Ok, here's the deal. I have a game with kobolds starting soon and I'm looking for suggestions on how to really make 'em count. Since the game is just starting I need ideas between CR 1/4 - CR 2 so I can build interesting encounters. The only pre-req (for story purposes) is that they are black-scale kobolds who worship an old black dragon.
NG male half-elf druid 1 with a warcat animal companion
NG female half-elf druid (swamp druid)1 with the Weather domain
CG male human hunter (primal companion hunter) 1 - don't know his companion yet
CG female half-orc barbarian 1
NG male elf wizard 1 (specialty school: void element)
Any and all suggestions are welcome and thanks in advance for your advice.
Just make them work together, and remember that they are trap masters. They don't have to be particularly devious just numerous.
Use traps, use terrain creatively, make sure they never face the party in a fair fight. If you give them a level in rogue and a rank in stealth they are really hard to see. Have a bunch of crossbow bolts fly out of the bushes, and then the kobolds quickly disappear into prepared escape routes.
Half Dragon kobold would be CR 3, half black dragon kobold could be a good final boss encounter.
Traps in places where you are concerned about other hazards and the things that hang around when the traps aren't consistently maintained, the traps to get them, and the biggest trap of all, class levels, cause "These are just kobolds, I'll wait 'til the real threat comes."
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Summoners make incredible villains, especially at low levels. Make her a kobold summoner with a dragon-themed eidolon. She hangs out invisible and mocks the heroes while her 'dragon' rampages through the party's ranks.
XP 600
Kobold summoner (spirit summoner) 4 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 123, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 54, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide 132)
Small humanoid (reptilian)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +2
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Defense
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AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 39 (4d8+16)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +4
Defensive Abilities shield ally
Weaknesses light sensitivity
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Summoner (Spirit Summoner) Spells Known (CL 4th; concentration +6)
. . 2nd (2/day)—cat's grace, invisibility
. . 1st (4/day)—enlarge person (DC 13), infernal healing[ISWG], mage armor, shield
. . S spirit magic spell; Spirit Stone Wandering Spirit
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 15
Feats Toughness, Weapon Finesse
Skills Perception +2, Spellcraft +3, Stealth +12, Use Magic Device +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Draconic
SQ bond senses (4 rounds/day), eidolon (named Eidolon), life link, spirit (), touch of acid
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Special Abilities
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Bond Senses (4 rounds/day) (Ex) As a standard action, you can share Eidolon's senses while on same plane.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Life Link (Su) Damage that dismisses Eidolon can be taken by you. It weakens if not in 100 ft.
Light Sensitivity (Ex) Dazzled as long as remain in bright light.
Shield Ally (+2 AC/Saves) (Ex) +2 AC and save when within Eidolon's reach.
Touch of Acid (5/day) (Su) As a standard action, melee touch deals acid damage.
Large outsider
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
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Defense
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AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, -1 size)
hp 23 (+6)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +1
Defensive Abilities evasion
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +6 (1d8+6), 2 claws +6 (1d6+4), tail slap +1 (1d8+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
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Statistics
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Str 19, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11
Base Atk +3; CMB +8; CMD 20 (can't be tripped)
Feats Dodge, Toughness
Skills Acrobatics +1 (+3 to balance, +5 to jump)
Languages Common
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Special Abilities
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Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save.
Tail (Ex) Tail grants +2 Acrobatics checks for balance.
This is by no means optimized but it should be scary enough to serve as a suitable 'boss fight' for a group of level 1-2 PCs. Once the eidolon is defeated, the summoner comes out of her invisiblity and attacks the PCs with her black dragon-themed acid touch.
The Monster codex has a bunch of great kobolds.
Also, the rules in Advanced Races 6: kobolds allow for some deadly foes.
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Some things I used in my kobold game with a similar theme:
Players tracked kobolds to a library. The shelves held large tomes on them (over a foot tall, some books almost 24 inches), and it's dark inside. Some kobolds are hiding on the shelves, between books. Some are low to the ground, while others are a little above, getting higher ground to-hit bonuses. They have cover against attacks, and would scramble around on the shelves to hide, or surprise players elsewhere. Some would be atop the stacks with alchemical items to hurl down at them, and crossbows
Their leader was a kobold ninja, Namtab, with Vanishing Trick and the feat that grants kobolds gliding wings. The kobolds had set up a couple of traps in the shelves, while a few hid somewhere else in the room, waiting for the PCs to get into the aisles before flanking them.
When the tide turned against the kobolds, Namtab went to a window, spread his wings, and made his escape.
In this case, I had the kobolds using a trapmaker's sack, which the players ended up claiming as a reward (though they haven't used it much). It's a cool item in any case.
I liked a couple of kobold sorcerer's with the kobold-archetype/bloodline? Where they can set traps of their chosen element (acid, since they're blackscale). Lay a few of those down, then ambush the players.
Use tiny traps that are a nuisance in the midst of fights (thunderstone, blinding powder, trip line...).
I like kobolds lancers or archers mounted on giant geckos.
Similar to the first scenario, the players followed the kobolds to their lair, and discovered that the entryway's rock was very porous (lava rock), some of the holes large enough for kobolds to stand in without squeezing. Some of THOSE they dug out into a network of connecting, small, tunnels, which they used to get above, behind, or ahead of the PCs to harry them with crossbows.
For one of the major fights, I used a synthesist summoner kobold done up as a dragon. This was a serious boss fight for when the players got to level 3 or 4, so it's a bit higher than CR 2, but it was amazing.
• Pyripnon, Avatar of Rhindvuthak (the black dragon), Synthesist 6, CR 5
In draconic “Fall before the mighty Pyripnon, Avatar of Rhindvuthak!”
If anyone speaks in a language he knows, repeat in that language
When using acid breath “I melt you like great Rhindvuthak!”
When attacking near a pit “Watch step! Big fall for big ones.”
If hitting hard “Kobold no wimp! Kobold DRAGON! Kobold kill!”
“Look! Kobold fly! Kobold smash and bite!”
