Monster Monday: Gobbits - A Swarm of Tiny Goblinoids

For today's Monster Monday, I'm adding a new member to the goblinoid family tree.  Gobbits are tiny, knee-high goblinoids that can form up into swarms and wreak havoc.

Warhammer gnoblar box art, via bibliotheque imperiale

My initial inspiration for these little guys came from the Warhammer universe.  Warhammer has a plethora of little goblinoid creatures, like gretchins, gnoblars (pictured above), grots, and snotlings.  Snotlings in particular captured my attention, because they are tiny little guys that attack in swarms.  I wanted something similar in my campaign setting, so years and years ago I statted them up under 3.5 rules as 'Glabouters'.  Glabouter comes from Klabautermann, a type of goblin or kobold from German mythology.  Upon reassessment, Klabautermänner should be nautical goblins or kobolds, which is pretty awesome, so I had to come up with a new name.  Gobbit fit because it sounds like a diminutive form of goblin, plus it is close to 'gobbet', meaning "a lump or chunk of something, especially of raw meat."

As an added bonus, the third definition of gobbet ("an extract of text, or image (especially a quotation), provided as a context for analysis, translation or discussion in an examination.") is a commonly used teaching and testing tool in history education, so naming a monster after it makes me happy.

Presented below are the stats for a solitary gobbit warrior and a mighty gobbit swarm.  I think a swarm of humanoids should feel different from a swarm of rats or vermin, so you may notice that the gobbit swarm is more versatile in combat, able to bristle with longspears and launch volleys of arrows.

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2015 Jonah Bomgaars.

Gobbit             CR 1/4

XP 100

Gobbit warrior 1

CE Tiny humanoid (goblinoid)

Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception -1

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)

hp 4 (1d10-1)

Fort +1, Ref +3, Will -1

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft.

Melee longspear +2 (1d4-1/x3) or club +2 (1d3-1)

Space 2 ¹/₂ ft.; Reach 0 ft. (5 ft. with longspear)

Ranged shortbow +6 (1d3/x3) 60ft.

STATISTICS

Str 8, Dex 17, Con 9, Int 7, Wis 9, Cha 5

Base Atk +1; CMB -1; CMD 12

Feats Improved Initiative, Mobility^B

Skills Ride +7, Stealth +16; Racial Modifiers +4 Ride, +4 Stealth

Languages Goblin

SQ swarming

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Swarming (Ex)

Gobbit are adepts at making use of swarming numbers to overwhelm their foes.  Because of their tiny size, they can move into their foe’s square to attack.  When two or more gobbits are in the same foe’s square, they are considered to be flanking that foe as if they were in two opposite squares. 

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization gang (2-12), warband (12-24 plus 2 3rd level warriors with spider mounts), tribe (25+ plus 100% noncombatants; 1 spider rider of 3rd level per 20 adults; 1 or 2 sub-chiefs of 4th or 5th level; 1 chieftain of 6th-8th level; 10-40 Small spiders or other appropriately sized creatures)

Treasure NPC gear (tiny longspear, tiny shortbow with 20 arrows, other treasure)

The smallest species of goblinoid, gobbits stand around one and a half feet high, with oversized hands, feet, and facial features that almost seem too large for their bodies.  Goblins, usually on the bottom of the goblinoid food chain, take great pleasure in expressing their dominance over gobbits.  When not enslaved by goblins, gobbits live in nomadic war hordes in out-of-the-way environments such as jungles or caves. 

   Gobbits are a cowardly and conniving lot, fighting only when they are forced to, or when they have overwhelming numbers.  In combat, they prefer ambush tactics, letting loose with their short bows from the shadows.  When pressed into melee, they use long spears to make up for their tiny stature, or they swarm over their opponent and tear into them with teeth, claws, and daggers.  High ranking gobbits often ride spiders or other creatures into battle. 

Gobbit Swarm       CR 2

XP 600

CE Tiny humanoid (goblinoid, swarm)

Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception -1

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)

hp 17 (5d8-5)

Fort +0, Ref +7, Will +0

Defensive Abilities swarm traits

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft.

Melee swarm (1d6)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks bristling swarm, distraction (DC 11), volley (1d6; 60 ft.)

STATISTICS

Str 8, Dex 17, Con 9, Int 7, Wis 9, Cha 5

Base Atk +3; CMB --; CMD --

Feats Improved Initiative, Mobility^B

Skills Climb +8, Stealth +18; Racial Modifiers +4 Ride, +4 Stealth

Languages Goblin

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bristling Swarm (Ex)

Many of the gobbits in the swarm are armed with longspears.  A gobbit swarm deals swarm damage not just to foes in the squares it occupies, but also to all foes within 5 feet.   

Volley (Ex)

As a full-round action, the swarming gobbit can release a volley of arrows with their shortbows, dealing automatic swarm damage to one creature within 60 ft.  This provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening foes.  This attack is affected by cover. 

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, war-swarm (2-5 swarms), or frenzy (6-12 swarms)

Treasure NPC gear (tiny longspears, tiny shortbows with arrows, other treasure)

A swarm of gobbits is a frightening sight to behold - a writhing mass of green flesh, pointed spears, and gnashing yellow teeth.  Although gobbits are naturally cowardly, when pressed they can suffer from a sort of battle frenzy, piling onto each other in the hundreds, forming a massive swarm that obliterates all in its path.  Some tribes of goblins use this to their advantage, keeping gobbit slaves piled in tiny rooms as a nasty surprise for any adventurers who open the doors.  

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There you have it.  Swarms of little green monsters to inhabit the dank caves of your world and spice up low-level goblin dungeons.

-your gobbeted d20 despot