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Nerdarchy > Dungeons & Dragons  > Junk Goblins and The Inspiration Train

Junk Goblins and The Inspiration Train

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How do you make the old seem new again in your Dungeons and Dragons game? This can be a huge struggle for a Dungeon Master. Any and every Dungeons and Dragons player worth his D20 knows a goblin or kobold when the DM starts describing them.

How often as the Dungeon Master have you gotten half way through your monster description when your players are calling out the monster name and maybe even the page number of it’s Monster Manual entry?

So how do we fix this in our games to avoid it? One things is to shake up your game a bit and let yourself be inspired from unlikely sources. Come with me my friend along this inspiration train of thought that has lead us to the Junk Goblin.

Dungeons and DragonsI was on my way to Nerdarchy HQ listening to talk radio. The show is called Car Talk and during it one of the brothers mentioned Junkyard Harpies. I couldn’t help thinking that Junkyard Harpies needed to be a thing.

So I pitched the guys on doing a video about a place simply called the Junkyard. It’s located outside of our City of Fausthaven. Think Las Vegas with devils and steampunk powered machines.  It’s convenient that we had this steampunk like city in our world, because it helps to give the look we wanted for the Junkyard.

In the origin video we talked about the residents of this place. First you have junkyard harpies who rule over joint. Second we’ve got these gangs or tribes is how they refer to each other. A lot of the lower weaker races are able to find acceptance among tribes such as gnomes, goblins, kobolds, mongrel folk, and anyone else who just wants a place to fit in.

The Junkyard and Junkyard Harpies Video

Well as one of our commenters was listening to the video he started commenting and creating junk goblins. It is an excellent on the fly write up of a player character race. Which in turn inspired us to do a video on Junk Goblins.

From that video on the write up Ted and I came up with this idea for a trio of brothers that are raised by an adoptive parent in the Junkyard. A gnome, goblin, and kobold that each consider the other family. One of the commenters left the idea that it was an elderly grandmotherly type dwarven woman that raised them. An idea which I love.

The Junk Goblin Video

Here is that goblin write up as player character race.

Junk Goblin


Size: Small
Move: 25′
Darkvision 60′
Languages: Goblin, Common
Tools: Tinker’s Tool proficiency
+2 Dex +1 Int
– Living among the waste of the world has it’s downfalls, but it makes for ingenuity and a hardiness not seen among the “gentler” races. Though looked down upon by many and distrusted by more, Junk Goblins are still the go-to choice for many to remove and sort many communities refuse. Some even rise to great mercantile success – just be wary of what you buy from them.

Racial abilities:
“Jury Rig”: A Junk Goblin can make or repair almost anything simple – just not reliably. When dealing with repairs to simple mechanical items (not complex machines), the Junk Goblin can use an action to effect temporary repairs that are “good enough” for a period of time, so long as they have access to materials. Mind you, those materials may be questionable as well. Few would consider repairing bridge moorings, portcullis gears or catapult swing arms with rope, tree gum, and leftover metal scraps – but this is a daily practice for a Junk Goblin. Roll 1d20 and record the number. Each minute this device operates, roll another d20 and add that number to the previous total. When the total value equals or succeeds 20, the device returns to it’s broken nature. Junk goblins can effect similar repairs to complex machines, but the d20 roll is made every TURN.

Scavenger:  A Junk Goblin can find useful items where others may not. Junk Goblins have Advantage on Perception or Investigation rolls to find scraps and other materials that “may come in handy later”. A player should work with the DM to come up with what they find.

Barter: Junk goblins know junk. It’s in their name. They instinctively recognize when an item, material, mechanical construction or other fabricated device isn’t up to par. Junk Goblins have Advantage on Investigation rolls to examine items for their value. Furthermore, they gain the Deception or Persuasion (choose one) proficiency to aid in haggling for this item if they choose. Whichever proficiency they choose at the start is the one they possess racially.

By: Mike Gould


Now it could probably use some refinement, but I wanted to throw it up as is to show the series of events that lead to fun ideas for our campaign world. It doesn’t end there either. The third Nerdarchist Ryan after watching the video said “Hey why not a new background? The Junker.”

This is a perfect new option for this corner of our world. Now I’d like to keep the junk goblin as well as the junker background to add to our Dungeons and Dragons game, but that’s just me.

Until next time “Stay Nerdy”

-Nerdarchist Dave

 

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david friant

My name is Dave Friant I've been gaming off and on for over 27 years. But here is the thing it's always been a part of my life I've kept secret and hidden away. I've always been ashamed of the stigma that gaming and my other nerdy and geeky pursuits summon forth. Recently I decided screw it! This is who I am the world be damned. From now on I'm gonna be a geek, nerd, or however folks want to judge me and just enjoy life. Currently one of my greatest joys is introducing my 13 yr old son to table top RPG's.

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