When hurt enough to go heal “You wait, Pyripnon back soon. Make better,”
Then “Dragon kobold back for soft ones!”
“Rarrrr! IRK! Pyripnon go now. Eat nasty ones later!”
Init: +7; Perception +10
Speed: 40 ft., Fly 40 ft. (good)
AC 21; 13 touch ; 18 flat-footed (+3 Dex, +6 NA, +2 shield)
Acid Resist 5
HP 33+46 temporary (e)
Fort +6, Refl +7, Will +7; Evasion; +2 vs. poison/paralysis; +4 morale vs. enchant
Melee: bite +9 (1d6+4) 10 ft. reach, 2 claws +8 (1d4+3), tail +3 (1d6+1) push 5 ft. w/ CMB
Draconic Breath: 30 ft. line of acid (2d6), Refl DC 18 for half
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 13
BAB: +5; CMB +8; CMD 21
Feats: Improved Initiative, Draconic Aspect, Draconic Breath
Skills: Acrobatics +3 (+5 Balance), Know (Arcana) +10, Linguistics +10, Spellcraft +9, UMD +9, Stealth +11, Perception +10, Fly +13, Craft (Traps) +4, Profession (miner) +2
Fused Link (sacrifice HP to prevent damage to eidolon’s temp HP)
Devotion, Dragon-scaled (acid)
Spell-like abilities (CL 6): Maker’s Jump (Dimension Door 1/day); Summon Monster III 4/day
Spells (CL 6): 0 – Acid Splash, Daze, Detect Magic, Message, Read Magic, Resistance
1st – (5) Grease (Refl DC 12), Infernal Healing (1 round cast, 1 min., fast healing 1, can’t heal damage from silver or Good weapons/spells/effects), Magic Fang, Rejuvenate Eidolon, Lesser (1d10+5)
2nd – (3) Evolution Surge, Lesser (gain Trip on bite); Create Pit (Refl DC 13; 30 ft. deep, 160 ft. range, 7 rounds), Protection from Arrows (DR 10/magic vs. ranged, until 60 damage)
Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Gnome, Undercommon, Elven, Orc, Halfling
Fly checks: Fly half speed or make check; Hover 15, turn up to 45 degrees and spend 5 ft., ascend 45 degrees at half speed, descend at any angle at normal speed, turn more than 45 degrees and spend 5 ft. DC 15, turn 180 and spend 10 DC 20, fly up at more than 45 degrees DC 20; collision while flying DC 25 to remain airborne; if fail any check by 5+ fall to ground
Tactics
Before combat:
1st – summon eidolon (before showing up)
2nd – Protection from Arrows (moderate abjuration)
3rd – Magic Fang (bite) (moderate transmutation)
4th – Fly to combat area
Once combat begins:
Always -- If at any time 3+ creatures are lined up for a breath attack, swoop down and blast
Always – Substitute HP damage for eidolon’s health at 1 HP for every 2 temp HP
Always – If eidolon goes below 20 HP, or real HP goes below 5 and eidolon has more than 15 HP damage, fly up out of range and cast Rejuvenate
On following round – if not hit that round, cast Infernal Healing; if hit, fly higher, and cast next turn
Always -- If spells are a problem, fly up and cast Resistance
1st – Charge down at a random creature and pounce while in the air still (if two creatures are near each other, bite farther creature, tail slap an adjacent creature away)
2nd – Fly up and Create Pit under anyone that looks/has been particularly troublesome
3rd – Fly-pounce at someone near pit and tail-slap them in
4th – Cast Grease on edge of pit or on weapon of anyone doing a lot of damage a round
5th – If not taking much damage, fly up, cast Evolution Surge
6th – Land and go toe-to-toe with anyone near edge of pit
If eidolon and caster are below 5 HP, and there’s more than 2 people still standing on the battlefield, use Dimension Door to flee.
kobolds run if they don't have a fair fight, sometime(alot of the time) they'll run anyway, usually leading them into traps or ambushes.
Kobolds do have average IQ so you could possibly have the leader escape, they in turn train the next gen of kobolds and get perhaps a +1,2, or 3 when fighting the pc's due to knowing how they interact.
Play to their strengths, hit and run, traps, the suggestions above are all real good to add flavour.
Evil 3rd-level kobold cleric with the trickery domain. Go invisible, sneak in, pop a 3d6+3 channel energy, win initiative, pop a 3d6+3 channel energy.
It didn't kill the lowbie party, but it came close.
The PCs first brush w/the kobolds will be outside their lair as the kobolds are raiding a town. They are very short game sessions so here are the 5 encounters I had planned for next session:
Room 1/alley rats: CR 2
As the attack begins a shop lights on fire nearby. In the halflight the PCs note 3 dire rats chasing a pair of little girls
- Monsters: x3 dire rats; kobold skald
- Tactics: kobold uses Raging Song during the fight to give the rats +2 to hit and damage as well as +2 HP; if the fight goes to 2 rounds or beyond the kobold also adds debuffs to the battlefield like grease or sleep (DC 13 saves). If he can the kobold flees up the alley once the rats have been killed
Room 2/the burning building: CR 2
During the time the PCs have been dealing with the rat the building fire has gotten out of control. Inside the PCs can hear cries for help; they will surely die if the heroes don't help
- Hazards: there are three skill challenges set up like hoisting a burning spar to rescue one victim, collecting a second one hanging from a second-story landing over a pit in the floor and clearing/avoiding flaming debris to get a third out of a back room
- Once the PCs enter the only way out of the building is through the back door into the dead end of the alleyway
Room 3/the squared circle: CR 3
Escaping the burning building you find yourself in a plaza at the end of the alleyway. The area is surrounded on three sides by buildings with save for the alley entrance. The fourth side of the alleyway is hemmed in by a half-wall; this is a retaining wall to a row of hedge beyond. In the center of the plaza is an open sewer grate. From somewhere down below you hear a young girl's scream
- monsters: x6 kobold warrior 1; kobold adept 3
- tactics: the kobolds are hidden on the periphery of the plaza (DC 21 to detect warriors; DC 23 for the adept. The adept has a rhamphorhynchus familiar with the Mauler archetype, making it Medium size, giving it a 13 Str and 15 Dex and giving it a flying charge attack that has reach: flying charge bite +6 (1d6+3). Before combat the adept will have cast Bless giving everyone a +1 to hit and a +1 versus Fear effects. Once the fight begins the idea is to have the kobolds constantly sniping with crossbows, keeping the PCs from entering the sewer. The adept is going to get his Touch of Fatigue swapped out for Acid Splash and will be spamming that every round while his "dragon mount" flies above the battlefield biting everyone.
