Kobolds are small, reptilian humanoids rarely standing more than one yard in height. They have the same evolutionary origin as dragons, as evidenced by the small, vestigial wing bones found next to the shoulders within their skeletons. In rare individuals, these can be pronounced enough to manifest outside the bodies, connected with small flaps of skin to the shoulders. There are rumors of throwbacks with wings large enough for gliding, or even entire tribes of winged kobolds.
Kobolds are generally regarded as pests, and they have not been observed to form communities larger than small tribes. Possibly due to strong predation by dragons in prehistoric times, they tend to display agoraphobic tendencies and prefer to remain in underground dwellings during the day, only emerging at night. They are the most comfortable in warm and humid climates. In northern regions, they tend to hide near buildings with good heating, such as factories, laundries, and similar locales. At night, they leave their nests and spread out to scavenge in the surrounding areas, making sure with traps and hidden tunnels that exterminators cannot find their hideouts.
Ecology[]
Kobolds are omnivores with no scruples about what, or who, they eat. They can digest bark, dirt, leather, eggshells, even their younger siblings, if they're desperate enough.
Kobolds are extremely fecund egg-layers, having the highest birth rate (and death rate) of all humanoid species. A fertilized female kobold lays her clutch of hard-shelled eggs after two weeks, which must be incubated for an additional 60 days before they hatch. Kobolds reach maturity at about eight, or nine years and are considered "great wyrms" by the age of 121 years. They have been known to live up to 135 years. While they do bond with one another, they have no concept of monogamy.
Kobolds have an extreme hatred for gnomes -- with whom they compete for the same areas and mining rights -- as well as pixies, brownies and sprites. They are often at war with goblins, and the numerous kobold-goblin wars help to keep the populations of both races down to a manageable level. Xvarts often act as intermediaries between kobolds and goblins. Xvarts usually dominate kobolds and take out their aggression upon them.
Kobolds have been known to sell some of their captives as slaves, if there is a nearby market for them.
Environment[]
Kobolds are to be found in all climates. Being cold-blooded creatures, however, they are required to eat up to three times as much when in colder climes. They seem to prefer dark, damp, underground lairs and/or overgrown forests. They are industrious miners and, if left to their own devices, can carve out massive tunnel complexes, which they rapidly fill with their progeny, due to their rapid rate of reproduction (which would explain their use as cannon fodder).
Many kobold lairs are guarded by boars, or giant weasels. Their lair's location continually fluctuates since new tunnels are continuously being excavated, as old ones collapse. Most lairs include a temple, or shrine, a kiln, an egg hatchery, and larder (a place for storing food). Larger lairs also contain places for cultivating food and livestock.
Typical physical characteristics[]
Kobolds stand a little over 2' tall, with scaly, hairless hides, reptilian heads and tails, and weigh approximately 40 pounds. Males are, on average, about three inches taller and ten pounds heavier than the females. Kobold hides are typically rust-brown to reddish black in color, with ivory-colored horns. Their heads have been described as doglike, but in more recent gaming supplements they are illustrated as looking more more draconic, similar to a crocodile in appearance. The eyes glow red, and they can see accurately up to 60 feet away in a lightless environment. The odor given off by kobolds has been described as a cross between damp dogs and stagnant water.
Unlike their dragon cousins, kobolds are cold-blooded. The scales covering their bodies have a texture like that of an iguana, or other large lizard. The scales covering their tails are very fine and hairless, resembling those of rats. Kobolds lose and gain new teeth throughout their lives. They often save their lost teeth, making necklaces from them. Kobolds favor raggedy-looking red or orange clothing, often made from leather, or the silk of giant spiders. They never wear shoes, but they very are fond of jewelry and other ornamentation.
Kobolds shed their skin once a season. The skin comes off in patches, during the course of a week. They tend to keep themselves well-groomed, regularly polishing their horns, claws, and teeth.
Mining[]
Kobolds often create their lairs by mining them from the rock. Mining is a meticulously planned and conducted process and nothing is left to chance. Divination magic is used to locate ore and mineral deposits. A high proportion of a kobold tribe are miners. Each family group is expected to cut its own room, the walls of which they will adorn with a pictorial history of the family.
Culture[]
The greatest art for kobolds is trapmaking. The use of invention and cunning in traps is the mark of a good trapmaker. The other art form is the pictorial representation of the tribe's history, created on the walls of a specially created room in every lair. Kobolds enjoy making jewelery from the gems and precious metals they encounter while mining. They can be possessive about their personal jewelery collections, and much effort is put into crafting beautiful jewelery, unlike other items, which are functional more than aesthetically pleasing.
Kobolds also use dire weasels as mounts. Kobolds generally get along with Viss'Takh.
