained in ALL martial weapons. Why then if they had a massive strength penalty would they grab a sling or javelin? If another creature were slow in speed why would they load up on heavy armor?
They shouldn't. If they're trained as soldiers by golly they should have an idea as to what sort of tactics work for them.
Some have told me: kobolds don't have anywhere to buy weapons. How do they manufacture traps and not make weapons; why don't their warriors learn how to use captured weapons; why don't kobolds have an economy?
Some are kinda dumb. :P
Others have said: orcs are already so overpowered with ferocity why give them armor? Yes the "standard" orc loves battle but don't they want to prolong the fight even longer by wearing armor; isn't there a tactical advantage they're missing?
Orcs in armor is totally a thing. I typically have roving bands of orcs wearing light armors (studded leather usually) and more stationary bands (such as those guarding outposts, lairs, or front-liners in an orc horde) wearing heavier fare. Mostly a speed/convenience thing.
Bottom line is you're right TOZmanian Devil: if we arm our villains with the kind of skills, tactics and gear the heroes employ, we'll kill our PCs. I know its the GMs job to lose fights and feed monsters into the grist mill that is the leveling of the PCs, but I feel like that's what the real MONSTERS are for. Your chokers and dire wolves and wyverns and such.
I've been told by some posters that that from my posts they consider the game to progress in difficulty like: easy->normal->hard->Ashiel.
Despite this, I virtually never have a TPK and it's unusual if a PC snuffs it. Have faith in your players. They'll learn to rise to the occasion. (^_^)
But don't forget to actually let them make use of their skills, abilities, and not starve them for treasure and stuff. :P
Maybe I'm just becoming jaded. A few sessions ago I used some stock-standard mites and vermin to make up a lair, then let the players loose. The PCs were only 2nd level at the time, properly equipped using WBL and they were nearly full strength. Inside of 16 rounds, 1 minute and 36 seconds, they had completely CLEANSED foiur rooms, securing one entire section of dungeon for themselves. These were with AVERAGE rolls hovering between 9's and 12's, with the CR 3's and 4's coming from numbers of monsters versus their individual strengths.
Not only did it not take that much time in the game but it only took a couple hours of a 5 hour session. This was probably the impetus for me looking back over my monsters and thinking, "why wouldn't the mites wear better armor, create improved cover, drink a potion to buff themselves," etc.
Yes.
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They used to until I realized that it took like 4 hours to lovingly craft dudes that were going to die in 5 or less rounds anyway... god, it was a gestalt game too >_<So, what if intelligent monsters acted like PCs? What if they formed well-balanced parties, complemented one another's strengths and weaknesses, strove to improve their powers, skills and equipment, and generally used EVERY advantage they could to defend themselves? Is that cheating? Am I a bad/wrong/evil/killer GM for considering this?Wait...they don't!? D:
Well you don't have to get super deep with it. The CR system in Pathfinder is really pro-team friendly. :)
Gestalt...ehhhh.... :s
Some have told me: kobolds don't have anywhere to buy weapons. How do they manufacture traps and not make weapons; why don't their warriors learn how to use captured weapons; why don't kobolds have an economy?Some are kinda dumb. :P
Kobolds are said to be just as smart as humans, and acutely aware of their weaknesses to boot. They're industrious and quick to adapt to difficulties. This is known.
The best justification I can see is simply that kobolds plan to not have to fight at all. This is a bit thin, though. Especially considering kobolds willingly engage svirfneblin, you'd think they'd have plenty of ways of getting ahold of svirfneblin weaponry even if they refuse to make their own.
ven taking a 20 to clean up and search they were in and out of these rooms in 25 minutes tops. What do PCs do with the rest of their days? *panting* "Man, that was a good warm-up cardio run. Now that the monsters are gone, you guys want to do upper body or lower body?" Rest of the party glares at the fighter.
Rogue: whatever meathead, I'll be over here stretching
Cleric: Tis a high-holy Leg Day, so sayeth the scripture...
Wizard: umm... I'll just be reading with my cat. Let me know when we need to work again...
That Cleric sounds like a Kordian.
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And yet kobolds mine, meaning they have access to plenty of good materials, and make complicated traps, meaning they actually have quite good technology. I could buy it with orcs, derro, heck, even drow (drow are chaotic, can't cooperate and, despite their intellect, have no particular skill at crafting) but kobolds are kinda hard to swallow. Even hobgoblins have good weaponry, and hobgoblins are explicitly incapable of taking over the world because they inevitably betray each other.
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From the title, I assumed this thread would be about an adventure idea where the PCs have to deal with a gang of kobolds that has taken up "adventuring" to wipe out the "villager menace" once and for all. Y'know...
"You pick the lock and open the door. Inside is a 10x10 room with an old woman holding a baby. Roll initiative."
Does a baby do bludgeoning damage? Would it count as an improvised club?
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And yet kobolds mine, meaning they have access to plenty of good materials, and make complicated traps, meaning they actually have quite good technology. I could buy it with orcs, derro, heck, even drow (drow are chaotic, can't cooperate and, despite their intellect, have no particular skill at crafting) but kobolds are kinda hard to swallow. Even hobgoblins have good weaponry, and hobgoblins are explicitly incapable of taking over the world because they inevitably betray each other.Traps aren't necessarily high tech. Think punji sticks and deadfalls rather than cogs and gears.
Except they aren't restricted to those traps. Most kobold traps I've seen tend to be very advanced. Wall scythes with automatic resets, trapmaker's sacks...by the way, note the description on the latter.
