Silt Runners = Kobolds? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Silt Runners = Kobolds?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
alsoanima
Sep 21, 2010 11:57:07 It seems like if you add the 4e dragon-worshiping Kobolds and the 4e Fey-Hating Silt Runners, you get the 3.5e Kobolds post Races of the Dragon.

Anyone else make this connection? Or care to explain it?
#2
FlashbackJon
Sep 21, 2010 12:13:42 If you mean to say that kobolds and silt runners are analogous in their overall theme and game statistics, as well as their functional and aesthetic role in campaign design, then yes! :D
#3
OneWeirdCat
Sep 21, 2010 13:17:15 i agree, except that silt runners were always tougher (Athasian) versions of the kobold, with less comic relief, less dragon worship, and the same amount of oppurtunism.
#4
Nyarlathotep
Sep 21, 2010 14:24:48
If you mean to say that kobolds and silt runners are analogous in their overall theme and game statistics, as well as their functional and aesthetic role in campaign design, then yes! :D

Yeah, when I first saw them (I don't remember them from the original game, but its been a long time) my first thought was, "Oh, Dark Sun kobolds I get it"
#5
alevar
Sep 21, 2010 16:38:00 strange, i've always equated kobolds with the Tari, sneaky little rat things that new adventurers can press their luck on

They don't even need any changes, since where the Silt Runners are faster and a bonus to thievery and against traps doesn't make sense for an essentially wasteland creature, whereas Tari sneak about in the undersides of the city-states and oasies, and probably litter their lairs with traps and steal anything that isn't nailed down
#6
Bera
Sep 22, 2010 21:27:39 I just used kobolds to represent Tari myself.
#7
nosan2
Sep 22, 2010 22:39:29 Tareks = Orcs, Hejkin = Goblins?
#8
alsoanima
Sep 24, 2010 17:22:47
Tareks = Orcs, Hejkin = Goblins?

Unlikely. Tareks backstory is rather different from Orcs. And Hejkin are nothing like Goblins.... at all.

#9
Nyarlathotep
Sep 25, 2010 2:38:58 After just having used a group of Silt Runners in an encounter, I can safely say they are nothing like kobolds. My group finds kobolds kinda humorous. One encounter and I can safely say that my group is scared to death of silt runners. Those S.O.B.s pack a wallop, a couple of hits from a darter and our Thri-Kreen ranger was killed utterly dead.
#10
ritorix
Sep 25, 2010 3:08:16
One encounter and I can safely say that my group is scared to death of silt runners.

Yeah they are nasty. I think you could turn any kobold into a silt runner easily enough. Use MM3 stats, drop Shifty and add the Silt Runner Swarm, up their Speed to 7. This would work really well for the level 1 Kobold Minion. Silt Runner minions that have Silt Runner Swarm would be nasty.

#11
Aardvark_Barbarian
Sep 25, 2010 11:00:37
Tareks = Orcs, Hejkin = Goblins?

Unlikely. Tareks backstory is rather different from Orcs. And Hejkin are nothing like Goblins.... at all.

In a sense I agree with No San. They may not be the same backstory, but the conversion is easy enough. I went through and made a list of races I can convert from MM to have more options from the DS monsters. All I'm doing is changing the things that seem to be specific to the race, for the things specific to the new race.

Kobold into Silt Runners = swap shifty for silt runner swarm
Goblin into Hejkin = remove tactics and weapons, give lightning resist and natural weapon attacks
Hobgoblin into Gith = remove Hob resilience, give gith leap
Bugbear to Anakore
Ogre to Brohg
Orc to Tarek
Lizardfolk to Ssurran (their suggestion even)
Gnome to Jozhal

These all allow me to do minor edits in Monster builder and Voila' I have a lot more monsters to choose from. They all share similiar size, builds and mentalities, all I do is change names and some texts.
#12
dreamernaut
Sep 26, 2010 6:09:53 Actually I kinda think of Frill-necked lizards when I picture Silt Runners zipping around. Just that the silt runners are deadly little buggers.

When dealing with kolbold encounters I usually have the kolbolds avoid fighting unless cornered and encounters involve the kolbolds leading the party into traps and hazards, taking potshots when the oppurtunity presents itself while others circle in from behind for hit and run attacks. My players usually expect pretty intense encounters with stuff like kolbolds and goblins from me.
#13
BRJN
Sep 26, 2010 20:01:20 I've been thinking about adding a power to Silt Runners to do a run-by attack (or throw javelins?) and they can stay on the surface of the silt, no matter how deep it is. This makes them into 'jesus lizards' and they can attack from the deep side of the skimmer. This would be a once-per-encounter ability and if they are stopped/slowed &c, they sink like anybody else.

Will this mess up their power level?
#14
BRJN
Oct 05, 2010 20:40:49 Eureka!

The wild talent Body Equilibrium pretty much does what I want. I'm going to have to do some editing, because I want the silt runners to keep moving at top speed or sink - thus no 'run up, stop and shoot, run away' tactics. Instead, they will have to attack while making a wide turn (maybe 'you must move your full speed and may not turn more than 45* for every square of forward movement'). The attack will be a javelin rather than a blowgun. And, of course, if the PCs can slow or prone or immobilize (or trip?) the runner, he sinks immediately.

