Orcs! Kobolds! Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Bugbears! Matt Colville pointed out in his wonderful video on the subject that these monsters make up common threats faced by low level parties
and indeed are part of what makes the wilderness feel threatening at
lower levels. Unlike bandits or other criminals, these races are nearly
always used as enemies in the D&D canon (if such a thing even really
exists)-- if you come into contact with one, it's almost certainly
going to fight you or try to flee from you. There are other such
creatures, and I'll cover them in a later post because this one got enough
traction.
There are fundamentally two different interpretations of 'monstrous
humanoids'- the "Tolkien" interpretation and the "Blizzard"
interpretation, based vaguely after the interpretations of Orcs in
Middle Earth and Azeroth, respectively. For the uninitiated,
'Tolkien'-style monster men are clearly subhuman, irredeemably evil, and
often the direct creation of an evil intelligence which still controls
them. 'Blizzard'-stlye monster men are equals to humans in their
capabilities (more or less), about as morally grey as humans, and if
they were controlled or created by an evil intelligence, this is no
longer the case or is only the case for some of them. I will seek a
compromise with the two ideas, as much as I can, with suggestions on
reinterpretations that lend themselves to one or another interpretation
because I LIKE THAT MORAL AMBIGUITY MMMM CAN'T GET ENOUGH!
This is the third in my series of Alternate Character Interpretations
for 5e monsters. If it continues to be reasonably popular, I will
continue it as a series. Here are the first two
posts, for reference. I will offer my interpretation for each of the
monster types, and offer sub-interpretations that are Darker and
Lighter, offering examples of how these monsters can be used as badder
villains or morally grey or heroic NPCs. I will also offer suggestions
on potential homebrewing opportunities presented by my reinterpretation!
If you have suggestions or requests for this format, please speak up!
ENOUGH BABBLING LET'S GET TO THE POST!
ORCS-- The Suicidal Daredevils, or Even Orcs Hate Orcs
"Oi! You hear how Varn got offed? 'E tried to gank some priest, and he hit the priest so hard that he died from his own attack!"
"That's nothin. You hear how Marp died? Fought a half-dragon to a
standstill! The same half-dragon who killed off all of Hag's crew!"
"Hella Ka way to go!" "Hella."
Orcs are difficult to develop an original idea for, simply because
they've been reinterpreted so many times! Ultimately, what I have isn't
the most original, but hopefully it provides a useful lens to
reinterpret them!
Orcs are described as devoted to their deities and to the idea of
strength, and I decided to emphasize the self-destructive nature of
their behavior. These orcs seek death-- seek to find the deadliest foes
they can and do battle with them or the greatest obstacles and try to
best them. The better they do, the more likely they are to be held in
esteem by their god. An orc's existence is a brutish and unpleasant one.
As such, it doesn't seem too absurd that they would seek a glorious
death-- death is the best thing that will ever happen to them. Their
one-eyed god even provides an example of such behavior for others to
emulate! They'd retain their violent raider lifestyle, but it would be
justified with an understanding that while death is an inevitability, a
glorious death is a goal to be accomplished.
Brighter Orcs would be almost samurai-like, seeking
honorable combat and a good death through meaningful. They may be rather
fun to be around when they're well fed and convinced not to fight--
acting kind of like metalheads, bikers, or Klingons. These could may
valuable allies for adventurers, if they could be convinced! These may
make fun possibilities for Orc PCs, though they may be rather
short-lived.
Darker Orcs would interpret the 'suicidal' aspect in
a miserable and deadly direction. They would see no value in life,
fighting to the last and taking no prisoners. They wouldn't be cruel,
simply violent and fatalistic, accepting each injury as their natural
lot in life and seeing no evil in inflicting these injuries on others.
These creatures could be an apocalyptic threat if presented in
sufficient numbers, or simply a depressing annoyance if marginalized
enough-- it depends greatly on tone. Perhaps they're spontaneously
created as low-level minions of the heralds of the end of the world?
Potential Homebrews would include granting orcs the
half-orc Relentless Endurance ability, allowing them to always go down
swinging. 4e's Savage Demise ability for orcs (granting a free attack
when they died) would also be appropriate here.
KOBOLDS-- The Ascended Vermin, or Dragons Turned Vermin Into Tiny Versions Of Themselves
We knew so little when we first crawled over the Master's egg.
