Creating Goblin Player Characters | Epic Encounters

Fancy spending your next roleplaying campaign as a goblin? Then we’ve got inspiration for you.

Today, we’re joining two of the SFG team to roll up some 5e-compatible player characters using minis from this Epic Encounters set, ‘Village of the Goblin Chief’:

Ready to roll up some goblins? Let’s go!

(Psst. When you’re done here, don’t forget to check out our Kobold and Orc player character blogs, too.)

Nikkit, Monk Goblin Player Character

By Jamie Giblin, Community Manager

As a Giblin, I’ve always had a soft spot for goblins. We share a close etymology (and I’ve received one too many letters addressed to Jamie Goblin).

But where to begin? Well, the goblin thief is a fantasy trope beloved by all. A classic. A tricksy goblin who wants nothing more than to pinch and grab whatever they can, but that’s not to say they don’t have a soft spot for their friends and those they trust.

Now, the obvious choice is to go for a rogue because it’s the most direct pathway to get some sneaky tricks. However, I love the Monk class. And we can train in the Way of Shadow to become the ultimate thief, blending into the shadow before stuffing our pockets full of, well, everything.

The goblin with a shortbow felt like the best way to achieve my aim (b’dum tss). Though it’s not a simple melee weapon, and I’ll lose out on some of the benefits of the monk class, it feels particularly ‘goblin’ to shoot from afar, then Shadow Step to another vantage point when your foe is closing in—the ultimate hit and run. 

Ake’Ley, Warlock Goblin Player Character

By Richard August, Steamforged Writer

Goblins are having a sort of appropriately twisted renaissance at the moment. They used to be the bane of first level fighters. Now, they’re fun and cute and sing songs. 

Sure, they’re still mischievous, but they’re less the cannon fodder standing before the onrushing horde, and more the irritating baby cousins, clambering over you and pinching your stuff. They’re annoying, but they’re not hateful. 

At the same time, they’re still...goblins. That is to say, they’re not considered bright. They’re childish. 

I don’t like that, so I’m going to create the opposite.

My goblin is going to be a tormented warlock with a dark past. His pact is going to be with the Great Old One—and because I’m a Lovecraft fanatic, that great old one is going to be...

N̸̥͖̱̭̝̻̱̮͌͑͋̐͊̔̃͊̊y̵̺̘̲̘̥̟̎̄̄̄̏̊͝á̟͔̫͓͓̻̭͓̍̅̚͡͞ͅŗ̷̗̻͕͔͙̺̮̤̍̀̈̀́̃͒̌͘ļ̷̢̛̺̱̗̮̳̳̐͂̿͐͊̿̾͜ḁ̵̡̥̬̲͖͌̍̒͐̓͛ţ̧̫̫̙̏̈́̓̚͢͝͝ͅh̷̯̼͕̬̭͌̀̄̑͊̀̀̉͌̕ō̴̡̹͇̰̙̺̳͐̆̾͆͑̚͜͜t̴̰̪̫̺̮͔͑͆̍̍̊̄͛̔̚è̷̥̤̫̺̠͖̈̎̔̏̀̑̒p̷͙̰̟̣͈̜͋̔́̀̈͠͞͝

I’m going to be using the Hetman figure, with the mask. The mask itself is a key part of my goblin’s backstory. In pursuing a relationship with the Crawling Chaos, he voyaged far into the realms of dream, attracting the attention of certain creatures who hunt those who push beyond the natural limits of their universe. These hounds constantly dog the warlock’s path, hunting him through the layers of reality. This mask conceals him from their lethal attentions.

He’s got high Intelligence and high Charisma stats, with an extremely low Wisdom score. (Those who consider their actions carefully make poor warlocks.) 

I’ve also given him a reasonable Constitution score, while leaving Strength and Dexterity a little underwhelming. I want to play a goblin who isn’t sneaky. If anything, my goblin is decidedly clumsy. He’s a scholarly sort of goblin, one who—for mysterious reasons—buried himself in tomes of lore. 

Likely, he was encouraged by other goblins to learn all he could and pass on his new erudition to them, but something went wrong.

Equipment-wise, he’s going to have a crossbow, and a dagger. Some light armour. Most essentially, lots of books and paper. This warlock is a researcher, constantly trying to ensure that his magical education is continuing, in the hope that he might one day be able to unlock a magical essence that does not stem from an ancient cosmic force of unfathomable intent. And he also hopes he might be able to find some means of escaping the terms of his bargain with Nyarlathotep. He won’t, of course—none free themselves from the designs of theBlack Pharaoh, but that won’t stop him trying. 

As to spells... Eldritch Blast is a given, and Mage Hand is always useful. Add Hex to that, along with Unseen Servant, and you have a very effective first level character. There’s also just a hint of the classic goblin tricksiness poking through the veneer of scholarliness. Just enough to reassure anyone watching that this peculiar, haunted (and hunted) creature stalking among bookshelves is, in fact, a goblin. 

As to what he may become, under Nyarlathotep’s guidance... well, we’ll have to see!

Oh! And he needs a name! Let’s go for something authentically Lovecraftian. 

Ake’Ley. That should do it.

Share Your Goblin Character Designs

So, what did you think of our G̶i̶b̶l̶i̶n̶ goblin player characters? Which was your favourite?

In fact, why not check out the rest of the minis in the Village of the Goblin Chief and have a go at making your own?

We’d love to see them if you do, so don’t forget to share on Twitter with #EpicEncounters and tag @SteamforgedLtd.