I'm running a campaign in which the party includes a PC kobold. The party is likely to encounter a chromatic dragon soon. It makes sense to me that the dragon would expect and demand that the kobold fight alongside it. The kobold race description has an explicit section on being "Dragon Servitors", saying "Kobolds willingly serve chromatic dragons and [...] fall all over themselves to obey orders from a dragon." If the player does not wish to do so, should I demand it? Have them make a wisdom save? With disadvantage? Basically, how forcefully do you think I should demand that they role play their race?
Well, that kind of depends. How forcefully do you demand that the others play true to their races? Are Dwarves required to be Lawful for example?
In the games that I run, unless it is actually a rule, the fluffy descriptive bits are just a guide line about the culture and can be ignored or embraced by the player.
My interpretation of descriptive pieces like that is that those are cultural things. A tribe of kobolds, with little contact with "civilized" races, might be more than happy to serve a dragon, no matter what the dragons alignment is, but a lone kobolds opinion may differ greatly. The descriptions about different races are generalizations and there are a lot of individuals who differ from the norm.
If your PC kobold has ventured outside his tribe/society and formed new relationships with the party and other characters in your world, it would be easy for him to see how evil chromatic dragons really are. Maybe he would have a temptation to join the dragon if, say, his home tribe were also servitors for the dragon, but even then I would leave it up to the player.
I would echo Golaryn and Mr. Fungi - are you playing a campaign that is drawing heavily from source material as a means of RPing characters?
Is there something in the character's backstory that would lead to it being conflicted about the situation, if not immediately deferring to the dragon outright?
To add to Golaryn's reconsideration of your last question, maybe think about how closely to the source material are players role playing their characters, beyond how much you're forcing them to do so.
Is your world heavily based on the flavor texts in the source materials? Are the other players role playing closely to the source material for this kind of stuff? If so, then I think you have the right to ask that player why their character would act against their "base" instincts and not become subservient to the Dragon upon meeting it. Depending on their answer, I guess you could ask for a saving throw. However, just keep in mind - if this hasn't come up before, there may be some push back. If this /has/ come up before, and you /haven't/ forced those players to play their character in a certain way, then that might look bad.
Ultimately - be consistent and just make sure it makes sense for the game at your table. (As with most anything else ;) )
It would depend a lot on the character’s background. Have they rejected kobold society generally? Do they try to maintain the lessons of their childhood? There could be some RP tension, but it doesn’t have to be mechanical. Also, does the player know kobolds have this cultural tendency? If so, i could see the party trying use it to their advantage, using the kobold to get the dragon to let its guard down.
Personally, I wouldn’t really force the issue much. PCs are exceptional. They are heroes. They are capable of things most people couldn’t dream of. They don’t have to fit the mold, and usually don’t.
I will echo the sentiment of all the previous posts with a "but"
If you want to play with it, albeit I'd say keep it light, have a Wisdom save with a small DC, say 12. If the Kobold fails the save then you have them miss a turn as they're hit by an buried instinct to follow the dragon. The next turn they're free to act as they see fit, it'll simply give the players something to RP about in the future without harming the party too much.
Along with all the other great advice here, I'd high suggest having that chat with your player! What do THEY think would happen? What kind of society and backstory do they picture for their PC, their family, and kobolds in general? You'll both have an easier and more enjoyable encounter if those expectations are shared between both of you.
Also consider the experience and expectations of the dragon. Maybe a young dragon only knows of kobolds as servants and expects them all to be that way, or maybe they are young enough to never have encountered one before? Maybe they're a blue dragon who craves the service and obedience of ANYONE, and will try to persuade all the party to serve them and the kobold just has a more direct plot point to hit. Maybe they're a furious red dragon who just wants to be left alone and doesn't care who or what you are, they just want to eat you!
It really depends on how long the kobold has been with the party. If their first or 2nd level then maybe but any higher no way. Would you leave your friends just because your moms role model told you so?
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The 6 most hated words in all of d&d history: make me a dex saving throw .
I would have the dragon try to order the PC around the way it would order any other kobold around. Give that player an opening to role play a little bit. Does he follow the dragon? Does he pretend to follow the dragon? Does he blindly attack? Or does he do something else?
His race gives you an opportunity to let him do something in that situation that none of the other PC’s will have. Give it to him and see what happens. Let him write that part of the story and let it surprise you.
