Hobgoblin

In the times long ago when the first Goblin King, Bruxx the Benevolent, ruled over his people with an iron fist and a lash in his hand, he dreamed of grand conquests to create his own empire like those of the orcs and humans. However, he despaired, for his people were not as crafty nor tactical as him. They were chaotic, disorganized creatures bent on backstabbing and cruelty, and while these traits were desirable, he needed to direct them to more productive goals if he wanted his empire.
He summoned a cabal of his strongest and most trusted goblin chieftains and gifted a small, select few a potion of his Magical might. They transformed and grew taller, faster, stronger, and more intelligent than their goblin kin. They would be the brilliant tacticians of the Goblin King's hosts. They would command, bash, and beat the unruly into line. They would channel the green horde into an organized threat. They became the Hobgoblins.

Burly and muscled, hobgoblins stand a few inches shorter than the average human, and their long arms, thick torsos, and relatively short legs give them an almost apelike stature. Hobgoblins' skin is a sickly gray-green that darkens to mossy green after long exposure to the sun. Their eyes burn fiery orange or red, and their broad faces and sharply pointed ears give their features a somewhat feline cast. Hobgoblins lack facial hair, and even hobgoblin women are bald. Except for their size, hobgoblins bear a strong physical resemblance to their goblin cousins.

War is the lifeblood of hobgoblins. Its glories are the dreams that inspire them. Its horrors don't feature in their nightmares. Cowardice is more terrible to hobgoblins than dying, for they carry their living acts into the afterlife. A heroic death becomes a hero eternal.
Young hobgoblins start soldiering as soon as they are granted their power by either the Goblin King or a veteran hobgoblin and heed the mustering call as soon as they can wield their weapons capably. Every legion in the hobgoblins' entire society forever stands prepared for war.
Hobgoblins hold themselves to high standards of military honor. The race has a long history of shared traditions, recorded and retold to keep the knowledge fresh for new generations of hobgoblins. When hobgoblins aren't waging war, they farm, they build, and they practice both martial and arcane arts.
These trappings of civil society do little to conceal the underlying brutality that hobgoblins practice on each other and perfect upon other races. Punishment for infractions of the hobgoblin law is swift and merciless. Beauty is something hobgoblins associate only with images of conflict and warfare.
The iron grip their philosophy holds on their hearts blinds hobgoblins to the accomplishments of other peoples. Hobgoblins have little appreciation or patience for art. They leave little space for joy or leisure in their lives and thus have no reserves of faith to call upon when in dire straits.

Tyrants and Slavers

Hobgoblins view other races as nothing more than tools—implements to be enslaved, cowed, and put to work. Without slaves, hobgoblin society would collapse, so

reliant is it on stolen labor. An injured, sickly, or defiant slave is like a broken tool, useless waste to be tossed out with the day's garbage. Not surprisingly, hobgoblin communities count no other races as their friends and few as allies beyond goblins who they see as useful tools.
Dwarves earn special enmity and are devilishly hard to break into proper slavery as the race holds a long-standing blood feud against all green-skins. Halflings after the The Green-Skin Wars, and half-orcs make especially prized slaves; the former for their agile skills and the ease of breaking them to the collar, and the latter for their talent at thriving under the harshest of conditions.

Rank and Structure

As in any strict military hierarchy, every hobgoblin in a legion has a rank, from the warlord down through a cadre of warbosses to the grunts that make up most of its number. These ranks, using the titles most often applied to them, are as follows:

• 1st rank: Warlord
• 2nd rank: Warboss
• 3rd rank: Chieftain
• 4th rank: Taskmaster
• 5th rank: Grunt

A legion is organized into units called banners, each one made up of a group of interrelated families. Members of a banner live, work, and fight together, and each banner has a separate status within the legion that is reflected in the power of its officers. For instance, the chieftains of the highest-ranking banners can expect their orders to be followed by the chieftains of any banners of lower rank.
Rank and responsibility aren't necessarily commensurate from one legion to another or even between banners in the same legion. A phalanx of grunts led by a chieftain in one legion might be two hundred strong, while in another such a force numbers just twenty. One banner might have four grunts mounted on worgs led by a taskmaster, while a taskmaster in another banner of the same legion might lead ten mounted warriors. If any rank doesn't serve a purpose in the legion, the warlord eliminates it from the hierarchy to maximize efficiency.

Honor-Bound

Advancement in rank comes as a result of attaining glory, but for the achievement to mean anything, a hobgoblin must abide by the race's code of honor in doing so.
Glory can be earned by the discovery of great resources, by designing and constructing a great defense or monument, and through other means. But the greatest respect is reserved for those who earn their glory in battle. In theory, the fortunes of war can elevate the lowest-ranking banner in a legion to the highest status. In practice, warlords are careful to position themselves and their banners to claim the greatest victories in any conflict, and they portion out opportunities and responsibilities to other banners as politics dictate.

