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5E D&D Monsters — Goblins and Their Goblinoid Cousins

Hello Nerdarchy reader, Nerdarchist Dave here to talk Dungeons & Dragons monsters, in this case goblins. The D&D goblin has been around for as long as the game has existed, actually longer. Goblins have been lurking around folklore and mythology for ages. Goblins and their ilk are classic D&D monsters we love to hate. It’s one of those monsters adventurers encounter in the beginning of their careers. The downside to all this is goblins have become mundane and dare I say boring to today’s gamer. Heck I bet most Dungeon Master’s don’t even both to describe them to their players anymore. “You see a goblin,” is what a lot of DM’s more than likely say.

To make it worse after a few levels in D&D from first edition up to fourth edition goblins just aren’t very challenging. Sure, you can break out some their beefier cousins, but soon they don’t pass muster anymore either. So what’s a Dungeon Master to do? Luckily with 5E D&D, monsters they are viable for much longer because of the way things scale in this edition. The great thing about this edition is monsters like goblinoids are usable for much longer. Combine this with a little creativity and boom! Goblins are grooving along in your campaign world and harassing your players much longer.

We talk about that in the video below plus more.

Nerdarchy Talks D&D Monsters – Goblins

Dungeons & Dragons monsters – types of goblinoids

Here is an extensive list of goblinoids from annals of D&D goblin history. [NERDITOR’S NOTE: Since this post was first written, goblins have punched their way up in 5E D&D. Now they are a playable race, found in Volo’s Guide to Monsters. There’s also some new cultural goblins found in Tomb of Annihilation and Eberron: Rising from the Last War. And we’ve explored goblins quite a bit here on the website too!]

Amitok: White-furred Arctic hobgoblins.

Bakemono: (Originally a shape-shifting Obake from Japanese folklore.) Bakemonos are the “goblins” of the Shadowlands — small, powerfully muscled humanoids with the intelligence and the temperament of vicious attack dogs.

Bhuka: Good-aligned consummate survivors, with many physical adaptations to help them thrive in the deserts.

Blue: A subrace of goblins with an innate knack for psionics. Their bluish skin sets them apart from other goblins.

Bugbear: The biggest and strongest of the goblinoids, bugbears are more aggressive than their smaller relatives.

Dekanter Goblin: Dekanter goblins are vicious, cunning opponents with large, rhinolike horns.

Forestkith Goblin: Nocturnal hunters, also known as kith.

Goblin: The smallest, most common of the goblinoids.

Goblyn: Goblyns are created by curses, powerful evil magic items, and certain spells. The transformation causes them to forget their former lives, turn evil, and become slavishly devoted to their master.

Grodd Goblin: Offshoot goblins trapped in a demiplane who gained civilized ways and built a great city with the help of a dragon.

Hobgoblin: Larger, far more aggressive than goblins, they wage a perpetual war with other humanoids, particularly elves.

Koalinth: A marine species of hobgoblin, similar to the land dwelling one in many respects, but having gills and able to live in fresh or salt water.

Nilbogs: A race of magical goblinoids that are healed by receiving damage and are damaged by healing spells. The name is “goblin” spelled backward, a reference to this reversal of effects. The exact connection between the nilbog and the llort, which shares its power to heal by receiving damage, is unknown.

Norker: Short, gruff goblinoids who possess a thick segmented hide and long canine teeth.

Snow Goblin: Shaggy humanoids with large throat sacs that they use to call to one another over long distances.

Thoul: A strange merging of a hobgoblin, a troll, and a ghoul.

Varag: Faster, considerably stronger, and more primitive than typical goblins, these have merely a predatory cunning. They often find work as mercenary scouts and raiders for hobgoblin warbands. They stand about seven feet tall when fighting, but typically move and run on all fours.

Vril: A race bred by drow to act as soldiers. They have violet skin with tiger stripes and can produce and are immune to sonic attacks.

At Nerdarchy we are such a fan of goblins we’ve given them their own goblin webcomic How to Speeks Goblin.

Until next time, stay nerdy.