Attack Bonus of Goblins and Hobgoblins

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

The_Eye_of_Kyi

Oct 21, 2014 19:17:36

Has anyone else noticed that goblins get a +4 attack bonus and hobgoblins only get a +3 attack bonus? 

 

This seems a bit odd to me. I would think that hobgoblins attack bonus would be at least equal to that of their lesser cousins if not greater than. 

 

At first I thought it was an error in the Lost Mine of Phandelver stat blocks, but the MM has the same info.

 

Anyway I don't see a place to suggest errata for 5E material, so I thought I would post it here.  

 

Hobgoblins should be at least +4, if not +5 or maybe gobos should be +3 and hobses +4. 

 

 

 

 

 

#2

Slyck314

Oct 21, 2014 20:47:23
They seem cool to me. The gobs are accurate but don't deal much damage, the hobs a little less accurate but can hit like a tonne a bricks. Lets you build a slightly dynamic encounter then if one was just an upgrade of the other.
#3

Cyber-Dave

Oct 21, 2014 20:49:02

Slyck314 wrote:
#4

Zardnaar

Oct 21, 2014 20:53:01

The_Eye_of_Kyi wrote:
#5

lawrencehoy

Oct 21, 2014 21:10:33

Goblins use their DEX (+2), since they use finesse scimitars; while hobgoblins use STR (+1) with longswords. Both use DEX (+2 for goblins, +1 for hobgoblins) for ranged attacks and both have Proficiency bonuses of +2.

 

As has been stated, above, hobgoblins more than make up for it in damage.

#6

dmgorgon

Oct 22, 2014 7:01:28

I think goblins should be a +0, but that's just my love for AD&D.  

#7

dmgorgon

Oct 22, 2014 7:04:53

Slyck314 wrote:
#8

FFSAA

Oct 22, 2014 8:08:22

The_Eye_of_Kyi wrote:
#9

Timborama

Oct 22, 2014 8:31:41

Well, Martial Advantage exists, so there's that...?

(Reply to #8)

Slyck314

FFSAA wrote:
#11

Theros

Oct 22, 2014 9:18:43

Seems balanced to me.

#12

FFSAA

Oct 22, 2014 12:31:54

Slyck314 wrote:
#13

mellored

Oct 22, 2014 12:42:16

FFSAA wrote:
#14

Saelorn

Oct 22, 2014 12:57:38

mellored wrote:
#15

Slyck314

Oct 22, 2014 13:17:58
Also, besides the proficiency bonus, expertise can be measured in the breadth of features the affect weapon attacks such as extra attacks and fighting styles. This make the scale of novice to expert more then just a linear system.
#16

ChrisCarlson

Oct 22, 2014 16:07:06

Nah. All you guys don't get it. It's way easier just to cry, "stupid rules" and "bad design", than to actually consider how the rules work and interact with the system as a whole or actually play out at the table...

#17

FFSAA

Oct 22, 2014 16:29:46

mellored wrote:
#18

FFSAA

Oct 22, 2014 16:33:34

ChrisCarlson wrote:
#19

ChrisCarlson

Oct 22, 2014 16:43:35

FFSAA wrote:
(Reply to #17)

Slyck314

FFSAA wrote:
#21

Slyck314

Oct 23, 2014 8:55:20
Ooops. Noticed the warlord has what appears to be a +6 proficiency bonus. Guess he has some kinda combat expertise.
#22

edwin_su

Oct 23, 2014 13:14:56

A question you could ask is should they have gone with something like :

CR 0 and 1/8 +0 prof

CR 1/4  +1 prof

CR 1/2 +2 prof

 

everything below Cr 1 is at +2 prof bonus.

#23

UngeheuerLich

Oct 23, 2014 23:59:15

I thought so too at first, but then a CR 1/4 is about as competent as a lvl 1 PC... and with no proficient bonus, a commoner can not have learnt to use tools, because it won´t give him a bonus to what he does.

 

If you don´t want a level 0 person be proficient in something, just don´t give him any proficiencies. A commoner does not have to be proficient with any weapon e.g., In the MM he has a club proficiency. But that is the worst weapon in the whole book. Little better than an improvised weapon.

 

I could imagine that you could give CR 1/8 creatures only a +1 proficiency bonus. But a +1 bonus does not really matter in a fight.

 

 

Training is expressed mainly in the proficiencies you have. A goblin may be good with a dagger (maybe too goood... i liked the weaker kinds of the playtest), but they can´t use any other weapon. A hobgoblin is trained in martial weapons and has even martial advantage, which is makes them highly dangerous in a low level fight.

 

The hobgoblin warlord is interesting. he seems to have expertise for weapon attacks. Which makes him a highly skilled fighter... dangerous to any level 6 creature.

#24

Brock_Landers

Oct 24, 2014 0:30:29

FFSAA wrote: