Copyright 2008 Wizards of the Coast

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Like all goblinoids, Actual Goblins have been a part of D&D since the beginning, occupying the second rung of the Humanoid Power Ladder in those editions where it was a thing. In Fourth Edition, they remain one of the first enemies a PC party is likely to fight. Because of this they get a large number of stat blocks across both books.

Since we’re already looked at goblin lore earlier, let’s skip right to…

The Numbers

Goblins are Small Natural Humanoids, with low-light vision and Speed 6. Their signature power is Goblin Tactics, a reaction that allows them to shift 1 square when missed by a melee attack. This power does a lot to distinguish them from kobolds, the other low-level humanoid opponents, who are shifty in a different way. Skill-wise, pretty much all goblin variants we see here are trained in Stealth and Thievery.

There are no less than seven goblin variants on the Monster Manual and another four on the Monster Vault. The idea is, of course, that you should be able to stock an entire dungeon with nothing but goblins. They are typically Evil.

Goblin Cutter (MM) and Goblin Sniper (MV)

The Cutter is a Level 1 Minion skirmisher. It wears leather is armed with a shortsword, and has no other special powers aside from Goblin Tactics.

The Sniper from the MV is Level 1 Artillery, armed with a short sword and a short bow. The ranged attack is the main difference from the Cutter, and being Artillery it also has slightly lower AC. If a sniper fires from hiding and misses, it remains hidden.

Both of these fill the same niche and are probably the closest to the classic half-HD goblins from editions past. There’ll be a lot of them, they’ll swarm or ambush you, and the survivors will flee as soon as they realize they’re losing the battle. Snipers are better for those unfair ranged ambushes, but the higher AC of cutters gives them better staying power in melee.

Goblin Blackblade (MM) and Goblin Cutthroat (MV)

Our first non-minion Goblin is a Level 1 Lurker with 25 HP and all common traits. It fights with a shortsword that suffers from the “naturalistic design” flaw, which doesn’t hurt it much due to its low level. Blackblades can sneak attack, and have a trait called Sneaky that allow them to switch places with another level 1 ally when they shift.

Cutthroats are the MM updated version, Level 1 Skirmishers with 30 HP. The damage of their shortswords has been updated, and they can attack at range 10 with thrown daggers. Sneaky gets replaced by Deft Scurry, a move action that allows them to shift 3 squares.

Goblin Warrior (MM)

This one is a Level 1 Skirmisher with 30 HP. It has a spear for fighting in melee, and a sheaf of javelins for ranged combat.

Both attacks deal extra damage if the warrior moves at least 4 squares before attacking, and it can also perform a Mobile Ranged attack that allows it to shift half its speed and throw a javelin without provoking opportunity attacks. This makes it rather easy for their javelins to get that extra damage.

Goblin Beast Rider (MV)

Meant to be used alongside a mount, the beast rider is a Level 1 Skirmisher with 29 HP. It uses javelins both in melee and at range. It has the same “extra damage after moving 4 squares” ability as the warrior above, but only when mounted.

Its Goblin Tactics also only works when mounted, but it also triggers when the mount is missed by a melee attack.

Goblin Sharpshooter (MM)

Essentially a nonminion version of the MV Sniper, above, this one is Level 2 Artillery with 31 HP. It uses a short sword and a hand crossbow, and has the same Sniper ability that prevents a missed shot from canceling its stealth.

Goblin Hexer (MM) and Goblin Hex Hurler (MV)

Despite the different names these are essentially the same monster, a goblin spellcaster specializing in curses. The hexer is a Level 3 Controller (Leader) with 46 HP and all standard goblin traits.

The MM version fights with a very weak “naturalistic” rod in melee, and mainly relies on its ranged spells. Blinding Hex (Ranged 10 vs. Fortitude; at-will) does damage and blinds (save ends); Stinging Hex (Ranged 10 vs. Will; recharge 5-6) damages the target if it moves in its next turn.

