Creating a PC Class for Kobolds

Don't often post things so close together, but there's a discussion going on that I thought I'd record. This is a (slightly edited) series of my posts from the B/X Facebook group, where the topic of creating a PC Class for Kobolds (a B/X 'Race-as-Class') is discussed. The main point is that someone offered the opinion that Kobolds should be pretty much limited to what is in the 'monster' entry for Kobolds. I disagree and try to set out my reasoning below.

...

A Kobold chief has an average of 33 followers in his lair. Not sure that's really comparable to a 9th-level Fighter establishing himself as Lord of the Manor.

If you wanted to invent a 'Thief' class, and used Bandits as a base, you'd assume that max level for a Thief would be Level 2, but if you went above Level 1 you could retrain as a Fighter, Cleric or MU.

If you extrapolate from Acolytes to higher-level Clerics, you find that the maximum level for a Cleric is Level 5 and leaders fall in a curve of 40% L2, 30% L3, 20% L4 and 10% L5.

Max level for a MU ('Medium') from the Monster Lists is L3 (there are no L2 MUs).

My point here is that entries in the Monster Lists, for 'monsters that are also classes', are very sketchy as well as being underpowered (ie, what is statted is 'low level').

So if 'Kobold' is a class, then the 'Kobold' entry in the Monster List is not the whole range of what that class can do, and higher-level Kobolds are not provided for (why should they be? Your DM wants higher-powered opponents, that’s what Gnolls and Ogres are for).

…

PC Thieves are much more detailed and have more options (and different options, a PC Thief can't re-class as a Cleric at 2nd Level) and have much a greater level maximum than 'monster' Thieves, ie Bandits.

See also Mediums (Media?) and Acolytes and Veterans ie 'monster' MUs, Clerics and Fighters.

You can do the same for Elves and Dwarves and Halflings.

In all cases, the Monster List options are much more limited than the PC Class options.

Therefore, PC Kobolds will be much more detailed and have more options and have much a greater level maximum than 'monster' Kobolds. Their PC Class options will far exceed the Monster List just as the options and levels for PC Clerics, Dwarves, Elves, Fighters, Halflings, Magic Users and Thieves far exceed those of 'monster' Acolytes, Dwarves, Elves, Veterans, Halflings, Mediums and Bandits.

PC = complex. Monster = simple.

Kobolds as monsters are simple, just as 'monster' Clerics (Acolytes), Dwarves, Elves, Fighters (Veterans), Halflings, Magic Users (Mediums) and Thieves (Bandits) are simple. Kobolds as PCs need to be complex, just as PC Acolytes (Clerics), Dwarves, Elves, Veterans (Fighters), Halflings, Mediums (Magic Users) and Bandits (Thieves) are complex.

In short - the Monster List entry for 'Kobold' isn't equivalent to the PC Class 'Halfling', it's equivalent to the Monster List entry 'Halfling'. That can then be compared to the PC Class Halfling to show you what the PC Kobold class is missing. The Monster List entries are sketches nothing more. The detail comes in comparing Monster List and Class entries for the same categories.

…

... so in light of the comments above, comparing the Halfling Class with the Halfling monster entry, we see that Halfling PCs have on average 0.5hp less than monster Halflings, but there is no mention of their abilities re. large opponents, initiative bonus, missile bonus, hiding, or penalties on size of weapon for 'monster' Halflings. Also, though the 'Number Appearing' (ie, 'lair size') is 5-40, there are also Halfling villages with L2-7 leaders and 30-300 inhabitants, including 5-20 militia at 2HD each.

As for Kobolds, the monster entry ONLY details lairs (6-60, analogous to the Halfling lairs of 5-40, NOT the villages of 30-300). There is no mention of Kobold settlements like the Halfling villages. Why not? Because Kobolds are enemies and Halflings potential friends. PCs need to know about Halfling villages if they're travelling in Halfling areas, but needs to know about Kobold lairs if they're raiding them.

So what is missing from the Kobold monster entry compared to the Halfling entry is Kobold 'warrens' of (say) 50-500 Kobolds, each presided over by a leader of L2-7, and militia of 2HD each (importing directly from Halflings). This makes the guards of the Kobold settlements equal to the leaders of Kobold lairs (ie level 2) ( - actually, if the base for Kobolds is 1/2HD ie d4hp, a '2HD Kobold' should theoretically be L4).

Comparison of the Halfling entries would also suggest that what is 'missing' from the monster entry is: bonus against large opponents; bonus to hiding, bonus to missile weapon, bonus to initiative, restriction on large weapons, slight hp penalty, opportunity to go higher than highest listed level.

So, a reasonable way to stat Kobolds would I think be as Halflings with slightly worse hp (ie d4 base) and saves (Kobs use Fighter Saves) - still the same bonuses on missile fire, initiative, v large opponents, and hiding, and restriction on large weapons (Kobolds are 'small').

As extra bonuses, they have 90' Infravision, and I would also give them some Thief skills. 'They prefer to attack by ambush' so hiding and backstabbing seem appropriate. Traps... maybe, if that's how you see Kobolds (I do, I think they're sneaky but that's mostly from AD&D).

No way would I give them 'Thief' experience progression. They would be Thieves with 90' Infravision and initiative and missile bonuses and with a bonus when attacked by large foes - their only penalties would be they can't use Longswords and Longbows,  and they have worse Saves (80 total for Kobolds v 71 total for Thieves - low is good for saves). So the Thief progression would be ridiculous I think. They're 'better' than Halflings in terms of their abilities, but have a lower HD base and worse Saves (80 v 60). I think that would even out and I'd peg them to the Halfling experience levels.

I'd also make NPCs Gnomes attack them on a 1-2 on a d6. The Gnomes don't know if these Kobolds are 'good guys' (ie PCs) - they're just wandering Kobold scum as far as the Gnomes are concerned.

So, for what it's worth, that's how I'd stat up Kobolds.

I also think level limits are stupid but then again PCs so rarely reach higher levels it's pretty academic I think.

******************************************

I have to at this point put in a recommendation for Erin D. Smale's 'Building a More Perfect Class' - running the numbers on this might be a way of trying to pin down Kobolds as a class.

http://breeyark.org/building-a-more-perfect-class/