Room 4/the tyrant and the girl: CR 3
The sewer is pitch black but up ahead you can clearly hear sounds of pain issuing from the tortured body of a young woman. "There's no reason for fear, little one. You have been blessed; the blood in your veins is sacred! You are one of the Mordspawn, descended from our Eternal Lord! Rejoice; your vim will bring new life and usher in the age of dragonkind." you hear in a shrill, hissing voice
- Monsters: x2 kobold warrior 3; kobold sorcerer 2
- tactics: the guards are watching from stands of rubble giving the kobolds a round before the party gets to the chamber. This is all taking place in an underground room which is part of a hidden undercity beneath the town. The kobolds use the extra round to prepare the entryway; the two guards lay down smoke sticks, cloaking the area in fog while the sorcerer uses a Grease spell affected by an acid flask. Any of the PCs entering through the area will not be able to see the grease and, if affected by it will suffer 1 Pt of acid damage in the area. When they emerge from the mist the kobolds will be hidden in the chamber and the girl bound to a table where she's being drained of her blood into vials; she is near death. A man has been beaten into unconsciousness and is bound to a chair. If the PCs attempt to free the prisoners the kobolds strike from stealth (DC 22 for the sorcerer; DC 23 for the warriors) and use hit-and-run tactics through the room sniping, flanking and casting 1st level spells to nova effect on the PCs. The kobolds fight to the death here
Room 5/the flood: CR 2
As combat subsides you note a sudden squealing; a horde of rats races through the chamber fleeing through cracks in the walls. Behind them you hear a surge of water
- hazard: the kobolds are flooding the sewers by releasing a few valves. The idea here is that these kobolds are all excellent swimmers with racial talents for holding their breath so they intend to be carried along through the tunnels and out into Marmer's Bay where they can escape. Unfortunately the PCs are caught in all of this. They have 4 rounds (running this scene like a chase); if they can make a known chamber nearby in that time they won't risk drowning. Otherwise they may be killed if they fail a series of Swim checks
If anyone can give advice/builds/alternates for the kobolds involved in the spoiler let me know.
There is a small handful of kobold builds fitting your criteria in the Monster Codex.
Summoners make incredible villains, especially at low levels. Make her a kobold summoner with a dragon-themed eidolon. She hangs out invisible and mocks the heroes while her 'dragon' rampages through the party's ranks.
** spoiler omitted **...
Don't know what happened to my post. All I was saying is that a kobold summoner 4 would be CR3
A kobold Adept 3/Warrior 2 is a nice, modest combo. Adept 3 gets a level 3 familiar. If you choose not to go with an improved familiar you can instead take one of those "swooping dinosaur" things and give it the Mauler archetype. Now you've got a kobold flying on a medium sized "dragon" with a charging bite attack that has Reach.
Being 5 total NPC levels you've got 3 feats to chain together which is a nice low-level chain. You've got 3 BAB and decent saves for a CR2 monster; you've got a couple spells to either buff or deliver AoE damage to a small party; you've even got 5 skill ranks. If you decide to be a sniper you won't add any extra SA damage unfortunately but you could easily hit a +21 Stealth if you dedicated feats to it. If you take an alternate racial trait for kobolds you're sniping at +11.
This guy is a solid right-hand man.
Shout out to Ravingdork.
Google search Tucker's Kobolds =D
But yeah, alot of the above; use traps, acid or if your vicious for lvl 1, Alchemist's fire. A couple of kobold sorcerers w/ magic missile is also funny.
Nice!
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Google search Tucker's Kobolds =D
But yeah, alot of the above; use traps, acid or if your vicious for lvl 1, Alchemist's fire. A couple of kobold sorcerers w/ magic missile is also funny.
Kobold sorcerer (crossblooded; draconic and orc bloodlines) 1 with an acid flask, lots of brimstone, Arcane Strike and Reduce Person:
Before combat - they cast Reduce Person on themselves and hide in a cupboard, under the furniture, etc.
During combat - the spam Acid Splash every round at the PCs, potentially sniping and attacking PCs with ranged touch attacks that also deny them their Dex bonus. He should always have at least partial cover and, when he hits he's dealing an average of 1d3+5 damage.
That's a simple CR 1/2 threat to drop into any kobold encounter.
Last time I ran a goblin tribe (similar enough) I made 15 stat blocks, 6 warriors, 2 adepts, and some others including 3-5 PC classes (only one second level who was a magus and the leader), and just picked goblins for each section based on who was left, tracked their healing and hit points, and gave them tactics including fleeing and hit and run.
tucker's kobolds are a classic.
If you've got the prep time look over all the various weapon rules. Small creatures can still use reach weapons, using brace can make charging barbarians think twice (as well as pit traps), tower shields provide cover and can remove line of effect for spells like color spray, murder holes / arrow slits provide improved cover, fire and smoke can provide concealment.
Nets, tangle foot bags, thunder stones, casting silence on bolas, blowgun darts with small centipede poison.
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You want kobold villains? The key to making creatures like kobolds nasty is TACTICS.
I shall educate you in the art of killer kobolds.
Lesson One: Always Have An Alarm
When I say "alarm," note that an alarm can be a number of things. The Alarm spell is an alarm. A shrieker mushroom inside of a cave is an alarm. A pair of kobold scouts is an alarm.
Your kobolds should be well-equipped with alarms to warn the main groups when the enemy is coming. In the megadungeon I'm running, my players actually encountered two alarms leading up to the same fight, both of which I've already mentioned: two kobold scouts (two because one could die to a stray arrow) and a shrieker mushroom after them. The party tripped both alarms. The kobolds were therefore super aware of their presence and prepared themselves accordingly.
