Breakdown: Kobold Racial Abilities and Traits.

You can jump to any of those sections using the table of contents below, or just dive right in with a short note on why I freaking love Kobolds so dang much. In this guide, we’ll take a look at Kobolds as a species, as well as their history, the mechanical benefits and drawbacks of playing one, and which classes the humble Kobold is best suited to. However, thanks to Volo’s Guide to Monsters – which introduced rules for turning goblins, orcs, bugbears, and other “monstrous races” into playable characters – you can now play D&D 5e as a Kobold. In Dungeons & Dragons 5e, Kobolds remain among the list of classic low-level bad guys (alongside skeletons, mimics, goblins, and the evergreen gelatinous cube).

These diminutive little monsters ( based on fairy-like household spirits from German folklore) were a part of the original fantasy supplement that Dungeons & Dragons’ creator Gary Gygax wrote for the medieval wargame Chainmail.Īside from goblins, Kobolds are probably the most iconic low-level enemy in the game, and many players’ debut adventure (including mine, now that I think about it) involved wading through a pack of the scaly little buggers to get their first taste of victory (and treasure, of course). Kobolds have been a part of Dungeons & Dragons since before D&D was even called D&D.

Playable races dnd 5e