I'm running a campaign in which the party includes a PC kobold. The party is likely to encounter a chromatic dragon soon. It makes sense to me that the dragon would expect and demand that the kobold fight alongside it. The kobold race description has an explicit section on being "Dragon Servitors", saying "Kobolds willingly serve chromatic dragons and [...] fall all over themselves to obey orders from a dragon." If the player does not wish to do so, should I demand it? Have them make a wisdom save? With disadvantage? Basically, how forcefully do you think I should demand that they role play their race?
Well, that kind of depends. How forcefully do you demand that the others play true to their races? Are Dwarves required to be Lawful for example?
In the games that I run, unless it is actually a rule, the fluffy descriptive bits are just a guide line about the culture and can be ignored or embraced by the player.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
My interpretation of descriptive pieces like that is that those are cultural things. A tribe of kobolds, with little contact with "civilized" races, might be more than happy to serve a dragon, no matter what the dragons alignment is, but a lone kobolds opinion may differ greatly. The descriptions about different races are generalizations and there are a lot of individuals who differ from the norm.
If your PC kobold has ventured outside his tribe/society and formed new relationships with the party and other characters in your world, it would be easy for him to see how evil chromatic dragons really are. Maybe he would have a temptation to join the dragon if, say, his home tribe were also servitors for the dragon, but even then I would leave it up to the player.
I would echo Golaryn and Mr. Fungi - are you playing a campaign that is drawing heavily from source material as a means of RPing characters?
Is there something in the character's backstory that would lead to it being conflicted about the situation, if not immediately deferring to the dragon outright?
To add to Golaryn's reconsideration of your last question, maybe think about how closely to the source material are players role playing their characters, beyond how much you're forcing them to do so.
Is your world heavily based on the flavor texts in the source materials? Are the other players role playing closely to the source material for this kind of stuff? If so, then I think you have the right to ask that player why their character would act against their "base" instincts and not become subservient to the Dragon upon meeting it. Depending on their answer, I guess you could ask for a saving throw. However, just keep in mind - if this hasn't come up before, there may be some push back. If this /has/ come up before, and you /haven't/ forced those players to play their character in a certain way, then that might look bad.
Ultimately - be consistent and just make sure it makes sense for the game at your table. (As with most anything else ;) )
It would depend a lot on the character’s background. Have they rejected kobold society generally? Do they try to maintain the lessons of their childhood? There could be some RP tension, but it doesn’t have to be mechanical. Also, does the player know kobolds have this cultural tendency? If so, i could see the party trying use it to their advantage, using the kobold to get the dragon to let its guard down.
Personally, I wouldn’t really force the issue much. PCs are exceptional. They are heroes. They are capable of things most people couldn’t dream of. They don’t have to fit the mold, and usually don’t.
I will echo the sentiment of all the previous posts with a "but"
If you want to play with it, albeit I'd say keep it light, have a Wisdom save with a small DC, say 12. If the Kobold fails the save then you have them miss a turn as they're hit by an buried instinct to follow the dragon. The next turn they're free to act as they see fit, it'll simply give the players something to RP about in the future without harming the party too much.
Thanks for all the great feedback, really appreciate it!
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InsiderAlong with all the other great advice here, I'd high suggest having that chat with your player! What do THEY think would happen? What kind of society and backstory do they picture for their PC, their family, and kobolds in general? You'll both have an easier and more enjoyable encounter if those expectations are shared between both of you.
Also consider the experience and expectations of the dragon. Maybe a young dragon only knows of kobolds as servants and expects them all to be that way, or maybe they are young enough to never have encountered one before? Maybe they're a blue dragon who craves the service and obedience of ANYONE, and will try to persuade all the party to serve them and the kobold just has a more direct plot point to hit. Maybe they're a furious red dragon who just wants to be left alone and doesn't care who or what you are, they just want to eat you!
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It really depends on how long the kobold has been with the party. If their first or 2nd level then maybe but any higher no way. Would you leave your friends just because your moms role model told you so?
The 6 most hated words in all of d&d history: make me a dex saving throw .
I would have the dragon try to order the PC around the way it would order any other kobold around. Give that player an opening to role play a little bit. Does he follow the dragon? Does he pretend to follow the dragon? Does he blindly attack? Or does he do something else?
His race gives you an opportunity to let him do something in that situation that none of the other PC’s will have. Give it to him and see what happens. Let him write that part of the story and let it surprise you.
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