Deadly kobolds?


Advice


Greetings! I have a home campaign that requires deadly kobolds that are on par with Tucker's Kobolds. The party consists of (all lvl 10 BTW);

Jerrick, Human Oracle/Paladin/Holy Vindicator

Elthane, Half-Elf Two Weapon Ranger (Guide variant)

Nana, Gnome Druid (Pack lord...lots of goats)

and the lvl 4 NPC which is Jerrick's squire.

The fluff is, that there is this tower like complex that is ancient, and belonged to a great kobold hero. (and is now a Mecca to most kobold)
This complex was found by juvenile blue dragon. To enslave the kobolds that worked there way to this tower, he polymorphed himself into the shape of this heroic kobold,(using the paintings as reference) and convinced them that he is awesome. So now these kobolds are becoming entrenched into this complex in order to defend their hero, and are willing to use any maniacal and painful ways to keep their hero alive.

So, I have tunnels that only fit kobolds, and murder holes, and oil in the ceiling, but what other menacing ideas can you guys help me out with to make my players rue the day they became level 10?


give your kobolds a helpful hand with the following alchemical weaponry to punish arrogant pcs...

Fuse grenade, death to all things with horns and four legs!
Tangleburn bag, punish thou pcs by both entangling and burning them!
Thunderstone, in great numbers these will really ruin the day of anyone but especially spellcasters...
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/weapons/alchemical-weapons
you can see them all in the following link (do note that links I put up seem resistant to becoming blue and clickable).


Brace weapons, competent archers make dug in Kobold fortifications deadly to assault.

Mix in spellcasters since 10th level adventurers will curb stomp anything without magical help.


Dwarfakin wrote:
So, I have tunnels that only fit kobolds, and murder holes, and oil in the ceiling, but what other menacing ideas can you guys help me out with to make my players rue the day they became level 10?

I suppose it really depends how much power you want to put into each encounter. For instance if the ceilings are low, a kobold sorcerer or magus can easily black tentacles + stinking cloud a corridor, potentially chain-CC'ing PC's that aren't able to evade/circumvent for an easy initiate. Then there's always the option of an opposing druid with a chupacabra!

+1 to what Scavion said: spellcasters are a must. Ground control will be an extremely easy way of making encounters much more difficult. DPR isn't everything, though it's always nice.

Shadow Lodge

Hopefully your players are all on board with this idea, and this won't get sprung on them as fast as the lightning javelin fusillade will on their characters...

Firstly, kobolds prefer to set up underground tunnels and chambers, so a tower would seem out of place for them (though that can hint at their non-kobold assistance). They won't have a retreating plan, save for ropes, slides, parachutes and Feather Falling off of the top of the tower. If their leader hasn't revealed his true form to them at any point, then he should offer them some escape route, whether real or made up. A cornered kobold is a dead kobold, unless that kobold happens to be a dragon in disguise.

Speaking of the dragon, if he's willing, you could have a few magical traps available. Mainly illusions, ("you hear a Click," "you pull the switch, and flooring appears over the hole"), perhaps a Shocking Grasp-related Joy Buzzer, and because you're the GM, you could even make a magic trap based on the blue dragon's Desert Thirst ability, evaporating the contents of their waterskins, barrels, and potion vials.

Though because it's a tower, and they're level 10, you can either put no doors at ground level, forcing them to enter from the top and go down into the basement (with underground tunnels, so the kobolds won't have to be cornered), or make entering through the front or cellar doors the aim. In that case, you could set traps to stop intruders from making progress upwards, or pushing them back down. Oily, slippery stairs, Raiders of the Lost Ark-style boulder corridors, weight limit-triggered collapsing floors, stuff like that.

Finally, if the kobolds are brave and you really want to pressure the PCs, use arrow slits and maintenance tunnels to harass them. They can't be careful all the way through if every Disable Device roll will be met with multiple darts, bolts and arrows.

Of course, since difficulty will mainly be based on PCs having to slog through disadvantageous terrain, under constant attack with limited means of fighting back, only to find their enemy more concerned about their deaths than however many of their own, the players might end up unhappy unless they figure out how to circumvent the whole thing. Say, by short-range teleportation, divinations, repeated summons, and good Perception/Disable Device/Reflex saves. They might enjoy theirselves popping in, seeing the dragon hurriedly assume his true form, having one big, hectic fight, then taking their time to work their way back down.

I, for one, would like to know how it turns out. I love those little guys!


  • Have especially tiny tunnels that lead to places of little or no significance but are extremely hard to fit in—then drop in swarms and oozes.
  • Have treasure chests full of hornet nests.
  • Use simple illusions to get the PCs to waste their resources and charge into ambushes. Alternatively, just use wheeled dummies in full armor or the like. Keep using them, even after the PCs have wised up (which won't take long if they make their Perception checks). Then start having actual kobolds on scooters.
  • Have a kobold bard in the walls who is constantly singing praise to the kobold hero, slurs to the PCs, and preaching how A BAD WORKER IS A DEAD WORKER, AND VICE VERSA. No sleeping on the job!
  • Make a chamber with a pool of molten glass (or an ooze) far below. Get a PC to try to dive down to reach the other side.
  • Lure the PCs out of the kobold warrens into ordinary caves with stuff like slurk stampedes and bullette mating dances.
  • Have the kobolds claim to have captives, and make convincing screams whenever the PCs do something they don't like. See if the PCs buy it.
  • Have a door that leads off a cliff, with an "artificial cavern" that extends into the air. Then sever the extension and let it plummet down the mountainside.

    The key to all of these, though: Resolution. Have the bard get caught at the end, Oz-style, and let him get eviscerated. Put some treasure inside those tiny tunnels—hey, it's not like the kobolds can clean them out often with all the swarms and oozes running around.

    And be fair, too. Let the PCs make a Knowledge (engineering) check to realize there's something off about the fake corridor. Let the PCs make Sense Motive checks against those screams. Don't be a jackass about this.

    EDIT: Just noticed all this is in a tower. Still, most of my suggestions can work, with some adjustments.

  • Shadow Lodge

    The thing to keep in mind with kobolds is that they are just as smart as the core classes. Use that.


    I dunno, I think we're way smarter than Barbarians.


    The Shifty Mongoose wrote:
    I, for one, would like to know how it turns out. I love those little guys!

    I second this. Please do let us know what happens, I've always been interested in kobolds being actual important bad guys, even if not perhaps the BBEG in this particular case.


    Advanced template.

    Consirder making some of them urds (previous editions had winged kobolds).

    Let them take multiattack for the weapons on thier tails.

    Levels of ninja and alchemist.

    Poisons

    Tactics
    Turn heavy furniture into flaming bladed stair sledges. The buggers drive a frew dozen spear heads into the front of the desk or wardrobe set it on fire and push it down the stairs when they try to climb.


    Rigged steps at the tower's stairs. Firebolts from pressuretiles.


    Well thanks for all the suggestions. But i did neglect to mention that this tower like mountain is dug into the side of a cliff, with select parts visible,(i.e the roof, a window or two)so having the kobolds digging into things is entirely within reason. I really like the idea of the swarms. I never would have thought to weaponize bees. any other weapon suggestions for ordinary objects?

    Scarab Sages

    Since this group of Kobolds is being led by a Dragon, having a Scaled Disciple Dragon Disciple as underboss is thematic.


    Hmm, there's the old gag with the door holding up a container of liquid.
    Have said liquid be acid.


    Tar

    Feather

    Swarm with pikes

    Repeat

    Scarab Sages

    Get Kobolds Of Golarion. The Kobold Style feats and Wall of Flesh teamwork feat make a swarm of Kobolds really frightening grapplers.


    If you have access to the 2nd E boxed set 'Dragon Mountain', the premise is very similar and there are hoards of good ideas within for what you are trying to acheive.

    The Exchange

    I am designing a similar encounter for a future home game. I used approximately thirty level 5 kobolds and a level 8 caster leader to create terror for a level 12 party. I used six types of kobolds for the main horde:

    Shield Warrior Kobolds (Phalanx Fighter archetype) with trip and reach weapons;
    Polearm Warrior Kobolds (Swarm Fighter archetype) with the Kobold-only feat "Small But Deadly"
    Trapmaker Kobolds (Trapper Ranger archetype) with archery feats to provide backline support and arrows through murder holes. Also, gives a reason for there to be a ton of traps.
    Kobold Chemists (Mindchemist archetype) with the Stink Bomb discovery. Stink bombs are brutal. Also, this gives reason for kobolds to have weird, interesting potions that they created.
    "Encourager" Kobolds (Swarm Fighter archetype [Considered Bard]) with Bodyguard, Combat Reflexes, Helpful trait, etc. to aid another with whips.
    Sneaky Kobolds (Filcher (Gnome-only) archetype) [Yes, this doesn't technically work, but I liked the idea of kobold thievery] with Imp. Steal, Stealth Synergy, Fast Maneuver, etc. They use their whips to grab goodies and run into the tunnels.

    The end fight is the boss kobold [standard level 8 wizard] has amassed the remaining kobold horde to protect the pit that leads to the Abyss. It is what they worship and their master comes through that gate. His two bodyguards are two level 7 Mad Dog Barbarians with Wolf Companions. The wolves focus on Drag and Bull Rush maneuvers, while the Barbarians use Bull Rush as well. Their goal is to drag PCs into position to bull rush them into the gate to the Abyss.

    EDIT: Make liberal use of the Kobold racial trait Shoulder to Shoulder as well as teamwork feats like Coordinated Maneuvers, Escape Route, etc. to make the swarm of kobolds really powerful.

    DOUBLE EDIT: Can't forget Shake It Off (+4 to saves [essentially] for the kobolds when they are in formation)


    The 3.5 book Races of Dragon has a lot of fluff on Kobolds and might just give you some ideas on how they operate. Chances are your group will underestimate Kobolds because of their reputation. Use that to your advantage. Maybe throw some weaker fights at them to lure them deeper into the tower before you reveal your hand.

    Consider things like the Draconic feat tree which will give some of them breath weapons, wings to drop down on your enemies and resistance to some spells.


    They have no trapfinder and a den full of kobolds. How is this party even supposed to reach combat?

    Your best bet for handling combat when it happens is give the kobolds home field advantage since it is their home. Make the spaces small and dark so the party has to expend resources on getting light where they need it and are taking squeezing penalties to get into place. Use swarming tactics and teamwork feats to give your combat kobolds a leg up and bolster their physical combat ability with static defenses. A deadfall can really ruin the party's day. So can a spring loaded wall of spikes coated in kobold dung. Don't try to make kobold bruisers have them use guerrilla tactics, darting in and out of small tunnels and taking surprise attacks on the party while luring them into traps. A few level 1 kobold rogues with poisoned spears popping out every once in a while to get off a sneak attack shanking can wear the party down and deplete resources pretty well. There's a certain amount of fear when a player runs into an ogre and gets whimper for 50 damage, but its nothing against the dread and frustration of getting whittled down 5 or so hit points at a time while poison and disease are ravaging your body

    Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Advice / Deadly kobolds? All Messageboards

    Want to post a reply? Sign in.