OSR: Class: Many Goblins

So you want to play a goblin. Here are the rules for playing one goblin.

But what if you want to play many goblins?
This can happen because you Get Good (i.e. level) as a Goblan and recruit a Goblin Friend and then you meet more Goblins, or because you just met and recruited a bunch of goblins.

Cory Trego Erdner

Class: Many Goblins

Based on Joseph Manola's The Extras, but adapted for the GLOG.

Many Goblins act as one character. There are a lot of them (though the exact amount seems to vary from scene to scene) and they contribute about as much as one actual character (at best). They are a bunch of goblins milling about in the back of the scene, doing goblin things, kind of half-paying attention, and mostly serving as colourful detail.

Starting Item: many daggers, filthy rags, fleas, etc. 1 random item
Starting Skill: goblan

A: Shared Totals
B: +1 Goblin Warlord
C: +1 Goblin Warlord, Use Thing
D: +1 Goblin Warlord, New Thing

Many Goblins gain +2 HP every level. If this would take them over 20 HP, they instead split into Two Many Goblins and lose half their maximum HP. One half runs away to plague someone else.

MtG Goblin Offensive
Flavour Text: "They certainly are."

Shared Totals
Many Goblins have a shared HP pool just like a normal character. Every point of damage causes a single goblin to die in an inconsequential background sort of way. Area of affect attacks and traps only affect them once. Single-target Save or Die effects instead cause Many Goblins to lose 1 HP. Other single-target spells usually affect all the goblins. Mutations might affect all the goblins or become a Thing they can use (see Use Thing below).

Somehow they consume the same ration as one person.

If Many Goblins are reduced to 0 HP, they become strewn about the place, wounded and moaning, miserable and unable to help anyone until healed. If they are reduced below 0 HP they all die in a suitably tragic-comic fashion. The only survivors will be the Goblin Warlords (see below).
 
Many Goblins have 5 inventory slots total. They can carry more things but they will inevitably lose, smash, ruin, sell, or eat all but 5 items. Weapons and armour are carried separately and do not occupy inventory slots. In order to gain any benefit from a weapon, armour set, or magic item, Many Goblins need 10 copies. Give them 10 swords and they deal sword damage, etc. They spend money collectively and irresponsibly.

If you need to determine exactly how Many Goblins are present, roll 1d12+6. This number varies encounter to encounter and even round to round. When performing basic unskilled labour, like digging a trench or carrying buckets, Many Goblins count as 10 people for the first hour, 5 people the next hour, and give up after the third hour. They occupy an area 20' square whenever possible, spreading as needed (a 5' wide 80' long line, etc.)

Goblin Warlord
One goblin in the swarm has earned a name. Once per encounter, for one round, the named goblin can do something different than the other Many Goblins. They could run to warn the PCs while the rest of the Many Goblins fight something. At the end of the round, the Goblin Warlord is absorbed back into the swarm. Goblin Warlords get a name (here are some examples) and a very short description like, "has a horned helmet" or "smells of cheese."

If the Many Goblins die, each Goblin Warlord becomes a Level 1 Goblan with no bonuses, the stats of the Many Goblans, and 2 HP. If the Goblin Warlords find some more goblins, or spend some time in an area where goblins are likely to be found, they can recombine to form a new Level 2 Many Goblans. Only 1 Goblin Warlord survives this process. You can use orphans, urchins, drunkards, wastrels, and particularly cunning feral dogs to fill out the ranks. Goblinism is contagious.

Use Thing
Many Goblins can now be given magic items or special tools. They can use them once per encounter, collectively. This could be a Goblin Warlord action. The goblin with the magic wand fires it, the goblin with the serrated weasel-thrower uses it, then steps back into the crowd.

New Thing
Many Goblins gain a special 6th inventory slot that contains a random item rolled on this table (or another table of junk). Roll the item randomly each encounter. If the Many Goblins run into another room or out of sight (one round at least) and then run back (a second round) they can reroll the item.

You don't play the shirtless guy. You play the other guys.
MtG Enthralling Victor

Mechanical Notes on Many Goblins

It's a bit hard to wrap your head around at first, but it does seem fun. Goblins! Goblins everywhere!
Q: Can you multiclass?
     A: Maybe? Sure?
Q: What happpens when...
     A: Look, don't worry about it, will figure it out if it comes up in play.

Mark Facey

Not Just Goblins
You can use this class to play any reasonably dim and swarmy group, from Vegepygmies to Kobolds, just by varying the starting race. Many Goblins still gain the Goblin race benefits.

Veins of the Earth Notes
If Many Goblins die, all but the Goblin Warlords (or 1 dead goblin) will turn out to be tragic-comically inedible. 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
GOBLINS!