Lesson Two: Use the Buddy System
One kobold swinging at a PC is folly. Two kobolds swinging at a PC is also folly. Two kobolds using a flanking bonus to swing at the same PC is NOT folly.
Kobolds should make use of Aid Another mechanics if there's a member of their team that has class levels. Giving that character another +2 bonus to hit (+4 if also flanking) can mean knocking out a PC.
Want to throw a swarm of kobolds at the party and make it feel like a real swarm fight? Without even touching feats you can simply equip them with different weapons. First, have them throw a coordinated volley of javelins at the party; then have them rush forward with a mixture of non-reach and reach weapons, making the party feel absolutely pressed.
Lesson Three: Tactics Are Key
Kobolds should use tactics. They'll use a few of their number as bait to draw the PCs out - I find that a couple slingers, throwers or archers situated behind a trap or barricade works just fine. I've had several situations where the party just outright charges at those guys thinking "Hahaha, it's just a handful of kobolds, we can take them." The kobolds that have been hiding (thanks to delaying actions) now come out and pound them in.
Your kobolds don't use bait tactics, or you feel you've thrown that at your party enough times? That's fine. Just have them attack the party from places where the party is at a disadvantage - perhaps while the party is climbing up a rope they start firing arrows at them? You now have an encounter that is both a skill challenge AND combat-oriented.
Lesson Four: Lock the Door and Throw Away the Key
Typical dungeon scenario: the party is going through an abandoned castle/fort/tower/whatever. As they're going on through, they come into, say, an ancient library, or a storeroom, or something else that has things that attract adventurers and simultaneously make them stop to look around.
Suddenly, they see torches and alchemist's fires thrown into the room, all the doors are slammed shut, and little feet pitter-patter away from the soon-to-be crispified adventurers.
IT'S A TRAP!
Basically, kobolds live in terrible places generally speaking. Crumbling ruins, towers with rotting wood, etc. Have them use the environment against the party. Party crosses a ricket bridge: cut the rope! Party scours a library for tomes and scrolls: set it on FIRE! Party is going through an abandoned mine: MAKE A GOSH DARNED CAVE IN! Kobolds are famous for being tricky trapsmiths, so why not apply that to their environment?
One more thing: one of my favorite scenes from Neverwinter Nights, the computer game, is a room in a kobold dungeon where, after having killed several kobolds, you find yourself staring at a chest in the middle of a tiny room with four entrances (each a portcullis). I was a little kid when I first played this, so I just saw a chest and greedily ran in to take it. I opened it up - there was no loot save for a letter inside that read something to the effect of...
"Hahahaha, we got you stupid!"
Then the portcullises shut and kobolds started shooting me with stuff.
It wasn't very nice.
Lesson Five: The Little Things Count
Situational modifiers add up. We've covered flanking, and charging is obvious; both add +2 bonuses to your kobolds' attacks. High ground is also highly valuable and can give your kobolds another +1. Firing from around a corner can ensure you have cover, essentially. Aid Another can grant more +2 bonuses if you really need them. Masterwork weapons that would normally just be loot can instead be wielded by the kobolds - the only problem being they're small-sized now instead of medium-sized.
The point here is there are a TON of little bonuses your kobolds can take advantage of. Use 'em!
Lesson Six: Bodies Are Resources
Okay. So, let's say your party hits level 2 or 3 and you're ready to get serious, but you still want to throw nasty, nasty kobolds at them. I will show you what I did to my players:
Rectangle-shaped room - two Kobold Fighters (Bodyguards) 1, one Kobold Fighter (slinger) 1, 1 Kobold Rogue (flanker) 1, one Kobold Witch 3, and several common kobolds. None of these kobolds were especially dangerous... except the Witch.
In the surprise round, only 3 kobolds were able to act (neither the party nor the other kobolds were able to). Their actions were this: the Witch cast Mage Armor*, one of the bodyguards stayed where he was to protect the Witch (via the Bodyguard feat), and the other one moved forward to distract the party.
The party figured out that attacking the Witch was pretty important right from the start, but 1) the two Bodyguards and the other kobolds made an effective meatwall, 2) the Witch had an effective 23 AC thanks to Mage Armor and her bodyguard, and 3) it was easier for the party to clear out a swathe of kobolds. They did just that, hacking up all the little guys in front of them between Save or Suck spells and high damage, then made way for the Witch by Turn 3.
The trouble is: Turn 1 saw the Witch cast Hold Person on the party's beatstick, Turn 2 saw the Witch cast Spectral Hand, and Turn 3 saw the Witch using Spectral Hand to cast Animate Dead (via a scroll) on all the dead bodies behind the party.
Kobold Zombies killed one member of the party, almost killed a second, and may have wiped the whole party if I hadn't decided they'd stop functioning as soon as the Witch went down.
Bodies are resources, both when they're alive (thanks to being effective cover / charge blockers) and when they're dead (thanks to necromancy). If your kobolds are evil, you can make use of both types of bodies.
*I originally used Magic Circle Against Good in the encounter, but I later realized this actually made no sense: not only was the Witch too low level to cast it and didn't have a scroll, but the Witch can't even learn "Magic Circle" at all. However, a 3rd level Cleric could fill the role the Witch played in this fight very well, especially equipped with a Scroll of Magic Circle and a Scroll of Animate Dead. I'm thinking of changing my encounter notes to make that the case, or else switching out Witch for Shaman.
Lesson Seven: Pit Traps
I forgot to mention these, so I'll edit them in: YES. Thank you for mentioning them, Trimalchio. A simple Pit Trap laid out before a trio of ranged kobolds will make your barbarians scream with rage.
