Goblin Physiology

The power to use the abilities of goblins. Variation of Mythic Physiology. Not to be confused with Hobgoblin Physiology.

Also Called

• Drow/Dtrow/Trow/Trowe Body/Form/Mimicry/Physiology
• Gobblin/Gobeline/Gobling/Goblyn/Goblino/Gobbelin Body/Form/Mimicry/Physiology
• Goblin Body/Form/Mimicry

Capabilities

User with this ability either is or can transform into a goblin (also gobblin, gobeline, gobling, goblyn, goblino, and gobbelin, feminine: Goblette, plural: Goblettes), a small, ugly creatures who tend to be evil, crabby, and/or mischievous. While they're small and weak, goblins may make up for this by being clever and cunning. They may manufacture clever traps to trip up the unwary foe, or overwhelm them through sheer numbers. Either way, goblins in folklore and fantasy fiction are highly variable lot in both appearance and behavior. Generally speaking they are smallish humanoids, with pointy ears and features tending to pop up repeatedly.

A stronger form of goblin (which may or may not be conflated with the orc) may be known as a hobgoblin, though the term originally denoted the friendlier variety of goblin (the word 'hob' being derived either from the shelf at the back of a fireplace and thus indicating 'hearth and home' or from a Middle English nickname for "Robert"). English Puritans later started using the word 'hobgoblin', originally meaning a friendlier variety of goblin, to mean 'demon', which probably is why Tolkien used the word 'hobgoblin' to mean 'a bigger goblin'. This usage of the word was then propagated, by Dungeons & Dragons. While annoying, goblins are also more likely to be comedic, bumbling, or simply harder to take seriously than their bigger relatives.

A more recent trend in modern fantasy is to make them a merchant race with a unique gift for managing your money, or separating you from it. Another trend tends to give excessive interest on fire and explosives.

In folklore, goblins and especially hobgoblins were diminutive household pests, or at best wild creatures, and were typically conflated with whatever trolls and/or faeries fit the trope. If they were viewed at all as a mythical race, instead of just monsters or diminutive faeries of the nasty sort, they would be generally viewed as the "dark" version of elves or dwarves in that culture.

Applications

• Enhanced Dexterity
• Enhanced Endurance

Variations

• Enhanced Crafting
• Enhanced Instincts
• Enhanced Intelligence
• Enhanced Thievery
• Enhanced Trapping
• Enhanced Wits

Types of Goblin

• Hobgoblin Physiology
• Redcap Physiology

Associations

• Bogeyman Physiology
• Fairy Physiology
  • Fairy Magic
• Goblinoid Magic
• Gremlin Physiology
• Imp Physiology
• Mythic Physiology
• Pukwudgie Physiology
• Trickster

Known Users

See Also: Our Goblins are Different and Goblins.

Gallery

The Destiny Stone (Aladdin: The Animated Series) had transmorphed Aziz into an Imp/Goblin like creature with mystical breath.

Herbert the Goblin (American Dragon: Jake Long)

Mountain Goblin (American Dragon: Jake Long)

Creeper (The Black Cauldron)

Goblin (Harry Potter)

Goblins (Labyrinth)

The Oomps (Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland)

Kollekio (Marchen Awakens Romance) is a goblin working for the Chess Pieces, where he holds the rank of a Bishop.

Harold Osborn/Hobgoblin (Marvel Comics)

Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (Marvel Comics)

Harold Russell/Goblin-By-Night (Marvel Comics)

Norman Russell/Goblin-By-Night (Marvel Comics)

Morris (Sofia the First)

Green Goblin (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)

Goblins (The Spiderwick Chronicles)

Bog King (Strange Magic)

Griselda (Strange Magic)

Goblins (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia)

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