Shadow goblins are rare, impish creatures. They are badly misnamed, as they are not actually goblins nor do they seem to have any connection with the Plane of Shadow. It has been suggested that they are the result of crosses between drow and kobolds, though this is only speculation.

The shadow goblin warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.

Strategy and Tactics

A shadow goblin’s usual weapon is a scimitar, but they often make use of slings, darts, nets and daggers when necessary. Many use shields in open confrontation.

Shadow goblins make heavy use of illusion magic and carefully prepared ambushes and traps whenever they can. Shadow goblin leaders are often multiclassed with levels of rogue and sorcerer.

Sample Encounter

Outside of their lair, most encounters with shadow goblins will be with patrols or raiding parties.

Patrol (EL 5–7): This group includes 4 to 13 1st-level shadow goblins plus 1 to 2 2nd-level sergeants and 1 lieutenant of 3rd level.

Ecology

Most shadow goblins encountered outside their lairs are warriors. Shadow goblins have a very well developed affinity for illusion magic and make effective sorcerers.

The shadow goblins are also very accomplished miners, being especially adept at disguising their work as natural. They can disguise pits as sink-holes, make secret doors, and dig authentic looking chasms. A typical lair will contain many such items, secret and one-way doors, dead ends and mazes of tunnels interconnected by many of their own tiny passages.

Environment: Shadow goblins may be found in any underground area.

Typical Physical Characteristics: A typical shadow goblin is three-feet tall with small horns (the number of which varies between individuals), black skin, and a reptilian countenance.

Society

Shadow goblins sometimes work with jermlaine to cause the maximum of confusion to any intruders by stealing, tripping, charming, misleading, breaking or wounding. With prisoners, they rarely kill; instead they usually strip, beat and eject them blind-folded out of the complex.

Shadow goblins have often been reported to use dire rats and monstrous spiders to increase the effectiveness of their attacks, and in these instances victims may be killed as food for their steeds/guardians.

A typical warband consists of 14–24 1st-level shadow goblins plus 6–10 sergeants of 2nd–3rd level and 1–3 lieutenants of 4th–5th level. A lair includes 25–100 1st-level shadow goblins plus 10% noncombatants plus 1 2nd-level sergeant per 5 adults, 2d4 3rd–level lieutenants, 2d4 4th-level commanders, and 1d6 captains of 5th–6th level.

There are reports of shadow goblin lairs with small shrines, and of these creatures bearing unholy symbols. The subjects of this respect appear to include Lolth and Kurtulmak.

Dead shadow goblin lords and other important personages are buried in secret and trapped catacombs near the lairs, with much treasure sacrificed to them.

Alignment: Shadow goblins are nasty, malicious creatures, usually of neutral evil alignment.

Typical Treasure

Shadow goblins have standard treasure for their Challenge Rating.

Shadow Goblins as Characters

Shadow goblins possess the following racial traits.

• -4 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma.
• Small size: +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
• A shadow goblin’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision out to 100 feet.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
• Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by shadow goblins. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects, such as the Spell Focus feat.
• Racial Skills: A shadow goblin character has a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Profession (miner), and Search checks.
• +1 natural armor bonus.
• Special Qualities (see above): Light sensitivity.
• Armor Proficiency: A shadow goblin character is automatically proficient with light shields.
• Weapon Proficiency: A shadow goblin character is automatically proficient with the scimitar and net.
• Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Sorcerer.
• Level Adjustment: +1.