Hobgoblin

**Hobgoblins** were larger, stronger, smarter, and more menacing forms of goblinoids than goblins, but not as powerful as bugbears.

> Hobgoblins are relentless soldiers that cleave to rigid tactics and orders. I fear their less-predictable scouts and spies more.
>
> Elminster's notes in *Volo's Guide to Monsters*.

## Psychology

By and large, hobgoblins, like their kin, were considered to be evil creatures and often met this expectation. While goblinoid society was typically cruel and harsh, some individuals escaped it to carry on lives of virtue. The few who took this risk and succeeded often met cautious praise and acceptance from outsiders. Those that managed to escape goblinoid society, however, continuously plagued by their goblinoid nature. Though hobgoblins were not necessarily evil, they were prone to violence and hot tempers, and often found it difficult to be truly altruistic. When provoked, which was not a hard task, hobgoblins were vindictive creatures who took glee in causing pain to those that injured them. Those hobgoblins who overcome this nature often managed this because of the rewards they found in serving good, rather than evil.

## Culture

 File:Hobgoblin.jpg
Hobgoblins were mostly found in communities where they were in command of either goblins or bugbears, or sometimes both. The most civilized goblinoid communities were ruled by the race. This was in large part because hobgoblin society was more industrious and less savage than that of goblins or bugbears. Though bugbears sometimes took control due to their raw strength, most such communities were ruled over by the strongest hobgoblin, who served as the warchief.

Hobgoblins had a long tradition of mastering and breeding the creatures of the world into slaves of various sorts. Many, for instance, enjoyed working with wolves or worgs. Similarly, many drake breeds were first bred by hobgoblins. Some even believed hobgoblins carried this practice on within their own race, creating the goblins and bugbears in such a manner.

Hobgoblins were immensely protective of their tribe's reputation and military status, so much so that meetings between different groups could turn violent if proper protocol was not followed. However, though hobgoblin tribes were territorial and egotistical in nature, they often united for a common purpose, such as war against non-goblinoids.

## Religion and Magic

Hobgoblins once had their own pantheon, however, Maglubiyet, the god of war and rulership, killed most of the gods. Since then, he was the chief deity of hobgoblins. However, Nomog-Geaya, the deity of war and authority, was considered their patron deity, and many followed Bargrivyek. Since the Spellplague and prior to the Second Sundering, Maglubiyet was an exarch of Bane.

Hobgoblins were warriors by nature and prefered martial combatants to those who draw on magic. Those few spellcasters who were to be found were expected to work well with soldiers.

## Appendix

### Appearances

Adventures
*Confrontation at Candlekeep* • *The Tomb of Damara* • *The Return of Randal Morn* • *Dungeon #26* The Inheritance • *Dungeon #28* The Pipes of Doom • *The Sword of the Dales* • *Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor*
Board Games
*Temple of Elemental Evil Board Game*
Card Games
*AD&D Trading Cards*
Comic Books
*Legends of Baldur's Gate* *(issues 4, 5*) • *The Gathering*
Novels
*Night of the Hunter* • *Storm of the Dead* • *Swordmage*
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
*Hoard of the Dragon Queen* • *Storm King's Thunder* • *Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage*
Video Games
*Baldur's Gate* • *Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear* • *Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition* • *Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn* • *Dungeon Hack* • *Gateway to the Savage Frontier* • *Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms* • *Neverwinter Nights: Wyvern Crown of Cormyr* • *Pool of Radiance* • *Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace* • *Sword Coast Legends*
### Further Reading

* Roger E. Moore (July 1982). “Point of View: The humanoids – Goals and gods of the kobolds, goblins, hobgoblins, & gnolls”. In Kim Mohan ed. *Dragon* #63 (TSR, Inc.), pp. {{#regex:25–32|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}.
* Terry Edwards (July 2003). “Paragons of War: The Ecology of Hobgoblins”. In Jesse Decker ed. *Dragon* #309 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. {{#regex:52–61|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}.

### Gallery

Hobgoblin 5e.jpg*A depiction of an armored hobgoblin from Sword Coast Legends*.Hobgoblin face.jpg*A hobgoblin, up close and personal.*
### External Links

* Hobgoblin article at the ***Eberron Wiki***, a wiki for the *Eberron* campaign setting.

### References

{{#vardefine:numCol|2}}

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). *Monster Manual 5th edition*. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:184–187|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 978-0786965614.
2. ↑ Mike Mearls, *et al*. (November 2016). *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:161–162|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 978-0786966011.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). *Forgotten Realms Player's Guide*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). *Monster Manual v.3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:153–154|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
5. ↑ Doug Stewart (June 1993). *Monstrous Manual*. (TSR, Inc), p. 191. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
6. ↑ Gary Gygax (December 1977). *Monster Manual, 1st edition*. (TSR, Inc), p. 52. ISBN 0-9356-9600-8.
7. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). *Player's Handbook 5th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:29–31|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Mike Mearls, *et al*. (November 2016). *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 119. ISBN 978-0786966011.
9. ↑ Mike Mearls, *et al*. (November 2016). *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. {{#regex:45–52|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. ISBN 978-0786966011.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). *Monster Manual 4th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 135. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
11. ↑ Mike Mearls, *et al*. (November 2016). *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786966011.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). *Monster Manual 4th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 140. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
13. ↑ Mike Mearls, *et al*. (November 2016). *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 46. ISBN 978-0786966011.
14. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 180. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.

### Connections

Goblinoids
**Goblins**
 Bakemono • Batiri • Grodd goblin • Nilbog
 **Miscellaneous Goblinoids**
 Bugbear • Dekanter goblin • Goblin rat • Half-goblin • **Hobgoblin** • Koalinth • Norker • Snow goblin • Varag • Verdan • Worghest
 **Related Creatures**
 Boggle • Gremlin