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We eats when we wants and sleeps when we're tired of eating!

- Goblin Motto

This post is part of a series converting Dragon’s Dogma enemies to GURPS Dungeon Fantasy. Please go here for links to all other posts in the series.

In the last post we saw that Gransys has a serious bandit problem, but it’s not nearly as bad as its goblin problem. A lone goblin is not much of a threat to anyone trained in fighting, but they’re never alone! The danger posed by a force of goblins grows out of proportion to their individual might, as they quickly organize themselves under the leadership of “goblin kings”.

Despite this, they don’t have anything resembling a complex culture: there’s no goblin language, and “goblin art” is almost an oxymoron. Goblins live in mountain caves and obtain most of their complex tools by stealing them from humans. A goblin king is simply a goblin who’s smarter or stronger than usual and who manages to browbeat a group of his fellows into obeying. Capable enough monarchs soon find themselves in command of a small army, and might manage to even enslave larger monsters such as cyclopes. Much of the Duke’s strategy with those centrally-controlled border fortresses aims to protect Gransys from goblin raids originating in the mountain chains west of the duchy.

Smaller groups are everywhere within Gransys, operating like more chaotic bandits. Despite their common interests, goblins and human bandits don’t get along well - goblins are just as happy to attack them as they are to attack civilians.

Goblin

Your average goblin is a small humanoid with reddish skin, pointy ears and teeth, and cat-like eyes. They’re rarely more than about five feet tall, and their intellect is nothing to write home about. They use improvised or scavenged weapons.

Racial Template (-51 points)

Attribute Modifiers: IQ-2 {-40}; HT+1 {10}.

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM -1; Basic Move -1 {-5}

Advantages: Infravision {10}; Resistant to Metabolic Hazards +3 {10}; Teeth (Sharp) {1}; Giant Weapons 1 {1}.

Disadvantages: Appearance Ugly {-8}; Bully (12) {-10}; Cowardice (12) {-10}; Laziness {-10};

Goblin Rabble

These are typical representatives of the goblin stereotype. They live in caves or crude camps and love to rob and torment passing travelers. One of them is still a credible threat to an unarmed civilian, and they always come in large numbers.

ST 10; DX 11; IQ 8; HT 11

SM -1; Dodge 8; Parry 9U (light mace); DR 0;

HP 10; Will 8; Per 8; FP 11

Basic Speed 5.5; Move 5.

  • Cheap Small Mace (12): 1d+2 cr.
  • Punch (10): 1d-3 cr.
  • Grapple (10): Uses Wrestling.

Traits: As per the Goblin racial template.

Class: Mundane.

Equipment: Cheap small mace, rags.

Hobgoblin

These are much bigger and stronger than normal goblins. It’s unknown whether they are a separate species or not, but a group of them can often be found bossing smaller goblins around. Hobgoblins are more sophisticated than their smaller, lazier cousins: they can make their own equipment and are more skilled and disciplined in combat. Despite this, individuals aren’t all that smarter than normal goblins.

Racial Template (-6 points)

Attribute Modifiers: ST+2 {20}, IQ-2 {-40}; HT+1 {10}

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Will+2 {10}; Per +2 {10}

Advantages: Infravision {10}; Resistant to Metabolic Hazards +3 {10}; Teeth (Fangs) {2}

Disadvantages: Appearance Ugly {-8}; Bully (12) {-10}; Bloodlust (12) {-10}; Sadism {-10};

Hobgoblin Grunt

The hobgoblin rank and file are more enthusiastic about fighting than common goblins. They roam in small bands, sometimes with an accompanying gaggle of goblins. They use swords, shields and mail armor of hobgoblin make. Their overall behavior is more in line with that of human bandits than common goblins, but they consider human bandits to be prey like any other human.

ST 14; DX 11; IQ 8; HT 13

SM 0; Dodge 9 (10); Parry 10 (11) (sword); Block 10 (11); DR 4/2*.

HP 14; Will 10; Per 10; FP 13;

Basic Speed 6; Move 6.

  • Cheap Thrusting Broadsword (14): 2d+1 cut or 1d+2 imp.
  • Shield Bash (14): 1d cr.
  • Grapple (14): Uses Wrestling. Effective ST 16.

Class: Mundane.

Traits: As per Hobgoblin racial template.

Equipment: Cheap thrusting broadsword, mail armor, small shield.

Variants

Not all goblins are average! The sample enemies given above are the equivalent of humans built with the 62-point templates in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 15: Henchmen. Exceptional individuals built with the Brute, Skirmisher or Killer 125-point templates and one of the racial templates above are relatively common, and the variations below may also be found.

Goblin King

This is a remarkably intelligent member of the species, able to forge the usual goblin rabble into a more efficient fighting force. Raise IQ by 2+, add one or more levels of Born War Leader and the skills covered by that talent. The smarter and more talented the king, the larger the force they can command! Really strong kings might be built with the Knight template from DF 1.

Goblin Mage

Some exceptional goblins delve into the arcane arts rather than contenting themselves with brute force. Minor shamans with IQ 11, Magery 1 and around 10 spells are as likely to lead small goblin bands as a king. More powerful examples exist as part of larger communities or deep in the mountains. Build them with the Apprentice or Wizard templates.

Grimgoblins

These terrible creatures hint at the true origin of goblins. They look like an albino version of normal goblins or hobgoblins, but are much more dangerous than either! Most people have never seen one, and think they are a myth. The coming of the Dragon will make them see their error.

Build a normal goblin or hobgoblin first, using any of the templates and variations above. Change Class to Demon. Raise ST by 5, DX and HT by 2, combat skills by 2 or more. Change Resistant to Metabolic Hazards to Immunity to Metabolic Hazards. Grim Kings and Mages are proportionally smarter and more dangerous as well.