Hobgoblin (/ˈhɑːb.ɡoʊ.blɪn/)
A large goblinoid, with a muscular human-like frame, almost 7 feet tall. Its body is covered in coarse brown fur and it has a redish-orange face. It has yellow eyes and sharp, fanged teeth.
War horns sound, stones Fly from catapults, and the thunder of a thousand booted feet echoes across the land as hobgoblins march to battle. Across the borderlands of civilization, settlements and settlers must contend with these aggressive Humanoids, whose thirst for conquest is never satisfied.
Hobgoblins have dark orange or red-orange skin, and hair ranging from dark red-brown to dark gray. Yellow or dark brown eyes peer out beneath their beetling brows, and their wide mouths sport sharp and yellowed teeth. A male Hobgoblin might have a large blue or red nose, which symbolizes virility and power among goblinkin. Hobgoblins can live as long as humans, though their love of warfare and battle means that few do.
Goblinoids. Hobgoblins belong to a family of creatures called goblinoids. They are often found lording over their cousins, the smaller goblins and the ferocious bugbears.
Martial Might. A Hobgoblin measures virtue by physical strength and martial prowess, caring about nothing except the opportunity to demonstrate skill and cunning in battle. Hobgoblins of high military rank attain their positions by force, then hold those positions by imposing their authority through draconian measures.
Hobgoblins train to fight with a variety of weapons, and have great skill at Crafting arms, Armor, siege engines, and other military devices. Organized and disciplined, they take exceptional care of their weapons, Armor, and personal possessions. They favor the bold colors associated with their tribes, and trim their often-elaborate uniforms with blood-red piping and Leather dyed black.
Military Legions. Hobgoblins organize themselves into tribal bands known as legions. In their martial society, every Hobgoblin has a rank, from the powerful leaders and champions, to the rank-and-file foot soldiers, to the goblins that find themselves driven into the front lines at spear point. A legion is headed by a warlord with several captains serving under its Command. A Hobgoblin warlord is a ruthless tyrant more interested in strategy, victory, glory, reputation, and dominion than leading troops into battle.
As loyal and disciplined as hobgoblins are in their own legion, rival legions compete constantly for reputation and status. Meetings between legions erupt in violence if troops aren't Restrained, and only exceptionally powerful leaders can force legions to cooperate on the battlefield.
Strategic Thinkers. Hobgoblins have a strong grasp of tactics and discipline, and can carry out sophisticated battle plans under the direction of a strategically minded leader. However, they hate elves and attack them first in battle over any other opponents, even if doing so would be a tactical error.
Legions often supplement their ranks with less reliable and more expendable troops, including goblins, bugbears, orcs, evil humans, ogres, and Giants.
Beast Trainers. Hobgoblins have a long history of training animals to service. Like the more civilized races, they use oxen and horses to transport goods and weaponry over long distances. They communicate with each other using trained ravens, and keep vicious wolves to guard prisoners and protect Hobgoblin camps. Hobgoblin cavalry use trained worgs as steeds, in the same way that goblins ride wolves. Some tribes even keep carnivorous apes as fighting Beasts.
Conquer and Control. Hobgoblins claim lands with abundant resources, and they can be found in forests and mountains, near mines and humanoid settlements, and anywhere else that Wood, Metal, and potential slaves can be found. They build and conquer strongholds in strategically advantageous locations, which they then use as staging areas to expand their territory.
Hobgoblin warlords never tire of combat, but they don't take up arms lightly. Before they attack, hobgoblins conduct thorough reconnaissance to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of their foes. When assaulting a stronghold, they surround it first to cut off escape routes and supply lines, then slowly starve their enemies out.
Hobgoblins fortify their own holdings, bolstering existing defenses with innovations of their own. Whether they lair in cavern complexes, Dungeons, Ruins, or forests, they protect their strongholds with ditches, fences, gates, guard towers, pit traps, and crude catapults or ballistas.
Legion of Maglubiyet. Hobgoblins worship Maglubiyet the Mighty One, the greater god of goblinoids. As terrifying as this figure is, hobgoblins don't Fear death, believing that when they die in battle, their spirits join the honored ranks of Maglubiyet's army on the plane of Acheron.
“They break before our shields, They fall beneath our blades; Their home is ours to conquer, Their children our slaves. Acheron! Acheron! Victory is ours!”
The Mighty Menagerie have met and fought many Bugbears. Many of which were part of the Blood Hand Orcs.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Hobgoblins were larger, stronger, smarter, and more menacing forms of goblinoids than goblins, but not as powerful as bugbears.
Hobgoblins have dark orange or red-orange skin, and hair ranging from dark red-brown to dark gray. Yellow or dark brown eyes peer out beneath their beetling brows, and their wide mouths sport sharp and yellowed teeth. A male hobgoblin might have a large blue or red nose, which symbolizes virility and power among goblinkin.
