About el^D^D Goblin players

[Neil Barnes]

On Fri, 17 Oct 1997, Ed Stark wrote:
> Goblin: 30% (If you use humanoids, these guys have a hard time adventuring
> in predominatly human-centric Cerilia)
> Orog: 5% (Moreso)
> Gnoll: Nil (Sorry, I just can't see it)

Ed - since everyone has been suggesting things they'd like to see more
of in the game, I'd like to ask for more Goblins. Short, squat and
brutish, with an elven sized chip on their shoulders; you always know
you can trust the Goblin PC far more than that elf over there.

If you do any more Players secret thingees, lets see one for Thurazor.

After all, what could be more fun than ruling a kingdom full of creature
who keep collections of what they find when they pick their noses? :)

neil

[Ed Stark]

At 10:58 AM 10/20/97 +0100, you wrote:
>Ed - since everyone has been suggesting things they'd like to see more
>of in the game, I'd like to ask for more Goblins. Short, squat and
>brutish, with an elven sized chip on their shoulders; you always know
>you can trust the Goblin PC far more than that elf over there.
>
>If you do any more Players secret thingees, lets see one for Thurazor.
>
>After all, what could be more fun than ruling a kingdom full of creature
>who keep collections of what they find when they pick their noses? :)
>
Do you mean magic nose goblins? ;-)

Seriously, I always believe the original designers intended goblins to be a
possible PC race in BR. I haven't asked Rich about it ... he's back on the
list, maybe he'll answer ... but BR always seemed like a place where PCs,
NPCs, and monsters all have a little more background to them than just
stats and flat rulings.
Somebody posted some interesting stat modifiers for goblin PCs and some
other material a while ago; I didn't get a chance to go over it in detail,
but it looked like a pretty good idea.


Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com

[RTomasz184@aol.co]

hey everybody got to: http://members.aol.com/blooddm/PBEMmain.html
to check out the the pbem game with my goblin king character and the funny
messages he leaves hes also a growing succesful merchant

[RTomasz184@aol.co]

hi i run thurazor in a pbem game and my characters my goblin Morg valasar aka
the specter a minor awensheglien loves to torment paladins with his quick wit
and is very charming and cunning he also hopes to acsend to godhood after
taking control of all the goblin lands and proclaims to be just a merchant
actually a figter thief his funny and intresting any way to get a gb money
schemes like dolls of regents and other wacky stuff has made the game quite
intresting and humerous
rob

[Darkstar]

Ed Stark wrote:

> Somebody posted some interesting stat modifiers for goblin PCs and some
> other material a while ago; I didn't get a chance to go over it in detail,
> but it looked like a pretty good idea.

This material and some more about Orog and Gnoll PC's is avalible on my
webpage (address below)
I have a copy of most of the info that has been posted on my page now
for anyone who is interested.

- --
Ian Hoskins

e-Mail: hoss@box.net.au
ICQ: 2938300
Home Page: http://www.box.net.au/~hoss/birth.html

From the Darkness we came,
and to the Darkness we will return.

[Rich Baker]

>Seriously, I always believe the original designers intended goblins to be a
>possible PC race in BR. I haven't asked Rich about it ... he's back on the
>list, maybe he'll answer ... but BR always seemed like a place where PCs,
>NPCs, and monsters all have a little more background to them than just
>stats and flat rulings.
>Somebody posted some interesting stat modifiers for goblin PCs and some
>other material a while ago; I didn't get a chance to go over it in detail,
>but it looked like a pretty good idea.
>
>
>Ed Stark
>Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division

Once again, Ed, you hit the nail on the head. I did think of setting up
goblin-kind as a potential PC race in Cerilia. In general, they're
stronger, smarter, and more civilized (marginally) than goblin-kind in
other game worlds. I didn't get to it in the initial boxed set, but there's
no reason you couldn't add goblins without too much work. I'd suggest the
Complete Book of Humanoids as a basic guideline.

The first decision for your goblin PC is which sub-race (common, elite, or
huge) he comes from. Common goblins are, well, goblins. Elite goblins are
equivalent to hobgoblins. Huge goblins are akin to bugbears. I'd apply the
following racial modifiers:

Common: STR -1, CHA -2, DEX +2, CON +1
Elite: CHA -1, CON +1
Huge: STR +2, CON +1, DEX -1, CHA -2

About the only special racial ability I can think of for Cerilian goblins
is infravision, and maybe some mining skills. Unlike other goblins, they're
not penalized by bright light. Common goblins can be fighters, magicians,
priests, or thieves (that's what they're best at); elite goblins can be
fighters, magicians, priests, or thieves (they're pretty good at any of
'em); and huge goblins are fighters or priests, and they're much better at
being fighters.

