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Note: I was made aware of the existence of the "We Be Goblins!" Free RPG Day module right when I was in the middle of writing this, and while it really fits the sort of feel I'm going for and should be a great source of inspiration, I'll likely be going with my own idea rather than running it, if only to test out my chops at building a scenario from the ground-up.
So I'm thinking of running a goblin-based one-shot for a few friends sometime in the future. The plot would basically be an excuse for the characters to cause as much mayhem as possible, and I'm aiming for a humorous (if somewhat disturbing) tone. To get into the spirit of things, I've devised two special game mechanics I'm looking for feedback and suggestions on.
Expendable: Rather than controlling a party of adventurers, the players will control a group composed of members from a goblin tribe. Each goblin is weak (I'm thinking level 3) individually, but whenever one dies, a new character runs in to replace them the very next round, with no real penalty other than losing a turn.
Each player will have a certain number of "lives" (I'm thinking five) to spend like this. This is meant to encourage them to play recklessly, but not suicidally. To keep things simple, each character will likely be a "clone" of a pregenerated goblin from three or four archetypes.
Goblin Power: To encourage players to embrace the flavor of the bloodthirsty/mischievous critters they'll be playing, particularly "goblin-like" actions will be rewarded with Goblin Power points at the GM's discretion. These can be redeemed for useful combat boosts. Since the goal of the game would be the spectacle more than the challenge, I'm not looking to make Goblin Power rewards balanced so much as powerful, useful and entertaining.
Points would be awarded on a scale similar to this:
1/2 point: Particularly "goblin-like" (mischievous, bloodthirsty and/or chaotic evil) actions with a tactical benefit attached: Gleefully looting your fallen ally's corpse, finishing off an opponent by biting them in the face, hiding in a cupboard to set up a Sneak Attack.
1 point: Flavorful actions that don't help or hinder the group: particularly getting into "goblin roleplay", taking unnecessary (but only time- rather than resource-consuming) pains to subdue a leashed, barking dog, setting fire to a signpost because it has so many words on it.
2 points: Hijinxs that harm the group somehow: hit a teammate, rush to your death and get replaced (points transfer between characters), basically any turn-waster proposed in Classic Monsters Revisited.
Meanwhile rewards for Goblin Power could include but not be limited to:
-Summoning a Goblin Dog mount.
-Summoning a Level 1 goblin to unquestioningly obey one specific command (such as "run down this trap-filled hallway" or "steal that guy's cool hat".)
-Expanding the radius of a bomb.
-Granting a large damage bonus to a bite attack.
-Giving a very large bonus to Craft checks to cobble a weapon or tool together with garbage.
-And so forth!
So as I said, suggestions and feedback would be appreciated!
:D
I like goblins, and I also found we be goblins enjoyable, and the first jade regent book.
What slightly annoys me, is how vanilla they are. If I was to use goblins, I'd pair them with other monsters they are working with. Goblins armed with wooden or obsidian gear and teaming up with rust monsters. Goblins, minotaurs and lizardfolk in a monster confederacy. Goblin ooze druids.
Love this whole idea! I also love goblins and what's been done with them in Pathfinder as opposed to 3.5. Unfortunately, they're still a little too scrawny to be really considered as a player race most of the time (that, and they're generally evil), but they're fun little bastards, and a system like this would make them awesome to play.
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This might help to develop the Goblin Culture
I like the Summoning Goblin Dog-mount - Historically Barghest is a subspecies of Goblin so perhaps they could summon Goblin (Barghest) or Goblin (Pooka - a Goblin in horse form) or perhaps make your goblins shape-shifters of Pooka and Barghest factions.
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Have the missions be very faced-paced "Blitz" style attacks on one or two or even three villages, then culminate in an attack on a town -- have the sun go down on the adventure with the idea that if the goblins are on such a roll not even towns are safe, it'll only be a matter of time before all the towns in the particular region -- and the epilogue being that soon enough the goblins will be ransacking a city!
Also, if it's a one-off adventure, I suggest telling the players that the ultimate "winner" of the campaign (while they should still help each other to succeed and have a good time) will be the player with the most goblin points at the end of the adventure (points earned, regardless of whether any were spent or not) -- this will make sure everyone gets into the spirit of goblin points even if they don't see the best risk/reward applications in getting them... and it will maximize the nuttiness! (Perhaps even award a free extra custom trait to their next character for emerging the victor, to raise competitive spirit!)
If you want to maximize the fun and havoc, consider "Chaining" goblin points -- Say, if a player is very lucky and can generate goblin points for more than 3 turns in a row, they can get an extra life, or even play two identical goblins at once for a number of turns equal to their streak.
Here are some ideas I had for your goblin attacks on one or more villages:
1) The goblins have to burn and fight their way through the center of a village on market day, the village is at the foot of a large wooden dam. If they can fight their way to the other side of the village, they can run up the slopes of the plateau the village is built in the shade of, and break the dam -- flooding the village into oblivion. This will have the added fun of sweeping away any goblins left in town (and even possibly the dam-breakers) and cause tremendous havoc... also the mess and chaos of setting a town on fire only to put the fire out by flooding it is very very goblin-y. The market aspect would give opportunities for loot, fleeing crowds, mayhem, and the kicking over of carts, goblins buried in vegetables, mummified in cheap jewelry, all manner of chaos.