Each hobgoblin legion has a distinct code of honor and law, but all follow a few general precepts that are at the heart of the hobgoblin honor system.
Follow Orders. Carrying out orders without question is critical on the battlefield, and hobgoblins follow this dictum in peaceful times as well in order to maintain stability in their society. Hobgoblins don't shrink from following orders that they know will result in death if the act will bring glory to the banner or the legion.
Honor the King. Hobgoblins give regular recognition to the Goblin King. Idols of his visage, as well as standards and flags with his image or symbol, receive a bow or salute at all times except emergencies. The Goblin King's peacemakers receive due deference regardless of rank or banner status. Of course, the Goblin King's call to conquest is always answered.
Suffer nor Give Insult. As befits their warlike nature, hobgoblins believe that any insult demands a response. Suitably (and somewhat ironically), the outward politeness and civility that they demonstrate among each other enable them to avoid conflicts in daily life. This same form of "courtesy" is often extended to other races the hobgoblins have dealings with, much to the outsider's surprise. When such respect isn't reciprocated, though, relations can swiftly deteriorate.
Reward Glorious Action. Hobgoblins never deny advancement in status to a banner that has earned it, nor do they withhold higher rank from a deserving individual. If a banner attains great glory in battle but is nearly destroyed, the handful of members who remain are welcomed into another banner, taking their banner's name and colors along with them, and assuming places of leadership in the group.
Uphold the Legion. Hobgoblins care more for the survival of their legion than they do for others of their own kind. Two legions might battle over territory, resources, or power, or out of simple pride. Such a feud can continue over generations in an ongoing cycle of retribution. Each legion has a list of grievances against any others it knows about, and any legions meeting for the first time view each other with immediate hostility. Only a truly great warlord can force legions to work together as an army if the Goblin King has not called forth a host.

The Iron Grasp

Few hobgoblins are chosen to serve the Goblin King directly, and most hobgoblins that exist today were created by other hobgoblins. Those created directly by the Goblin King are sometimes chosen to serve as his royal enforcers, his secret police force, and his spy network; to carry out dangerous and deadly tasks in order to make territories more susceptible to green-skin conquest. These small few are called the Iron Grasp.
Just as the Goblin King recruits hobgoblins from goblin society, The Iron Grasp recruits from all ranks of hobgoblin society. They answer only to the priests of the Goblin King and use their talents for stealth, disguise, tinkering with deadly weapons, and strength to squash potential insurrections and treachery before an uprising can flourish.
Some of these hobgoblins have the ability to command shadow Magic to conceal their true nature, create distracting illusions, and walk from one shadow to the next.

Others are more direct and inventive, crafting devastating, ramshackle weapons of war for the glory of the Goblin King; to enforce his will upon other races. As befits their role in society, they receive proper deference from all other hobgoblins that cross their path.

The Chosen

Hobgoblins know the value of arcane magic in warfare. Where other cultures treat magic as an individual pursuit, a calling that only a select few can even attempt, hobgoblins practice mass indoctrination and testing to identify every potential caster in their ranks.
The Chosen are those who have been selected by the Goblin King for their aptitude for magic. They are taught potent, destructive spells and also learn the fundamentals of evocation magic. The death and destruction they bring about is worthy of as many accolades as the ruin wrought by traditional warriors. Luckily for their enemies, The Chosen seldom employ sophisticated tactics, functioning essentially as a mobile artillery battery. They can bring tremendous force to bear, but rarely display the versatility and inventiveness of spellcasting imps and humans. A few do become accomplished tacticians in their own right, and it isn't uncommon for such an individual to serve as the warlord of a legion

Hobgoblin Lairs

When hobgoblins aren't on the move, they have a stable lifestyle and society wherein they can raise new generations, train them, and prepare for future battles. If few enemies exist nearby and the hobgoblins in a legion have room to spread out, the members of each banner might live in a separate location, effectively its own settlement, with worg riders and messenger ravens passing communications between the sites.
In lands dominated by other humanoids, hobgoblins will settle for taking up residence in an old dungeon or ruin where they can hide their numbers and keep their presence secret. Such an arrangement isn't desirable, because space is usually at a premium.
Permanent Visitors. If a hobgoblin legion is looking for a place to set down roots, its first choice is an out-of-the-way area that has adequate resources or can be improved to suit the hobgoblins' needs. Land for farming or grazing is desirable, as is access to lumber, stone, or metal ore. If the hobgoblins find a place that fits the bill, they build non-portable facilities such as forges and sawmills, marking their intention to stay either until all the resources have been harvested or until the Goblin King calls them off to war. If the hobgoblins are interested in doing business with the outside world, they might erect a trading post on the fringe of their territory where other people can come to exchange goods and coins.
Who Goes There? A hobgoblin lair resembles nothing so much as a military base. It is always well guarded, whether by lone sentries perched in trees or a stone tower with a full garrison of troops. As space permits, large areas are dedicated for use as training grounds, marshaling fields, target ranges, combat arenas, and similar facilities for the practice of warfare. Monuments, typically statues and pillars, are erected around these areas to remind the legion of past glories.
Every legion's headquarters includes a command center where the warlord meets with banner leaders and others of high rank. Inside the complex or somewhere near it is a road, river, tunnel, or valley on either side of which the honored dead are interred, each burial site complete with a description of the banner, rank, and glories of its occupant. The quarters for troops are austere but sufficient, as are the necessary stables and dens to hold the legion's animals and beasts. Legions that have need of such amenities also set aside space for a library, which can double as a school and training facility for spellcasters. If a hobgoblin lair has a prison, it's usually a small one; miscreants are incarcerated for only a short time before facing the hobgoblins' harsh justice.