Mistaking its warmth for a source of food, we hibernated, and we
changed. We took on the blessings of our master, appearing more like
their divine visages. Our minds grew and came to know purpose. The
purpose to serve.
Kobolds, more and more, have been described in relation to dragons.
Even their appearance has changed-- moving from doglike creatures in
earlier editions to draconic creatures in later editions. I've chosen to
emphasize this in this interpretation. Here, the shifting appearance of
Kobolds is folded into their history. While Kobolds can reproduce like
any other race, they are created spontaneously when vermin like bugs or
rats bathe in the energies of a dragon's egg. They morph into draconic
forms, often retaining aspects of their former natures, and gain a
compusion to defend their new draconic masters. This compulsion may fade
over time, but it becomes the defining purpose of Kobold tribes.
Brighter Kobolds would emphasize their caretaker
roles. They may act as the guardians and teachers of young dragons who
grow up without a sire to parent them. This could lead to a very close
relationship between a kobold tribe and a dragon, eventually leading to
an inversion of the relationship, as the powerful dragon cares for their
hapless kobold minions. Hunting down a lost dragon wyrmling could
provide a great plot hook for a kobold PC!
Darker Kobolds may add some sort of ritual required
to awaken and empower their draconic master-- preferably involving blood
sacrifice. This would provide a potential set up for a Kobold dungeon
with a Wyrmling boss fight at the end. If you want the Kobolds to be
more threatening, you could make the process industrial in scale,
feeding their master's clutch with dozens of kidnapped victims in the
sewers or catacombs beneath a city.
Potential Homebrews would involve some sort of
synergy between dragons and their Kobold minions (maybe the minions gain
advantage when near the dragon and grant advantage to attacks made
against foes they're surrounding). Powerful dragons could even conjure
Kobolds out of thin air (or from insects or rodents scurrying around
their lair or from jars or something) as adds during boss fights!
GOBLINS-- The Crawling Folk, or Basically Literally Rat-People
We assumed it was just rats. We should have suspected otherwise
when gold started disappearing along with the cheese. We should have
known better when the ratcatchers were found face first in a river. We
must have been fools to not notice that the skittering beneath our feet
was a few octaves too low. Now it's too late. All hail the goblin king,
lord of the sewers.
Goblins are very, very common foes. They're described as pathetic,
groveling, and cruel, and their abilities reflect this, with a skill at
stealth and an ease at escaping dangerous situations. One could describe
them as similar to rats in this capacity-- common vermin that are
annoying to pin down and can be threatening to the weak and isolated.
So, why not make them a LOT more like rats! Have them swarm like rats,
and disappear en-masse if threatened. Have them steal from food
cupboards and kidnap the young and weak for additional snacks! Have them
act like very smart vermin-- vermin capable of picking locks and
setting ambushes with metal weapons, but vermin nonetheless. They lack a
true culture or identity, being easily intimidated by strongmen, but
not easily herded, disappearing swiftly into crannies you didn't know
were there.
Brighter Goblins would lack the brutality of
standard D&D goblins, only fighting when they must and preferring to
steal with stealth rather than with force. Kind of like Nott from
Critical Role, an excellent example of such a Goblin PC.
Darker Goblins would emphasize the swarmlike element
of rats, rising from the underground to overwhelm opponents with
numbers. Such creatures could be deadly threats even to relatively high
level PCs, if they attack with enough numbers while the PCs are caught
unawares.
Potential Homebrews would allow Goblins to squeeze
through spaces that would normally only fit Tiny creatures, allowing
them to appear from nearly anywhere. Pack Tactics would emphasize their
swarmlike nature to the extreme, making them threats to even
well-armored foes. Treating them as swarms against high-level PCs would
help greatly with bookkeeping! You may even consider adopting some of
the rules of Cranium Rat Swarm to grant them bizarre powers when acting
as a unit. A Goblin King may even be a mass of goblins fused together by
their high population (like a Rat King), preventing movement but
granting powerful spellcasting abilities.
HOBGOBLINS-- The Colonialist Conquistadors, or Let's Hate On Settled Cultures For A Change
When the Great Ships came, I assumed it was the baggage train of
the divine host, and those who emerged were of an unearthly countenance.