So, that's my first thoughts on goblin PCs. What do you guys think? And how
would a goblin domain differ from a human domain? Would goblin regents
operate by any special rules?

Rich Baker
Birthright Designer

[RTomasz184@aol.co]

anybody ever read the spider test it talks about goblin pcs and1/2 orogs its
a really good novel check it out
rob

[Ken & Mary]

A rough idea for goblin regents is machismo factor. The goblin regent's
rulership is determined by his popularity with the rest of population vs
other goblins contesting his authority. For example for each province
the goblin regent rules in the domain requires 1d6 roll.(to represent
upstarts and other obnoxious goblins)
The results are 1= 1 free domain action.
2= 2 goldbars or 2 regency points(player's choice).
3= Roll on the domain event chart again.
4= -1 regency point cost do to doubt about the regent's authority.
5= -2 regency points cost do to doubt about the regent's authority.
6= -1 gold bar for mismanagement or theft.
Any comments or critiques, I leave up to your desires or whims.

[Tripp Elliott]

Rich Baker wrote:

> Once again, Ed, you hit the nail on the head. I did think of setting up
> goblin-kind as a potential PC race in Cerilia. In general, they're
> stronger, smarter, and more civilized (marginally) than goblin-kind in
> other game worlds. I didn't get to it in the initial boxed set, but there's
> no reason you couldn't add goblins without too much work. I'd suggest the
> Complete Book of Humanoids as a basic guideline.
>
> The first decision for your goblin PC is which sub-race (common, elite, or
> huge) he comes from. Common goblins are, well, goblins. Elite goblins are
> equivalent to hobgoblins. Huge goblins are akin to bugbears. I'd apply the
> following racial modifiers:
>
> Common: STR -1, CHA -2, DEX +2, CON +1
> Elite: CHA -1, CON +1
> Huge: STR +2, CON +1, DEX -1, CHA -2
>
> About the only special racial ability I can think of for Cerilian goblins
> is infravision, and maybe some mining skills. Unlike other goblins, they're
> not penalized by bright light. Common goblins can be fighters, magicians,
> priests, or thieves (that's what they're best at); elite goblins can be
> fighters, magicians, priests, or thieves (they're pretty good at any of
> 'em); and huge goblins are fighters or priests, and they're much better at
> being fighters.
>
> So, that's my first thoughts on goblin PCs. What do you guys think? And how
> would a goblin domain differ from a human domain? Would goblin regents
> operate by any special rules?
>
> Rich Baker
> Birthright Designer

This is pretty close to what appears on the Netbook, check that out
Rich, and see if you pretty much agree with it.

Tripp

[Ed Stark]

At 09:10 AM 10/21/97 -0700, you wrote:
>Once again, Ed, you hit the nail on the head. I did think of setting up
>goblin-kind as a potential PC race in Cerilia. In general, they're
>stronger, smarter, and more civilized (marginally) than goblin-kind in
>other game worlds. I didn't get to it in the initial boxed set, but there's
>no reason you couldn't add goblins without too much work. I'd suggest the
>Complete Book of Humanoids as a basic guideline.
>
>The first decision for your goblin PC is which sub-race (common, elite, or
>huge) he comes from. Common goblins are, well, goblins. Elite goblins are
>equivalent to hobgoblins. Huge goblins are akin to bugbears. I'd apply the
>following racial modifiers:
>
> Common: STR -1, CHA -2, DEX +2, CON +1
> Elite: CHA -1, CON +1
> Huge: STR +2, CON +1, DEX -1, CHA -2
>
>About the only special racial ability I can think of for Cerilian goblins
>is infravision, and maybe some mining skills. Unlike other goblins, they're
>not penalized by bright light. Common goblins can be fighters, magicians,
>priests, or thieves (that's what they're best at); elite goblins can be
>fighters, magicians, priests, or thieves (they're pretty good at any of
>'em); and huge goblins are fighters or priests, and they're much better at
>being fighters.
>
>So, that's my first thoughts on goblin PCs. What do you guys think? And how
>would a goblin domain differ from a human domain? Would goblin regents
>operate by any special rules?
>
>Rich Baker
>Birthright Designer
>
Is the "type" of goblin a racial thing (within the species), or more
something of their own level system. I mean, is one born to be a common,
elite, or huge goblin, or is that simply a measure of success/luck? The
average human, for example, has, what 9s and 10s in every stat, right--but
characters exist with 17s and 18s. Viewed in the same way, wouldn't they be
"huge" or "elite"?

What I'm getting at here is, shouldn't there be one set of stat modifiers
for goblin PCs and they end up defining (as well as their dice rolls) what
sort of goblin they are going to be.

Just a thought.
-- ->-- ->-- ->--@
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com