Swolbolds, like kobolds but on steroids
A Beast Among Kobolds.
The swolbold is the brute of the kobold world, a hulking specimen among its smaller and more fragile cousins. Roughly the height of a dwarf but much wider, the rippling muscles of the swolbold betray its ferocious strength.
In contrast to the sneakiness and cunning of the kobold, the swolbold is straightforward and devastating in combat.
Bred for Destruction.
Swolbolds are very rare, and their penchant for unthinking destruction has stumped sages. Some theorize that swolbolds have been bred by evil wizards in arcane experiments gone horribly wrong. Others state the dark gods revered by kobolds gift these monsters to tribes particularly fervent in their worship. Others still conclude that carefully crafted alchemy transformed normal kobolds into these beastly creatures. Regardless of the swolbold’s origins, experts agree on one thing: you don’t want to meet a swolbold in a dark, subterranean lair.
Fighting Style. The physiognomy of the swolbold allows them to shrug off most mundane blows. Their preferred fighting style is to crush the life out of their foes, rather than stabbing and scuttling like their smaller cousins. Their girth makes fitting into normal armor difficult, so their tribal leaders often create piecemeal armor for them: scraps of metal plates held over vital areas with bits of leather or rope.
One or two swolbolds may accompany a larger force of kobolds, acting at the vanguard of an attack. The larger creatures act as battering rams and moving shields, allowing the smaller kobolds to use their ranged attacks and devious tactics to the greatest effect.
Swolbold traits
Your Swolbold has the following traits:
Ability score increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, your Constitution and your Wisdom or Charisma score each increase by 1.
Age Swolbolds reach adulthood at age of 12, taking more time than kobolds to completely form and can live up to 120 years.
Alignement. Swolbolds are selfish and greedy, tending toward a evil alignement but some of them spend their life serving the group, tending to lawful alignments.
Size. Swolbolds are between 4 and 5 feet tall and have wide muscolous bodies that weight between 180 and 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Darkvision You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Leaping Attack. If you use your action to Dash on your turn and stop within 5 feet of a creature, you can make one unarmed strike with disadvantage as a bonus action against that creature, if you hit you can try to grapple him using a free action.
Crushing Grasp When you're grappling a creature you can use an Attack action to brutally crush your opponent. When yo do so the grappled creature must make a Strength saving throw. The DC for this Saving throw equals 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save and half as much damage on a successful one and can try to escape the grapple as a reaction. The damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (3d6), 11th level (4d6), and 17th level (5d6).
Hard Hitter Your unarmed strikes use a d6 for their damage rolls. When you reach 8th level, your unarmed strikes use a d8 for their damage rolls. At 18th level, your unarmed strike damage increases to 2d6.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight whenever you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Pack Tactics. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Languages. You can speak read and write Common and Draconic.
Alternative race traits
Bulk Out (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).
You have the capacity to unnaturally pump your muscles, becoming even stronger losing in mobility and precision. As a bonus action, you can increase in size for 1 minute. While the you're bulked and you're not wearing heavy armor:
- Your unarmed strikes and Crushing Grasp deals extra 1d4 damage, The damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 9th level (2d4), and 18th level (3d4).
- The Strength saving throw DC for your Crushing Grab feature increase by 2 and if you're proficient in Athletics, you add double your proficiency to Athletics checks for grapple
- You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
- You gain temporary Hit Point equal to your level + your Constitution modifier.
- For the duration, your speed is reduced by 5 feet, your AC is reduced by 2, and you have disadvantage on Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws.
- If you are able to cast Spells, you can't cast them or concentrate on them while bulked.
Can replace the Leaping Strike trait, at DM discretion.
Audience-Driven Overconfidence.
You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of of yours allies is within view and the ally isn’t incapacitated. After your turn, and until a creature successfully hits you with a weapon attack or at the beginning of your next turn, whichever comes first, creatures attacking you make weapon attacks with advantage.
Replaces Pack Tactics trait.
Race balancement (See here)
| Feature | Points |
|---|---|
| ASI | +14 |
| Languages | 0 |
| Movement | -2 |
| Senses | 0 |
| Leaping Attack | +4 |
| Crushing Grasp | +4 |
| Hard Hitter | +2 |
| Pack Tactics | +8 |
| Total | 30 |
| Bulk Out* | +8 |
| Audience-Driven Overconfidence* | +6 |
*Not considered in the total.
credits
Swolbold idea: Kobold Press
Swolbold art: BryanSyme on DeviantArt
Race (me): u/ChernoBillv2