Ok, we're on part three! If you missed the first post, here are the parameters of how we're examining each of the revised/reprinted races in Monsters of the Multiverse. With that out of the way, let's get started!
Goblins:
Like their Bugbear and Hobgoblin kin, the first thing you'll notice is that they've now got Fey Ancestry, which gives them advantage on saves against Charm effects (the sleep element of Fey Ancestry found on Elves is now part of the Trance ability). (Oh, and they now get the "goblinoid" tag tying them mechanically to the other goblinoid races).
The only real change beyond that is to how Fury of the Small works. The damage bonus is now equal to your proficiency bonus, rather than your level. But you can now do it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest (you can only use it once per turn). This is obviously a big nerf to the damage (except, I guess, at level 1) but the ability to use it multiple times causes it to scale up a bit later on. Still, I might count this as a nerf given that the ability to tack on a pretty huge burst of damage each short rest might be more appealing than tacking on a bit of damage more frequently - with just one short rest a day, a level 15 character is doing 30 damage with the old trait, but only 25 with the new one.
Now, obviously, the general ability score flexibility and the fully new Fey Ancestry are buffs, and I think this version of Fury of the Small is still appealing, but this is at the least the closest I've seen to a nerf in all these revisions.
Goliaths:
Other than the ability score flexibility, the only change I see here is a change to Stone's Endurance. You can now use this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest, instead of once per short rest. I would generally call this a buff.
Otherwise, the only change is that they combined Natural Athlete and Powerful Build into a single trait called Little Giant.
Harrengon:
Like Fairies, these are unchanged from Wild Beyond the Witchlight, which is unsurprising.
Hobgoblins:
The last of the Goblinoids, these are... well, now tagged with the "goblinoid" creature subtype.
Here, we see some very significant changes, reflecting new lore regarding the Hobgoblins' origin and culture.
Like Bugbears and Goblins, you get Fey Ancestry, giving you advantage on saving throws against charm effects.
Martial Training and Saving Face are gone. Instead, Hobgoblins get Fey Gift and Fortune from the Many.
Fey Gift allows you to take the Help action as a bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. Once you hit 3rd level, when you use this trait, you can also pick an extra option. Hospitality gives you and the target of your Help action temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your proficiency bonus. Passage gives you and the creature you 10 extra feet of walking speed until the start of your next turn. Spite makes it so that, until the start of your next turn, the first time the creature you help hits a target with an attack roll, that target (the one they hit) has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes within the next minute.
Fortune of the Many actually works the same as Saving Face, except that the maximum bonus is +3 instead of +5, but you can also use it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest, rather than once per short rest.
This is a more extensive redesign, and so it's harder to classify it as a clear buff or nerf. Light Armor is, I think, less of a terrible loss than something like Medium Armor (which can buff your AC significantly more with less of an investment in stats) and I think it's rare that a character lacks proficiency with the kinds of weapons they would want to use. Fortune of the Many gets a buff and a nerf, but the nerf might be irrelevant if you're in a smaller party. So, I'd say this is probably more of a buff than a nerf, overall.
Kenku:
This race gets a change that I think will be devastating to some and powerfully relieving to others. Apparently the idea that Kenku can only communicate through mimicry was a new idea for 5th Edition, and this revision rolls that back. But, let's look at the specifics.
The Mimicry feature, interestingly, no longer contests another creature's Insight check against your Deception, but instead uses a DC determined by your Charisma. Obviously, this could be considered a buff or nerf depending on whether you're proficient in Deception.
And you might not be, because Kenku Training is gone. But you get something better.
Expert Forgery has been renamed Expert Duplication, but seems unchanged. In place of Kenku Training, you now have Kenku Recall. You get two skill proficiencies of your choice (so, that's actually a flat buff). Additionally, when you make an ability check with any skill in which you have proficiency, you can give yourself advantage on the roll (before you roll) a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.
In place of Kenku Training, you now have Kenku Recall. You get two skill proficiencies of your choice (so, that's actually a flat buff).
Also, you pick Small or Medium as your size when you pick the race.
So, I think this is almost certainly a buff. While you might have scenarios in which you'd be better off being able to make a contested Deception check rather than having a flat DC for your Mimicry, I think the difference is pretty slim. (It also makes it feel different than a normal Deception check - the old version could arguably be done by any character). I think the change to the lore, though, is the biggest buff here. While I've seen players have a real ball when playing up the mimicry-only speech system, I think a lot more players will feel comfortable jumping into this (and nothing is preventing you from still going mimicry-only).
Kobolds:
So, Kobolds get some major changes. First off, they now have a 30-foot movement speed, which all the old 25-ft races are getting now.
Sunlight Sensitivity is gone, but so is Pack Tactics. Rogues will probably rejoice, given how any disadvantage (even if it's cancelled out) ruins Sneak Attack.
Grovel, Cower, and Beg is also gone. But in its place is Draconic Cry, which works the same but is activated as a bonus action, and you can use it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest, rather than once per short rest.
Additionally, you get Kobold Legacy. You choose one of the following three options: Craftiness gives you your choice of proficiency in Arcana, Investigation, Medicine, Sleight of Hand, or Survival. Defiance gives you advantage on saving throws agains the Frightened condition. And Draconic Sorcery gives you one cantrip from the Sorcerer spell list, but you can choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma for the spellcasting ability.
So, yes, Pack Tactics is amazing if you're consistently fighting indoors, at night, or underground. But Draconic Cry is a big buff over Grovel, Cower and Beg, and the Kobold Legacy feature can be really powerful - getting Green-Flame Blade as a cantrip for just about any melee class can be massive, and the other options are useful and flexible. I'll say this is a qualified buff - again, Pack Tactics is an insanely powerful feature, but losing Sunlight Sensitivity might balance out its loss. Also, of note, Kobolds (once their -2 to Strength was removed) only have a +2 to Dexterity in the old version, so you are going to be getting slightly better ability score boosts with the new system.
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