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View Full Version : Half-Giant (Pathfinder Homebrew Race)



meshumekha
2010-08-11, 11:32 AM
I couldn't find anything explicit for it, so I made my own. I'm just wondering if anybody could provide some constructive criticism, maybe tell me if I'm overdoing or underdoing or incorrectly doing something? Maybe even just a pat on the back to let me know that it looks okay? Or a smiley face? Or a cookie or two? Preferably chocolate chip? I'll gladly give my mailing address to anybody who's got chocolate chip cookies.


HALF-GIANTS
Half-giants are shocking creatures. Though they are admired by humans for their sheer strength, they are also looked down upon for their lack of intelligence. And though some may come from tribes which are neutral, or even good, they are generally seen as barbarians and monsters. The giants see them as weak, and generally weed them out of their tribes by either killing them or exiling them. Though many do become brutes and a menace to society, some half-giants can escape the barbarism of their ancestors and these “civilized” half-giants can find their place within society and many have managed to live peaceful, uneventful lives.

Physical Description: Half-giants are taller than humans, but shorter than giants. Half-giants have a massive build, taking after their giant side. Skin color among half-giants ranges from light tan to deep, ruddy brown. Their hair is brown or black, with eyes the same color.

Society: As a half-blooded race, half-giants have no “homeland”, and instead must either somehow prove themselves to a human society or giant tribe, or survive on their own. Survival on their own is not too difficult, as their superior strength generally allows them to obtain most anything they could require in nature.

Relations: A half-giant understands loneliness, and knows that character is often less a product of race than of life experience. As such, half-giants are often open to friendships and alliances with other races, though they rarely occur, and half-giants are less likely to rely on first impressions when forming opinions of new acquaintances.

Alignment and Religion: A half-giants is generally influenced by isolation or by their giant brethren. Most giants recognize no law but the laws of nature, and therefore most are neutral good, neutral, chaotic good, chaotic neutral, or chaotic evil. Though some giant tribes are evil and godless, some civilized, farming tribes, follow Erastil for his wisdom and leadership. These tribes are nearly village-like in nature, generally even holding clerics and paladins based on Erastil’s ideals.

Adventurers: Staunchly independent, many half-giants take to lives of adventure out of necessity, seeking to escape their painful pasts or improve their lot through force of arms. Others, more optimistic or desperate for acceptance, take up the mantle of crusaders in order to leave their mark on the world.

HALF-GIANT RACIAL TRAITS
+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma, -2 Intelligence
Medium: Half-giants are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to size.
Normal Speed: Half-giants have a base speed of 40 feet.
Intimidating: Half-giants receive a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate skill checks.
Giant’s Gaze: Half-giants can gaze once per day: standard action, 30 ft range, cone whichever direction the giant is looking. If the creature succeeds on a Will save, it is shaken for 1 round. If the creature fails, the creature will be panicked until it succeeds at a Will save. If a panicked creature is cornered, it automatically begins cowering.
Weapon Familiarity: Half-giants are proficient with all simple weapons and clubs.
Languages: Half-giants begin play speaking Giant. Half-giants with high Intelligence bonuses can speak Common, Gnoll, Goblin, or Sylvan.

Revan Ordo
2010-08-12, 12:10 PM
meshumekha - I really like where you are going with this. It looks fairly good as is. However, I would make the following changes:

+2 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con

Lose:
Giant's Gaze - This is an interesting ability, it just doesn't seem to fit to me.

Add:
Powerful Build: The physical stature of half-giants lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger.
Whenever a half-giant is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the half-giant is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him.
A half-giant is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A half-giant can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.

Just my 2cp.

zdathen
2011-06-13, 09:48 PM
I like it but I think for Pathfinder it could use a little extra umph.

For instance in PFRPG almost all of the races default to a overall +2 to attributes (hence humans and half-elves get +2 anything and most other things get +2 to two things and -2 to one) also its good to have some flavor abilities that are fun to use and provide some good thematic support to the race. (I like Intimidating and giants gaze for these but I would replace the mechanics of giants gaze with something that allows a half giant to use intimidate more freely ex: once per encounter may use intimidate as a free action etc.. then maybe work in the shaken, panicked things)

In my game I have made half-giants type specific for instance this is my Half-Giant (Fire). Inspired largely by the half-giant in Psionics Unleashed by dreamscarred press, the Half-ogre in Tome of Secrets, and of course the Fire Giant in PFRPG Bestiary.

Half Giant (Fire) (Homebrew)
+4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Dexterity
Half Giants are immensely strong and tough, but are slow-witted
and often graceless.
Medium: Half-giants are Medium creatures and
have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Half-giants have a base speed of 30
feet.
Low-Light Vision: Half-giants can see twice as far as
humans in conditions of dim light.
Fire Acclimated: Half-giants receive fire resistance: 10
Powerful Build: The physical stature of half-giants
lets them function in many ways as if they were one
size category larger.
Whenever a half-giant is subject to a size modifier
or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as
during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip
attempts), the half-giant is treated as one size larger if
doing so is advantageous to him.
A half-giant is also considered to be one size larger
when determining whether a creature’s special attacks
based on size (such as grab or swallow whole) can affect
him.
A half-giant can use weapons designed for a creature
one size larger without penalty. However, his space
and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size.
The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of
powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s
size category.
Frightening: Half-giants receive a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate
Forge master: Half-giants receive a +2 Racial bonus to Craft
when working with metallic objects or forges.
Rockthrower: Half-giants receive Throw Anything as a bonus feat at
first level, furthermore a half-giant that possess the Deflect Arrows feat
may use it to deflect unusually massive ranged weapons provided they are
not more than 2 size categories larger than the half-giants size (adjusted by Powerful Build),
a half-giant may not deflect spells or magical attacks with this ability.
Languages: Common, Giant. Half-giants with
high Intelligence scores can choose any of the
following: dwarven, goblin, orc, or ignan.

Xyphan
2014-10-18, 11:25 PM
Or you could just use the one in the Expande Psionics Hanndbook and drop the ECL bite