Society[]
Kobold society is influenced by their lawful evil alignment. They will industriously plan and dig mines, while at the same time laying cruel traps for any interlopers. If they must confront an enemy, they will mass their troops for an ambush. Among the monstrous humanoids, kobolds are known for their cunning plans; unlike other monsters, they also share those plans among all the tribe members. General plans and goals are common knowledge, and detailed plans are shared with all tribal members who ask, this allows all to work fruitfully for the good of the entire tribe. Kobolds have a natural hatred of other non-draconic creatures, because of the historical mistreatment of their race.
Kobolds do have specialized laborers, yet the majority of kobolds are miners. The most coveted careers are trapmaker, sorcerer, caretaker, and warrior. Kobolds typically apprentice in their chosen profession at the age of three. A kobold's job may change over the years, based upon the specific needs of the tribe. Kobold tribes are gerontocracies, ruled by their eldest member. This kobold leader is known and called by the title of "the All-Watcher." Oft-times this leader is a powerful sorcerer. Kobold laws may change along with their leaders. Kobolds prefer exile to execution as punishment and, in some disputes, kobolds tribes will split in order to spread their kind over a larger region. Kobolds often lay eggs in a common nest, with specialized foster parents to watch over the eggs and wyrmlings (young under one year).
Kobold society is tribal, with war bands based on clans. As many as ten families can be part of a clan. Each clan is responsible for patrolling a ten-mile radius. The most numerous kobold tribes include the Torturers, the Impalers, the Gougers, the Cripplers, and the Mutilators.
Religion[]
The primary deity to be worshipped by kobolds is Kurtulmak, the god of War and Mining. Another god receiving considerable worshipped by kobolds is Gaknulak, the god of Protection, Stealth, Trickery, and Traps. A lesser-known kobold deity is the demigod Dakarnok. Individual kobolds and even entire kobold tribes may worship other deities of the draconic pantheon; Tiamat and Io often play a significant role in kobold creation myths. Kobolds and gnomes have an instinctual hate of each other because of a "prank" played upon Kurtulmak by the gnomish deity Garl Glittergold. According to some kobold myths, Garl collapsed Kurtulmak's cave because the gnome god saw that they were likely to become the dominant race in the world. The draconic god Io offered Kurtulmak the chance to become the god of his race, or to give him the strength to clear the mine. Kurtulmak chose to lead his race in the form of a god. The gnomes, naturally, have their own version of the myth which casts their god in a considerably better light.
Clerics of Kurtulmak are known as the Eyes of Kurtulmak. They rarely live long enough to become chieftains, but they have a great deal of power and influence, serving as mine supervisors and directing the tribe toward "divinely inspired" goals. Organized religious services are almost nonexistent, but most kobolds do recite small prayers throughout the day.
Many kobolds believe in reincarnation, which Kurtulmak may use as either a reward or a punishment, depending on one's service to one's tribe. One of the duties of a cleric is to watch over the tribe's eggs and hatchlings, which are thought to be reincarnations of distinguished kobolds.
Language[]
Kobolds speak a version of the Draconic tongue, with a yipping accent (their voices are said to resemble the sound of small dogs barking). Some also learn to speak Common, Goblin, Orcish, and Undercommon.
The written form of Draconic was originally developed by kobolds in the service of dragons, as dragons themselves see little reason to write (and often have no fingers and thumbs to write with).
Feats[]
Requirements: Must be a Kobold
Draconic Ancestry
You have draconic ancestry, as far as you can tell. Choose one type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestry table (PHB pg. 34). You gain resistance to the energy type based on your choice of dragon.
Dragonwrought
Your Constitution or Wisdom score increases by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Also, you gain a Breath Weapon attack. See PHB pg. 34.
Improved Claws
Requires you to be a Wildborn Kobold
Your Strength score increases by 1, with a maximum of 20.
In addition, your claw's damage increases to 1d8
Kobold Feats[]
The following is a non-exhaustive list of kobold-exclusive feats intended to help introduce some of the flavor of past editions or Volo's Guide stat blocks into your kobold character. They are all available to either regular kobolds or dragonwrought kobolds.
Combat Inventor[]
Prerequisite: kobold
You've mastered the art of quickly creating makeshift inventions that you can use to gain the "advantage" in battle. You gain proficiency with improvised weapons and can use your Dexterity modifier to determine your attack and damage bonuses with improvised weapons.
Additionally, during a short rest, you can prepare an invention, choosing from the options below. If you already have one invention, it is replaced. You can use an invention as an action.
- Acid. You create a flask of acid. You can splash the contents of this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged attack against a creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 acid damage.