Room 3 - Give the kobolds that are up lots of regular nets. Even with a -4, ranged touch attacks are easy, particularly for smaller creatures (+1 size, high dex). With the bless as well, 6 nets (or 7 if the adept helps) can snag quite a few adventurers or pets, and they won't continue forward until their friends are unsnagged. The adept can provide a tanglefoot bag to a warrior if they run out of nets (yes, multiple nets per person). Acid splash is nice, but touch of fatigue will make it harder to escape a net, particularly that wizard or its familiar (mmm kobold snack). Followed up by your sniping, and you have the potential for a tough encounter.
Scene 5 - Are any of the kobolds bold enough to attempt to manacle a PC underwater to weights (ball and chain)?
As previously said, Tuckers kobolds.
Nothing too fancy, but a standard build sorceress. Does use eldritch scrapper to trade out semi-useless draconic bloodline abilities for "pick a feat". Not sure if martial flexibility
Kirilux
Female Kobold sorcerer (eldritch scrapper) 2
LE Small humanoid (reptilian)
Init +3, Senses darkvision (60 ft.); Perception +7
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DEFENSE
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AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size )
hp 9 ((2d6)+2)
Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4
Weaknesses light sensitivity
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger -1 (1d3-3/19-20)
Ranged dagger +5 (1d3-2/19-20)
Ranged acid splash +5 (1d3+2 acid)
Ranged darkwood light crossbow +6 (1d6/19-20) plus small centipede poison
Special Attacks martial flexibility (4/day)
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +4)
1st(5/day)-cause fear(DC 13), grease(DC 13), mage armor
0th(at will)-acid splash, detect magic, mending, read magic, resistance
bloodline draconic (black)
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TACTICS
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Before Combat Kirilux casts mage armor and resistance
Base Statistics AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 12; Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3
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STATISTICS
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Str 4, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 15
Base Atk +1; CMB -3; CMD 10
Feats Eschew Materials, Point-Blank Shot
Skills Perception +7, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +12
Languages Common, Draconic
SQ bloodline arcana (acid spells deal +1 damage per die), crafty
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, scroll of blur, scroll of expeditious retreat, scroll of invisibility, scroll of obscuring mist, scroll of shield, acid flask
Other Gear darkwood light crossbow with 20 bolts, small centipede poison, dagger, traveler's outfit, 46.0 gp
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Armor (Ex) Kobolds have a +1 natural armor bonus.
Bloodline Arcana Whenever you cast a spell with the acid descriptor, that spell deals +1 point of damage per die rolled.
Crafty (Ex) Kobolds gain a +2 racial bonus on Craft (Trapmaking), Perception, and Profession (Miner) checks. Craft (Traps) and Stealth are always class skills for a kobold.
Martial Flexibility (Ex) At 1st level, an eldritch scrapper gains the brawler’s martial flexibility class feature, using her sorcerer level as her brawler level for the purposes of uses per day. The scrapper treats Arcane Strike and Combat Casting as combat feats for the purpose of this ability.
Normal Speed (Ex) Kobolds have a base speed of 30 feet.
Weakness (Ex) Dazzled in bright light.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency Sorcerers are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a sorcerer's gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.
Here's what I'm noticing: for kobolds, item budgets are key. An Adept 3 with a "heroic" set of stats has a weapons budget of 650 GP; not enough for a wand of magic missile, but easily enough for plenty of acid flasks, scrolls of burning hands, and alchemical charcoal. Similarly they have 800 GP for defense. No permanent magic gear, masterwork armor or shields (they can't use them) but scrolls of Invisibility, Mirror Image or just a single Wall of Fire scroll.
Also Inlaa for your insights. I totally take the meaning of all the little bonuses. Consider: a kobold Adept 2/Warrior 1 can be armored in masterwork studded leather and carrying a masterwork crossbow. This then means you're facing a CR 1/2 foe with 12 HP, an AC of 18 and a Stealth of +13. This particular foe has taken an Emissary familiar of Tiny size that sits on his shoulder. With said familiar's assistance and the feats Deadly Aim and Point Blank Shot this kobold is attacking from 30' with a +8 (BAB +2, Competence +1 from the familiar's Guidance spell every round,Deadly Aim -1, Dex +3, Masterwork +1, Point Blank Shot +1, +1 Size) to hit dealing 1d6+3. Given a round to buff he could push that attack bonus higher, give himself a +2 to AC versus good or even employ a scroll that gives him multiple images. Put that guy in front of a pit trap and you've got a really nasty CR 2 encounter.
If you're interested in a few level 1 Kobold NPCs I made to be villains (all of them from a clan of kobolds I call "Hammerknife Clan" - because kobolds don't know how else to describe a pickaxe), I'll post them here. They're nothing super special, but they'd do the trick. I'm including the loot notes I gave them (which is separate from room loot).
NOTE: When building these kobolds, I didn't strictly follow the Elite Array since their STR would still be 4 less than whatever I gave them. I believe I gave them -2 penalties to Strength, not -4. These should be mean kobolds, but certainly not overwhelming on their own.
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STR 10, DEX 17, CON 12, INT 10, WIS 9, CHA 8
HP: 5 (1d8+1)
AC: 17 (+3 DEX, +2 armor, +1 size, +1 natural)
INIT +3
BAB 0, CMB -1, CMD 12
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will -1
Skills: Appraise +4, Climb +7, Bluff +4, Craft: Trapmaking +6, Disable Device +4, Perception +5, Profession: Miner +5, Stealth +11
Attacks: Light Hammers +4 (1d3 x2, 20 ft. range) (1d3 x4) OR Daggers +4 (1d3 19-20 x2) and Javelins +4 (1d4 x2, 30 ft. range)
Special abilities: Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding, Darkvision 60 ft.
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Equipment: Weapons (mostly improvised), leather armor, 10% chance of 1 day of rations
Often waiting in ambush, Hammerknife Flankers equip themselves with a mish-mash of makeshift weaponry that is light and easily thrown. They prefer to strike only once they are certain their allies have the enemy's attention, and even then they are reluctant combatants at best (and fickle at worst).
NOTE: Flanking specialists. They always try to flank whenever possible. They are prone to running away if the battle goes south.
