Kobolds in gaming
Encyclopedia
The first modern role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons
, depicted Kobolds
as a race of weak, humanoid draconic monsters formed into primitive tribes populating the sorts of dungeons explored by low-level adventurers. In the second edition of Dungeons & Dragons, kobolds were described as canine-like, but were once more described as draconic creatures by the time the game evolved into third edition and beyond. As role-playing expanded into other game lines and computer gaming, this precedent was carried over, and Kobolds are still depicted as weak or ineffectual. The Kobold's perennial role has become a recognized running gag among gamers; however, this has been changed to some extent with an article on Meepo, a kobold NPC from a low level adventure, Wizards of the Coast
's Sunless Citadel. To make Kobolds more attractive as characters, they were one of the races featured in the Races of the Dragon supplement.
NetHack
, in which Kobolds are common, medium-sized monsters of weak power. In the CRPG Castle of the Winds
, Kobolds are little warriors generally depicted as holding a knife or dagger. They are only a threat to very low-level or severely weakened players. Kobolds made a more recent appearance as low-level enemies in the Game Boy Advance
dungeon crawler Shining Soul II, as well as in the unrelated Game Boy Advance RPG Golden Sun
.
In the Warcraft
series of games, Kobolds are a race of ratlike burrowers, who often appear as villains. The games also include goblin
s and gnome
s, and the three races fit the same rough pattern as diminutive races skilled in early technology. Even here, Kobolds are less developed than gnomes and goblins. In a Warcraft III mod, DotA Allstars (Defense of the Ancients), made a hero named Meepo. In World of Warcraft
Kobolds are low-level enemies generally found in caves and mines. These Kobolds treasure candles: they will wear one on their head, and occasionally a candle will appear in the loot. They occasionally yell at the beginning of a battle, "You no take candle."
and Lufia
series both use this depiction, as does the anime series Record of Lodoss War
. Suikoden IV
also includes the Nay-Kobold, which resembles an anthropomorphic cat
. In Japanese their name is a pun
: it can also be read as "Nekobold", a portmanteau
of neko
and kobold.
The publication Kobolds Ate My Baby!
by 9th Level Games features Kobolds as comical, dog-like creatures with an insatiable, omnivorous appetite. They are extremely stupid, led by King Torg (All Hail King Torg!), and worship Vor the Big Red God of Anger. In the MMORPG Ragnarok Online
, Kobolds are small, blue dog-like biped
s who wield an array of weapons.
The roguelike
Angband features Kobolds as both an enemy and as a choosable race. However, they are untrusted as players and will get smaller amounts of gold
for selling items. They also have to pay more to buy anything in NPC
shops.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, depicted Kobolds
Kobold (Dungeons & Dragons)
Kobolds are a fictional species featured in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Aggressive, xenophobic, yet industrious small humanoid creatures, kobolds are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes...
as a race of weak, humanoid draconic monsters formed into primitive tribes populating the sorts of dungeons explored by low-level adventurers. In the second edition of Dungeons & Dragons, kobolds were described as canine-like, but were once more described as draconic creatures by the time the game evolved into third edition and beyond. As role-playing expanded into other game lines and computer gaming, this precedent was carried over, and Kobolds are still depicted as weak or ineffectual. The Kobold's perennial role has become a recognized running gag among gamers; however, this has been changed to some extent with an article on Meepo, a kobold NPC from a low level adventure, Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
's Sunless Citadel. To make Kobolds more attractive as characters, they were one of the races featured in the Races of the Dragon supplement.
Kobolds as cannon-fodder
An example of the traditional Kobold role is the roguelikeRoguelike
The roguelike is a sub-genre of role-playing video games, characterized by randomization for replayability, permanent death, and turn-based movement. Most roguelikes feature ASCII graphics, with newer ones increasingly offering tile-based graphics. Games are typically dungeon crawls, with many...
NetHack
NetHack
NetHack is a single-player roguelike video game originally released in 1987. It is a descendant of an earlier game called Hack , which is a descendant of Rogue...