Sturdy, wide shoulders brim with strength under a heavy chain shirt. Pale reddish skin shows in the gaps between the mail sleeve and thick Leather gloves. A sturdy neck supports a head with a broad angular jaw—along which grows long tufts of fair hair—wide lips curled back into a seemingly permanent scowl, and a sharp, wide-based nose. A proud brow rests above two very intense eyes. The humanoid’s silky hair is pulled back into a loose bun with many long locks hanging down its back. Large, pointed ears push through the dense mane, standing prominently at each side of its head.
Ecology and Habitats
Hobgoblins feel superior to goblins or orcs and may act as leaders for them. In such cases, the “lesser races” are used as battle fodder. Hobgoblin mercenaries may work for powerful or rich evil humanoids.
Behaviour
Personality
“Hobgoblins are relentless soldiers that cleave to rigid tactics and orders. I fear their less-predictable scouts and spies more.”By and large, hobgoblins, like their kin, were considered to be evil creatures and often met this expectation. While Goblinoid society was typically cruel and harsh, some individuals escaped it to carry on lives of virtue. The few who took this risk and succeeded often met cautious praise and acceptance from outsiders. Those that managed to escape Goblinoid society, however, were continuously plagued by their Goblinoid nature. Though hobgoblins were not necessarily evil, they were prone to violence and hot tempers, and often found it difficult to be truly altruistic. When provoked, which was not a hard task, hobgoblins were vindictive creatures who took glee in causing pain to those that injured them. Those hobgoblins who overcome this nature often managed this because of the rewards they found in serving good, rather than evil.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Society
“Hobgoblins have a code of honor. Its details vary from legion to legion, but it's always brutal.”Hobgoblins were mostly found in communities where they were in command of either goblins or bugbears, or sometimes both. The most civilized Goblinoid communities were ruled by the race. This was in large part because hobgoblin society was more industrious and less savage than that of goblins or bugbears. Though bugbears sometimes took control due to their raw strength, most such communities were ruled over by the strongest hobgoblin, who served as the warchief. Hobgoblins had a long tradition of mastering and breeding the creatures of the world into slaves of various sorts. Many, for instance, enjoyed working with wolves or worgs. Similarly, many drake breeds were first bred by hobgoblins. Some even believed hobgoblins carried this practice on within their own race, creating the goblins and bugbears in such a manner. Hobgoblins were immensely protective of their tribe's reputation and military status, so much so that meetings between different groups could turn violent if proper protocol was not followed. However, though hobgoblin tribes were territorial and egotistical in nature, they often united for a common purpose, such as war against non-goblinoids.
Hobgoblins are nightmarish mockeries of the humanoid races who have a military society organized in tribal bands. Each tribe is intensely jealous of its status. Chance meetings with other tribes will result in verbal abuse or open fighting. Hobgoblin tribes are found in almost any climate or subterranean realm.
Hobgoblins usually organize in tribes. However, during wartime or important military campaigns, the tribes unite to form a legion.
A typical tribe of hobgoblins will have 2d100 adult male warriors.
For every 20 male hobgoblins there will be 1 hobgoblin sergeant + 2 hobgoblin assistants with 20 hit points each.
Groups numbering over 100 are led by a hobgoblin sub-chief.
If the hobgoblins are encountered in their lair, they will be led by a hobgoblin chief. The chief has 5d4 hobgoblin sub-chiefs acting as bodyguards.
If the hobgoblins are encountered in a legion, there will be 10d100 of them, led by a hobgoblin captain or a hobgoblin warlord if the legion numbers more than 5,000 soldiers.
Each tribe has a distinctive battle standard which is carried into combat to inspire the troops. If the tribal chief is leading the battle, he will carry the standard with him, otherwise it will be held by one of his sub-chiefs.
In addition to the warriors present in a hobgoblin tribe, there will be half again that many females and three times as many children as adult males.
Fully 80% of all known hobgoblin lairs are subterranean complexes. The remaining 20% are surface villages which are fortified with a ditch, fence, at least two gates, and 1d4+2 guard towers. Villages are often built upon ruined humanoid settlements and may incorporate defensive features already present in the ruins.
Hobgoblin villages possess artillery in the form of 2 heavy catapults, 2 light catapults, and 1 ballista for each 50 warriors.
Hobgoblin Devastator
Hobgoblin Warlord
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Harvesting
Instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Humanoid, the player should roll a Medicine Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Expiration | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Hobgoblin Ear | A hobgoblin's ear has little practical use. However, most communities will offer a bounty for showing proof of killing such creature. | 2 sp | 1 lb. | 14 days | - |
| 10 | Hobgoblin Captain/Devastator/Warlord: Hobgoblin War Braid | War-hardened hobgoblin veterans grow a long strand of hair to show their victories. Long braids signified a long life of fighting. And with every victory, the hobgoblin would add another knot and decoration. Powerful warriors had extremely long braids, full of beads, jewelry and small ornate bones. These braids fetch a good price in most markets. | 1 gp | 1 lb. | ∞ | - |
| 10 | Hobgoblin Warlord: Mark of Maglubiyet | When a hobgoblin becomes a warlord, they undergo a ritual to receive the blessing of Maglubiyet, the chief goblinoid deity. During this ceremony, they receive a brand with Maglubiyet's symbol (a bloody axe). This symbol can be harvested by carefully flaying the skin around the tattoo, which often rips the skin and ruins the mark. The mark is valued by collectors and goblinoid hunters. The mark also has a touch of arcane power, useful to artificers and spellcasters. | 5 gp | 2 lb. | 5 days | Amulet of Maglubiyet (HHH) |
This kind of creature may carry a few coins. This kind of creature may have a small hoard. This character usually carries: 1 Longsword, 1 Longbow, 1d6 Arrows, 1 Quiver, 1 Shield, 1 Chain Mail Random loot, generally very little. they can be carrying weapons and armor which could range in quality and abilities.
