Ender's Crafts: Painting D&D kobolds

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Painting D&D kobolds

Along with the rest of the reptilian crew (Yuan-ti Broodguard, Troglodytes), here's a bunch of simple kobolds miniatures from various D&D boardgames. Kobold Dragonshields and Dragonlords from Wrath of Ashardalon; Sorcerers and Skirmishers from Castle Ravenloft.

Kobold Dragonlords and Dragonshields

I have 3 Dragonlords and 9 Dragonshields, so I did 3 groups in different colors.

Prime Leadbelcher, then coat everything Nuln Oil and drybrush silver. Since they are mostly armor, we are almost done.

I envisioned them serving (and/or spawned near) different colored dragons. So the red dragon guys get Blood Angels Red skin/scales and Flesh Tearers Red shields. Note that undiluted, the Contrast paints quickly overwhelm the undercoat. I diluted everything, including the other following colors, 1:1.

Talassar Blue and Ultramarines Blue.

Ork Flesh and Dark Angels Green.

Then, it's just the leather straps and backpacks: simplified Medium leather.

Kobold Sorcerers

I got two of these guys and they're mostly cloth. Prime Wraithbone. Basecoat the cloak Cygor Brown.

Try a dark leather scheme on the first one. Paint the bottom half of the cloak Black Templar, then feather it out.

Paint the upper half Blood Angels Red, then feather it out. Looks good, but I'd do some highlights on anything more complex.

The second guy gets a more ragged appearance with a stippling of Dark Fleshtone.

Then, mix in Tan for a second stippling.

They have some metallic details, and then cleanup the skin using Wraithbone. I did the skin in Ork Flesh and Talassar Blue to echo the skintones of the warriors. No highlights, as the areas are small and at least these Contrast paints did their job.

Kobold Skirmishers

I did these guys separately as I expected skirmishers to be lighter in arms and armor. Turns out, not really. I used the exact same methods as for the Dragonshields, and borrow something from the Troglodytes by highlighting the wood Khaki.