, in which Kobolds are common, medium-sized monsters of weak power. In the CRPG Castle of the Winds
Castle of the Winds
Castle of the Winds is a tile-based roguelike computer game for Windows 3.x. It was developed by SaadaSoft and published by Epic MegaGames in 1989.-Release history:...
, Kobolds are little warriors generally depicted as holding a knife or dagger. They are only a threat to very low-level or severely weakened players. Kobolds made a more recent appearance as low-level enemies in the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
dungeon crawler Shining Soul II, as well as in the unrelated Game Boy Advance RPG Golden Sun
Golden Sun
Golden Sun, released in Japan as , is the first installment in a series of fantasy role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. It was released in November 2001 for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and was followed by a sequel, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, in...
.
In the Warcraft
Warcraft
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans is a real-time strategy game , developed by Blizzard Entertainment and published by Blizzard and Interplay Entertainment. The MS-DOS version was released in November 1994 and the Macintosh version in late 1996. Sales were fairly high, reviewers were mostly impressed, and the...
series of games, Kobolds are a race of ratlike burrowers, who often appear as villains. The games also include goblin
Goblin
A goblin is a legendary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil-like phantom.They are attributed with various abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little...
s and gnome
Gnome
A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...
s, and the three races fit the same rough pattern as diminutive races skilled in early technology. Even here, Kobolds are less developed than gnomes and goblins. In a Warcraft III mod, DotA Allstars (Defense of the Ancients), made a hero named Meepo. In World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
Kobolds are low-level enemies generally found in caves and mines. These Kobolds treasure candles: they will wear one on their head, and occasionally a candle will appear in the loot. They occasionally yell at the beginning of a battle, "You no take candle."
Canine aspects
In many computer role-playing games, Kobolds are a race of anthropomorphic dogs that primarily dwell in forests and often use swords and bows as weapons. The SuikodenSuikoden
is a role-playing game series originally created by Yoshitaka Murayama. The game series is loosely based on the classical Chinese novel, Shui Hu Zhuan by Shi Naian and Luo Guanzhong. Shui Hu Zhuan is rendered as 水滸伝 in Japanese, and read as Suikoden...
and Lufia
Lufia
Lufia, known as in Japan, is a series of console role-playing games developed by Neverland . In Japan, the games were originally published by Taito and later Square Enix , and after the closing of Taito's American branch after the release of the first game, Natsume Inc...
series both use this depiction, as does the anime series Record of Lodoss War
Record of Lodoss War
is a franchise of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno based around the work he originally created for a world called Forcelia for role-playing games . There have since been multiple manga, anime and computer game adaptations, several of which have been translated into English...
. Suikoden IV
Suikoden IV
is a console role-playing game developed and published by Konami for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console and the fourth installment of the Suikoden video game series...
also includes the Nay-Kobold, which resembles an anthropomorphic cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
. In Japanese their name is a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
: it can also be read as "Nekobold", a portmanteau
Portmanteau word
A portmanteau or portmanteau word is a blend of two words or morphemes into one new word. A portmanteau word typically combines both sounds and meanings, as in smog, coined by blending smoke and fog. More generally, it may refer to any term or phrase that combines two or more meanings...
of neko
Neko
-Technology:* Neko , a cat screenmate application* Neko * Neko Entertainment, a video-game developer and publisher-Other uses:* Neko , a person who enjoys dressing as a cat in cosplay...
and kobold.
The publication Kobolds Ate My Baby!
Kobolds Ate My Baby!
Kobolds Ate My Baby! is an independently published role-playing game from 9th Level Games, a small-press publisher and designer of humorous role-playing games based in Pennsylvania...
by 9th Level Games features Kobolds as comical, dog-like creatures with an insatiable, omnivorous appetite. They are extremely stupid, led by King Torg (All Hail King Torg!), and worship Vor the Big Red God of Anger. In the MMORPG Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online , often referred to as RO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG created by GRAVITY Co., Ltd. based on the manhwa Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. It was first released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows and has since been released in many other...