I welcomed them as guests, as any good king should, but they betrayed
me and slew my court with their bizarre weapons. Now my nation lies in
ruins and all hope is lost!
Monstrous Humanoids are often portrayed as 'savage', which has some
unpleasant implications. That being said, I think they make interesting
enemies, so I have no problem including them! That being said,
Hobgoblins are the exception to this, and I seized upon this opportunity
to present a unique opportunity for the 'savages' to be the good guys
for once!
The scenario I went with would be a version of the New World
scenario, though the truth is, it can represent any time a more
'civilized' empire decided to beat on comparatively innocent 'savages'
(funnily enough, the Aztec treatment of their vassal states would make
another good example). These Hobgoblins would wield more advanced
weapons than the home nations of the PCs and already have an established
militaristic empire from which to force-project. They may have a
complex church, potentially with great powers of summoning, allowing the
DM to vary up the monsters faced by higher level parties. This sort of
empire could act as a background note, looming threat, or even the focus
of an entire campaign!
The Hobgoblin mastery of Goblins could be tied to the way that Old
World sailing vessels brought rats to the places they visited-- the
Hobgoblins pay little attention to Goblins, but they benefit from the
havoc they wreak on the locals.
Brighter Hobgoblins would emphasize their
'civilized' nature. They would be more Lawful than Evil, focusing on
imposing their version of civilization on the wilderness, whatever the
wilderness thinks about it. PCs from this society would not need to
wholly reject it to be good guys-- they may simply refrain from
practicing the less scrupulous aspects of their culture.
Darker Hobgoblins would represent the end of the
world to the nations of the PCs, carrying D&Dified versions of the
plagues that wiped out much of the population of the New World. Demonic
possessions and swarms of undead would ravage the countryside, seemingly
ignoring the hobgoblin society that would sweep in to impose their rule
beind them. Are they behind it or simply lucky benefactors? That's up
to you!
Potential Homebrews would give their army gunpowder
weapons, using the either a homebrew Gunslinger class or the gunpowder
weapon rules in the DMG. Powerful Hobgoblins may have Artificer
abilities and the like.
BUGBEARS-- The Sneaky Slashers, or Jason Voorhees As A Goblinoid
The hulking brute emerged from the shadows with impossible
quietness. The heads of its previous victims hung around its neck as
gruesome trophies. It wasted no time, lunging at the doctor with a
massive mace, crushing her skull in an instant. The third expedition to
the Silent Woods would end in failure, and the bugbear would feast well
tonight.
Bugbears are a bit paradoxical. They're big bad monster men who get
benefits towards stealth and ambushes. Who else possesses those traits?
Classic slasher villains, of course! These Bugbears don't have a complex
society-- they're loners by nature. The Goblins that they may surround
themselves with would almost act as omens of their presence, which would
only become known in short violent bursts. They would steal and kill
all with leaving as little a trace as possible. The relatively low CR of
the Bugbear would allow low-level PCs to feel like real heroes in
stopping these killers that posed such a threat to isolated communities.
Brighter Bugbears would act less like slasher
villains and more like cryptids (Bigfoot). They'd be very shy, but
potentially violent if confronted, making their livings far from
civilization. These could potentially be even scarier than their eviler
comrades, simply by building up a legend around them. Nothing is
scarier, after all!
Darker Bugbears would ignore all possible logic or
justifications for their action and simply look to make them as evil as
possible. Perhaps these versions of Bugbears don't naturally reproduce,
instead being created from Goblins and Hobgoblins that go mad or
cannibalize their kin (like Wendigos).
Potential Homebrews amplifying the fear-factor could
move these low-level menaces into the major leagues. Bumping their HP
is a no-brainer, as is Multiattack, but more clever solutions may
involve granting at-will spells that allow silent or stealthy movement
(e.g. Misty Step, Invisibility) and amplifying their sneaky attacks to
involve more damage or forms of crowd control. A way to generate fear
may also be the ticket.
END
As usual, these are just interpretations-- not intended to replace anything (unless YOU want them to).
TL;DR Orcs ignore risks, Kobolds are tied to dragons from
birth, Goblins are like rats, Hobgoblins are colonialists, and Bugbears
are slasher villains
(Originally published here on February 20, 2018)
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