STR 13, DEX 13, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 9, CHA 8
HP: 10 (1d10+2+3)
AC: 18 (+1 DEX, +5 armor, +1 size, +1 natural)
INIT +3
BAB 1, CMB -1, CMD 12
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +1, Will -1
Skills: Stealth +9 (+5 in armor), Profession: Miner +5
Attacks: Pickaxe +4 (1d6+1 x4), Light Hammers +3 (1d3+1 x2, 20 ft. range)
Special abilities: Darkvision 60 ft.
Feats: Weapon Focus (pickaxe), Toughness
Equipment: Weapons (mostly improvised), bone breastplate, 10% chance of 1 day of rations
Hammerknife Tunnelguards specialize in holding the line so that their shamans can cast spells to disable the enemy (such as color spray or sleep). Once disabled, the Tunnelguard uses his pickaxe to deliver a lethal coup de grâce.
NOTE: May swap out Weapon Focus and Toughness for Combat Reflexes + Bodyguard, making this character an effective bodyguard for an NPC. Is considered to have the 'Helpful' trait when built this way (granting +4 to AC when using Bodyguard rather than +2).
If you want a tougher, "tankier" kobold, make the tunnelguard wield a one-handed weapon (like a shortspear) alongside a shield instead of two-handing a pickaxe.
STR 12, DEX 17, CON 10, INT 8, WIS 9, CHA 10
HP: 5 (1d10)
AC: 17 (+3 DEX, +2 armor, +1 size, +1 natural)
INIT +3
BAB 1, CMB -1, CMD 12
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will -1
Skills: Stealth +11
Attacks: Sling +6 (1d3+1 x2), Longspear +3 (1d6+1 x3)
Special abilities: Darkvision 60 ft.
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (Sling)
Equipment: Weapons (mostly improvised), leather armor, 10% chance of 1 day of rations
Hammerknife Slingers favor bait-and-ambush tactics, frequently firing a shot off from a hidden position only to scurry down a corridor and skirt around some clever traps. Despite not being very strong or well-equipped, they are mean shots.
NOTE: +7 AB when shooting within 30 feet; 1d3+2 damage when doing so. Will prefer to engage from afar rather than from up close. They may run away if losing a battle, but will do so at a tactical withdrawal rate (I.E. shooting and stepping back 30 feet as they go) unless someone needs to to be a messenger or the front line crumbles.
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I like using themes to make kobold / goblin tribes distinct from one another. In this case, these kobolds wielded pickaxes and hammers for the most part, and they specialized in tunnel combat and in delivering killing blows while players are disabled by some sort of spell. (I almost killed a fighter while he was in Hold Person [literally 2 HP away from death], and the party's arcanist was just mauled to death by pickaxes and kobold zombies.) If you want to make a dangerous encounter that keeps players on your toes, combining Pickaxe or Scythe-wielding kobolds with a tough caster is the way to go.
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Kobold Rogues with UMD and wands of acid splash, Magic Missile, Burning Hands etc are always amusing. Make them only have a few remaining charges so not that expensive.
Anyone remember the Deluxe D&D Adventure Dragon Maintain? Had a Big Red Dragon as the boss and his was giving out minor single use and limited use magical items to his Kobold minions. They were fighting off parties of level 10 or more.
Worth picking it up if you can for the tactics alone. Close quarter fighting, traps, swarming techniques. Hopefully not too expensive now …
Regards
Sic
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Kobold Rogues with UMD and wands of acid splash, Magic Missile, Burning Hands etc are always amusing. Make them only have a few remaining charges so not that expensive.
Anyone remember the Deluxe D&D Adventure Dragon Maintain? Had a Big Red Dragon as the boss and his was giving out minor single use and limited use magical items to his Kobold minions. They were fighting off parties of level 10 or more.
Worth picking it up if you can for the tactics alone. Close quarter fighting, traps, swarming techniques. Hopefully not too expensive now …
Regards
Sic
Hero Snare was recommended for similar reasons in an earlier thread on a very similar topic.
I may have gone too far.
We had a session last night and the PCs faced 3 kobold warrior 2 optimized for sniping and 1 kobold adept built for buffing the snipers and hiding. All four were situated behind boulders and beneath an overhang creating a Small sized space with cover that they could observe from and shoot at intruders.
It. Was. Brutal!
The PCs were bound and determined to attack from range at first, since there was water and a bit of shore between the party and the kobolds. The party was approaching from forest so they all had cover as well. The PCs also discovered a rope bridge through the canopy to the shore but it was a trap that sent one guy into the drink so it wasn't until like 4 or 5 rounds in that they finally started swimming.
Two guys remained covering from range. What it basically boiled down to is that the kobolds had slightly better to-hits and AC than the ranged PCs, so they were hitting more often and nickel-and-diming the party. Once the PCs finally made shore, took some more crossbow damage and spell damage from the adept the barbarian slaughtered the adept's familiar, one of the warriors, and the adept over the course of 3 rounds, ending the fight.
So I say unto you, the Paizo boards: x3 kobold warrior 2's, 1 kobold adept 3 with all the gear that entails, PLUS cover? That is a DEATH ZONE for low level PCs. I knew it would be hard but didn't realize HOW hard until halfway through the fight when one player realized he needed to roll an 18 to hit the kobolds while they were attacking with +7 to hit from 60', then disappearing back into their holes with a +5 Stealth after the Sniping penalty.
Last night's session is why people hate kobolds.
My vote: KEEP IT UP. Make this the introduction where they look back after slaying a demon and say "Hey, at least this was easier than fighting kobolds..."
Assuming they had fun, at least.
You're so evil, so deliciously evil Inlaa...
The funny thing was I actually forgot most of what the adept could do. He had lots of NPC budget for equipment since he can't wear armor and has a terrible Str, so I spent it all on scrolls. He had Invisibility, mirror image and obscuring mist on scrolls for defense and he had scorching ray for offense. Once the barbarian hit land he could've dropped 4d6 on her if she'd hit with a ranged touch attack, then gone invisible and dropping a couple patches of fog for MORE sniping!
If I'd done this my players would've beaten me up. Otherwise we'd STILL be fighting now.
