- Take pride in your connection to dragons or to other dragonkin.
- Move at a very fast pace in comparison to others.
- Have an observation or fixation that others willingly partake in. To their benefit or risk.
- Assume that you are cowardly because you are small and/or easy to topple.
- Appreciate your ingenuity and resourcefulness, even if it comes across as impractical.
- Consider your claims of draconic power to be overblown, delusional, or endearing.
Physical Description
Kobolds are short (about 3 feet tall) reptilian humanoids with slender bodies and long tails. They often boast distant draconic ancestry, and every kobold displays one or more draconic features, such as stout horns, razor-sharp teeth, or—more rarely—vestigial wings or draconic breath. They mature quickly, reaching adulthood by about 12 years and living to about 60.
The color of a kobold’s scales can vary widely. Most often, they mimic the hues of chromatic or metallic dragons, with a mix of slightly darker or lighter scales that create a mottled appearance. The scales of newly hatched kobolds often reflect the community’s draconic exemplar, whether that’s the dragon they currently serve or the dragon type from which they’re descended.
Anything Special?
These do not change, unless you have the corresponding Ancestry Talent. All Kobolds start with these.
Base Stats
- Age. The average kobold age depends on the plane and where they hail from, and how willing they are to throw caution at the wind. Results vary, but it’s known they mature around age 6, and live to be at least a 200.
- Size. Kobold height ranges from 2 feet to 3.5 feet, the taller ones often being much stronger than they look. Your size is small.
- Associated Traits. Humanoid and Kobold. As well as Dragon, despite being on the small side.
- Traditional A.Boost Spread. Traditionally, Kobolds favor being incredibly dextrous while relying on their durability, cleverness, or knowledge and craftiness to make up for their shortcomings. This leads to them being unpredictable.
- Language(s). Common, Draconic (+1 per your positive Cha Mod when starting the game, list here)
- Speed(s). 20 ft, Burrowing 5 ft
- Special Senses. Low-Light Vision, Darkvision 60 ft
- HP (+ HP/level). 6 (+1)
Ancestry Talents
Kobold Origin |
You retain the legacy of dragons, being born from their machinations rather than being created from some strange ritual. Your gifts are natural. And gracious. And AMAZING.
You gain an instance of the Draconic Progenitor common feature.
Additionally, your gracious natural amazingness and totally not your shortness grants you additional defenses. You have a permanent +2 bonus to your AC and saves.
This Talent cannot be swapped.
|
Kobold Claws |
You have a Natural Weapon you are proficient in - the claws at the ends of your fingers that are filed and maintaned to be sharp and precise.
They are claws that deals 1d6 + your Half-Proficiency as Slashing damage. They are melee weapons part of the Unarmed Weapon Group and have the Agile ⚙️ and Finesse ⚙️ traits.
This Talent cannot be swapped. You maintain this Talent even if you were to lose one or both your haands and replace them, as the nature of the claws comes from maintainance honed over many years.
|
Draconic Opportunism |
Using 1 action (◈), you subsume the defenses of any enemies within 10 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, you and your allies have advantage on attack rolls against any of those enemies within range. You can use this trait a number of times equal to Half-Proficiency + 1, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Short Rest.
This feature can take the effect of simple groveling to distract, or a draconic battlecry that chills them to the bone: It is up to the player.
|
Hyperdiversity |
Diversity is your strength.
This trait can be swapped at level 1 for any other Skill or Ancestry Talent you qualify for. If you don't you may raise two of your Attribute scores by +1 (up to a +5 at level 1) instead.
Once swapped, this trait cannot be regained.
|
You may pick a heritage. You gain everything listed from such.
Some of your talents can swapped for the ones listed below, or be taken at a later levels via
Character Progression. If your GM is using the
Classic Ancestries optional rule, you can only take the talents below as you level up, after level 1.
Furthermore, due to the nature of Kobolds, they can gain talents available to other Ancestries who count as 'Dragonfolk' or 'Scalefolk'. Those talents will be listed underneath their unique talents for each section below.
Here are the talents you can swap at level 1.
Here are the ancestry talents you can gain at later levels.
Unlockable at Character level 3
Unlockable at Character level 5
Unlockable at Character level 7
Unlockable at Character level 9
Unlockable at Character level 11
Note: The
Origin Customization rule allows you to swap any skill proficiency gained for another you don't have, if playing with traditional or other rules.
Kobolds are well known for their destructive tendencies, as well as their status as being on the lowest rungs of society more oft than not. But their history is rich, and heroic kobolds do exist.
Settings
Golarion
Base
Every kobold knows that their slight frame belies true, mighty draconic power. They are ingenious crafters and devoted allies within their warrens, but those who trespass into their territory find them to be inspired skirmishers, especially when they have the backing of a draconic sorcerer or true dragon overlord. However, these reptilian opportunists prove happy to cooperate with other humanoids when it’s to their benefit, combining caution and cunning to make their fortunes in the wider world.
Kobolds are resourceful survivors whose snare-guarded warrens and opportunistic scavenging have cast them as villains to most other humanoids, with their draconic reverence lending them a reputation as mere minions and nuisances. Yet some kobolds have emerged from their secluded warrens seeking the relative safety of surface settlements, the lucrative prospects of the adventuring life, or validating awe from followers of their own.
Society
Kobolds have an ingrained cautiousness that keeps them alive. They're secretive or subservient around powerful creatures to avoid becoming victims. This meekness fades once kobolds secure either a formidable patron (like a dragon) or a potent source of supernatural power (like an artifact or sorcerous leader). They often achieve an unshakable fervor and loyalty to their new cause or leader. However, kobolds are infamous for sensing a proverbial sinking ship, and once their source of power fails or seems doomed, their morale breaks swiftly.
Whether led by a dragon or not, kobolds almost always identify themselves with a type of dragon that serves as their spiritual exemplar. Their societies regularly adopt laws and cultural norms inspired by the exemplar's personality.
Names
Golarion
A young kobold’s given name is rarely more than a syllable or two. However, as they age, achieve status, and accomplish great deeds, kobolds add more syllables to their names, imitating a common draconic practice. Kobolds rarely have surnames except in an effort to better fit into a community, in which case they typically adopt the surname of an inspiring figure in that group.
Sample Names
Azrnak, Draahzin, Enga, Fazgyn, Fazij, Jekkajak, Kib, Kirrok, Mirkol, Tarka, Urkak, Varshez, Vroklan, Zekstikah, Zgaz
Alignment and Faith
WIP
Trivia
- Kobolds are not Dragonborn, despite sharing many similarities. And Talents. And themes. And
To Come