Hobgoblin Adventurers

Hobgoblin adventurers tend to be iconoclasts, loners who chafe under the strict hierarchy of military life. Others have fled or been exiled in disgrace for showing

weakness or cowardice. Some harbor dreams of one day returning to their hobgoblin banners flush with wealth and tales of great deeds. A few serve farsighted hobgoblin generals, who send the most promising youths out into the world that they might someday return as mighty heroes for the hobgoblin cause. Hobgoblins lean toward martial classes, particularly cavaliers, fighters, monks, and rogues. Beyond the Chosen and the Iron Grasp, the arcane arts are distrusted in hobgoblin society and consequently, their practitioners are rare, save for alchemists, who gain grudging praise and admiration for their pyrotechnic talents.

Hobgoblin Names

Hobgoblins have a deep, regimented culture. Every hobgoblin is born ready for war. They learn to walk in file, wield weapons as soon as they can, and obey orders once they can listen to them. As such, a Hobgoblin’s name is typically short and easy to recognize.

Hobgoblins use similar naming conventions to Goblins. Generally, goblin names are only a few syllables long and favor hard consonants and “z’s”.

Male Names: Bozaak, Crord, Crurk, Drurrogz, Glalb, Greasz, Lenk, Plutork
Female Names: Glafsee, Imtiz, Jealx, Kex, Mezz, Nosrix, Qofzea, Vreldai

Hobgoblin Traits

Hobgoblin Traits

As a hobgoblin, you have the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 2, and increase a different one by 1, or increase three different scores by 1
Age. Hobgoblins mature at the same rate as humans and have lifespans similar in length to theirs.
Alignment. Hobgoblin society is built on fidelity to a rigid, unforgiving code of conduct. As such, they tend toward lawful evil.
Size. Hobgoblins are between 5 and 6 feet tall and weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Martial Training. You are proficient with two martial weapons of your choice and with light armor.
Martial Strike. On your turn, you can deal an extra 2d6 damage to a creature you hit with a weapon attack if that creature is within 5 feet of an ally that isn't incapacitated. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. The damage dice for this trait increases by a d6 each time your proficiency bonus increases, to a maximum of 6d6 extra damage.
Leadership. You can utter a command or warning as a bonus action. For the next minute, any a nonhostile creature that you can see within 30 feet is inspired or intimidated by your leadership— provided it can hear and understand you—and gains a leadership die. The die is a d4. The next time a creature with a leadership die makes an attack roll, ability check, or a saving throw, the creature can expend the die and add it to its roll. You can do this a number of times equal to half your proficiency modifier, after which you must finish a long rest to use this trait again.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Trade-tongue and Goblin.

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Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Goblin

Genetic Descendants

• Ogre

Lifespan

100

Average Height

5' 8"

Average Weight

175 lb.

Geographic Distribution

• Ak'tuin's Back Mountains
• Bairuse Shrublands
• Cairn Alm
• Dagmurn Highlands
• Daran Uum
• Drothmoore Wilds
• Finnora Wetlands
• Garand's Ridge Mountains
• Mattanyor Canyons
• Meyland Valleys
• Morbog
• Patrician Midlands
• Sandow Thicket
• Sintallian Forest
• The Known World
• Vilkross Savannah

Notable Hobgoblins

• Gargott
• Grimlim 

Goblin King's Gift

Hobgoblins were created by receiving a portion of their Goblin-King's power, granting them enhanced stature, strength, and intelligence. These hobgoblins were sent out to bring order to the squabbling goblin tribes across the world. Over time, hobgoblins distributed this power to veteran goblin warriors who proved themselves in battle, who themselves became hobgoblins. This ritual is called the Goblin King's Gift. While hobgoblins can reproduce sexually, the Goblin King's Gift is one of their other primary reproduction cycles. However, the power within grows more diluted with each generation, and eventually, it is possible for the ritual to fail altogether.
This is why hobgoblins are so few in number compared to their smaller cousins.
This gift takes the form of a blessing that may be imparted upon you by a veteran warchief or warlord.

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You can expend this blessing to touch a willing goblin you can see, imbuing a portion of the Goblin King's strength to them and transforming them permanently into a hobgoblin over 1 hour. If the goblin uses the Goblin statistics (Basic Rules, pg. 138), its statistics instead become that of a Hobgoblin's (Basic Rules, pg. 140). You cannot regain this blessing in any way except for a Wish spell.