Kobold

Kobolds are small, scaly lizard-like humanoids with long snouts and tails. Some say they descend from dragons, but others say that they are a branch of lizard folk who have grown smaller over many generations, due to their lives spent in narrow tunnels underground.

Ancestral Traits

All kobold characters share certain traits.

Age. Kobolds reach adulthood in 15 years and live to about 60 years.

Size. Kobolds stand just three feet tall and weigh perhaps 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your powerful legs propel you more quickly than most creatures. Your base speed is 40 feet.

Senses. Darkvision. Because their ancestors lived an entirely subterranean life, kobolds have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Natural Caretakers. Despite their sometimes feisty or fearsome demeanors, people of kobold ancestry tend to have a strong parental instinct, so strong that they almost invariably take in orphans and lost children that they encounter. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks with juvenile creatures with an Intelligence of 3 and above.

Cultural Traits

Kobold communities live in caverns deep underground, digging out tunnels and chambers for their living spaces and pathways. Kobold communities value miners, metalworkers, and tinkerers above all else.

Only those who fight to protect the community or lead it in religious rituals have as high a status. Except in the matters handled by these important roles, kobold communities generally do not take much seriously. Indeed, pranks, friendly mockery, and silliness are nearly universal in most kobold communities, with slapstick comedy and ridiculous tricks being their most beloved entertainment. Alas, this behavior sometimes irritates kobold community neighbors, so much so, that folks have nicknamed a crystal that irritates the skin “Cobalt” and causes a rash after the irritating tricksters.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Intelligence by 1.

Alignment. Kobold communities love trickery and pranks. Most of their members tend toward chaos.

Pack Tactics. Kobold military training capitalizes on teamwork and numbers. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Tinkerers. Kobold society values ingenuity and invention. You have proficiency with Tinker’s Tools.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

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