Goblins are small humanoids that many consider little more than a nuisance. However, if they are unchecked, their great numbers, rapid reproduction, and evil disposition enable them to overrun and despoil civilized areas.
Contents
A goblin stands 3 to 31⁄2 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Its eyes are usually dull and glazed, varying in color from red to yellow. A goblin’s skin color ranges from yellow through any shade of orange to a deep red; usually all members of a single tribe are about the same color. Goblins wear clothing of dark leather, tending toward drab, soiled-looking colors.
Goblins are tribal. Their leaders are generally the biggest, strongest, or sometimes the smartest of the group. They have almost no concept of privacy, living and sleeping in large common areas; only the leaders live separately. Goblins survive by raiding and stealing (preferably from those who cannot defend themselves easily), sneaking into lairs, villages, and even towns by night to take what they can. They are not above waylaying travelers on the road or in forests and stripping them of all possessions, up to and including the clothes on their backs. Goblins sometimes capture slaves to perform hard labor in the tribe’s lair or camp.
These creatures live wherever they can, from dank caves to dismal ruins, and their lairs are always smelly and filthy due to an utter lack of sanitation. Goblins often settle near civilized areas to raid for food, livestock, tools, weapons, and supplies. Once a tribe has despoiled a locale, it simply packs up and moves on to the next convenient area. Hobgoblins and bugbears are sometimes found in the company of goblin tribes, usually as bullying leaders. Some goblin tribes form alliances with worgs, which carry them into combat.
Goblin bands and tribes have noncombatant young equal in number to the adults.
Goblins
Special Abilities
Light Sensitivity (Ex)
Goblins are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Skills
Goblins have a +4 racial bonus on Ride and Stealth checks.
Goblin warrior
This little humanoid has a flat face, broad nose, pointed ears, wide mouth, and small, sharp fangs. It walks upright, but its arms hang down almost to its knees.
Most goblins encountered outside their homes are warriors; the information in the statistics block is for one of 1st level. Most such warriors are infantry, but some are worg-mounted cavalry.
Combat
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 have a poor grasp of strategy and are cowardly by nature, tending to flee the field if a battle turns against them. With proper supervision, though, they can implement reasonably complex plans, and in such circumstances their numbers can be a deadly advantage.
Goblin warrior
1st-level warrior
Small humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +1; Senses darkvision; Perception +3
Defense
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 armor, +1 shield)
hp 5 (1d8+1)
Fort +3, Ref +1, Will −1
Weaknessess light sensitivity
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee morningstar +2 (1d6)
Ranged javelin +3 (1d4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Statistics
Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 6
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 11
Feats Mounted Combat or Outflank
Skills Perception +3, Ride +8 or Stealth +5
Languages Goblin, Common (if Int 12+)
Morale craven (−2)
Ecology
Environment temperate or warm plains
Organization gang (1d6+3), band (10d10 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th–6th level), warband (2d8+8 with worg mounts), or tribe (40d10 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th-8th level, 2d8+8 worgs, and 1d3+1 guulvorgs)
Equipment leather armor, small wooden shield, morningstar, 2d4 javelins
Goblin shaman
Goblin shamans worship their own dark gods, but also pay homage to demon lords such as Demogorgon. They have access to the Evil and Trickery domains.
Combat
Goblin shamans focus on enhancing the combat prowess of their tribe’s warriors.
Goblin shaman
3rd-level cleric
Small humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +1; Senses darkvision; Perception +8
Defense
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 armor, +1 shield)
hp 16 (3d8+3)
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +5
Defenses copycat
Weaknessess light sensitivity
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee morningstar +1 (1d6−2)
Ranged javelin +4 (1d4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks channel energy (5/day; 30-ft. radius; 1d6; Will DC 13 half), touch of evil (5/day; sickened for 1 round)
Spells Prepared
- 0th (DC 13)—bleed, create water, detect magic, stabilize
- 1st (DC 13)—disguise self, bless, cure light wounds, remove fear
- 2nd (DC 13)—invisibility, aid, summon monster II
Statistics
Str 6, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 12
Base Atk +2; CMB −1; CMD 10
Feats Combat Casting, Reach SLA
Skills Knowledge (religion) +7, Perception +8, Ride +4, Stealth +4
Languages Common, Goblin, Infernal
Morale mercenary (+0)
Ecology
Environment temperate or warm plains
Organization one plus gang (1d6+3), or with band
Equipment leather armor, small wooden shield, morningstar, 2d4 javelins
Special Abilities
Touch of Evil (Sp)
A number of times per day equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier, the shaman can cause a creature to become sickened as a melee touch attack. Creatures sickened by the shaman’s touch count as good for the purposes of spells with the evil descriptor. This ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1⁄2 the shaman’s level (minimum 1).
Copycat (Sp)
A number of times per day equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier, the shaman can create an illusory double of himself as a move action. This double functions as a single mirror image and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the shaman’s level, or until the illusory duplicate is dispelled or destroyed. The shaman can have no more than one copycat at a time. This ability does not stack with the mirror image spell.