A section of interest in one of the villages is a Combination potion shop and fungus garden -- the patron heroes that settled down and retired in this village were an alchemist and a druid, who while now are quite old, present a threat in that they can rally the townspeople, and though infirm are still in possession of their skills and faculties. But more to the point, the alchemist lab lends itself to the havoc of goblins being encouraged to drink AS MANY POTIONS AS POSSIBLE, WITHOUT THOUGHT OF THEIR CONTENTS. Perhaps offer a bonus in goblin points for the longest (and possibly second longest) chain of potions drunk without actually getting the goblin(s) in question killed. (Perhaps the potion-drinking 'contest' could be considered a 'free life' so that everyone is CERTAIN to drink until only one or two players are left standing!)
The Fungus garden of the druid is full of DELICIOUS looking (for a goblin) mushrooms. The best ones in particular have an effect of "Enlarge Person" on the gobbo physiology. A brief period of the adventure where gobbos are able to get REALLY REALLY BIG could be a lot of fun -- have a point in the game where the local militia or town guard or a party of heroes actually rallies and starts to threaten to repel the gobbo attack -- Enter the party, some of which are now Medium rather than small, and perhaps even one or two that (albeit briefly) can be Large or even a COLOSSAL goblin throwing huts, or stepping on houses or slapping humans with reach attacks in some bizarre reversal of size fantasy. Think about it.
Put in a hazard, or situation where "Polymorph other" is being cast around fast and furious. Perhaps one of the items the goblin chief or shaman sent the gobbos in to get is a wand or relic of polymorph other, and the party gobbos are put in a situation where the gobbos that got the wand first are, in their over-excitement, just running around and blasting everyone with it, goblins included. So this stage of the adventure is the players chasing after a particular "ball" of brawling goblins fumbling with the wand, and they must not only race after it through alleys, across rooftops, and all around town, but half the time they might not even be goblins anymore, after being struck (Ie, one of the players is turned into a giant spider, and the player sitting next to him may decide to START RIDING HIM to get an edge on the race!) -- THAT kind of silliness -- and should the rider get blasted too, the idea of a dog riding a spider, riding a goblin who just changed back... well, you get the idea.
All of those mushrooms and potions have made all the goblins really full of chemicals, and nature calls to the full-bladdered goblin. Flip the script by giving all the players lesser poison effects (1 hp damage every round or couple of rounds until they relieve themselves -- with bonus points for 'going' in fountains, temple holy water bowls, the town well, or other places that are sacred, clean, or are sources of drinking water.
Encourage the taking of prisoners -- give each Squad of goblins a "Caddy" who carries things like nets, man-catchers, manacles, and big burlap sacks. Special bonuses to players who catch captives of smaller races (like halflings, gnomes, dwarves, human and elven children) -- Humans and other medium-sized captives are not prized... they won't fit everywhere in the goblin caves, and they just plain eat too much! The imagery of sending the caddy away dragging another burlap sack fruitlessly kicking and punching back into the darkness will be a sight to enjoy and high-five about. When the caddy makes it back a few turns later, the goblins trailing in points will then be on the lookout for the next captive!!
Reward and encourage the goblin either wearing the most bling, or with the most bizarre head apparel. Somebody will put a cooking pot on their head, then somebody else will don a pumpkin, followed by a bowl of wax fruits, and so on, and so on... best hats overall in a mission or adventure-wide could be a reason to award additional goblin points. Why not have a few categories of weird criteria so that closely matched players (or those trailing behind) can hope for a few bonus points at the end (Action causing the most laughter, Action causing the most unintentional mayhem, etc) that could put them in the winner's circle.
That's all off the top of my head, let me know if you need more, and share your own ideas, or even tell us how it goes -- this is a great idea!
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What slightly annoys me, is how vanilla they are. If I was to use goblins, I'd pair them with other monsters they are working with. Goblins armed with wooden or obsidian gear and teaming up with rust monsters. Goblins, minotaurs and lizardfolk in a monster confederacy. Goblin ooze druids.
I'd want to keep the focus on goblins, but maybe some monsters could be summoned to help with Goblin Power. They wouldn't necessarily be allied, but could be released from cages to create distractions and smash things.
Either way, these are all great ideas! I don't know if I can fit everything in there, but I'll definitely be considering these. The elderly alchemist and druid would be rather interesting, too, and could set up for the "final battle" I had in mind against the most dangerous foe of all: a well-prepared adventuring party!
And giving award for cool hats should bring visceral thrill to the Team Fortress 2 players among the group.
Either way, I'd still love to hear more suggestions if you guys have them. This game is a long way off, so I have plenty of time to pick and polish the best material.
Goblins & Gremlins.
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Sadly, I do not remember the name of the Module, but I believe it was for Forgotten Realms (it's been a long while, as this would either have been late 2E AD&D or 3E), but there is a module out there I had tons of fun with, which the basic premise is this...
The players are goblins, and are trying to prevent Adventurers from looting their horde.
Really great twist on the classic dungeon crawl.