This heavy leather bag bulges only slightly but upon closer inspection appears to be chocked full of knives, gears, picks, shovels, and arrows. Once per day as a full-round action, the bearer can command the sack to create any mechanical trap of CR 4 or less (Core Rulebook 420–422), which appears at a designated spot within 50 feet. The bearer must make a Craft (traps) check with a DC equal to the normal DC for creating the trap . If successful, the trap instantly merges with the chosen area, exactly as if someone had actually built the trap in that spot. If the check fails, no trap appears. The sack can alter earth, stone, and wood to accommodate the trap without altering nearby terrain (including doors, pits, and so on).
Kobolds with gears confirmed. And you could argue that the sack being magic invalidates this, but the kobold still has to know how the trap works in order to put it together, and the kobolds still need to understand gears in order to incorporate them into their magic items.
Pacing grinds to a halt.
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sometimes its less about intelligene than it is about bravery.
PC's rush into situations that normal people believe to be suicidal. PC's are probably a little insane to be honest. Megolomanoacs, or psychopathic killers or cleptomaniacs. All of those fit to be honest.
Many of the intelligent critters don't actually want to take on really powerful adversaries. Sometimes though, a group of humanoids that look not much different than the rest of them (all of them look the same to a kobold..), will wander into their homes and begin slaughtering them.
However, I do run encounters with mixed "classes/roles" as I would a group of PC's. I tend to try and stick to what their stats would indicate more than players do though. If I have a critter with low wis, he's more likely to fall for the players tricks and traps or just blindly rush in. High intelligene guys have complex battle plans and strategies, but sometimes are hamstrung by their dumber companions.
With PC's, I see quite a bit of tactical finesse and battle strategy, despite a character with low intelligence or wisdom. The last few years, my group has changed that though. We now laugh when the wozard sighs in exasperation as the barbarian nods his head at the complex plan, then rushes in frothing at the mouth at the first sign of danger. Good times...good times.
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In regards to kobolds: unless they trade out their racial traits, they get a +2 to Profession: mining and its a class skill. The standard go-to for a kobold if they're not dying at the hands of evil adventurers is to mine and build traps.
So... mining. Why? What are they digging for, fun? No, generally resources. So if it's not metal, what resources would you mine for?
Stone: I suppose, to build stuff with a la Minecraft
Gems: this would imply they give it to each other, possibly masters, with the gems holding an economic value.
Within all the fluff in the Bestiary ecology I can't find anything that indicates they intended to be xenophobes. In the writeup for them as a race it suggests that there's ongoing relations among different communities of kobolds. Also they willingly knuckle under for monstrous or draconic overlords and will find ways to placate nearby monsters in order to use them as a portion of their defenses.
In short: there's a strong suggestion of economy.
Now all of this is subjective, not RAW. You can do this however you want in your games. In mine I've taken all of this and added it up to mean that a few kobold tribes have been around in one form or another, on the edge of mortal society, for at least 600 years, maybe longer. Some tribes have risen and fallen into nothing while other new ones have been born. One though that's survived since antiquity though is the Rootrenders.
And they worked for a dragon at the time. A dragon that, 600 years ago, dominated a vast shoreline of lake, swamps, and moors.
The Rootrenders, like other kobold tribes of the time collaborated with other kobolds from time to time but often put themselves on a pedestal since they had a dragon overlord. Some feuds arose and the Rootrenders got good at protecting themselves. They quelled uprisings with bribes, traps, and by constantly working on their tech. Acutely aware of their shortcomings the Rootrenders found as many ways as possible to either better themselves or work around these weaknesses.
They developed bizarre religious practices involving damming streams, making pools, and then using alchemy and other means to foul the waters. When they did exceptionally well their black dragon master would "Bless" the pool by stagnating it, imparting a bit of his own power. These became sacred shrines where the dragon was worshipped. Since the dragon wanted to expand the moors and bogs he blessed pools often and in order to ensure he could continue the kobolds would sap and fell trees, burning out the stumps to fill the holes with more water... hence the name of the tribe, the Rootrenders.
So for a brief time hundreds of years ago these kobolds were tops. Then a blasted hero of a human came along and lured out their overlord. The dragon was drawn to fight at a hillside, a hillside covered with trees. He was slain then and the Rootrenders were devastated.
They didn't just go away.
The Rootrenders disappeared for a time, nursing their shame and hate. Their divine casters continued the prayers and rituals, continued visiting the shrines. Some splintered off and made smaller, newer tribes that rose and faded.
Then the divine casters saw that their powers returned. You see the dragon had been very... potent with other beings in the region and created several half-spawn, tatzlwyrms, lesser dragons, and even its own arcane bloodline. Enough of its power continued to survive that it acted as a conduit to the Divine. While the actual dragon was dead and gone, its power remained.
And so the Rootrenders endured. Over the centuries they have splintered and rebuilt several times. They have moved to new caverns, torn down new woodlands and delved into all manner of other pursuits. Every so often an oracle or mad witch comes along claiming there is a way to restore their dead god but these crusades have ended badly so the Rootrenders have become wary of such schemes.
During all of this nearby human society has gone through many changes of their own. The Rootrenders, from occasional raids and with more time to devote to developing themselves have kept up with the times. There have been magi kobolds, they've created slurks, some of the Rootrenders have even learned to express their own draconic power and become demagogues. In all of this, their tech has gotten better.
Modern Rootrenders have established trade with other kobolds once more. They craft in steel and know the mysteries of alchemy, crossbows and arcane magic. While the standard Rootrender is a CR 1/4 warrior 1 they have access to more than slings and sharpened sticks. Instead Rootrender warriors favor shortbows and crossbows, picks and axes as well both as weapons and tools to destroy the hated trees.
They have even developed their own unique weapon: The Rootrender Shovel. It is a 2 handed reach weapon that they can shorten up on and use 1 handed. It essentially looks like a combo of an axe and a shovel, created from their dual need to fell trees and dig out their roots so that they can fill a pit with water in order to worship.
That is the Rootrenders in a nutshell.