I spent some time on this today, I would like some feedback please and maybe some alternate suggestions, in the end it seemed it compared closer to a gnome than human but they are closer. Thanks Fatty.
So I want to play a Goblin, now they have stats in the bestiary.
• –2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, –2 Charisma: Goblins are fast, but weak and unpleasant to be around.
• Small: Goblins are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
• Fast: Goblins are fast for their size, and have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Goblins can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Skilled: +4 racial bonus on Ride and Stealth checks.
• Languages:Goblins are illiterate, Goblins begin play speaking Goblin and Common. Goblins with high Intelligence scores can choose any of these bonus languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Orc.
Now I think goblins need a bit of work before they can become a playable race. So before we breakdown the above stats I think we should breakdown a standard race and the most standard is human.
• +2 to One Ability Score: Human characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.
• Medium: Humans are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Normal Speed: Humans have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.
• Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
• Languages: Humans begin play speaking Common. Humans with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic).
Stats: First of all we note that humans have a +2 bonuses to any stat and we know that all playable races will always have a +2 bonus to stats even if there are multiple bonuses as there will always be a -2 to balance it out. Works out to be a 2pt buy overall.
Size Medium: Nothing to discuss here.
Normal speed: Nothing to discuss here.
Bonus Feat: Humans get a bonus feat to start this replaced by a specific feat or a bonus to a skill or weapon familiarity or some bonus on a save. Other races or a mixture of these as they are less versatile than a free feat.
Skilled: 1 free skill point. Again this is usually replaced by same bonuses as above with other races.
How are goblins described? From the bestiary.
Goblins prefer to dwell in caves, amid large and dense thickets of thistles and brambles, or in structures built and then abandoned by others. Very few goblins have the drive to build structures of their own. Coastlines are favored, as goblins are quite fond of sifting through junk and flotsam in an unending quest to find treasures among the refuse of more civilized races.
Goblin hatred runs deep, and few things inspire their wrath more than gnomes (who have long fought against goblins), horses (who frighten goblins tremendously), and regular dogs (whom goblins regard as pale imitations of goblin dogs).
Goblins are also quite superstitious, and treat magic with a fawning mixture of awe and fear. They have the habit of ascribing magic to the mundane as well, with fire and writing both taking on mystical power in goblin society. Fire is much loved by goblins for its capacity to wreak great destruction and because it doesn't require size or strength to wield, but written words are hated. Goblins believe that writing steals words out of your head, and as a result of this belief, goblins are universally illiterate.
Goblins are voracious and can eat their body weight in food daily without growing fat. Goblin lairs always have numerous storerooms and larders. While they prefer human and gnome flesh, a goblin won't turn down any food—except, perhaps, vegetables.
1st paragraph: This suggests that they are good at surviving and looking for useful things, suggesting if a bonus on survival checks or a bonus on perception checks when searching for items.
2nd paragraph: So Goblins hate Gnomes, Horses and Dogs but like goblin dogs; Easy one racial hatred Vs. Gnomes.
3rd paragraph: So they are superstitious, treat magic with awe of fear, they like fire and hate writing. Possibly a bonus to fire spells and bonus a to saves vs Fire (all) and -1 to the DC of spells they cast with the language-dependent descriptor or those that create glyphs, symbols, or other magical writings.
4th Paragraph: They like to eat. Not a lot here maybe a save vs sickening. Not that important.
Goblin Breakdown
Stats: The total is 0, not a +2 like other races, point buy is 1pt.
Size: Small
Fast: They have a base speed of 30 instead of 20, +10 bonus on other small races.
Darkvision: 60ft, they spend a lot of time in the dark.
Skilled: +4 ride and stealth checks. Good bonus here.
Sooooo how can we make this a more suitable race for PCs
Stats: we need a bonus here we have a physical bonus on dex so maybe a mental stat not Cha because it has a negative, goblins seem to lack common sense so not Wis but I think they could be quiet cunning so I purpose a +2 to Int.
They already have a Fast and Darkvision. So lets look at saves and skills.
+2 racial save vs Fire spells or Effects.
+2 Handle Animal checks with Goblin Dogs.
+2 Perception checks.
Hatred: Goblins receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the Gnome subtypes due to special training against these hated foes.
Weapon Familiarity: Goblins treat any weapon with the word “goblin” in its name as a martial weapon.
And when it call comes together we have!
• –2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma: Goblins are fast and cunning, but weak and unpleasant to be around.
• Small: Goblins are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
• Fast: Goblins are fast for their size, and have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Goblins can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Skilled: +4 racial bonus on Ride and Stealth checks.
• Keen Senses: Goblins receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.
• Goblin Dogs: Goblins receives a +2 racial bonus when dealing with Goblin Dogs.
• Hatred: Goblins receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the Gnome subtypes due to special training against these hated foes.
• Fire Resistance: Goblins get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against [Fire] spells or effects.
• Weapon Familiarity: Goblins treat any weapon with the word “goblin” in its name as a martial weapon
• Languages: Goblins begin play speaking Goblin. Goblins with high Intelligence scores can choose any of these bonus languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Orc.
I would suggest making your second set of stat blocks the exceptional goblins who are suitable for being PCs and leave the rest of the goblins as statted.
It's like the drow nobles being better off than the regular drow and thus requiring a level adjustment. Regular goblins have a negative level adjustment, but since you don't want that for PCs (especially if minmaxers could argue an extra class level) you just give them exceptional goblins to play.
I'm also thinking that exceptional goblins who are wizards should be literate and as such regarded with horror by their fellow goblins, for they have studied the strange and forbidden lore which no sane goblin would ever touch. I can also imagine a literate goblin frightening other goblins with a dramatic reading of HOP ON POP but that's another matter.
Awesome, this ranks up there with Hobgoblins as PC`s
Thanks Kevin that's a really good idea. :D I had the same idea about wizard goblins too it's just working into a description or some sort.
I was toying with giving them a +1 CL on fire based spells and -1 CL on Language, Symbol, Glyph related spells.
Updated.
Exceptional Goblins.
• –2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma: Goblins are fast and cunning, but weak and unpleasant to be around.
• Small: Goblins are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
• Fast: Goblins are fast for their size, and have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Goblins can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Skilled: +4 racial bonus on Ride and Stealth checks.
• Keen Senses: Goblins receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.
• Goblin Dogs: Goblins receives a +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks when dealing with Goblin Dogs.
• Hatred: Goblins receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the Gnome subtypes due to special training against these hated foes.
• Pyromaniacs: Gnomes with this racial trait are treated as one level higher when casting spells with the fire descriptor, using granted powers of the Fire domain, using the bloodline powers of the fire elemental bloodline or the revelations of the oracle’s flame mystery, and when determining the damage of alchemist bombs that deal fire damage (this ability does not give goblins early access to level-based powers, only affecting the powers they could use without this ability). They gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against such spells.
• Weapon Familiarity: Goblins treat any weapon with the word “goblin” in its name as a martial weapon.
• Illiterate: Goblins are illiterate and take -1 to the DC of spells they cast with the language-dependent descriptor or those that create glyphs, symbols, or other magical writings. They gain -2 racial bonus on saving throws against such spells. Goblin wizards only can overcome this by spending 2 skill points in linguistics but gain a -2 on Cha based skills when dealing with Goblins.
• Languages: Goblins begin play speaking Goblin and Common. Goblins with high Intelligence scores can choose any of these bonus languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Orc. Goblins are Illiterate
Also trying to think of how Goblin druids or rangers could take the Goblin Dog as an animal companion
I'd not do the modifications on Illiterate the way you have. Instead, I'd do it as alternate racial features, such as those done in the APG. In other words, create the 'exceptional goblins' as a base race, then put in alternate racial features that replace the core features.
For example :
Literate : This goblin is literate. Any goblin that ever takes a point of linguistics in order to become literate automatically gains this trait. The goblin receives a -2 penalty on all CHA based skills when interacting with illiterate goblins (however, they gain a +2 bonus on intimidate checks if they read as part of the intimidation). This replaces the Illiterate racial trait.
Dog Hunter : Your tribe was especially hateful of dogs, perhaps there were blink dog packs near your home grounds, or else just many wolves and wild dog packs. You gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls against any canine species (including humanoid canines such as Hound Archons and Gnolls). This ability replaces the Hatred racial trait.
Horse Killer : Your tribe lived in a grassland and had to learn to fight the hated horses and horse riders. You gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls against any mounted opponent, any horse or horse like creature (including such things as Centaurs or Nightmares). This ability replaces the Hatred racial trait.
Iron Stomach : You are the epitomy of the goblin forager. You can survive off things that make even most goblins turn green. You gain a +4 bonus to Fort saves vs poison and you can survive off road kill or other rotting meat (you do not need to make survival checks if you are in an area with wildlife or in a city). This ability replaces the Pyromaniac racial trait.
Couple of problems with the wording in your Pyromaniac ability.
"Gnomes with this racial trait are treated as one level higher when...determining the damage of alchemist bombs that deal fire damage"
1)you said Gnome instead of Goblin :)
2) I didn't think level affected the damage of alchemist bombs
Maybe just change that to be like the Pyromaniac ability from the Pyrokineticist in the Pisonics Handbook? They get +1 damage per die on any fire based attacks.
Also I like what mdt sugested about alternative racial features.
