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This page describes the player character race. For the creature, see Kobolds.

Kobold is a player character race in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons.[MM:278][DSH:40]

Racial Traits[]

Statistics[]

  • Average Height: 3' 6" – 4' 0"
  • Average Weight: 60–75 lb.
  • Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, and either +2 Dexterity or +2 Charisma[DSH:40]
  • Size: Small
  • Speed: 6 squares
  • Vision: Darkvision[DSH:40]
  • Languages: Common, Draconic
  • Skill Bonuses: +2 Dungeoneering, +2 Thievery[DSH:40]
  • Trap Sense: You gain a +2 bonus to defenses against traps.
  • Shifty Maneuver: You can use shifty maneuver as an encounter power.[DSH:40]
    • Shifty Maneuver: Encounter power, move action, close burst 2. Target: You and each ally in the burst. Effect: Each target can shift 1 square as a free action.

Development[]

Kobolds were a monster race in the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons. They shared their name with a type of goblin-like sprite from Germanic folklore. Real-world miners named the metallic element cobalt after these sprites.

Later editions, including 4th edition, represented Dungeons & Dragons kobolds as reptilian rather than goblin-like.

An option for Dungeon Masters to allow kobolds as a 4th edition player race appeared in the Monster Manual.[MM:278] While this made a good NPC, the racial power given was considered too powerful at the time it was created.[1] The Dungeon Survival Handbook modified those rules by adding an option for +2 Charisma instead of +2 Dexterity, changing the +2 Stealth skill bonus to Dungeoneering instead, changing the racial power from shifty to shifty maneuver, and adding darkvision.[DSH:40]

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