Greetings to all,
1st time posting, just joined up. I have just started my first D&D game from a starter box (the 1 with the merchant Traevus in) not sure which edition that is but regardless (for the time being) i am stuck on 'phase 2' of my quest.
Ive followed the instructions on how to create a character which i do believe ive done correctly. I'm now at the stage where i must enter a goblin cave and kill 4 goblins.
This is my conundrum... how do i 'control' the goblins effectively? they are each sat next to their own camp fire inside the cave, and i'm jst at the entrance.
How do i go about doing the goblins turn? i could in theory just waltz in and fight each 1 individually without any repercussions. Am i supposed to come up with the goblin actions based on pretending to be a hapless goblin? or do they have a Line of Sight/Aggro range where they will immediately attack me etc? do they just sit there twiddling their thumbs(claws?) if they arent performing any actions?
Unfortunately i dont have a DM just yet, the game belongs to my GF, but she has a few friends who play but the pair of us are novice adventurers. (she is away while i start my character so i cant have her do the goblins moves etc)
Can anybody advise me on how to continue without unwillingly cheating?
Thanks in advance.
It sounds like you bought the Red Box, which also how my fiancee and I taught ourselves to play.
While having one person DM and the other play is ideal, it doesn't matter all that much. Think of it more as a proving ground for you to get comfortable with the mechanics, and play the goblins in a way that feels right to you.
In essence, what do you think the goblins are like? Are they:
A. Alert and proud; not only do they react quickly to any perceived threat, but they will stand and fight to the last while alerting the rest of the dungeon to your presence
B. Lazy and cowardly; they react slowly to perceived threats and are quick to run away and get more help
C. Anything else you can think of
The reason the book doesn't give you guidelines is because that is the purview of the DM, to give the monsters character that determines how they act in a given situation. If I recall, I ran them as being B, where they quickly fled upon being attacked and sought more help from the rest of the dungeon.
What a great question!
You may wish to determine whether or not the goblins notice you. If so, do they consider you hostile? Or an intruder? They'll likely attack. And, cowardly little MF-ers, they'll try to get on all sides of you, knock you over, and take you to stab-city.
On the other hand, if you managed to sneak up on 'em, you might get a free shot on one before the rest can even grab weapons!
Good luck!
Cheers chaps,
I did wonder if playing the goblins by yourself was an intro of sorts on how to play as DM. i'll give it a go 
Wish i had a DM around though, just happens my character can speak Goblin and could stop any unnecessary bloodshed. interesting stuff.
And yes Fochizzy, you are correct, that is the box she/we own
So, for future reference, the DM would be in control of the minions and such? would he play them as we play out characters or would he just roll for perception checks etc
Thanks once again.
Yeah, that's pretty much the idea. The DM will control the monsters. He may use Perception check/s to determine what they see when you get close, but other than that, it's entirely up to him to play them however he thinks they would behave, just like you play your character. He should, however, avoid using metagame knowledge to give the goblins an unfair advantage, that is, knowledge that the DM knows about your character, but that the goblins would not know. But that's also a point of debate and could be discussed endlessly.
Ideally, the DM will play the monsters in whatever way results in most fun for the group playing, because it's a game that you play to have fun. Should he make them intelligently and aggressively attack, endangering the PCs to the point where they are in real danger of getting wiped out? Should he allow them to listen to reason and perhaps be talked down, or bribed, or persuaded somehow? Will they fight, but in a stupid and cowardly manner? Or will they do something completely unexpected, like become temporary allies with the PCs for some reason? It's all up to the DM and the rest of the group to make the game be whatever experience they want it to be ... nothing is set in stone, so use your imagination.
Yep./ Generally, one person controls the antagonists, and between 4 and 6 people control a protagonist each.
D&D is not a game designed to be played with only two. You might be better off investing in Dungeon Command, one of the D&D board games (Wrath of Ashardalon, Castle Ravenloft and Legend of Drizzt) or something like Descent 2e.