Races - Part 5 - Goblinoid Races
Duncehack Edition
Part 5
Skipping the preamble because this is Part 5 of the Race redesigns.
See Part 1 if any of the introductory stuff matters to you.
Obligatory Natural Crit Plug
Someone else made a thing that lets me make homebrews without having to post them on pastebin or something. They deserve a lot of credit for that.
Obligatory /tg/ Plug
The feedback I got from various Anons on this helped me build it into something that wasn't bad and stupid.
I love you all in a way only abused spouse can possibly understand.
Balance Rationale
See Part 1, for full essay.
Main thing is: Races are worth approx. 3 feats + 2 lanaguage proficiencies.
For the purposes of this I'm working on a 'build point' system that assumes races are worth 18 build points.
What Races are in this document?
Bugbear, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Orc
Yes Orcs. I don't care about what was established in 3rd, in 1st and 2nd, they were goblinoids and I needed a place to stick them.
Social Stigma (Goblinoid)
I honestly don't think they're powerful enough to justify this, but it goes without saying that in most settings this would be in full effect:
"Social Stigma. In your travels, you find some people are cold, aloof, or even outright hostile towards you. Once per game session, the DM may force you to reroll a social skill roll that you make."
Bugbear
- Ability Scores: Str +2; Dex +1
- Size: Medium
- Speed: 30 ft.
- Size. Medium.
- Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Long-Limbed. When you make a melee attack on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal.
- Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
- Sneaky. You are proficient in the Stealth skill.
- Surprise Attack. If you surprise a creature and hit it with an attack on your first turn in combat, the attack deals an extra 2d6 damage to it. You can use this trait only once per combat.
- Languages. Common and Goblin.
Source: VGM, page 119
Build Point Weight: 17
9 for ability scores, 1 for long-limbed, 1 for powerful build, 2 for darkvision, 2 for skill, 2 for Surprise Attack
Ribbons: Powerful Build
Final Weight: 16
So, what's wrong with Bugbear?
Honestly, Bugbears would be fine if Surprise Attack wasn't so... heavily restricted. I am aware of the Assassin/Gloom Stalker/Bugbear meme build that explodes people first round, but no one else can really use the race.
Anyone who's played Assassin can tell you how much of a bitch surprise is to actually pull off in game. More to the point, the feature doesn't feel thought through at all - you can only trigger surprise once per combat anyway and it also already specifies first round of combat.
So, what to do?
Lets remove the superfluous restrictions.
Also, the long limbed thing without an increase to move speed confuses me. Ever seen an Orang-utan move? it's frighteningly effortless for their size - this is how I picture Bugbears to be.
Bugbear - Changed Rules
- Speed: 35 ft.
- Surprise Attack: If you are successfully hidden from a creature at the beginning of your turn, or you attack a creature that has the surprised condition, your next attack against it deals an extra 2d6 damage. You can use this trait only once per combat.
Build Point Weight: 4
1 for +5 speed, 3 for Surprise Attack
Final Weight: 18
Goblin
- Ability Scores: Dex +2; Con +1
- Size: Small
- Speed: 30 ft.
- Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Fury of the Small. When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature's size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
- Nimble Escape. You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
- Languages. Common and Goblin.
Source: VGM, page 119
Build Point Weight: 16
9 for ability scores, 2 for darkvision, 3 for Fury of the Small, 3 for Nimble Escape
Ribbons: None
Final Weight: 16
So, what's wrong with Goblin?
Sure as hell ain't Nimble Escape.
Fury of the Small is a stupid name, stupid flavour (it's literally just 'manlet rage'), stupid restriction (why can't goblins bully other small races too?), but also a reasonably powerful ability.
So, what to do?
Remove the restrictions on Fury of the Small, give it a new name for a better flavour. Also, why does Volo's go on about how Whips are a divine symbol in their culture... but they don't get proficiency in it as a ribbon?
Changed Rules
- Fury of the Small replaced with Where it Hurts
- Where it Hurts: When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell, you can deal extra damage to it equal to your character level + Your Proficiency Modifier. You can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
- Goblin 'Education': You have proficiency in Whips and Slings. You also have proficiency in the Medicine skill.
- Naturally Stealthy. You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Build Point Weight: 5.25
1.25 for Weapon Proficiencies, 2 for naturally stealthy, 2 for skill proficiency
Ribbons: 3.25
Weapon Proficiencies, Naturally Stealthy
Final Weight: 18
Goblins - Zendikar
- Ability Scores: Con +2 (Dex +2
- Size: Small
- Speed: 25 ft.
- Darkvision. Thanks to your heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Grit. You have resistance to fire damage and psychic damage. In addition, when you are wearing no armor, your AC is equal to 11 + your Dexterity modifier.
- Languages. Common and Goblin.
Source: PSZ, page 16
Build Point Weight: 6 (6 for Ability Scores, -1 for 25 move speed, 2 for Darkvision, 1 for 11 base AC, 2 for fire resistance, 1 for psychic resistance)
Ribbons: None
Final Weight: 11
Grotag
- Grotag Tamer. You have proficiency in the Animal Handling skill.
Build Point Weight: 2 for skill proficiency
Final Weight: 13
Lavastep
- Lavastep Grit. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky or subterranean environments.
Build Point Weight: 1 for specialisation
Final Weight: 12
Tuktuk
- Tuktuk Cunning. You have proficiency with thieves' tools.
Build Point Weight: 2 for tool proficiency
Ribbons: Tool proficiency
Final Weight: 11
Goblins - Ixalan
- Ability Scores: Dex +2
- Size: Small
- Speed: 25 ft., climb 25 ft.
- Agile Climber You have a climbing speed of 25 feet. You can't use your climbing speed while you wear medium or heavy armor. (If your campaign uses the variant rule for encumbrance, you can't use your climbing speed if you are encumbered.)
- Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Languages. Common and Goblin.
Source: PSX, page 16
Build Point Weight: 8
6 for Ability Scores, -1 for -5 Move Speed, 1 for climb speed, 2 for darkvision
Final Weight: 8
So... What's happening here?
Zendikar and Ixalan Goblins are both so awful that it's better off just rolling the two together into a complete race and calling it a day.
Wait up...
Alternative Goblins - Changed Rules
- Ability Scores: Player choice of: Con +2; Dex +1 or Dex +2; Con +1
- Size: Small
- Speed: 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
- Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Grit. You have resistance to fire damage and psychic damage. In addition, when you are wearing no armor, your AC is equal to 11 + your Dexterity modifier.
- Agile Climber You have a climbing speed of 30 ft. You can't use your climbing speed while you wear medium or heavy armor. (If your campaign uses the variant rule for encumbrance, you can't use your climbing speed if you are encumbered.)
- Languages. Common and Goblin.
- Beast Tamer. You have proficiency in the Animal Handling skill.
- Badlands Skulker. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky or subterranean environments.
- Cunning. You have proficiency with thieves' tools.
Build Point Weight: 21
9 for Ability Scores, 2 for Darkvision, 1 for 11 base AC, 2 for fire resistance, 1 for psychic resistance, 1 for climb speed, 2 for skill proficiency, 1 for specialisation, 2 for tool proficiency,
Ribbons: 3
Tool Proficiency, Natural Armour
Final Weight: 18
And the Frankenstein's Monster of a race lives!
The Magic: the Gathering folks don't think too highly of Goblins as a species it seems. If you've ever seen goblins in that game though, it makes sense.
Different name
If you want both race options, differentiating this one with "Dokkaebi" (Korean Goblins) isn't a bad idea. Pretty much everything above can be justified in their folklore somewhere.
Hobgoblin
- Ability Scores: Con +2; Int +1
- Size: Medium
- Speed: 30 ft.
- Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
- Martial Training. You are proficient with two martial weapons of your choice and with light armor.
- Saving Face. Hobgoblins are careful not to show weakness in front of their allies, for fear of losing status. If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, you can gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allies you can see within 30 feet of you (maximum bonus of +5). Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
- Languages. Common and Goblin.
Source: VGM, page 119
Build Point Weight: 19.5 (9 for ability scores, 2 for darkvision, 5.5 for Martial Training - 2 as choice tax, 3 for Saving Face).
Ribbons: 5.5
Martial Training
Final Weight: 14
So, what's wrong with Hobgoblin?
It took me a while really. They're on the right track, Saving Face is nice because it mechanically reinforces the whole Hobgoblin worldview of 'perceptions are everything'. Martial Training is a fantastic ribbon, but way overvalued in the race's stat-block. With the exception of Wizard, every class that would be interested in Hobgoblin gets light armour proficiency at least (i.e. Eldritch Knight).
So, what to do?
I decided to go with subrace options so that people who like the idea of the distant hobgoblin relatives (Norker and Koalinth), have options to cater to them.
Hobgoblin - Changed Rules
Select one of the following subrace options:
Heartland (Hobgoblin)
- Heartland Weaponry: You gain proficiency in javelins and longswords.
- Superior Training: You gain a fighting style of your choice as per the list shown in the Fighter class.
Build Point Weight: 5.5
1.5 for weapon proficiencies, 3 for fighting style + 1 for choice tax
With Base Race: 19.5
Ribbons: 1.5
Heartland Weaponry.
Final Weight: 18
Seadweller (Koalinth)
- Fleet of Foot: You have a move speed of 35 ft.
- Swim Speed: You have a swim Speed of 35 ft.
- Amphibious: You can breathe air and water.
- Resident of the Depths: You have resistance to cold damage. In addition, you have immunity to any of the drawbacks caused by a deep, underwater environment.
- Seadweller Weaponry: You have proficiency in nets and tridents.
Build Point Weight: 5.25
1 for swim speed, 0 for amphibious - rolled into swim speed, 1.25 for weapon proficiencies, 2 for cold resistance, 1 for +5 move speed
With Base Race: 19.25
Ribbons: 1.25
Seadweller Weaponry, hydrostatic immunity.
Final Weight: 18
Steelskin (Norker)
- Superior Darkvision Your darkvision extends out to 120 ft.
- Steelskin: When you're not wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity Modifier. You retain this benefit if you're using a shield.
- Sturdy Footing: You have advantage to resist being moved or knocked prone unwillingly (i.e. being victim of the shove action).
- Steelkin Weaponry: You gain proficiency in battleaxes and greataxes.
Build Point Weight: 6.25
1 for superior darkvision, 1.25 for weapon proficiencies, 3 for AC, 1 for Sturdy footing
With Base Race: 20.25
Ribbons: 2.25
Steelskin weaponry, 1 AC worth of natural armour
Final Weight: 18