This week we continue our exploration of ancestry in Realm of Runes with Goblins, and their art by Nikki Smith-Cielo. Goblins are the first basic ancestry we've looked at that don't have the humanoid trait in common with the other basic ancestries. As a basic ancestry, Goblins can be played separately or freely combined with any of the available hybrid ancestries. The curious nature and history of goblinoids even makes it possible to produce Half-Elf Goblins, which also entirely lack the humanoid trait despite the Elf heritage. Goblins in fantasy range from savage little beast to quirky and devious pranksters, so the modular nature of Realm of Runes is really helpful for striking just the right balance for your character vision.
From the rulebook: "Short, green, and frequently vicious, goblins are considered to be a menace and a plague to most civilizations. While the typical goblin lives to only ten years old, and even then few reach old age, they are capable of breeding in such large numbers that when a settlement sets out to actively cull them, the effort somehow results in more goblins than there were to begin with. As such, goblins are considered to be a problem to be lived with, rather than dealt with. Goblins are a common sight wherever settlements exists, and while they are rarely truly accepted in a society, most have come to the resigned conclusion that things are better when the goblins are unprovoked.
"Another reason that goblins are sometimes more accepted in places they might not be otherwise, is their typical love of trash and junk. Societies with large goblin populations are paradoxically clean, with litter and refuse that might clog the streets being stolen on a nightly basis. For their own part, goblins have a natural knack for making things out of the junk that others have thrown away, and goblin tools which might look hilariously jumbled will often prove to be surprisingly effective in the hands of the goblin that created it.
"Goblins have a reputation for being mean and nasty, but this is more a product of typical goblin fringe society rather than inherent nature. Goblins that are raised by more stable cultures frequently become considered sane, and even respectable, and there are always those that willingly seek out a life among the tall folks instead of their own kind and their infighting. Friends of even the most sociable goblins must be wary, however, as even the best intentioned of them have a tendency for poor decision-making and a questionable understanding of ethics and economics at best."
As a basic ancestry, Goblins have a full suite of ten ancestry feats with which they can diversify themselves, as well as a few abilities that are common to all Goblins. Darkvision helps them see even in the entire absence of light, while their 30-foot base speed makes them as fast as Elves despite their small-sized package. Perhaps even more useful, simply lacking the humanoid trait can make your Goblin exempt from all sorts of nasty surprises aimed at your party, assuming that they're creature-type dependent.
Goblin ancestry feats tend to focus on their seemingly biological fascination with junk and fire. Their small size can help them fit comfortably into many places taller folks could not, and they have excellent synergy with classes that can use a lot of fire-element damage, like Grenadier Alchemists, Dragon Clan Barbarians, Fire Domain Clerics and Paladins, Druids, Elemental Sorcerers and Evocation-specialist Wizards. Let's take a look at each of the Goblin ancestry feats. Those with the biology trait are exclusive to Goblins, while those without are available to those of other ancestries that have been adopted by Goblins, though the Adopted Ancestry universal feat.
BURN IT! ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Goblin]
Fire fascinates you. Anytime you deal fire damage or persistent fire damage, increase the damage by half your level, minimum 1.
This feat is great if you plan on doing a lot of fire damage, especially using bombs. Even alchemist's fire, one of the most basic and widely available of alchemical items, has a chance of dealing persistent fire damage to those that are damaged by the bomb or even its splash. This boost also applies to the many magic spells that deal fire damage, or can be made to through metamagic.
CITY SCAVENGER ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Goblin]
You know that there is treasure in refuse, and you never waste good scrap. Treat settlements as an area with plentiful food and water when you Survive in the Wild. If you are in a settlement, Crafting poor quality items is free.
Why waste time and money on room and board when humans throw out everything you need? Save your money and live in your very own junk fort! The ability to create poor quality items for free might not seem like much, but it forms a particularly strong combination with another feat we'll get to soon.
EAT ANYTHING ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Biology, Goblin]
Spoiled food does not bother you, and rot brings out exotic flavors. You have a +2 un-typed bonus to saves against disease, poison and effects that impose the sick condition. You can still eat and drink while sick.
Diseases and poisons can be particularly nasty to most people, but your humble physique tends to just shrug them off. The sick condition, too, is particularly devastating to those that get it, especially because it removes the ability to drink elixirs and potions, which are sometimes critically needed.
