Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aloki 08-04-07, 07:24 PM	To be honest, I do not think that the kobolds deserve the -4 penalty to strength, or the -2 penalty to constitution It says that kobolds are miners, they need to be able to swing that pickaxe with a great deal of force! So, they just have the -2 to strength, because they are small They need to be able to swing that pickaxe for long periods of time, PLUS through the MANY generations of being exposed to the harshness of some mines, they do not deserve the -2 to constitution I think that it makes PLENTY sense
the_poison_elf 08-04-07, 07:36 PM	You know, I might have been reading too much Lovecraft lately, because the spelling of "modyfying" here seems to be alternating between being perfectly spelled and effecting me like a Symbol of (Mental) Pain... On a more serious note: Yes, kobolds are underpowered, but then again they are supposed to be. I like to think of kobolds like I do bumble-bees. A bumble-bee shouldn't, by the general laws of physics, be able to flutter about like it does. In the same stance, a kobold should not be such a pain in the ***** to a PC. Yet they both manage to do thier respective miracles. The thing about Kobolds is that they are pathetic. They're sort of like the old Mongrelmen. They arn't at first terribly well suited to anything other than bleeding to death. What they lack in min-maxing, they instead gain in coming up with the most ubsurd plans, traps and schemes. It is likely that Kobolds are the originators of the phrase "work smarter, not harder."
natzero 08-04-07, 11:35 PM	arctic kobold -2 str, +2 dex, -2 con, -2 wis earth kobold -2 str, -2 con some variants arent as bad ;p
JellyPooga 08-04-07, 11:44 PM	There's always the Kobold Endurance feat in Races of the Dragon, which gives a +4 to strength checks (or something)...just have all the Kobold miners (professional ones, that is) have that as their 1st level feat. Don't forget their racial bonus to mining checks as well (because, for some reason, Profession (Miner) is based on Wisdom...?).
Sarlax 08-05-07, 03:13 PM	It says that kobolds are miners, they need to be able to swing that pickaxe with a great deal of force! So, they just have the -2 to strength, because they are small Kobolds have a +2 bonus on Profession (Miner) checks. While humans might be getting ore out of the rock with brawn, kobolds are doing it with brains. They don't need to be strong. A human might be picking at the rock with three or four hard blows, but his kobold counterpart can get at the iron with a single well-placed strike. They need to be able to swing that pickaxe for long periods of time, PLUS through the MANY generations of being exposed to the harshness of some mines, they do not deserve the -2 to constitution Kobolds have taken the alternative evolutionary path. Instead of getting tougher so they can endure their harsh environment, they reproduce to rapidly replace fallen workers. A kobold reaches adult at age 6! They way 40 pounds on average. Humans are adults at 15 and weigh about 160 pounds. A human is 4 times more massive than a kobold and needs a lot more food (not four times as much, however, as large creatures need proportionately less than small creatures). Kobolds, with all of their efficiency, can probably sustain workers on a better diet than can humans, so that kobold miners have a better diet than do humans. The real advantage, again, is the growth rate. Kobolds produce fully-developed members 2.5 times faster than do humans. Individuals don't need to be tough when they are effectively in unlimited supply.
Silver_Bulette 08-05-07, 04:48 PM	Speaking of modifications, would a Feral template kobold have a bite attack? they have these huge shnozzes, and everything... Anyway, what he said. They don't need to be strong because there are 4 trillion of them in any given mine.
celestialkin 08-05-07, 11:04 PM	If you want to make them more balanced I'd suggest using the following web enhancement for Races of the Dragon: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a Design Notes While this article does not come out and say that 1st level kobold characters (applying the core classes) are more accurately CR 1/2 creatures, the evidence presents itself. Despite how powerful natural weapons may seem in the hands of most characters, this ability does not hold up to aggressive min-maxing with kobold PCs. For example, an elite array kobold fighter will have 11 Strength and, if lucky enough to hit with each one of these natural weapons, will deal an average of 4 points of damage (1.5 x 3 = 4.5 rounded down). The kobold fighter would be better off attacking with a Small greataxe or Small greatsword, both of which enjoy superior critical ratings. Adding a claw/claw/bite attack routine doesn't push them out of the CR +0 category. Moreover, giving kobolds natural weapons completes their reptilian humanoid heritage, as virtually every other reptilian humanoid, Small and Large, have a claw/claw/bite attack routine. Lizardfolk (standard, blackscale, and poison dusk), and the troglodyte all have these natural weapons. Looking at the poison dusk lizardfolk in particular, the closest approximation to kobolds, they are a +1 Level Adjustment race, and rightly so. Poison dusk lizardfolk enjoy +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma, and +3 natural armor. No Strength penalty for being Small, no light sensitivity, 30 feet of movement (again, despite being Small), and a +5 Hide bonus for their chameleon ability (on top of their size bonus). The kobold is in no danger of stepping on their feet, even with a variant natural weapons ability.