D&D Monster Manual Upgrades Kobold Species

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Summary

  • Kobolds are now considered Dragons in D&D, making them immune to Humanoid-targeting spells.
  • This change is exclusive to the upcoming 2025 Monster Manual, but should affect future playable versions of Kobolds.
  • Players can still use the old version if they prefer, thanks to backward compatible rules

As a dedicated Dungeons & Dragons player, I’m thrilled about the massive mechanical overhaul coming to one of my favorite monstrous species in the 2025 Monster Manual. This change is bound to significantly influence how I engage with this creature in future gaming sessions.

In earlier times, the Kobold race was often seen as mere cannon fodder: small, red goblin-like creatures that were commonly used by adventuring groups to pave their paths. However, during the 3e period, Kobolds gained a connection to dragons and magic, making them intriguing choices for players seeking characters with unique traits, distinct from the usual norm.

For some time now, Kobolds have been playable characters in various game editions, with their latest appearance being in the 5e book titled “Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse”. However, a recent video on the official Dungeons & Dragons YouTube channel has announced that Kobolds will undergo a significant transformation, as they are set to change their type.

Kobolds Are Finally Dragons In D&D

In Dungeons & Dragons, Kobolds, unlike most other playable races which are categorized as Humanoids, have been reclassified as Draconics. Interestingly, even the Dragonborn, who are humanoid dragons themselves, do not share this unique classification.

In other words, since Kobolds are now considered as Dragons, any spells designed to impact Humanoid creatures will no longer have an effect on them.

The spells that affect humanoid creatures often involve actions such as Charming someone, Calming their emotions, Taking control of a person, and Putting them to sleep (Charm Person, Calm Emotions, Dominate Person, Hold Person). Furthermore, if a Necromancer slays a Kobold, they won’t be able to reanimate it as a Skeleton or Zombie using the Animate Dead spell, since this spell only functions on humanoids.

In the forthcoming Monster Manual launching on February 18th, there’s a unique twist: Kobolds will no longer be dragons in their essence. This transformation is likely to persist across all future iterations of the Kobold character found in any new books that follow.

For those who find that incorporating Dragon-type Kobolds into their game seems overly powerful or contradicts established lore, there’s no need to worry as your existing Kobold creatures from the 2014 rules will still function perfectly fine within the updated 5e rules. This is because the new rules are designed to be fully compatible with the old ones.

Individuals yearning for the latest and potent Kobold versions will need to exercise patience, either until they’re introduced in a forthcoming publication or by crossing their fingers that the DM grants them the Dragon type to their existing one from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.

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2025-01-09 21:08