, Kobolds are small, blue dog-like biped
Biped
Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs, or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning "two feet"...
s who wield an array of weapons.
The roguelike
Roguelike
The roguelike is a sub-genre of role-playing video games, characterized by randomization for replayability, permanent death, and turn-based movement. Most roguelikes feature ASCII graphics, with newer ones increasingly offering tile-based graphics. Games are typically dungeon crawls, with many...
Angband features Kobolds as both an enemy and as a choosable race. However, they are untrusted as players and will get smaller amounts of gold
Fictional currency
A fictional currency is some form of defined or alluded currency in works of fiction. The names of such units of currency are sometimes based on extant or historic currencies while others, such as "Kalganids" in Asimov's Foundation series, may be wholly invented...
for selling items. They also have to pay more to buy anything in NPC
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
shops.
Other depictions
- In the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing GamePalladium Fantasy Role-Playing GameThe Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game is a game produced by Palladium Books. It is set in a unique world, called the Palladium World , with the primary setting being some 10,000 years after a great war between the elves and their dwarven allies...
by Palladium BooksPalladium BooksPalladium Books is a publisher of role-playing games perhaps best known for its popular, expansive Rifts series . Palladium was founded April 1981 in Detroit, Michigan by current president and lead game designer Kevin Siembieda, and is presently based in Westland, Michigan...
, Kobolds are a race of accomplished smiths, who stand about 3–4 feet tall and are given to cruelty. They look mostly human, though with pointed features and ears.
- In Sony Online Entertainment's EverquestEverQuestEverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
, kobolds are muscular creatures that are about half the height of most player models and resemble a mix between a canine and a gorilla. They can be found primarily in the Mines of Gloomingdeep tutorial zone as well as the Warrens zone next to the starting city Paineel. There are kobold populations scattered throughout several other zones, as well.
- In Mythic Entertainment's Dark Age of CamelotDark Age of CamelotDark Age of Camelot is a 3D medieval fantasy MMORPG, released on October 10 2001 in North America and in Europe shortly after through it's partner GOA. It is still running today recently celebrating its 10th anniversary....
, players are able to play a Kobold character if they choose the Norse realm of MidgardMidgardMidgard is one of the Nine Worlds and is an old Germanic name for our world and is the home of Humans, with the literal meaning "middle enclosure".-Etymology:...
. These Kobolds are blue-skinned, mischievous, and on a similar intellectual footing with the average Norseman.
- In the video game series XenosagaXenosagais a series of science fiction video games developed by Monolith Soft and published by Namco Bandai. Xenosaga's main story is in the form of a trilogy of PlayStation 2 video games. There have been three spin-off games and an anime adaptation. The Xenosaga series serves as a spiritual successor to...
, Kobolds are portrayed as a type of GnosisGnosisGnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge . In the context of the English language gnosis generally refers to the word's meaning within the spheres of Christian mysticism, Mystery religions and Gnosticism where it signifies 'spiritual knowledge' in the sense of mystical enlightenment.-Related...
that resemble a humanoid lizard with long scythe-like claws.
- In the video game series Quest for GloryQuest for GloryQuest for Glory is a series of hybrid role-playing/adventure computer games designed by Corey and Lori Ann Cole. The series combined humor, puzzle elements, themes and characters borrowed from various legends, puns, and memorable characters, creating a 5-part series of the Sierra stable.Although...
, a Kobold magic-user has captured the Baronet Barnard von Spielburg and transformed him into a bear.
- In Magic: The GatheringMagic: The GatheringMagic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
, Kobolds are a group of three 0-casting cost red creatures in the set Legends. There are the Crimson Kobolds, Kobolds of Kher Keep, and Crookshank Kobolds. There are also three 2-casting cost creatures that give them either a +0/+1 toughness boost and trample (Kobold Drill Sergeant), first strike (Kobold Overlord), or a +1/+0 power boost (Kobold Taskmaster).