Vexing Cloud (Area Burst 3 Within 10; encounter) is some sort of enchanted flatulence that creates a zone of the specified size. Enemies inside gain a -2 penalty to attack rolls, and allies gain concealment. It lasts a turn and can be sustained with a minor action.

The hexer also has several triggered actions in addition to Goblin Tactics:

Incite Bravery (Ranged 10) allows an ally to shift 2 squares and make an attack when Goblin Tactics activates for the hexer. This is deceptively powerful: note the “an ally” and “an attack” wording! This works with any ally and it allows them to use any of their available special attacks. Want to give that young dragon some extra actions? Give him a hexer buddy!

Lead from the Rear is an interrupt that allows the hexer to redirect a ranged attack targeting it to a nearby ally.

The Hex Hurler is very similar: it trades the weak rod for a staff that does the right amount of damage and slides 1 square, and it loses Incite Bravery. That last bit kinda makes sense once you realize how powerful it was.

You’ll generally want to use the Hex Hurler for all your hexing purposes.

Goblin Skullcleaver (MM)

The Skullcleaver is here to show you even goblins can be brutes. A Level 3 Brute with 53 HP, it wears mail and wields a battleaxe in combat.

This one mostly works as a slightly beefier standard goblin until it gets bloodied. Then it goes berserk, losing Goblin Tactics and dealing an extra 1d10 damage with its axe. In this state, it will always move to attack the closest enemy, charging to reach it if possible.

Goblin Underboss (MV)

This Level 4 Elite Controller (Leader) might represent the chieftain of a smaller goblin band or a lieutenant in a more numerous one. It has 110 HP, all common goblin traits and is trained in Perception.

The Underboss wears mail and wields a shortsword. Unlike other elite monsters, it can only attack once with the sword, but if it misses then an adjacent underling can immediately perform a melee basic attack against the same target. This goblin’s strong Survival Instinct grants it +3 to all defenses while it’s bloodied, making it a lot harder to kill than might appear at first.

Its Goblin Tactics are upgraded to Superior Goblin Tactics, which allow the underboss itself and up to 2 other allies to shift 1 square when it triggers.

In addition to fixing its damage, I’d suggest removing Survival Instinct and giving it the ability to make two shortsword attacks with a standard action. I’d also probably change its role from Controller to Soldier, since it doesn’t seem to have a lot of controller-y abilities.

Sample Encounters

In addition to their cliche role as monstrous raiders lairing just off the trade route between two starting villages, goblins can be found working as mercenaries. They’re also frequently enslaved by more powerful villains, which must no doubt contribute to make their foul disposition worse. They will also often be found accompanied by whatever attack beasts they’ve managed to tame.

Of course, if you don’t feel like looking for beasts or employers, you can easily make all-goblin encounters with the stat blocks provided by the MM and MV.

The all- or mostly-goblin encounters from the MM are:

  • Level 1: 2 warriors, 2 fire beetles, 1 blackblade.
  • Level 3: 2 sharpshooters, 4 warriors, 4 cutters.
  • Level 5: 1 hexer, 2 skullcleavers, 2 sharpshooters, 12 cutters. That’s likely the “boss room” in a goblin lair.

We don’t get any goblins of a level higher than 4 in these books, but you can certainly create some yourself if you give them the common traits outlined above.

Final Impressions

If you’re playing D&D you gotta have goblins, though these days I tend to be a bit wary of the “two-legged vermin” image that has been traditionally ascribed to them by older editions.

I’ll still include the occasional gang of goblin bandits and/or hired goons, of course, but I also want to leave open the possibility that there are communities of unaligned goblins out there, possibly even living alongside humans and other “civilized” folk. Out of all the goblinoids, they seem like the ones more likely to do that.

Eberron kinda went this way, if I recall correctly. 5e has gone in the other direction and turned goblinoids as a whole into some sort of unstoppable fascist army.