Thanks EVERYONE who contributed to this thread. My game is going to continue (until my players revolt) so if you have any more ideas I'm all ears.
So now the party has all these scrolls? Good. Sounds like they'll need them.
+1 Inlaa as previously stated in the other thread.
A kobold thug III could do 1d3+1d6+sickening with a dagger sneak attack. Give him weapon focus and dazzling display and any PCs that get shaken from the display for four or more rounds become frightened for a round and run away.
Add those snipers that ran away in the background for maximum party tears.
Have them surprise from behind with longspears right before the display if you want a riot on your hands.
The funny thing was I actually forgot most of what the adept could do. He had lots of NPC budget for equipment since he can't wear armor and has a terrible Str
They can, actually. No proficiencies, but they're divine casters. The "terrible strength" thing might ruin that idea, though. Obscuring Mist or alchemical smoke can add instant concealment, as you mentioned, though, so there's that, and they can always employ a flunky with a tower shield
Speaking of alchemical items, I'd like to see a bucket of brewed reek dumped on someone's head at some point, possibly just before they slide down a shaft into a cesspool containing an otyugh!
Trick arrows like the ones that cause bleed conditions or even just filth fever are always good for laughs, too.
Two things I have done to keep kobolds fairly relevant until my party reached 7th level is to just increase their equipment a little bit. I had an intelligent leader come in and introduce hide armour, heavy shields, and morningstars. AC 19 is nothing to sneeze at and kobolds aren't really worth using area of effect spells on.
The second was to see what flavour of energy the party prefers. In my case, they liked fire. So I introduced the racial trait that replaces the +1 natural armour with Resist energy 5. It made for some tense moments.
And don't forget that kobolds will build their tunnels to their own size which means that medium creatures could need to squeeze which slows them down and confers a -4 to hit and -4 to AC. I'm not sure if this would also eliminate charging...
Kobolds also have a feat. No one says it has to be Skill Focus: Perception. Maybe a warchief taught them the benefits of teamwork feats?
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To all GMs everywhere: nothing in the Bestiary states that kobolds HAVE to have stone age tech. One of my players was frustrated that the kobolds in my game were using crossbows. "They should be using slings" he suggested. That gave me a moment's pause; why would a monster that takes SUCH a hit to their strength use a sling as their ranged weapon?
A kobold warrior 1 is trained to use ALL martial weapons. If you look at the budget for NPCs for basic level 1 NPCs they have 50 GP to budget on weapons. A kobold warrior 1 could be using a shortbow; Free action to load, decent range, 1d4 damage and not dependent on Str at all.
What's the typical image of a kobold? A sneaky little ambush predator that uses traps and alchemical hinderances like sneezing powder to annoy and confound intruders. So, if they can presumably manufacture and utilize these devices, are trained in all simple and martial weapons and can wear armor, why then are they so under-equipped?
I submit to you, GMs of this game, that kobolds do not HAVE to wield stone-tipped spears, slings and javelins. Look instead to acid flasks, bows and crossbows, and if they have to be in melee finesse weapons. Take for example the humble sickle.
A kobold built to trip (not ideal but whatever) could have Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip and Weapon Finesse. This to me looks like a Fighter (Lore Warden) 2. At that level with a simple sickle our little buddy can dart out of hiding (Move 30'), hook an adventurer's leg with a mwk sickle +7 CMB (Trip maneuver) to put that adventurer on his back. We've also outfitted the little guy with a buckler and masterwork studded leather so, combined with a +3 Dex, +1 Natural Armor and +1 Size bonus the kobold is rocking an AC of 19 against any reprisals from melee or ranged attacks by the party.
Now no amount of equipment save magic is going to do much against the party's save-or-suck spells or touch attacks. This kobold however, with reasonable access to some kind of tribal arcane spellcaster, might have spent 25-50 of his AC budget on potions. A potion of Resistance gives him +1 on all saves for the fight; a potion of Mage Armor gives him defense against touch attacks.
Even if you don't use NPC wealth and just look at the treasure for an encounter, 4 kobold warrior 1 is equal to a CR 1 fight. This means these creatures have 260 GP to spend. Giving each one a shortbow, buckler and some acid flasks along with a potion of Resistance means suddenly they're adding anywhere from +1 to +4 to their ranged damage in a round, their AC goes up a tad in melee and they don't automatically fold like cheap suit against spells.
There are a lot of ways to make even kobolds viable. Its time to bring them up, out of the stone age and into the world that the PCs live in.
As a GM I think there are a number of things to keep in mind when we are Tuckering up our kobolds.
While there is nothing wrong with equipping Kobolds with firearms. siege engines or war dirigibles to keep them relevant and challenging to a higher level party - when you do so they are no longer 1/4 CR creatures. The number of kobolds, XP and party level need to reflect that fact.
While kobolds (and goblins, etc.) are smart enough to use any item in their treasure trove that would be useful to them, there are several factors to keep in mind. The first is that not everything in the trove will be useful to them. Just as most troves are not 100% useful to a party of PCs and an even lower percent would be useful to a party with only one class represented, the merchants, travelers, etc. that the kobolds have gathered their treasure from won't have been carrying exactly what the kobolds need. Nor can they necessarily go to town and trade for those items. The second item is that you need to bump up the value of the total value of the treasure the more you customize it for the kobolds use. If the treasure consists largely of small sized armor and weapons and the party can't use small armor and weapons - you've automatically put the party in the position of selling it for half value (unless you put in a nearby halfling village that may value it higher). Also, consumables that you plan on having the kobolds consume can't really be counted as treasure the party is going to obtain. It's easy enough to have a kobold scout warn the camp of the oncoming PCs in time for the camp to all pull potions and literally drink the entire hoard before the PCs are aware there are kobolds in the area.
Don't forget that it is not a contest between you and the party. You will always win, congratulations! It's pretty easy to "out-smart" the players given that you are presenting all of the information they receive- but that isn't much fun for the players. Make sure that you keep things "fair". Have some rumors in town about the threat the local kobold tribes have become as they have started to unify under the "master". Have an occasional trap or plan that doesn't work that well. Maybe a kobold failed a craft check and the traps DC is lower, or perhaps a careless kobold forgot to reset something and it fizzles completely- do you remember to grab your keys, wallet, phone, lock the door, lock your car - every time you go about your daily routine?
