Kobold

Volo's Guide to Monsters

Kobolds are often dismissed as cowardly, foolish, and weak, but these little reptilian creatures actually have a strong social structure that stresses devotion to the tribe, are clever with their hands, and viciously work together in order to overcome their physical limitations.

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
  • Age. Kobolds reach adulthood at age 6 and can live up to 120 years but rarely do so.
  • Alignment. Kobolds are fundamentally selfish, making them evil, but their reliance on the strength of their group makes them trend toward law.
  • Size. Kobolds are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. Your size is Small.
  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Darkvision. 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.
  • Grovel, Cower, and Beg. As an action on your turn, you can cower pathetically to distract nearby foes. Until the end of your next turn, your allies gain advantage on attack rolls against enemies within 10 feet of you that can see you. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
  • Pack Tactics. 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.
  • Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
  • Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

Mordenkainen's Monsters of the Multiverse

Some of the smallest draconic creatures in the multiverse, kobolds display their draconic ancestry in the glint of their scales and in their roars. Legends tell of the first kobolds emerging from the Underdark near the lairs of the earliest dragons. In some lands, kobolds serve chromatic or metallic dragons — even worshiping them as divine beings. In other places, kobolds know too well how dangerous those dragons can be and help others defend against draconic destruction.

Whatever their relationship to dragons, kobold scales tend to be rust colored, although the occasional kobold sports a scale color more akin to that of a chromatic or a metallic dragon. A kobold’s cry can express a range of emotion: anger, resolve, elation, fear, and more. Regardless of the emotion expressed, their cry resonates with draconic power.

  • Ability Score Increase. When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. You can't raise any of your scores above 20.
  • Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.
  • Size. You are Small.
  • Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Darkvision. 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 discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
  • Draconic Cry. As a bonus action, you let out a cry at your enemies within 10 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, you and your allies have advantage on attack rolls against any of those enemies who could hear you. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
  • Kobold Legacy. Kobolds’ connection to dragons can manifest in unpredictable ways in an individual kobold. Choose one of the following legacy options for your kobold:
    • Craftiness. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, Investigation, Medicine, Sleight of Hand, or Survival.
    • Defiance. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened condition on yourself.
    • Draconic Sorcery. You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for that cantrip (choose when you select this race).

Unearthed Arcana

Source: Unearthed Arcana 78 - Draconic Options

  • Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 2 and increase a different one by 1, or you increase three different scores by 1.
  • Type. You are a Humanoid.
  • Size. You are Small.
  • Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Darkvision. 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 discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
  • Draconic Legacy. The kobold connection to dragons can manifest in unpredictable ways in an individual kobold. Choose one of the following legacy options when you select this race:
    • You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened condition on yourself.
    • You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for that cantrip (choose when you select this race).
    • You can make unarmed strikes with your tail. When you hit with it, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
  • Draconic Roar. As a bonus action, you let out a draconic roar at your enemies within 10 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, you and your allies have advantage on attack rolls against any of those enemies who could hear the roar. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.