Monster Mondays: Metallic scaled Kobolds

by Frank Gori

Unlike their Chromatic kinsmen, Metallic scaled kobolds are quite rare and generally of good or neutral alignment. Still more acustomed to the underground then above, reactions from other kobolds are mixed though they are generally better tolerated amung the standard player races.

Standard Racial Traits

• Ability Score Racial Traits: Kobolds are fast but weak. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2  Strength.
• Type: Kobolds are humanoids with the reptilian subtype.
• Size: Kobolds are Small creatures and thus gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on their combat maneuver checks and to Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
• Base Speed: Kobolds have a base speed of 20 feet.
• Languages: Kobolds begin play speaking only Draconic. Kobolds with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Common, Dwarven, Gnome, Sylvan, and Undercommon. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

Defense Racial Traits

• Armor: Kobolds naturally scaly skin grants them a +1 natural armor bonus.

Feat and Skill Racial Traits

• Crafty: Kobolds gain a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking), Perception, and Profession (miner) checks. Craft (trapmaking) and Stealth are always class skills for a kobold.
• Dragon-Scaled All Metallic scaled kobolds are hatched with shiny scales that their connection to a particular sort of dragon seems undeniable. Whether this coloration is just a quirk of a stray egg or a trait shared by all the members of a tribe, these kobolds gain a resistance that makes them especially suited to work alongside dragons matching the color of the kobold's scales. brass-scaled and gold-scaled kobolds with this racial trait gain fire resistance 5. bronze-scaled kobolds with this racial trait gain electricity resistance 5. Copper-scaled kobolds with this racial trait gain acid resistance 5. silver-scaled kobolds with this racial trait gain cold resistance 5.
• Prehensile Tail Your tail is especially flexible and strong, so you've learned to use it for both movement and simple tricks. You gain a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks, and you can use your tail to draw a hidden weapon as a move action instead of as a standard action. This racial trait replaces the armor racial trait.

Senses Racial Traits

• Darkvision: Kobolds can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.

Weakness Racial Traits

• Light Sensitivity: Kobolds lives in darkness have caused them to suffer from light sensitivity.

 

Alternate Racial Traits (pretty much standard with minor alterations)

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

• Beast Bond Some kobolds have a talent for training animals and beasts to help them both on and off the battlefield. Kobolds with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks. Handle Animal and Ride are always class skills for them. This racial trait replaces crafty.
• Day Raider You're one of the few kobolds born with a greater tolerance for sunlight. You don't have light sensitivity, and you have low-light vision instead of darkvision. This racial trait replaces light sensitivity and darkvision.
• Dragonmaw Your draconic heritage makes you smile- not just because it makes you happy, but also because your powerful teeth and jaws are proof of your kinship with a matallic dragon. You gain a bite attack that deals 1d4 points of damage. Once per day, you can deal 1d6 points of additional energy damage with your bite attack. The damage type depends on your scale color: which follows the same resist patterns as Dragon scaled. This racial traits replaces the armor racial trait.
• Frightener Like the great dragons, you can strike fear in the hearts of your foes with your majestic presence. Few enemies suspect that you make yourself look more dangerous with simple tricks you learned back when you were newly hatched. You gain a +1 racial bonus to the DC of saving throws against spells you cast with the fear descriptor. This racial trait replaces the armor racial trait.
• Gliding Wings Some kobolds are born with wings that, while too weak for actual flying, do allow them to fall at a very slow and safe pace. A kobold with wings can use them to glide. It can make a DC 15 Fly check to fall safely from any height without taking falling damage, as if using feather fall. When falling safely, it may make an additional DC 15 Fly check to glide, moving 5 feet laterally for every 20 feet it falls. This racial trait replaces crafty.
• Secret Strider You have the ability to traverse the wilderness without a trace. Twice per day, you can move through natural surroundings without leaving a trail for 1 minute, increasing the DC of any attempts to track you by 10. This racial trait replaces crafty.
• Shoulder to Shoulder Having lived and worked in close quarters with your tribe-mates, you've learned how to maneuver within their personal space without disturbing them. You can occupy the same space as one other Small ally without penalty. If you share a space with another kobold who has this trait, you each gain a +1 circumstance bonus to AC, as you help jostle one another out of the way of incoming attacks. You also gain a +1 racial bonus on aid another rolls. This racial trait replaces crafty.
• Spellcaster Sneak Traversing the tunnels near big, nasty, hungry creatures, you learned to keep quiet- and to keep your spells quiet too. You gain a +2 racial bonus on Stealth checks, and once per day you can gain the benefit of the Silent Spell feat on a spell you cast. This racial trait replaces prehensile tail.
• Razzle Dazzler You have learned to use the reflective properties of your scales to dazzle opponents. Effectively using bright light conditions to dazzle enemies in melee by making bluff checks. This trait replaces dragon scaled.
• Wyrmcrowned Your horns have grown to the extent that they appear similar to those of a dragon who shares your scale color, lending a draconic power or menace to your dealings with others. Choose either Diplomacy or Intimidate. You gain a +2 racial bonus on checks with that skill, and it is always a class skill for you. This racial trait replaces crafty.