Homebrew High Kobold Species Details

High Kobolds are a sub race of Kobolds with a better relation to the other mortal races, and who have grown stronger then their better known cousins. Kobolds who live beneath human cities and build the sewer systems are most likely High Kobolds, and depending on their rewards will go out of their way to provide proper maintenance to these systems as well. Always taking great pride in their craft.

High Kobolds are still paranoid towards the other races, but they have found that the more civilized races often provide some degree of protection. And as such have developed a more moderate stance on their worship of Kurtulmak. Nevertheless, they still hate Gnomes with a passion, mostly out of spite. But they have also developed a strong dislike for Goblins, seeing them as trouble maker who in the long run might make live more difficult for them as well. Often they bully Gnomes with pranks, trying to keep it from being too nasty and letting it backfire on their warrens. While they treat Goblins with more scorn and even violence, aware that the other races share a dislike for the small menace as well.

Among the other races High 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. 

 

Small yet resourceful

Like all Kobolds; High Kobolds are naturally skilled at tunneling, mining, and scavenging. Similar to dwarves, they seem to have a near-instinctive sense of what sections of stone or earth are strong or weak, are bearing a load or are safe to excavate, or are likely to contain minerals or offer access to water. This ability enables them to fashion secure homes in places where other creatures wouldn’t feel safe.

Some human communities hire High Kobolds to dig their sewer tunnels, paying them with food and tools the kobolds wouldn’t have access to on their own. If they are treated well and left alone to do the job, the kobolds work industriously and build a network of passages beneath the streets, connecting them to a nearby waterway and greatly improving the town’s sanitation. If the kobolds like the area and aren’t mistreated by the humans, they might build a warren and make a permanent home there, while continuing to expand the town’s sewers as the community grows. 

The ultimate dream of every Kobold is to become a Dragon, and as such those with a talent for magic generally become Sorcerers with the Dragonic Bloodline. However, some are more gifted in the divine and become Clerics instead. Surprisingly, unlike other Kobolds, High Kobolds can gain appearances based on Metallic Dragons and not just Chromatic Dragons. Which some scholars have attributed to their more moderate stance. Kobolds worship Dragons, but they also understand that most Dragons are selfish and look down on the Kobolds, not understanding the need for unity. As such they feel that a Kobold mind in a Dragon body would be the most powerful creature in the world. 

 

Roleplaying a High Kobold

High Kobolds find satisfaction in their work, the survival of its tribe, and the knowledge that it shares a heritage with the mightiest of dragons.

A High Kobold isn’t clever, but it isn’t as stupid as an orc. Someone can fool a kobold with smooth words or a quick wit, but when the High Kobold figures out it has been tricked, it remembers the affront. If it gets an opportunity to do so, it will retaliate against that person somehow, even if in merely a petty way. Nevertheless, they understand that relations with other races have to be kept on reasonable enough footing, as they are more reliant on the civilized races. That doens't stop them from playing tricks on others though.

Like all Kobolds, a High Kobold doesn’t like being cornered or alone. It wants to know it has a safe path for escape, or at least an ally nearby to improve its chances. A kobold without either of these options will be nervous, its behavior alternating between meek silence and hysteria.

 

Kobold Names

High Kobold names are derived from the Draconic tongue and usually relate to a characteristic of the owner, such as scale color, distinctive body parts, or typical behavior. For example, “Red Foot,” “White Claw,” and “Scurry” are Common translations of often-used names. A High Kobold might change its name when it becomes an adult, or add additional word-syllables after important events such as completing its first hunt, laying its first egg, or surviving its first battle. The Kobold Names table presents kobold names suitable for any campaign.

Kobold Names

d20	Name	d20	Name
1	Arix	11	Molo
2	Eks	12	Ohsoss
3	Ett	13	Rotom
4	Galax	14	Sagin
5	Garu	15	Sik
6	Hagnar	16	Sniv
7	Hox	17	Taklak
8	Irtos	18	Tes
9	Kashak	19	Urak
10	Meepo	20	Varn

High Kobold Traits

Your kobold character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score is increased by 1.

Age

High Kobolds age a little slower compared to regular Kobolds, and reach adulthood at age 9. But they can live up to 180 years old.

Alignment

High kobolds believe in strength through unity, making them almost invariably lawful, but how their tribe is treated by other groups on the surface can lead them to be good, neutral, or evil.

Size

High kobolds are larger than their better known cousins, if only slightly. They stand anywhere from 3 to 4 feet tall, and weigh anywhere from 50 to 85 pounds, with females usually being 3 to 6 inches taller and 5 to 15 pounds heavier than males. Your size is small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. High Kobolds their claws are not suited for combat, but they are excelent for burrowing, providing them with a 15 feet burrow speed.

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.

Cowardly

You have disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened.

Crafty Survivors

High Kobolds are renowned for their natural talent at tunneling, mining, as well as crafting traps. High Kobolds gain advantage on any rolls that involve tunneling, mining and crafting traps. In addition they are resourceful, and able to work these professions with less materials (up to the DM's discretion), and with lesser quality items. Able to resort to using broken, misplaced, discarded, or leftover crafted items.

Paranoid Reptiles

High Kobolds their cowardice and insecurity makes them paranoid towards the other races, which is further offset by their reptilian body language. You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks against non-Kobold races. If the Kobold considers the target friendly, and is familiar enough with him, he no longer suffers this penalty against him.

Languages

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