- Alchemist's fire. You create a flask of alchemist's fire. You can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
- Basket of centipedes. You fill a small basket with centipedes. You can throw this basket into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of you. A swarm of insects (centipedes) with 11 hit points emerges from the basket and rolls initiative. At the end of each of the swarm's turns, there is a 50 percent c hance that the swarm disperses.
- Green Slime pot. You fill a clay pot with green slime. You can throw the pot as an improvised ranged weapon with range 5/20 ft. On a hit, the target is covered in a patch of green slime (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). On a miss, a patch of green slime covers a randomly determined 5-foot-square section of wall or floor within 5 feet of the target.
- Rot Grub pot. You fill a clay pot with rot grubs. You can throw this pot into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of you. A swarm of rot grubs emerges from the shattered pot and remains a hazard in that square.
- Scorpion on a stick. You attach a scorpion to the end of a stick. You can attack with the stick, treating it as an improvised melee weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1 piercing damage, and must make a DC 9 Constitution saving throw, taking 1d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
- Skunk in a cage. You capture a skunk. You can release the skunk into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. The skunk has a walking speed of 20 feet, AC 10, 1 hit point, and no effective attacks. It rolls initiative and, on its turn, uses its action to spray musk at a random creature within 5 feet of it. The target must make a DC 9 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target retches and can't take actions for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature that doesn't need to breathe or is immune to poison automatically succeeds on the saving throw. Once the skunk has sprayed its musk, it can't do so again until it finishes a short or long rest.
- Wasp nest in a bag. You fill a bag with a wasp nest. You can throw the bag into a 5-foot-squar espace within 20 feet of you. A swarm of insects (wasps) with 11 hit points emerges from the bag and rolls initiative. At the end of each of the swarm's turns, there's a 50 percent chance that the swarm disperses.
Dragonshield[]
Prerequisite: kobold
You've been invested with power by a mighty chromatic dragon, and gain the following benefits:
- Your Constitution modifier increases by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- Choose a damage type and its associated dragon: acid (black), cold (white), fire (red), lightning (blue), or poison (green). You gain resistance to that damage type.
- If you are frightened or paralyzed by an effect that allows a saving throw, you can repeat the save at the start of each of your turns to end the effect on you and all allies within 30 feet of you. Any creature that benefits from this trait (including yourself) has advantage on its next attack roll.
Kobold Commander[]
Prerequisite: kobold, Intelligence or Charisma 13 or higher
As the leader of a group of kobolds, you've learned how to effectively growl orders from the back line instead of risking your hide in combat.
As a bonus action on your turn, choose a friendly creature within 30 feet of you that you can see. Until the start of your next turn, you lose the benefits of your Pack Tactics trait, and your target gains the Pack Tactics trait if it can see and hear you.
If your target already has the Pack Tactics trait, when it makes an attack with advantage from Pack Tactics, it can reroll one of the dice once.
Kobold Recruiter[]
Prerequisite: kobold, Charisma 13 or higher
You are adept at seeking out hidden kobold warrens and recruiting warriors to fight for your cause.
After you complete a long rest, you can call forth a kobold of CR 1/4 or less to serve as your loyal minion. If you already have one or more kobold minions from this feat, they depart from your service. Your kobold minion regards you as a trusted leader to be heeded and protected. Although it isn't under your control, it takes your requests or actions in the most favorable way it can. In combat, the kobold rolls its own initiative and fights as your ally.
If you or your allies do anything harmful to the kobold, or if you ask it to perform a task contrary to its nature (such as helping a gnome or attacking a dragon), the kobold leaves your service.
At 5th level, you can call forth two kobolds of CR 1/4 or less. At 11th level, you can call forth three kobolds of CR 1/4 or less or one kobold of CR 1 or less. At 16th level, you can call forth four kobolds of CR 1/4 or less or two kobolds of CR 1 or less.
Mount Tamer[]
Prerequisite: kobold
In your tribe, you mastered the art of taming and training mounts for battle, most notably the great dire weasel.
You learn the find steed spell and can cast it once per day. When you cast it, you choose from a different list of creatures: ambush drake, giant lizard, giant weasel, or wolf. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Scale Sorcerer[]
Prerequisite: kobold, Charisma 13 or higher
You've completed the necessary rituals to tap into some of the latent sorcerous power in your draconic blood, and gain the following benefits:
- You learn one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list.
- Choose one 1st-level spell from the sorcerer spell list. You learn it and can cast it once at its lowest level. Once you cast it, you must finish a short or long rest before you can cast it again.
- Choose one sorcerer Metamagic option. You can use this Metamagic once on a spell when you cast it. Once you use this Metamagic option, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Sunlight Adapted[]
Prerequisite: kobold
You've spent more time on the surface than most kobolds, and your eyes are less bothered by the sun. You gain the following benefits:
- Your Wisdom score increases by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You are no longer affected by your Sunlight Sensitivity trait.