This should be fun to use - and soon, PCs are likely to want to create walk-on-the-silt boots.
#15
Cyber-Dave
Oct 05, 2010 21:11:57 For the record, the game explicitly suggests modifying orc stat blocks to turn them into tareks. Tarkes are the orcs of Dark Sun, despite the differences in their fluff. They fill the same thematic niche.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 alsoanima Sep 21, 2010 11:57:07	It seems like if you add the 4e dragon-worshiping Kobolds and the 4e Fey-Hating Silt Runners, you get the 3.5e Kobolds post Races of the Dragon. Anyone else make this connection? Or care to explain it?
#2 FlashbackJon Sep 21, 2010 12:13:42	If you mean to say that kobolds and silt runners are analogous in their overall theme and game statistics, as well as their functional and aesthetic role in campaign design, then yes! :D
#3 OneWeirdCat Sep 21, 2010 13:17:15	i agree, except that silt runners were always tougher (Athasian) versions of the kobold, with less comic relief, less dragon worship, and the same amount of oppurtunism.
#4 Nyarlathotep Sep 21, 2010 14:24:48	If you mean to say that kobolds and silt runners are analogous in their overall theme and game statistics, as well as their functional and aesthetic role in campaign design, then yes! :D Yeah, when I first saw them (I don't remember them from the original game, but its been a long time) my first thought was, "Oh, Dark Sun kobolds I get it"
#5 alevar Sep 21, 2010 16:38:00	strange, i've always equated kobolds with the Tari, sneaky little rat things that new adventurers can press their luck on They don't even need any changes, since where the Silt Runners are faster and a bonus to thievery and against traps doesn't make sense for an essentially wasteland creature, whereas Tari sneak about in the undersides of the city-states and oasies, and probably litter their lairs with traps and steal anything that isn't nailed down
#6 Bera Sep 22, 2010 21:27:39	I just used kobolds to represent Tari myself.
#7 nosan2 Sep 22, 2010 22:39:29	Tareks = Orcs, Hejkin = Goblins?
#8 alsoanima Sep 24, 2010 17:22:47	Tareks = Orcs, Hejkin = Goblins? Unlikely. Tareks backstory is rather different from Orcs. And Hejkin are nothing like Goblins.... at all.
#9 Nyarlathotep Sep 25, 2010 2:38:58	After just having used a group of Silt Runners in an encounter, I can safely say they are nothing like kobolds. My group finds kobolds kinda humorous. One encounter and I can safely say that my group is scared to death of silt runners. Those S.O.B.s pack a wallop, a couple of hits from a darter and our Thri-Kreen ranger was killed utterly dead.
#10 ritorix Sep 25, 2010 3:08:16	One encounter and I can safely say that my group is scared to death of silt runners. Yeah they are nasty. I think you could turn any kobold into a silt runner easily enough. Use MM3 stats, drop Shifty and add the Silt Runner Swarm, up their Speed to 7. This would work really well for the level 1 Kobold Minion. Silt Runner minions that have Silt Runner Swarm would be nasty.
#11 Aardvark_Barbarian Sep 25, 2010 11:00:37	Tareks = Orcs, Hejkin = Goblins? Unlikely. Tareks backstory is rather different from Orcs. And Hejkin are nothing like Goblins.... at all. In a sense I agree with No San. They may not be the same backstory, but the conversion is easy enough. I went through and made a list of races I can convert from MM to have more options from the DS monsters. All I'm doing is changing the things that seem to be specific to the race, for the things specific to the new race. Kobold into Silt Runners = swap shifty for silt runner swarm Goblin into Hejkin = remove tactics and weapons, give lightning resist and natural weapon attacks Hobgoblin into Gith = remove Hob resilience, give gith leap Bugbear to Anakore Ogre to Brohg Orc to Tarek Lizardfolk to Ssurran (their suggestion even) Gnome to Jozhal These all allow me to do minor edits in Monster builder and Voila' I have a lot more monsters to choose from. They all share similiar size, builds and mentalities, all I do is change names and some texts.
#12 dreamernaut Sep 26, 2010 6:09:53	Actually I kinda think of Frill-necked lizards when I picture Silt Runners zipping around. Just that the silt runners are deadly little buggers. When dealing with kolbold encounters I usually have the kolbolds avoid fighting unless cornered and encounters involve the kolbolds leading the party into traps and hazards, taking potshots when the oppurtunity presents itself while others circle in from behind for hit and run attacks. My players usually expect pretty intense encounters with stuff like kolbolds and goblins from me.
#13 BRJN Sep 26, 2010 20:01:20	I've been thinking about adding a power to Silt Runners to do a run-by attack (or throw javelins?) and they can stay on the surface of the silt, no matter how deep it is. This makes them into 'jesus lizards' and they can attack from the deep side of the skimmer. This would be a once-per-encounter ability and if they are stopped/slowed &c, they sink like anybody else. Will this mess up their power level?
#14 BRJN Oct 05, 2010 20:40:49	Eureka! The wild talent Body Equilibrium pretty much does what I want. I'm going to have to do some editing, because I want the silt runners to keep moving at top speed or sink - thus no 'run up, stop and shoot, run away' tactics. Instead, they will have to attack while making a wide turn (maybe 'you must move your full speed and may not turn more than 45* for every square of forward movement'). The attack will be a javelin rather than a blowgun. And, of course, if the PCs can slow or prone or immobilize (or trip?) the runner, he sinks immediately. This should be fun to use - and soon, PCs are likely to want to create walk-on-the-silt boots.
#15 Cyber-Dave Oct 05, 2010 21:11:57	For the record, the game explicitly suggests modifying orc stat blocks to turn them into tareks. Tarkes are the orcs of Dark Sun, despite the differences in their fluff. They fill the same thematic niche.