Kobold

Image credit WOTC

## Kobolds

Kobolds are craven reptilian humanoids that worship evil Dragons as demigods and serve them as minions and toadies. Kobolds inhabit dragons’ lairs when they can but more commonly infest Dungeons, gathering treasures and Trinkets to add to their own tiny hoards.

***Strength in Numbers.*** Kobolds are egg-laying creatures. They mature quickly and can live to be “great wyrms” more than a century old. However, many Kobolds perish before they reach the end of their first decade. Physically weak, they are easy prey for predators. This vulnerability forces them to band together. Their superior numbers can win battles against powerful adversaries, but often with massive casualties on the kobold side.

***Tunnelers and Builders.*** Kobolds make up for their physical ineptitude with a cleverness for trap making and tunneling. Their lairs consist of low tunnels through which they move easily but which hinder larger humanoids. Kobolds also riddle their lairs with traps. The most insidious kobold traps make use of natural Hazards and other creatures. A trip wire might connect to a spring-loaded trap that hurls clay pots of flesh-eating green slime or flings crates of venomous giant centipedes at intruders.

***The Lost God.*** In addition to the Dragons they revere, Kobolds worship a lesser god named Kurtulmak. Legends speak of how Kurtulmak served as Tiamat’s vassal in the Nine Hells until Garl Glittergold, the god of Gnomes, stole a trinket from the Dragon Queen’s hoard. Tiamat sent Kurtulmak to retrieve the trinket, but Garl Glittergold played a trick on him, collapsing the earth and trapping the kobold god in an Underground maze for eternity. For this reason, Kobolds hate Gnomes and pranks of any kind. Kurtulmak’s most devoted worshipers dedicate themselves to finding and releasing their lost god from his prison-maze.

***Winged Kobolds.*** A few Kobolds are born with leathery wings and can fly. Known as urds, they like to lurk on high ledges and drop rocks on passersby. Although the urds’ wings are seen as gifts from Tiamat, the Dragon Queen, wingless Kobolds are envious of those gifts and don’t get along with the urds. For more information see Winged Kobold.

### Kobold Scale Sorcerer

Some Kobolds have gifts bequeathed to them by Dragons or gods, enabling them to rise above their peers. Others are born with a cruel inventiveness that few can match.

A Kobold scale Sorcerer has an innate talent for Arcane Magic, making it a highly valuable member of the tribe for several reasons. Because the kobolds’ deity remains imprisoned, most tribes lack individuals that can use Divine Magic, and so the scale sorcerers fill the roles of Advisor and historian. In times of peace, they use their Spells to fortify and enhance the warren and aid the rest of the tribe. When the tribe is threatened, a scale Sorcerer lashes out with fire and poison against enemies, saving a bit of magic for itself in case it needs to flee or take advantage of a captor.

***Duty-Bound to a Dragon.*** In a Kobold tribe associated with a dragon, typically one that resides in or near the dragon’s lair, the scale Sorcerer also serves as diplomat and mouthpiece—anticipating the dragon’s needs, issuing commands to other Kobolds on the dragon’s behalf, and reporting information back to the dragon. The Sorcerer is just as awed by and respectful of Dragons as Common Kobolds are, but it knows that its duty requires it not to fawn over its Master at all times. It also understands that its frequent proximity to the dragon means it would probably be the first to die if its Master became angry or displeased, and so it frantically maintains a balance between adoration and terror in its behavior toward the dragon.

### Kobold Inventor

> *Never make the mistake of thinking Kobolds are stupid or backward just because they’re small. Size has nothing to do with it.*
>
> —Volo
>
>

Some Kobolds have gifts bequeathed to them by Dragons or gods, enabling them to rise above their peers. Others are born with a cruel inventiveness that few can match.

A Kobold inventor, crafty and with quick hands, builds Improvised Weapons in the hope of gaining some new advantage in Combat. An inventor captures bugs, scoops up exotic dungeon slimes, and claims the best stolen goods as ingredients in its experiments. Its creations are sometimes comical in appearance, but—like kobolds’ traps—they work a lot better than their materials would suggest.

***Good While They Last.***An inventor’s new Weapons last for only one or two attacks before they break, but might be surprisingly effective in the meantime. Most inventors are Skilled enough that their Improvised Weapons don’t backfire on them, but other users might not be so lucky. The Weapons don’t have to be lethal—in many cases one serves its purpose if it distracts, scares, or confuses a creature long enough for other Kobolds to kill the enemy. In any particular encounter, an inventor usually has one or two Improvised Weapons at its disposal.

## Traits

**Pack Tactics**: The Kobold has advantage on an Attack roll against a creature if at least one of the kobold’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t Incapacitated.

**Sunlight Sensitivity**: While in sunlight, the Kobold has disadvantage on Attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.