Possible Trinkets
Possible trinkets
1d12 Item Weight Value 1 1 thin rope threaded through several elf ears -- -- 2 1 bent signal whistle (unusable) -- 5 sp 3 1 crudely drawn battle map detailing an attack plan -- -- 4 1 crude wood carving of a warrior 1 lb. 9 cp 5 1 pouch of several chess pieces 1 lb. 7 cp 6 1 pouch of jewelry (stolen) 3 lb. 15 gp 7 1 stone medallion engraved with a bloody axe (symbol of Maglubiyet) 2 lb. 8 sp 8 1 pouch of chewing tobacco 2 lb. 3 sp 9 1 parchment outlining a troop schedule and regimen -- -- 10 1 human skull carved into a flagon 6 lb. 3 sp 11 1d4 dried meat ration(s) 2 lb. 5 sp 12 1d4 small animal carcass(es) 1 lb. 1 sp
This creature produces 2-12 pieces of Harvested Meat, weight total of 8-48 lb. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 4-24 sp There is a stigma to eating meat belonging to sentient creatures that have a humanoid form and features. Harvesting the meat may be frowned upon and even considered cannibalism. Some communities may refuse to buy the meat (and some evil communities may pay a premium). The meat may even be difficult to eat, or unedible. Of course, these are all up to the Dungeon Master to decide.
Civilization and Culture
Historical Figures
Notable Hobgoblins
Ardenor Crush,
leader of the mercenary company known as the Chill.Dror Ragzlin,
the hobgoblin True Soul of the Absolute.Maaqua,
queen of the Razor Heart tribe in the Giantspire Mountains.Yargoth the Breaker,
head of the clan that dwelled within Trobriand's Graveyard.Common Myths and Legends
Religion
Hobgoblins once had their own pantheon, however, Maglubiyet, the god of war and rulership, killed most of the gods. Since then, he was the chief deity of hobgoblins. However, Nomog-Geaya, the deity of war and authority, was considered their patron deity, and many followed Bargrivyek.Magic
Hobgoblins were warriors by nature and prefered martial combatants to those who draw on magic. Those few spellcasters who were to be found were expected to work well with soldiers.Sources
Source(s):
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 184–187. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 161–162. ISBN 978-0786966011.
- Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). Forgotten Realms Player's Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
- Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 153–154. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 191. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 52. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 29–31. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 119. ISBN 978-0786966011.
- Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 45–52. ISBN 978-0786966011.
- Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 135. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786966011.
- Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 978-0786966011.
- Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 140. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 46. ISBN 978-0786966011.
- Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 180. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- Tim Beach (1992). Gold & Glory. (TSR, Inc), p. 19. ISBN 1-56076-334-5.
- Larian Studios (October 2020). Designed by Swen Vincke, et al. Baldur's Gate III. Larian Studios.
- Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 161. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- Christopher Perkins (November 2018). Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 117. ISBN 978-0-7869-6626-4.
Scientific Name
Animalia, Materia, Humanoidus, Bipedia, Goblinoid (Hobgoblin)
Origin/Ancestry
Humanoid (Monster Goblinoid | Hobgoblin)
Lifespan
Less than a century
Conservation Status
Long ago Hobgoblins and other Goblinoids were attacked on sight as they were often the aggressors, however the past two thousand years or so have seen goblins finding some acceptance, more so in larger cities. However, there is still discrimination and disappearances of Hobgoblins all the time as well as attacks outside of city walls. Many places still don't consider the murder of a Hobgoblins the same as the murder of others.
Average Height
5‒6 ft (1.5‒1.8 m)
Average Weight
150‒200 lb (68‒91 kg)
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Hobgoblin
| Size | Medium |
| Type | Humanoid |
| Tag(s) | Goblinoid |
| Alignment | Lawful Evil |
| Challenge Rating | Hobgoblin (1/2) Hobgoblin Captain (3) Hobgoblin Warlord (6) Hobgoblin Devastator (4) |
General Information
| Patron Deity | Maglubiyet |
| Vision | Darkvision, low-light vision |
| Language(s) | Goblinish, Common Tongue |
| Favored Climate/Terrain | Warm Hills |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Appearance
| Average Height | 5-6' |
| Average Weight | 150-200 lbs. |
| Skin Color(s) | Orange to reddish-brown |
| Hair Color(s) | Dark brown, dark gray, orange, red |
| Distinctions | Aggressive, cruel, physically durable, disciplined |
| Typical Build | Muscular |
Session Reports
See Also: Hobgoblin on Forgotten Realms Wiki