Goblin Goblins are a race of small and numerous goblinoid s common throughout Toril , often living in underground caverns near the surface known as lairs . The race is often , though not always , dominated by other goblinoids , most commonly hobgoblin s . Goblins may have , in fact , been initially created by this related race to serve as scouts and infiltrators . Physical Description . Goblins are small goblinoids that many consider little more than a nuisance . They have flat faces , broad noses , pointed ears , and small , sharp fangs . Their foreheads slope back , and their eyes vary in color from red to yellow . Their skin color ranges from yellow through any shade of orange to a deep red ; usually all members of the same tribe share the same colored skin , though they also come in shades of green . Goblins are typically found in dark leathers soiled by poor hygiene and colored in a similar range of tones to their skin . Goblins usually stand between 3 ' 4 " and 3 ' 8 " and weigh about 40 to 55 pounds on average . Goblins breed extremely rapidly compared with many other races , accounting for their large population . Abilities . Goblins are a nimble and elusive race , who are able to slip away from danger more easily than most . In combat , goblins often use this advantage to sneak up on enemies and deal them a blow from hiding and then slip away before they can be retaliated against . Goblins are also surprisingly charming , despite their monstrous appearance . Psychology . Goblins , like other goblinoids , have a commonly short temper . Leaders among the race often come to power through betrayal or aggression , rather than by more peaceful means , or as cleric s of the goblin god s . As such members of the race are more easily provoked than individuals of most races and often take sadistic pleasure in exacting revenge once crossed . Goblins who turn away from evil often find it difficult to overcome this short fuse and have a sense of greed that makes it difficult for them to act altruistic . Those that do often make use of their ill - gained talents as rogue s or fighter s . Though goblins have a poor reputation overall , not all goblins are dim - witted or evil . Some goblins have risen to become heroes , gaining enough renown to be accepted into the civilized world of other , more commonly good races . Those goblins who seek this path may find it difficult to overcome their temper and greed , as well as the cultural influence of their brethren , but those who do often find it can be more rewarding , in the long run at least , to serve good than to serve evil . Many goblins who leave for a life among other races are females , driven away by the rigidly structured role of motherhood they are expected to play . Other expatriate goblins will try to recreate the circumstances of their culture , preying on the weaknesses of others in non - goblin communities . Being bullied by bigger , stronger creatures has taught goblins to exploit what few advantages they have : sheer numbers and malicious ingenuity . The concept of a fair fight is meaningless in their society . They favor ambushes , overwhelming odds , dirty tricks , and any other edge they can devise . Goblins prefer to fight battles where the odds are in their favor and often flee or surrender when outmatched . Culture . Goblin society is tribal by nature . Goblin leaders are generally the strongest and sometimes the smartest around . Goblins have little concept of privacy , living and sleeping in large common areas ; only the leaders live separately in their own private chambers . As such , goblin lairs are often stinking or soiled , though easily defended when under assault . Many such lairs are layered with simple traps for such purposes . Young goblins are taught from an early age to rely only on themselves and that to survive , they must be aggressive and ruthless . To a goblin , it does not seem logical to treat others as well or better than you would treat yourselves ; rather , they believe in preemptively removing with potential rivals before they can become a threat . Because of the violent nature of goblin culture it is not uncommon for goblins to come under the domination of individuals from a larger , more physically powerful culture , most typically larger goblinoids such as hobgoblin s or bugbear s . Goblin settlements are typically very densely populated and filled with young goblin children . This is in part because goblin females are expected to birth as many children as possible to sustain a population constantly driven down by violence . However , young goblins do not outnumber adults because their lives are often at least as dangerous as those of adults . Male goblins , who are dominant in goblin society , sustain the community by raiding and stealing , sneaking into lairs , villages , and even towns by night to take what they can . If supplies get short enough , goblins will even resort to eating members of other races , including other goblinoids . They are not above waylaying travelers on the road or in forests and stripping them of all possessions , including the clothes on their backs . Goblins sometimes capture slaves to perform hard labor in the tribes lair or camp . Until the Spellplague , goblins primarily worshiped members of the goblin pantheon , such as Maglubiyet in particular , who inspired them with his feats of strength and treachery . After the Spellplague however , the power of the Black Lord Bane grew and then extended his power over Maglubiyet , making the goblin god one of his exarch s . Much of the rest of the goblinoid pantheon was destroyed . Goblins do not get along well with most other races and are particularly suspicious of other goblinoids . Goblins have a somewhat ambivalent relationship with orc s and half - orc s , who they ' ve worked with on occasion , but the only true allies of the goblin race are worg s , who often act as mounts and fighting companions for goblins . Goblins have a particularly adverse relationship with both Tel - quessir and dwarves .