Have them really enjoy the taste of humanoid flesh.  While the victim is still alive.

Goblin process servers in thrall to a liche litigator delivering C&D papers on behalf of that necromancer sueing you for harrassment.

Quote from: Zachary The FirstHave them really enjoy the taste of humanoid flesh.  While the victim is still alive.

ohhhhhhh, yeah.

I did that once - they tore open one of the characters and started eating her before she was dead, and they just ignored the other characters beating on them.  

People were jumpin up and down.  

Quote from: Reimdallohhhhhhh, yeah.

I did that once - they tore open one of the characters and started eating her before she was dead, and they just ignored the other characters beating on them.  

People were jumpin up and down.  

Excellent example. :evillaugh:

(BTW, Kent, not to derail, but guess what long-awaited review will be up this weekend (or more likely) next week?)

"Goblins" are a myth of sorts.  They do not and can not reproduce normally.  Goblin ranks are maintained and bolstered by kidnapping small children and inducting them into their ranks, rearing them to be just like the established tribe.  "Goblins" are nasty, vicious, feral little children, and they always have been.

!i!

Quote from: Zachary The First(BTW, Kent, not to derail, but guess what long-awaited review will be up this weekend (or more likely) next week?)

Excellent!  Looking forward to reading it, Z.

Mechanically, give them class levels.

Tactically, use tactics that put the goblins in a position of strength, either by reinforcing their advantages or diminishing the importance of their disadvantages. Take advantage of goblins' superior numbers, small size, darkvision and OK dexterity. Flank, have multiple goblins pile into grapples, and have the rear ranks use reach weapons. Have them attack at night, or in completely dark areas where the PCs can't see, and have them use confined areas or natural terrain features that PCs can't pass through easily to prevent the PCs from closing with them easily. Use ranged weapons.

Story-wise, dehumanise them and emphasise the alien qualities of goblin existence. Don't make them short, ugly gnomes or tribalistic small orcs. Have them be incomprehensible and inscrutable. Deny the PCs easy chances to communicate with them or to assess the threat they pose.

Goblin barbarians.  Been done in Dungeon a few years back to good effect.  Give them all max HP for 1st level like a PC and they'll be plenty scary.

Slightly off topic, but this appears to be a good place to repost my chart of freakish goblin activity.

What are the goblins up to?


1) Making rope out of human hair. A coil 1-100' long is already complete.
2) Boiling up a pot of mud and gravel stew.
3) Singing songs about hidden treasure.
4) Playing poker with blank cards. The printing on both sides is visible only to creatures with infravision
5) Dancing. At least one goblin will be playing an instrument, probably a fiddle or a concertina.
6) Playing tenpins with a skull and some legbones.
7) Interrogating a rat tied to a tiny chair. "I'm gonna ask you one last time: Where is the cheese?"
Building a house of cards with the deck from item 4.
9) Discussing the pros and cons of sexual congress with a wide variety of other monsters and races.
10) Eating meat pie. The pie might be stirge or it might be pixie. The goblins can't remember what they put in it.
11) Debating the crisis of succession that would arise from the untimely demise of the current goblin king.
12) Shining shoes of various sizes (kobold to ogre). They all radiate faintly under detect magic but have no known powers.
13) Three words: bunny eating contest.
14) Reading aloud someone else's love letters, preferably detailed notes to or from one of the PCs.
15) Sewing filthy rags into patchwork tunics. If a completed tunic is worn it protects as platemail+1. If the garment is cleaned the magic fades. 1-3 tunics have been completed.
16) Drawing obscene grafitti on the dungeon walls. Each goblin has d4 pieces of chalk in various colors.
17) Arguing vehemently over the proposition that cannibalism should be kept strictly in the family.
18) Strip chess tournament. There's a 1 in 6 chance at least some of the goblins are already in the all-together. Not a sight for the faint of heart.
19) Pickling sliced shrieker. 1-20 jars are done.
20) Trying on pretty pink dresses.

Quote from: jrientsSlightly off topic, but this appears to be a good place to repost my chart of freakish goblin activity.

What are the goblins up to?

20) Trying on pretty pink dresses.

... and carrying little dolls.

Quote from: Zachary The FirstHave them really enjoy the taste of humanoid flesh.  While the victim is still alive.

Quote from: Reimdallohhhhhhh, yeah.

I did that once - they tore open one of the characters and started eating her before she was dead, and they just ignored the other characters beating on them.  

People were jumpin up and down.  

That is fucking awesome!
Thats the key right their. To just make them unbelievably savage and ruthless.

An idea I had was have them encounter goblins, that have been mutated by magic or whatever. It would be better if the characters couldnt tell at first. Or have to get up close. They could have 3 inch long talons, and go into a frenzy on mass on the characters. Or spit acid that disolves armor. Or they could be poisonous like a poison arrow frog. Just by touching there skin.

you bastards...no I can't decide if I like Bill's alt-history threads or this one better.

Thanks!

Take a big humanoid monster like a hill giant or ogre or something. Then strap 6-10 (depending on the size of the creature) large buckets that goblins ride in and shoot crossbows from.

Also - just make them smart.

- If they have one meal, they pull it away and make a tactical retreat.

- Have a few run away from the party and lead them into Devious and Simple Traps, followed by the main body of the force coming through the ceiling vents.

- Little tiny tunnels all over the place that they can fit into and the party can't.

- Attacking sentries at night and then retreating when the party mobilizes.

Quote from: Reimdall- Attacking sentries at night and then retreating when the party mobilizes.

I like this. Have the goblins do this over and over. Leaving then characters weak from lack of sleep. (From doing this one night, or better yet over the course of several nights) Then attack in mass when the characters are weak from sleep depravation (sp?).