| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Kobolds, Space
Racial Traits
Ability Adjustments : +4 Dex, -2 Str
Hit Points : 2
Size and Type : Kobolds are Small Humanoids with the Reptilian subtype.
Crafty : Kobolds are attentive and technologically savvy, and receive a +2 racial bonus to Engineering and Perception checks.
Darkvision : Kobolds can see up to 60 feet in the dark.
Shoulder to Shoulder : Kobolds are used to working in crowded conditions aboard densely packed Kobold ships or mining tunnels, and may stack with another Small sized ally in the same square. They also do not suffer from the Entangled condition when squeezing through a narrow space and can move at full speed, while only suffering -2 on attack rolls and AC.
When some of the Dragons of Golarion reached out to the stars above, it was only natural that the races that served them would follow in their wake, and the Kobolds were no different. There, they have adapted quite well, showing an affinity for technology. Since heading into space, they have proliferated amongst the fringes of civilization and can often be found manning distant mining stations or using underdeveloped planets as pirate bases for raiding. Kobolds typically use starship designs from other cultures either stolen, scavenged, or obtained through black market connections, though these starships are often redesigned to suit Kobold tastes, and are typically very cramped vessels filled with all sorts of jury rigged modifications.
Societally, Kobolds remain much the same as they were in the distant past, being fairly xenophobic towards non-draconic races and existing in small clans all across space. Those few clans who abandon their xenophobic ways and become part of society can often be found serving as technicians or miners, though most Kobolds look down upon these 'civilized' clans with disdain for choosing to serve lesser, non-draconic races. The rest of Kobold kind usually choose to live on distant planets away from Civilization, or become pirates.
Author's Notes : This is my attempt at adapting Kobolds to be used in Starfinder, and I made a few changes to the race along the way. First and foremost, I brought up their stats to be in line with other races, since I felt that pathfinder Kobolds were insultingly weak even when compared to other insultingly weak races such as Goblins. I also tweaked their skills slightly to make them less focused on traps and more on generalized technology, since I figured it would be the logical progression for them to take. They still utilize traps a great deal, but with more advanced technology and options available, they'd branch out from simple trap making and embrace what the future had to offer. I also dropped Natural Armor entirely, since while having a tough scaly hide might help you against spears and arrows, it probably wouldn't do jack all against a plasma sword or armor-piercing bullet. Finally, I gave them a variation of their Shoulder to Shoulder ability/Suck In Your Gut feat from Pathfinder, mostly because I kept picturing a crew of Kobolds crawling through a maze of machinery aboard ship as they repaired it and felt it was very Koboldish image.
I imagine there's a large population of kobolds on Triaxus, and those are probably less xenophobic.
I think they should have the kobold subtype, not the reptilian subtype, I'd also make Crafty apply to Profession (miner) checks.
Just don't take their candles. They hate that.
I think they should have the kobold subtype, not the reptilian subtype, I'd also make Crafty apply to Profession (miner) checks.
I would like the humanoid subtypes to be kept to a minimum. PF already went crazy with it. There might have been dozens of subtypes. For example, I think shirren should have the insect subtype.
But I agree with the mining idea. I would imagine kobolds as nomadic/migrant miners. Entire clans Piling into overpacked freighters to travel to some chunk of rock in space, where they live until every piece of mineable material has been stripped. Then they move on.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
How has this thread been active for 4 hours and 48 minutes without a single "koboldly go where no one has gone before" joke? You're all fired.
:p
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I took a stab at space kobolds back in December before the Starfinder rules were available.
I'm still reading through the Starfinder PDF, but what about this?:
OBOLD (K. secūris spatium) ACIAL RAITS
- Ability Buy Points : +2 Dex, –2 Str. Kobolds are nimble but weak.
- Hit Points: 2
- Size and Type : Space kobolds are Small humanoids with the reptilian subtype.
- Darkvision : Space kobolds can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
- Crafty : Space kobolds gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks, and to two of the following skills of their choice: Computers, Engineering, Life Science, or Physical Science.
- Hardy Voyager* : Space kobolds receive a +4 racial bonus to Fortitude checks against radiation exposure. They also treat their Constitution as 4 points higher for avoiding suffocation, starvation, and thirst.
- Gecko* Toes : Space kobolds have long, nimble toes. As long as they have at least two available limbs with which to climb, they retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) while climbing. Kobolds can always choose to take 10 on Athletics checks to climb, even when rushed or threatened.
If you like, Rogue Genius Games has already published rules for Starfinder-compatible kobolds in their Starfarer's Companion, released last week in PDF.