Hobgoblin Taker

Hobgoblin Taker (CR 4)

Lawful Evil - Medium - Fey

Lore:	Know (Nature)
8		23
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

8

Perception:
18	+8
Passive	Active

Ambush:

9+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses
• Darkvision 40 ft.

Movement Types:

• Walk 30 ft.

Defense

AC

21

Man Def

19

Monster Health
61	30	6
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+7
Refl:	+2
Will:	+3

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Medium
5 ft.		5 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+7

Man Off

+8

Action

0

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Hob Sword +7 (1d8+3/18-20 x2)
  as piercing (physical, common)
  plus Bladeslap

Full Attack (Melee):

• 3x Hob Sword +7 (1d8+3/18-20 x2)
  as piercing (physical, common)
  plus Bladeslap

Standard Attack (Ranged):

• 1x Hob Gnob +7 (1d8+3/18-20 x2)
  as bludgeoning (physical, common)
  (Increment: 30 ft.; Max Range: 150 ft.)

Full Attack (Ranged):

• 3x Hob Gnob +7 (1d8+3/18-20 x2)
  as bludgeoning (physical, common)
  (Increment: 30 ft.; Max Range: 150 ft.)

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

14

STR

16

DEX

16

CON

12

INT

12

WIS

8

CHA

Skills:

• Diplomacy: 7
• Intimidate: 7
• Knowledge (Nature): 7
• Perception: 8
• All other skills: 2 (no ranks)

Languages: Awnsheghlien

Feats:

• Combat Reflexes (EFFECT: Monsters with this feat make up to 4 attacks of opportunity per round instead of one.)

Special Abilities

Enslave (Su) Out of Combat

When they catch slaves, Takers enact a fearful ritual upon them to ensure their compliance. They take Cold Iron and very carefully craft it into chains, heating it in their red forges to denature the poisoned substance. They take the white hot metal and hammer it into slave shackles upon their victims. This breaks the creature's will to the hobgoblin's, and thus you will see cruelly chained and shackled monsters in hobgoblin encounters. Enslaved: This is a strong status condition that applies only to monsters with an INT score. The monster becomes subservient to the hobgoblins and will do whatever it is told. The reforged Cold Iron shackles give enslaved monsters DR/Cold Iron equal to their CR ÷ 2. Enslaved creatures grant 10% more XP and treasure to reflect their stronger combat stats. Enslaved can be cured only by casting Remove Curse (Cleric Spell), or using an ability with a comparable effect.

Bladeslap (Su) Automatic 1/Rnd

Up to once per round, a creature just struck by the Hobgoblin's Hob Blade attack must make a FORT save versus a DC of 16. If they fail the save, they suffer 1d8+3 points of buffeting (physical, uncommon) damage, and gain the Secured condition until the start of the hobgoblin's next turn. If they succeed on the save, they are not secured and only take half the buffeting damage. Hobgoblins don't want to KILL you, they want to CATCH you....

Hobgoblin Taker

Hobgoblins are the cruelest and most common of the Low Fey. Although technically Outsiders, they live on the Prime material in large numbers, their enclaves generally isolated. By the measures of more 'normal' races, the Hobgoblins, like all fey, are quite insane. Their motives and reasoning are just-so-subtly...off.

For example. Hobgoblins are quite formidable beings. If they formed armies and marched on their neighbors, they could establish nations and empires easily enough. But they do not. They don't care about such things, being content to live in small towns and thorps, a few dozen here, a few hundred there.... That is all that they are interested in. Hobgoblins are far more interested in their byzantine social lives and the torment of their slaves than they are about worrying over living space, to be honest.

Hobgoblin Takers are the most common 'rabble' Hobgoblins. They are serfs and trash, beggars and scrabblers, menials and cheap security, ekeing their way along the lowest levels of Hobgoblin Society. Takers are very likely to be found out and about, picking through the edges of other, lesser, societies. Takers are the hungry, aggressive, upward-seeking Hobgoblins. They are skilled with whips and chains, and will Enslave anything they can get shackles upon. Many a Taker has raised itself with a coffle of slaves, and they are all eager to do the same.

Combat Tactics

Hobgoblin Takers are cruel things, and will mercilessly drive any available Enslaved monsters to the attack as disposable shields. They will stay behind these Enslaved and use their Hob Knobs to attack past them. They prefer to switch to their Hob Blades fairly early in the combat so they can use their Blade Slap ability, both to end the fight faster, and to take slaves. Hobgoblins are well aware of their Combat Reflexes ability, and will maneuver so that foes have to move, trying to provoke more attacks of opportunity.

If the fight is going poorly and they have Enslaved monsters remaining, they will use the Enslaved to block pursuit and attempt to flee, so they can warn the rest of their tribe that a strong foe has arrived. If unable to break free, they will concentrate attacks and fight to the death.

Out of Combat

Takers are the 'lowly nothings' of Hobgoblic society, because they have few stories to tell, and they have few or even no slaves to their credit. Even their Hob Knobs, those peculiarly shaped shot-put-like throwing weapons they dote upon, are plain and of poor quality. Takers are very interested in correcting all of these things. As a result, Takers can be found raiding for tales and flesh all over, and are likely to be encountered almost anywhere, looking for trouble.

Rewards

XP: 1,200

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 1,188 gp.

Weight: 40 lbs.     Volume: 1.6 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 10	Nothing Found
11 - 14	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
15 - 17	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
18 - 19	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
6 - 10	3 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
11 - 14	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
15 - 17	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
18 - 19	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
6 - 8	3 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
9 - 11	3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
12 - 14	3 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
15 - 17	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
18 - 19	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)