i always found this weird: kobolds work for dragons, and the WotC team would have designed them to do so. Except, they didn't, kobolds and dragons are so wildly different in CR that it would make it almost impossible to run an adventure where the players are challenged by a number of kobolds that you could realistically run, but aren't TPKed by a dragon. (barring wyrmlings, which i hate, dragons should be terrifying, not CR 2 whimps). Is there any sort of level sweet spot for this? level 4 vs white dragon?
Kobolds don't necessarily work for dragons and more worship them. You would mostly run into kobolds outside of a dragon's lair or taking care of a young wyrmling as it grows up. If you have kobolds working for a dragon in it's lair, they would mostly be lookouts to let the dragon know that outsiders are coming. They would also be fodder to dwindle the supplies and spell slots of adventurers as to lessen their effectiveness on the dragon. You throw enough kobolds at a party and they will feel some pressure, not to mention the traps that would be set by the kobolds. VGtM has 3 other kobolds that are slightly more powerful but still highest CR is 1, but can be a nuisance with the right tactics and terrain (ie. caves that have traps set up, and hit and run tactics). You can also hit up Kobold Fight Club and they can help you with a dragon encounter.
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Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
I would like to make a call back to the Dragonlance books, in particular the Gully Dwarves.
They're downtrodden, filthy, cave dwelling, Dwarves. They're like the homeless that you see in movies, covered in rags, filth, and somewhat addled, their minds a bit weak. However, when you upset the clan, you're in for a world of hurt. They may be frail and weak, but they can swarm you in no time. Knowing their caves and passages they can maneuver around an opponent with efficiency. They're not so much cunning as they are primal and pack like.
Kobolds can be viewed the same way. Sure they may not be as intimidating as an Adult White Dragon, but if you have a colony of Kobolds angry at you, you're in trouble. Their Pack Tactics, the knowledge of their cave systems, their overwhelming numbers, and their devotion to their dragon patron make them an amazing kamikaze enemy.
To put it in perspective:
I put 8 goblins against 5, fully rested, level 5 characters and still almost TPK'd them due to using guerrilla tactics. In a toe to toe fight the party would have had them killed with little issue. However, using height advantage, their ability to hide and disengage, and having them use coward like tactics, they almost killed the party.
Kobolds are a bit weaker, but that doesn't matter if you take into account the terrain, mentality, and population.
The Tomb of Annihilation adventure book has a location called "Wyrmheart Mine" that is basically an old dwarven mine that is invested by kobolds and is also a lair for a young red dragon. You may want to look it over to see a pretty solid use of those two sets of monsters.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
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i always found this weird: kobolds work for dragons, and the WotC team would have designed them to do so. Except, they didn't, kobolds and dragons are so wildly different in CR that it would make it almost impossible to run an adventure where the players are challenged by a number of kobolds that you could realistically run, but aren't TPKed by a dragon. (barring wyrmlings, which i hate, dragons should be terrifying, not CR 2 whimps). Is there any sort of level sweet spot for this? level 4 vs white dragon?
I did NOT eat those hikers.
Kobolds don't necessarily work for dragons and more worship them. You would mostly run into kobolds outside of a dragon's lair or taking care of a young wyrmling as it grows up. If you have kobolds working for a dragon in it's lair, they would mostly be lookouts to let the dragon know that outsiders are coming. They would also be fodder to dwindle the supplies and spell slots of adventurers as to lessen their effectiveness on the dragon. You throw enough kobolds at a party and they will feel some pressure, not to mention the traps that would be set by the kobolds. VGtM has 3 other kobolds that are slightly more powerful but still highest CR is 1, but can be a nuisance with the right tactics and terrain (ie. caves that have traps set up, and hit and run tactics). You can also hit up Kobold Fight Club and they can help you with a dragon encounter.
Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
I would like to make a call back to the Dragonlance books, in particular the Gully Dwarves.
They're downtrodden, filthy, cave dwelling, Dwarves. They're like the homeless that you see in movies, covered in rags, filth, and somewhat addled, their minds a bit weak. However, when you upset the clan, you're in for a world of hurt. They may be frail and weak, but they can swarm you in no time. Knowing their caves and passages they can maneuver around an opponent with efficiency. They're not so much cunning as they are primal and pack like.
Kobolds can be viewed the same way. Sure they may not be as intimidating as an Adult White Dragon, but if you have a colony of Kobolds angry at you, you're in trouble. Their Pack Tactics, the knowledge of their cave systems, their overwhelming numbers, and their devotion to their dragon patron make them an amazing kamikaze enemy.
To put it in perspective:
I put 8 goblins against 5, fully rested, level 5 characters and still almost TPK'd them due to using guerrilla tactics. In a toe to toe fight the party would have had them killed with little issue. However, using height advantage, their ability to hide and disengage, and having them use coward like tactics, they almost killed the party.
Kobolds are a bit weaker, but that doesn't matter if you take into account the terrain, mentality, and population.
The Tomb of Annihilation adventure book has a location called "Wyrmheart Mine" that is basically an old dwarven mine that is invested by kobolds and is also a lair for a young red dragon. You may want to look it over to see a pretty solid use of those two sets of monsters.