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5 months ago ::
Jan 03, 2013 - 1:24PM
#61
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Date Joined:
Feb 15, 2012
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D&D doesn't need two dragon-kin races.
Why?
Given the propensity for magic displayed by dragons, it's not out of the realm of possibility that they simply created more than one type of servant to suit their needs. Kobolds and dragonborn could fill two entirely different niches, and I like the idea of having two distinct draconic servitor races.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 03, 2013 - 3:59PM
#62
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Date Joined:
Nov 21, 2009
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D&D doesn't need two dragon-kin races.
Why?
Given the propensity for magic displayed by dragons, it's not out of the realm of possibility that they simply created more than one type of servant to suit their needs. Kobolds and dragonborn could fill two entirely different niches, and I like the idea of having two distinct draconic servitor races.
The reason to have multiple races/monsters with some type of draconic connection (even if it is tenuous or dubious, as with the Kobold) is very simple. The name of the game is Dungeons & Dragons.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 03, 2013 - 4:46PM
#63
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Date Joined:
Sep 17, 2004
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Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the Kobolds portrayed like the mountain goblins from the new The Hobbit movie, other than being scaly dragon-people rather than ugly midgets. After all, as Tolkien said of his orcs and goblins, "They make no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones", and that part of the movie really nailed that for me.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 04, 2013 - 1:34AM
#64
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D&D doesn't need two dragon-kin races.
Why?
Given the propensity for magic displayed by dragons, it's not out of the realm of possibility that they simply created more than one type of servant to suit their needs. Kobolds and dragonborn could fill two entirely different niches, and I like the idea of having two distinct draconic servitor races.
The reason to have multiple races/monsters with some type of draconic connection (even if it is tenuous or dubious, as with the Kobold) is very simple. The name of the game is Dungeons & Dragons.
Because most things in this imaginative game should be either a Dungeon or a Dragon. 
I'd like to bridge some real-world lore to D&D lore. Kobolds are fairly the sinister version of gnomes and other household/mine spirits (some D&D editions referenced this by saying the two had an animosity toward each other). If kobolds are household and mine keepers, why not dungeon keepers?
They build and upkeep traps, prune poison molds, and are indignant with house-wrecking adventurers; however, if the party is respectful and gift-giving, they have a clan of dungeoneers to give them tips. (If kobolds are used by dragons in your campaign for such upkeep, this makes kobolds both Dungeons- AND Dragons- related, if you're into titulars.)
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5 months ago ::
Jan 05, 2013 - 5:10PM
#65
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Date Joined:
Oct 25, 2006
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For the dog lover…I’d like to point out the “Golden Jackal”, which actually matches many of the original descriptions of the kobold. This creature is not related to true jackals, but more akin to grey wolves and coyotes, wary of the lion [adventurers] yet able to compete against powerful hyena [gnolls] intruders; they even try to kill hyena young when they are able. They are able to thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and can make use of a variety of different resources; often taking over abandoned subterranean burrows [e.g. surface caves and sewers] of others or building their own in concealed areas such as below tree roots or dense thickets. They are an omnivorous and opportunistic forager; their diet varies according to season and habitat; they are capable of hunting alone or in small family packs, taking out prey three times their own weight (size); often taking prey by ambush by ripping their guts out. As mentioned above they are natural rivals of the plain dwelling hyena, but their territory includes forest, mountains, and coastal deserts, the same region where one might find gnomes or other fey, dwarves, halflings, and humans. Their fur is generally either of a dirty reddish-grey color, strongly highlighted with blackish tones due to the black guard hairs, or a brighter, rusty-reddish color [as in clothing]. Occasionally, it develops a horny growth on the skull which is associated with magical powers. This horn usually measures half an inch in length, and is concealed by their fur. Just discard the egg-lying, scaly reptilian aspects and you are closer to the original “yipping-smelly dog” variant of the kobold.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 05, 2013 - 10:44PM
#66
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Date Joined:
Mar 26, 2007
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Kobolds are fairly the sinister version of gnomes and other household/mine spirits (some D&D editions referenced this by saying the two had an animosity toward each other).
Yeah, I always liked that connection (Garl Glittergold and Kurtulmak being enemies).
I like the dog-lizard, not so keen on playing up the draconic aspect (except as boasts from kobolds).
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5 months ago ::
Jan 06, 2013 - 7:17AM
#67
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Date Joined:
Jun 22, 2008
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I would prefer to keep the history and specifics of each monster as relatively vague. The core D&D does not need to state the origin story of every monster. Stick with the stat sheet and a vague description.
Allow individual campaigns to define the other aspects of their existence.
Have one stat line for use as an NPC and one stat line for use as a PC race. That is all that is needed. Keep it simple. If they want later splat books to include specific setting information keep it separate from the mechanical development.
in one campaign kobolds can be dog-like and descended from gnolls or hyenas. In another they might be lizard like and descended from lizardfolk. In another they might be degenerate gnomes. In another they might be dragonspawned servants.
The more generic the core description, the more inclusive this next edition can be.
The only difficulty I see with this approach is that racial abilities are often determined by specifics so that creating a PC kobold might need some of these historical cues to be defined unless they can truly find racial abilities that can link all of these concepts together.
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3 days ago ::
May 15, 2013 - 4:41AM
#68
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2006
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"Say me what you're showing off for, and I'll say you what you lack!" (Spanish saying)
Book 13 Anaclet 23
Confucius said: "The Superior Man is in harmony but does not follow the crowd. The inferior man follows the crowd, but is not in harmony"
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3 days ago ::
May 15, 2013 - 6:09AM
#69
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2006
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This is my version of kobolds.  It is a reptomammal, with hair and scales. The snout is shorter, like a boxer or pitbull dog.
"Say me what you're showing off for, and I'll say you what you lack!" (Spanish saying)
Book 13 Anaclet 23
Confucius said: "The Superior Man is in harmony but does not follow the crowd. The inferior man follows the crowd, but is not in harmony"
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2 days ago ::
May 16, 2013 - 4:35AM
#70
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2006
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This is my second sketch or concept art for my own version of kobolds (or hipotetical subrace). I want show a possible retcon of kobold from 1st and 2nd Ed.  It looks a mixture of pseudodragon and monkey, doesn´t it?, or the good and evil version of "gremlins" (movie). The skin has got scales and hair (and spines). The snout is shorter that the 3rd-4th kobolds, more like apes, but not too much, because we don´t want it looks (half-dragon) ape-like goblin. Let´s say a mixture between 3rd kobold and goblin, no too long, not too short snout/jaw. I am not a good drawer and I don´t try being it, only I wish do a suggestion for a cooler design. If you would find a fantasy rpg where kobolds had got this look... would you like? * Once I read the D&D canon said the mixture of a kobold and a goblin was a "D&D gremlin". * Could a kobold subrace be furry, having got hair like mammals? Could a kobold subrace have got the subtype "goblinoid"?
"Say me what you're showing off for, and I'll say you what you lack!" (Spanish saying)
Book 13 Anaclet 23
Confucius said: "The Superior Man is in harmony but does not follow the crowd. The inferior man follows the crowd, but is not in harmony"
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