There are CR appropriate monsters to challenge parties with only a few, or only one individual. Some monsters are supposed to be challenging because they come in Hordes. Hordes of monsters allow certain builds or feats to shine. There in nothing wrong with a horde of monsters. Mechanically kobolds are designed to fill that role. Let the party feel mighty as they mow down heaps of kobolds. Then let that feeling of triumph turn slowly to dread as wave after wave of kobold continues to rush in from every tunnel and the hit point attrition builds and the parties spells and magic items drain away....
"Let the PCs feel mighty?" I'm sorry JS, but I feel I did just that. Yeah, my kobolds had crossbows, good armor and constant buffing from the adept but once the PC barbarian got into melee it was BLAM! the familiar died; BLAM! one warrior gets destroyed; BLAM! the adept was cloven in twain! I mean are you kidding me?
It was tactics more than gear and traps that saved these kobolds in my game. My PCs tried to engage them at range when most of the PCs are built for melee and short-range spells. The kobolds were essentially in a bunker attacking with crossbows. Had the PCs taken 2 rounds to go through the water and get up toe-to-toe like the barbarian finally did, they would've been able to get 4 melee people to the line while the druid summoned up a Small sized monster to put amongst the kobolds. That's roughly 7 actions (one of the animal companions has a claw/claw/bite routine) to the koblds' 4 and since the PCs were optimized for such attacks 3 of those actions would've been +5 or better to hit with enough damage to severely hurt or kill on every success.
A CROSSBOW or some advantageous potions aren't going to save these kobolds, only delay the inevitable in melee. Only from range did they gain an advantage. Is it the crossbow's fault that half the active PCs remained at range stranding 2 of the animal companions so that only 2 active PCs made it to the bunker? No, that's bad tactics.
Now I do agree that treasure should be advantageous to the PCs. That's why, after it was over, the PCs found Small sized gear but also scrolls that they could read and use: CLW, Obscuring Mist, and potions of Resistance. Now the PCs have tactical advantages and extra resources.
You know, as a nifty tie-in to all of this, have you considered whether the kobolds make their own gear or trade for it / buy it / steal it from someone else?
You could easily have some of this loot be highly sentimental to someone else (and thus valuable) or have evil merchants still bartering with the kobolds when the PCs barge on in.
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For blackscale kobolds, terrain could be key.
They tend to live in or near swampy areas, which automatically cuts player mobility down, and may eliminate full attack options for people who don't have pounce. If the kobolds are able to move at full speed in that terrain, or have a swim speed that they can take advantage of when the PCs are up to their chitlins in mucky water, the kobolds are going to have a huge mobility benefit. Traps under the water are going to be very hard to see, even primitive traps like sharp sticks (to lame like caltrops) or snares (to grab feet) or whatnot. Trained swamp critters, like water moccasins or alligators, or flying critters like stirges or vampire bats, can also go a long way.
The standard snare trap might yank someone into the air, but that's not the only option. A well-designed snare can drag someone underwater and pin them there to drown. Not fun. A different variation could yank someone into something dangerous, such as a split-trunk tree covered with spikes, so that the rope reels in between the two trunks and drags the PC into the spikes and pins him there.
Their lair could be a swampy cave, in which one has to wade through swampy water (with spiky traps under the water), while ducking your head to avoid the low ceiling. (The kobolds swim into the entrance, passing over the spikes, and obviously don't care about the low clearance, being Small. Injured or unconscious kobolds, or prisoners meant to be kept alive, are floated in on a raft.) Once in the lair itself, passageways have been partially blocked off, so that Medium sized creatures need to squeeze to get anywhere, and some areas have been even further blocked off, so that even the *kobolds* have to squeeze to get there (such as the nursery, in which some kobolds who aren't so good at squeezing have been stuck for years, on permanent 'egg-guardian/kobold daycare' duty...). Even these blocked off areas are open enough for Small kobolds to snipe from, throwing not just damaging attacks, but more potentially dangerous things, like globs of muck meant to extinguish torches or lanterns, leaving invaders, who are less likely to have Darkvision, flailing around with a 50% miss chance, while kobolds slither out of these narrow passageways to swarm them.
Even kobolds with minimal combat utility can hang back and attempt to harry foes with Small longspears, taking the Aid Other option to help the 'front-liners' connect with their own attacks, if they aren't likely to be able to hit and do any damage on their own.
Bolas are an odd sort of 'nuisance' weapons, for this sort of encounter. A non-proficient kobold is going to eat a -4 to hit, and have little chance of making that trip attempt, but if s/he targets the heaviest armored dude, she's going for touch AC, and even a slim chance of success is better than cowering uselessly or running in terror. They are cheap to make (less so than more expensive 'nuisance' options like thunderstones or tanglefoot bags, or acid/alchemical fire/etc.), and if they fail, no big loss. A few of them thrown before the PCs close into melee range (at which point the additional -4 for 'shooting' into melee would make it ridiculously unlikely to work) has a small chance to completely abort a front-line PCs actions for a round or two. Nets can work similarly.
"Let the PCs feel mighty?" I'm sorry JS, but I feel I did just that.
I didn't mean to imply that the party should always feel mighty, just that feats like cleave should be allowed there place in the sun sometimes and that Kobolds are a fine option for that. In general I let a party feel successful when a new player are two are introduced, to help the party gel, when they need to recover from a few especially painful drubbings, and when I am building their confidence to set them up for some future painful drubbings.
It was tactics more than gear and traps that saved these kobolds in my game. My PCs tried to engage them at range when most of the PCs are built for melee and short-range spells.
Well if the PCs that were built for melee and short-range spells didn't move to a range that played up their strengths that was either very poor tactics or a poor understanding of their own characters. If the later is the case they may need some explanation of their roles [melee striker, melee tank, and so on].