Small humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (leather armor)
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +2 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 (-1) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 8 (-1) | 15 (+2) |
Skills Stealth +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. The nilbog’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: mage hand, Tasha’s hideous laughter, vicious mockery
- 1/day: confusion
Nilbogism. Any creature that attempts to damage the nilbog must first succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or be charmed until the end of the creature’s next turn. A creature charmed in this way must use its action praising the nilbog. The nilbog can’t regain hit points, including through magical healing, except through its Reversal of Fortune reaction.
Nimble Escape. The nilbog can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
ACTIONS
- Fool’s Scepter. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
- Shorthow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
REACTIONS
- Reversal of Fortune. In response to another creature dealing damage to the nilbog, the nilbog reduces the damage to 0 and regains 1d6 hit points.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
DESCRIPTION
A nilbog is a goblin possessed by a trickster spirit, the result of a condition known as nilbogism. A nilbog is a prankster and impish creature, capable of affecting the behavior of those surrounding it and of sowing chaos among its allies and enemies alike. A nilbog looks like a normal goblin, except for its bright and mischievous eyes, its colorful and mismatched clothing, and its tendency to carry a jester’s scepter. A nilbog speaks Common and Goblin, and often taunts and mocks its foes with witty insults and jokes.
The trickster spirit that possesses a nilbog is a fragment of a nameless goblin deity that survived the wrath of Maglubiyet, the god of conquest who conquered the goblin pantheon. Maglubiyet intended to leave only Khurgorbaeyag alive as a harsh overseer who would keep the goblins under heel, but the trickster god managed to get the last laugh by splintering its essence and hiding among the goblins. The goblins dare not give this deity a name, lest Maglubiyet use it to ensnare and crush it as he did with their other deities. They call the possessing spirit, and the goblin possessed by it, a nilbog (“goblin” spelled backward), and they revel in the fear that a nilbog sows among the ranks of the bugbears and hobgoblins in the host.
COMBAT
A nilbog is not a formidable combatant by itself, but it has a unique ability to invert the effects of any harmful attack. When struck by any damage, a nilbog would instead heal. Moreover, any attempt to harm a nilbog risked the attacker falling victim to nilbogism, becoming charmed until the end of the creature’s next turn. A creature charmed in this way must use its action praising the nilbog. A nilbog can also use its scepter to cast various spells, such as confusion, hideous laughter, or vicious mockery. A nilbog would, however, refrain from using its powers if it received constant praise and respect from other members of the group.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
Nilbogs are more likely to appear in locations where goblins are particularly mistreated or oppressed, or in rare cases, where heavy use of magic distorted space and time. The goblins believe that the nilbog spirits are fragments of their trickster deity in hiding. The very possibility that a nilbog might appear struck terror in hobgoblin and bugbear commanders, who were well aware that nilbogs were extremely difficult to harm, and even so, killing one merely caused the spirit to flee and possess another goblin. For that reason, most goblinoid armies included a position of “jester”, usually assigned to the most obnoxious goblin. The jester was offered freedom to behave however it wished and to go anywhere it wanted. For that reason, the position of jester was highly sought after by goblins.
ECOLOGY
Nilbogs have no natural predators or enemies, except for other goblinoids who resent their presence and influence. Nilbogs are not interested in wealth or power, but rather in having fun and causing mischief. They often steal or sabotage items that are important or valuable to others, or play pranks on unsuspecting victims. Nilbogs are also fond of riddles and puzzles, and sometimes challenge adventurers to games of wit or chance. Nilbogs have no particular diet or preference for food, but they enjoy eating sweets and drinking alcohol. Nilbogs do not reproduce biologically, but rather through spiritual possession. When a nilbog dies, its spirit seeks out another goblin host within 24 hours. If no suitable host is found, the spirit dissipates until another one is formed by the collective subconscious of the goblin race.