halcyonforever
2015-08-31, 01:49 PM
So I have been kicking around an idea. In no small measure inspired by events in OOTS from fairly early on.
Why ARE goblins relegated to merely low level cannon fodder? Looking at their stats, they are actually average intelligence, slight hit to wisdom, but aren't designed to be drooling buffoons. Why don't you see more situations where they have developed a society, or are organizing their attacks.
So what I have been thinking of for a campaign/world idea is playing on the idea of organized goblins rising from the primordial ooze of their lairs to re-claim the world.
Goblins reproduce at an alarming rate, so something akin to a litter say 4-6 per gestation. While the average stat for int is a 10, if they generate stats the same as a PC 1.67% will have an 18 int. So we are going to see that there are brilliant goblins mixed in with the rabble.
So the goblin rise begins with a classification system. The smart ones are educated, the dumb ones are fodder, the strong are trained. (future thought, rpg genetics for having parents score influence your base score).
So the goblins begin massing their numbers in secret. The PC's first encounter your average camp of goblins, but it is a ruse, those goblins were just keeping up appearances and serving as lookouts.
They next encounter a more organized group. As the PC's level so do the goblins, with goblins forming ranks, taking up defensive positions, forcing the PC's to attack in weakness or defend in a disadvantage.
Despite being more organized their attacks are very distinctively goblin. Probably pulling from some of my favorite MTG cards:
Goblin Kaboomist - plants landmine but may blow self up
Goblin Petard - runs up to the PC with lit explosive
Lots of sacrifice options - Sacrifice a goblin every goblin gets a buff
Goblin tossing - throw goblins into the midst of PC's just to give flanking bonuses or to hit squisy PC
Goblins with feats that stack (been alot of these over the years so names escape me, feats that give a +2 when next to another character with the same feat)
Eventually the PC's face an organized invasion targeting the city they are in. (I like having normal sized encounters surrounded by large conflict) And they have the choice of defending specific strong points, trying to rescue the helpless, fighting off goblin heroes, destroying goblin siege equiptment
(Fodder Cannon
Step 1: Find your cousin.
Step 2: Get your cousin in the cannon
Step 3: Find another cousin)
The goblins have invested heavily in necromancy and during the battle are turning countless bodies of fallen goblins into a second army of the undead (also known as the oh, you invested in echantments/feats vs goblinoids - now fight some undead)
Progressing into higher levels the PC's learn that there is a new goblin pantheon which are helping to raise their status. To thwart this the PC's must face new hybrids of other known monsters. (Goblin Angels or Goblin Demons, etc)
My question to the room is. Does this sound interesting, what would you like to see, how would you have the goblins behave?
Why ARE goblins relegated to merely low level cannon fodder? Looking at their stats, they are actually average intelligence, slight hit to wisdom, but aren't designed to be drooling buffoons. Why don't you see more situations where they have developed a society, or are organizing their attacks.
So what I have been thinking of for a campaign/world idea is playing on the idea of organized goblins rising from the primordial ooze of their lairs to re-claim the world.
Goblins reproduce at an alarming rate, so something akin to a litter say 4-6 per gestation. While the average stat for int is a 10, if they generate stats the same as a PC 1.67% will have an 18 int. So we are going to see that there are brilliant goblins mixed in with the rabble.
So the goblin rise begins with a classification system. The smart ones are educated, the dumb ones are fodder, the strong are trained. (future thought, rpg genetics for having parents score influence your base score).
So the goblins begin massing their numbers in secret. The PC's first encounter your average camp of goblins, but it is a ruse, those goblins were just keeping up appearances and serving as lookouts.
They next encounter a more organized group. As the PC's level so do the goblins, with goblins forming ranks, taking up defensive positions, forcing the PC's to attack in weakness or defend in a disadvantage.
Despite being more organized their attacks are very distinctively goblin. Probably pulling from some of my favorite MTG cards:
Goblin Kaboomist - plants landmine but may blow self up
Goblin Petard - runs up to the PC with lit explosive
Lots of sacrifice options - Sacrifice a goblin every goblin gets a buff
Goblin tossing - throw goblins into the midst of PC's just to give flanking bonuses or to hit squisy PC
Goblins with feats that stack (been alot of these over the years so names escape me, feats that give a +2 when next to another character with the same feat)
Eventually the PC's face an organized invasion targeting the city they are in. (I like having normal sized encounters surrounded by large conflict) And they have the choice of defending specific strong points, trying to rescue the helpless, fighting off goblin heroes, destroying goblin siege equiptment
(Fodder Cannon
Step 1: Find your cousin.
Step 2: Get your cousin in the cannon
Step 3: Find another cousin)
The goblins have invested heavily in necromancy and during the battle are turning countless bodies of fallen goblins into a second army of the undead (also known as the oh, you invested in echantments/feats vs goblinoids - now fight some undead)
Progressing into higher levels the PC's learn that there is a new goblin pantheon which are helping to raise their status. To thwart this the PC's must face new hybrids of other known monsters. (Goblin Angels or Goblin Demons, etc)
My question to the room is. Does this sound interesting, what would you like to see, how would you have the goblins behave?