Goblinoid

Goblinoids are a category of humanoid related to the goblin. Goblinoids are typically barbaric foes of the various human and "demihuman" races.

In Dungeons & Dragons, the primary goblinoid races are (in order of increasing physical size and strength) goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears. All three are adept at sneaking around, although hobgoblins are more concerned with fighting. Later rules expansions and editions include many other variants. In editions prior to the third, orcs were considered goblinoids as well, but are now considered significant enough to be in a category of their own. The 1st edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Set said "The Goblin Races include all creatures such as Kobolds, Goblins, Orcs and Hobgoblins. Some sages extend the definition to Ogres, Bugbears, and Half-orcs." Monster Mythology lumped a similar range of creatures together as "goblinoids," but ogres were catalogued with giants. The definition has, since the third edition, been considerably narrowed.

Types of goblinoids

Amitok: White-furred Arctic hobgoblins.

Bakemono: Bakemonos are the "goblins" of the western, "oriental" regions of Oerik--small, powerfully muscled humanoids with the intelligence and the temperament of vicious attack dogs.

Bhuka: Good-aligned consummate survivors, with many physical adaptations to help them thrive in the deserts.

Blue: A subrace of goblins with an innate knack for psionics. Their bluish skin sets them apart from other goblins.

Bugbear: The biggest and strongest of the goblinoids, bugbears are more aggressive than their smaller relatives.

Goblin: The smallest, most common of the goblinoids.

Hobgoblin: Larger, far more aggressive than goblins, they wage a perpetual war with other humanoids, particularly elves.

Koalinth: A marine species of hobgoblin, similar to the land dwelling one in many respects, but having gills and able to live in fresh or salt water.

Nilbogs: A race of magical goblinoids that are healed by receiving damage and are damaged by healing spells. The name is "goblin" spelled backward, a reference to this reversal of effects. The exact connection between the nilbog and the llort, which shares its power to heal by receiving damage, is unknown.

Norker: Short, gruff goblinoids who possess a thick segmented hide and long canine teeth.

Snow Goblin: Shaggy humanoids with large throat sacs that they use to call to one another over long distances.

Thoul: A strange merging of a hobgoblin, a troll, and a ghoul.

Varag: Faster, stronger and more primitive than typical goblins, these have merely a predatory cunning. They often find work as mercenary scouts and raiders for hobgoblin warbands. They stand about seven feet tall when fighting, but typically move and run on all fours.

Vril: A race bred by drow to act as soldiers. They have violet skin with tiger stripes and can produce and are immune to sonic attacks.

Creative origins

Even though goblinoids in modern fantasy fiction are derived from J. R. R. Tolkien's orcs, in his Middle-earth "orc" and "goblin" were names for the same race of creatures.

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