FIREPROOF ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Goblin]
Your skin has thickened, protecting you against burning. Increase your elemental resistance by your level, and the DC of your flat check to remove persistent elemental damage is 5 lower.
This one comes in handy even if you aren't the sort of Goblin that uses fire all the time yourself. Fire damage is perhaps the most commonly available element encountered in the game, and so any protection against it is helpful. As an increase, your resistance stacks with any other source of fire resistance you may pick up along the way. The 25% increase in your chance to remove persistent fire damage each turn is also very helpful if you find you're taking more persistent fire damage than your resistance can protect against.
GREASY ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Biology, Goblin]
Your skin constantly exudes a slimy, smelly grease. You have a +1 un-typed bonus to Squeeze, Escape, Break Free, and checks and DCs to avoid being grabbed, entangled and restrained.
Gross, but even effective against magical sources of movement control. Slip and slide your way around the battlefield, or through tight spaces, to the chagrin of your enemies and friends alike. Baths are for the weak!
JUNK TINKER ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Goblin]
You can make useful tools out of even the most mangled scraps. When you Craft poor items, it costs 25% of the price of a standard version. If you wield a poor item you made, it functions as standard quality and gains the goblin trait. If you are an expert in Crafting, these items function as fine instead. If you are a master, these items function as superior. If you are legendary, these items function as exquisite.
Since this additional quality only works for you, it is not treated as an item of that quality for any other purpose.
Most people have no interest in poor quality gear since it's actively harmful to any attempts to use it. But you have the knack for whipping together surprisingly effective junk, that can save you a lot of money in the long run. Better still, the ability to add the goblin trait to any conceivable weapon has a strong combination with another feat we'll get to soon. The only downside is that these junk items can't be enchanted through the normal means, but there are ways around that for someone as clever and resourceful as you.
RAZOR TEETH ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Biology, Goblin]
Your teeth are formidable weapons. You have a jaws unarmed attack that deals 1d6 piercing damage with the agile, finesse, simple and versatile slashing traits. You can use your teeth to Riposte.
As long as you have your teeth, you're always armed. Additional sources of unarmed attacks can be extremely useful, and while this one doesn't do a whole lot of damage compared to the basic fist, it covers both of the other two physical damage types that fists don't. The innate ability to Riposte with your teeth makes attacking you with a low probability of success particularly perilous.
ROUGH RIDER ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Goblin]
You can teach any creature that can bear your weight to become your steed, and you know how to coax even the strangest beasts into service. Treat any creature bigger than you as if it has the mount trait. You also have a +2 un-typed bonus to Handle Animal checks to teach the Mount and Combat Mount tricks, and your mount increases its swift value by 2 while you ride it.
As small creatures, Goblins can easily ride creatures that fit easily into enclosed spaces like houses and dungeons designed by medium creatures. This makes Goblins particularly versatile mounted characters, as they can keep using this preferred tactic even in places where their bigger peers might have to leave their steeds behind.
VERY SNEAKY ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Goblin]
Taller folk pay less attention to shadows at their feet, and you exploit this. Your Stealth checks against creatures bigger than you are one step better.
Anything that gives you one or more steps better on a check is huge, changing failure to success or success to critical success. This won't help you much if a creature is actively searching for you, but when you're trying to avoid being noticed, nobody does it better than a Goblin.
WEAPON FAMILIARITY (GOBLIN) ANCESTRY FEAT
[Ancestry, Goblin]
Your kin favor sharp objects and things that go boom. You gain an esoteric proficiency boost to bombs and swords. If a weapon has the goblin trait, it does not have the exotic trait for you, and you treat it as common. You can always use a goblin weapon to Riposte.
Extra proficiency increases greatly expand your capabilities, especially if you pick a class (like the Cleric or Sorcerer) that doesn't get many to begin with. Ignoring the exotic trait also makes those weapons easier to use altogether. Finally, Riposte is a great way to punish foes that gamble on their lowest-bonus attacks. Normally only available as a reaction if you wield a weapon with the parry trait, this feat helps ensure that you're always ready to take advantage of a foe's weakness with the preferred weapons of your people.
Whether you plan to be a full-blooded Goblin or make use of one of the hybrid ancestries, Goblins are fun little balls of manic energy that always keep things interesting. Often underestimated for their size, life span and their ancestral reputation, Goblins that put their mind to a goal can be terrifyingly effective, even if their methods are usually unorthodox. Next week we'll continue our ancestry exploration with yet another small-sized option, Halflings.
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