- In Nintendo's Quest 64Quest 64Quest 64, released as Holy Magic Century in Europe, Australia and New Zealand and as in Japan, is a single-player role-playing game developed by Imagineer and published by THQ...
, Kobolds are wolf-like animorphic humanoids wearing sneakers, jeans, a shirt and biker gloves and seen in the forest after the second town. If you are too far to punch they will hurl a ground wind at you to attack and are often accompanied by "dolls" or other similar level backup.
- In World of WarcraftWorld of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, Kobolds are low-level humanoids primarily found in forests or mines. They live in colonies and are of low intelligence. They worship candles, and "You no take candle!" is a common "battle cry". They appear very ratlike, a possible reference to Warhammer's Skaven, a race of cave - dwelling and corrupt rat-folk.
- In the online alternative action shooter Gunz: The Duel, Kobolds are a tribe of creatures which appear in the Quest mode map "Prison" to swarm the player. In this, Kobolds appear vaguely reptilian and feline.
- In Etherlords series, Kobolds are a humanoid-like faction of shamans or mages. They are controlled by Chaots.
- In the MMORPG Mabinogi, Kobolds are being controlled by the antagonistic Fomors. However, both are depicted differently than their original depictions. The Fomors now resemble humans and the Kobolds now have pink or purple skin and very large ears and noses. Not all are antagonists, but as a species, they're considered evil. They wield bows, swords, clubs, pickaxes, and shields.
- In the Windows 95 title Die by the SwordDie by the SwordDie by the Sword is a computer swordfighting game developed by Treyarch, and published by Tantrum Entertainment on February 28, 1998...
, Kobolds are depicted as vicious, diminutive blue humanoid canine figures with quick, bouncy movements and squeaky voices.
- In the PSP action RPG series Valhalla KnightsValhalla Knightsis a fantasy action role-playing game developed by K2 LLC and published by Marvelous Entertainment for Sony PlayStation Portable.-Story:In a realm forgotten by history, humans, elves, halflings and other assorted races lived together in harmony in an untainted paradise surrounded by thick green...
, Kobolds are wolf-like Hostia that seem to accompany enemy Machines for unexplained reasons.
- In the internet cartoon Unforgotten Realms, Kobolds are depicted as furry slow-witted humanoid creatures wielding swords. They are led by a Kobold/Ogre crossbreed named Maelstrom, who is the series main antagonist, In seasons 1 and 2.
- In Achaea: Dreams of Divine LandsAchaeaAchaea is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The capital is Patras. The population exceeds 300,000 since 2001.-Geography:...
, Kobolds are one of the many creatures available for newcomers to kill in the land of Minia.
- In the PC game FATEFateFate commonly refers to destiny, a predetermined course of events.Fate may also refer to:* Moirae or Fates, in Greek mythology* Time and fate deities, personifications of time and human fate in polytheistic religions- Film and television :...
, there is a Kobold in the town that you can talk to who will give you quests to go on.
- In Dwarf FortressDwarf FortressSlaves to Armok: God of Blood, Chapter II: Dwarf Fortress, also called Slaves to Armok II: Dwarf Fortress, but most commonly known simply as Dwarf Fortress, is a freeware computer game by Bay 12 Games for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X set in a high fantasy universe that combines aspects of...
, Kobolds are depicted as a small reptiloid species, with tendencies of theft, banditry and ambushing.
- In "My Little Pony: Friendship is MagicMy Little Pony: Friendship is MagicMy Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is an animated television series that premiered on October 10, 2010 on the United States cable network The Hub, and is based on Hasbro's My Little Pony line of toys and animated works. The series is produced by Hasbro Studios and DHX Media Vancouver...
" there is an episode where a group of Kobolds appear. They are a slow-witted canine-like race who love collecting (stealing) precious stones.
- In "Baldur's GateBaldur's GateBaldur's Gate is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released in 1998 by Interplay Entertainment. The game takes place in the Forgotten Realms, a high fantasy campaign setting, using modified Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition rules...
" Kobolds are small, manic, brown goblin-like creatures.