Editing Kobold (section)

==5th Edition==
[[File:Looting_Kobolds.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Kobolds are a bit more silly in 5e.]]
From Volo's Guide to Monsters.

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::Ability Score Modifier: +2 Dexterity
::Size: Small
::Speed: 30 feet
::Darkvision: 60 feet
::Grovel: Once per encounter, can use an action on your turn to beg, plead, snivel and otherwise humiliate yourself; until the end of your next turn, all of your allies gain Advantage on attack rolls made against enemies within 10 feet of you and who can see your pathetic display.
::Pack Tactics: If at least one non-incapacitated ally is within 5 feet of a creature you are attacking, you gain Advantage on attack rolls against that creature.
::Sunlight Sensitivity: You suffer Disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks made when you or your target are in direct sunlight.
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Until the 2020 errata of Volo's Guide to Monsters, kobolds had a -2 penalty to strength. This made kobolds and full-blooded orcs the only races in 5e with a racial ability score penalty. The orc's -2 to intelligence was also removed in the same errata (though, the orcs had already gotten the same change in the Eberron and Wildemount books).  

The Grovel power is ridiculously useful, allowing you to grant Advantage to ALL attack rolls made by ALL your allies against a sizable number of enemies. That said, it's also the source of a great deal of [[skub]]; those who like their kobolds to be viewed as "truly pathetic" feel it's fitting, whilst players who want to play a kobold in order to fight ''against'' the perception of kobolds as weak, cowardly, stupid cannon fodder find it infuriating, because it's a racial trait that goes directly against their character plan AND it means you're inherently contributing less to the party. In fairness, it can easily be reskinned into a more heroic or warlike act, a comedy skit if you're going for something goofier, or even an elaborate and [[Pun-Pun|truly cunning]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XfkZlcG8KU| deception.]

Likewise, the Pack Tactics power is seen as extremely powerful. This is offset by your Sunlight Sensitivity, meaning that you yourself are less able to contribute in a fight. Especially since, being Small <strike>and having a Strength penalty</strike>, you're not likely to be in melee range in the first place, as you're far better suited for a bow-based [[rogue]]/[[ranger]] or a spellcaster.

In a nutshell, the 5e Kobold looks like an attempt at directly converting the 5e Monster Manual version into a PC race, for good or ill. An interesting thing to consider is that on their own, Grovel and Pack Tactics would be overpowered, but they are easily canceled out by Daylight Sensitivity, which is very likely to be the norm as most adventuring parties will choose to take their long rests during the night. From a meta-gaming perspective, the best way to play a kobold is as a team-player, which is very fitting for its lore as a creature that is weak on its own but powerful in large numbers. Consequently, it shouldn't be too surprising to see a kobold player find great success playing a class focused around the use of a companion, such as a Battlesmith Artificer or a Beastmaster Ranger.

===Post-Tasha's===
Mordekainen's Monsters of the Universe, which re-statted a lot of monsters and races in the post-Tasha's standards, and the Kobolds were among those that got a rather drastic rewrite.

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::Ability Score Modifier: +2 to one stat and +1 to a second or +1 to three different stats
::Size: Small
::Speed: 30 feet
::Darkvision: 60 feet
::Draconic Cry: As a bonus action, you let out a cry at your enemies within 10 feet of you. Until the start of your next turn, you and your allies have advantage on attack rolls against any of those enemies who could hear you. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. 
::Kobold Legacy: Kobolds' connection to dragons can manifest in unpredictable ways in an individual kobold. Choose one of the following legacy options for your kobold: 
*''Craftiness:'' You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, Investigation, Medicine, Sleight of Hand, or Survival. 
*''Defiance:'' You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened condition on yourself. 
*''Draconic Sorcery:'' You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for that cantrip (choose when you select this race).
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Compared to the original draft, this version is considerably stronger. Genericization of the stats aside, the comical grovel is replaced with something considerably stronger by affecting a lot more enemies even if it has fewer uses. The loss of Pack Tactics is probably the worst issue, but the option between an extra skill or a free cantrip are both some decent perks.

===3rd Party Settings===
;Midgard
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::Ability Score Modifier: +2 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence
::Size: Small
::Speed: 30 feet
::Darkvision: 60 feet
::Blindsider: If at least one non-incapacitated ally is within 5 feet of a creature you are attacking, you gain Advantage on attack rolls against that creature. You can only benefit from this trait with one attack per round.
::Sunlight Sensitivity: You suffer Disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks made when you or your target are in direct sunlight.
::Tinkerer: You have Proficiency with one set of Artisan's Tools of your choice from the following list: Alchemist's Supplies, Mason's Tools, Smith's Tools, or Tinker's Tools.
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;World of Farland
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::Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dexterity
::Size: Small
::Speed: 30 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Tricksy: You have Proficiency with the Trapmaking Kit.
::Sunlight Sensitivity: You suffer Disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks made when you or your target are in direct sunlight.
::Pack Tactics: Once per short rest, when attacking an enemy adjacent to an ally who isn't incapacitated, you can gain advantage on the attack roll. If this attack hits, it does +1d6 damage, increasing to +2d6, +3d6 and +4d6 at levels 6, 11 and 14 respectively.
::Subrace: Choose the Common, Winged or Wyrmsblood subrace.

''Common Kobolds'' are known as "Murgs", which means "Scavenger" or "Rat" in the Dark Tongue. They gain +1 Constitution and the Iron Stomach trait, which lets them even spoiled or rotten food whilst also giving them Proficiency in Survival, Advantage on Constitution saving throws, and Resistance to Poison damage. Despite their name, they are ''not'' [[ratfolk]]; those are the [[ferek]]kin.

''Winged Kobolds'', obviously, can fly. They gain no extra ability score increase, but have a Fly speed of 30 feet. They can't fly if wearing armor they're not proficient in, nor a backpack specifically tailored to fit around their wings. Additionally, they need to pass a Constitution save whenever they take damage whilst flying (DC 10 or 1/2 the damage, whichever is higher) or else they immediately fall to the ground.

''Wyrmsblood Kobolds'' claim distant [[dragon]] heritage and an attendant affinity for [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|sorcery]]. They gain +1 Charisma and can cast Blade Ward, as well as gaining the ability to cast Charm Person 1/day from 3rd level, both using Charisma as their spellcasting ability score.
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