Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Actions
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
How goblins fight
A goblin has 7 hit points and dies to almost any hit, but AC 15 means 1st-level characters miss it about half the time. Its trick is Nimble Escape: it can Disengage or Hide as a bonus action every turn. Played well, a goblin shoots its shortbow, ducks out of sight, and shoots again from hiding with advantage.
Hiding needs somewhere to hide. In heavy undergrowth, darkness or a ruin full of corners, goblins are a nasty ambush. In an open field, Nimble Escape is just a free Disengage and they go down quickly.
Running goblins at the table
Ambush. Goblins have darkvision to 60 feet. Fight in the dark against characters who don’t, and the goblins attack with advantage while the characters attack with disadvantage.
Hit and run. Shoot, then Hide. Or stab, then Disengage and fall back behind the next goblin.
Break and flee. Goblins look out for themselves. When half of them are down, the rest scatter, which is also a good way to lead the party to the rest of the tribe.
Mix them. A few goblins with a hobgoblin or bugbear in charge, or mounted on wolves, makes a more interesting fight than a pile of goblins.
Common questions
How many goblins for a party of four 1st-level characters?
By the Dungeon Master’s Guide’s encounter math, two goblins is Easy, three is Hard, and four is Deadly on paper: 200 XP, doubled for a group of four, is exactly the party’s Deadly threshold of 400. In practice goblins die fast in the open, so four is a fair fight unless they ambush from cover.
How does a goblin use a shield and a shortbow?
It can’t, strictly. The shortbow needs two hands, so a goblin shooting isn’t using its shield and should be AC 13, not 15. Many DMs ignore this; some drop the shield and use AC 13 for archers.
How much XP is a goblin worth?
50 XP at challenge 1/4. The Dungeon Master’s Guide’s group multiplier only affects how hard the fight is, not the XP the party earns.
Where is the goblin boss?
The 2014 goblin boss is in the Monster Manual but not the SRD 5.1. The 2024 rules put one in the SRD 5.2: the goblin boss, CR 1 with AC 17, 21 hit points, two attacks a turn and a reaction that redirects an attack onto a nearby ally. A hobgoblin or bugbear also makes a good leader.
Can I play a goblin?
Yes. The builder includes the goblin race, with Nimble Escape and Fury of the Small, from Volo’s Guide to Monsters and Monsters of the Multiverse.
CR 1/4, the same challenge as a goblin. Pack Tactics and a bite that knocks you prone. Goblins often keep them, or ride worgs.
How many goblins for a fight?
A goblin is worth 50 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many goblins fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
1st
4
6
8
2nd
8
12
12+
3rd
12
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the goblin compares at CR 1/4
Against the 31 other challenge 1/4 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the goblin has more hit points than 2 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 1/4 monster.
Statistic
Goblin
CR 1/4 average
Armor Class
15
11.7
Hit points
7
15
Best attack bonus
+4
+4
2024 stat block: Goblin Warrior
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the goblin, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
It’s called the Goblin Warrior in the 2024 rules.
Its creature type changed from humanoid to fey.
Hit points: 7 → 10.
Ability scores: DEX 14 → 15.
Armor Class
15 (leather armor, shield)
Hit Points
10 (3d6)
Speed
30 ft.
Challenge
1/4 (50 XP)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
8 (-1)
15 (+2)
10 (+0)
10 (+0)
8 (-1)
8 (-1)
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages
Common, Goblin
Gear
Leather Armor, Scimitar, Shield, Shortbow
Actions
Scimitar. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Slashing damage, plus 2 (1d4) Slashing damage if the attack roll had Advantage.
Shortbow. Ranged Attack Roll: +4, range 80/320 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Piercing damage, plus 2 (1d4) Piercing damage if the attack roll had Advantage.
Bonus actions
Nimble Escape. The goblin takes the Disengage or Hide action.
