Hobgoblin



Hobgoblins, sometimes known simply as brutes, oafs, or mooks, are large, mutated goblins most commonly found guarding goblin settlements, acting as bodyguards or even serving as mounts. They were once regular goblins, but have been altered by some foul alchemy to become tough, powerful, and "dumber than an ogre with a hangover".

The sweat of hobgoblins is considered acidic. They are shown to be affected by kaja'mite just like normal goblins. According to Sky Admiral Rogers, the Dominance Offensive brought in Heavy Mooks in order to hide behind their bodies during the battles in the Krasarang Wilds.

Hobgoblins made their first appearance in World of Warcraft with the Cataclysm expansion.

Background
The Alchemists' Union's greatest creations are the dread hobgoblins. As large as an orc and resembling a bulky purple goblin, hobgoblins are alchemically created for strength and simplicity, despite their physical and emotional instability. Hobgoblin don't wander around the world too often as almost all members of the subrace are kept in Undermine’s halls, however, the occasional hobgoblin forms some form of independence and escapes. Hobgoblins are stupid, brutal troops that goblins created with their mad alchemy. Goblins created hobgoblins by experimenting on their own kind. The alchemically-wrought changes in hobgoblins did more than increase their size and strength and decrease their mental faculties. Perhaps the most well-known fact about them is their short lives. If a hobgoblin lives to his third year, he's ancient. Hobgoblins either don’t realize their lives are pitifully short (which is likely, due to their limited intellect) or they don't care. Hobgoblins can also alter their personal metabolisms, channeling their adrenalin into the muscles that most need it. Their sweat is acidic, and they are capable of bursts of amazing speed that will reduce them to unconscious piles.

One frightening change the alchemy wrought was on hobgoblin emotions and psychology. Hobgoblins are unstable, and their goblin masters find them difficult to control. They have a number of tactics — ranging from the violent to the culinary — to convince hobgoblins to obey, but because of this instability goblins use hobgoblins only rarely. Hobgoblins grunt out phrases in Common and Goblin. When hobgoblins use one of their alchemically-created abilities, they secrete a sticky acid that build up on their skin and eventually becomes coated with this acid. Creatures that touch them or are touched by them are harmed by this acid. If enough of this acid builds up they are capable of shaking themselves like a dog, spraying the acid on nearby creatures. However, this acid is also highly flammable and will burst into flames should the hobgoblin come into contact with fire. The most insane hobgoblins set themselves on fire before entering combat.