Class for a Frost Giant

[Telonius]

"Bell, Book, and Candle" people, please stay out if you happen across this.






So, I'm statting up an encounter for a group of 15th-level characters, low to mid optimization. Party composition is Artificer, Cleric, Ranger (ranged), Rogue2/Beguiler13. Notable houserule: Ranger and Druid swap companions, Rapid Shot scales (1 extra arrow at each iterative). Only the Ranger is an experienced player, the rest are new to D&D (Artificer, Beguiler) or new to 3.5 (Cleric - AD&D was the last he'd played). In this encounter, a group of Kobolds have gotten the characters to retrieve an Orb of Dragonkind (White) from a Frost Giant kingdom. The Frost Giants have been lording it over the local population of White Dragons (not to mention the Kobold royal family, composed of White Dragonwrought kobolds) for years, and the kobolds are none to happy about that.

So, I'm trying to figure out a class for the Frost Giant Jarl who has the Orb. I figure I have about 6 levels to play with, to give them a CR 17 foe (assuming the Orb is going to make him +2 CR or so). He's LE. I'm not picturing him as a primary spellcaster. He's going to have some sort of a magic weapon, a black sword; haven't decided precisely what that's going to be yet. Knight would fit his personality, but it really doesn't do much as far as making him tougher. I'd like to have something that meshes well with the Orb's abilities (super-high AC, so not much of a need for armor; possibly better mobility).

Knight doesn't work, he doesn't strike me as a Ranger (being more TH than TWF), Paladin's out. Warblade is a possibility, but I don't want to accidentally TPK the party. (They're kind of squishy, as you can see from the party composition). I really don't want to slap 6 levels of Fighter on him and call it a day. So... any suggestions?

[Nocharim]

A frost giant should have a fairly easy time qualifying for Discipline of Thrym [Frostburn p. 56]. Grants 1st to 5th level spellcasting from a preset list, mitigates some frost type weaknesses and grants melee stuff when using a great axe.

The spells are mainly cold oriented and should work well on hindering his opponents instead of boosting his own mobility.

[Garagos]

What about Crusader? Kinda fits the knight archetype but not as zealous as a paladin.

[WinWin]

Frost Giant/Spirit Shaman 2/Winterhaunt of Iborighu 10

Non associated class levels. The Winterhaunt prestige class synergises fairly well with the Orb of Dragonkind and any Druid spells that have their effects altered by the Energy Substituion feat.

It might seem overpowered at first glance, but...

The main focus of this character is dealing cold damage, which can be negated or reduced significantly if your party plans ahead. Frost Giant should be a clue to prep resist cold.

The main class features of the Winterhaunt PrC are dependant on an item. Normally the Winterhaunt gets a week to replace their Iceheart if it is destroyed, but fudging that requirement so that class abilities are lost immediately if the Iceheart is destroyed, could add an interesting tactical element to the encounter for newer players.

[Metahuman1]

I'd give him a level of Swordsage and the rest either Warblade, Binder, or Psi Warrior.

Psi Warrior get's you feats and manifesting of some very useful powers.

Binder get's you some potent useful passive buffs, some cool flavor items, and a couple of nice attack options to stretch maneuvers.

Warblade get's you a couple of neat Benny's, but those Iron Heart and White Raven maneuvers are gold.


Swordsage, pick up cool stuff form diamond mind, Setting Sun, and probably Stone Dragon. Meaning most of your stuff will be diamond mind and Setting Sun, but that's still workable, as those two schools have LOAD's of good options for a creature that size. (those setting sun throws will be terrifying, and so will those concentration check based tricks if yo max ranks there.)


And all of it get's really flavorful too.

Psi Warrior: My will is so supreme that I can alter reality around it!

Warblade and Swordsage: I have honed by skills in combat over centuries, you whelps will be crushed like ants!

Binder: I call forward the power of my fore fathers from Valhalla itself to aid me in your demise!

[angry_bear]

When in doubt, go bard. Just picture a frost giant yelling "I'll use your skin to snare my drum set!" And you're all set.

[Daftendirekt]

When in doubt, go bard. Just picture a frost giant yelling "I'll use your skin to snare my drum set!" And you're all set.

Snares have to be metal... :smallconfused:

[Gwendol]

They have the whole Norse thing going, so Bard, Barbarian, Fighter. Cleric could work as well, with carefully selected domains and memorized spells. Bear warrior would be awesome, but rebuilt for a giant obviously!

[holywhippet]

When in doubt, go bard. Just picture a frost giant yelling "I'll use your skin to snare my drum set!" And you're all set.
Bards cannot be lawful and the opening post said the Jarl is lawful evil.

Maybe some levels in the dervish PrC? It calls for little to no armor and after 10 levels you can double your number of attacks during a full attack.

[Gwendol]

Missed the alignement, sorry. Marshal then?

[hamishspence]

Bards cannot be lawful and the opening post said the Jarl is lawful evil.

The Devoted Performer feat in Complete Adventurer (for bard/paladins) allows bards to keep levelling despite having gained a Lawful alignment.

Maybe you could homebrew an evil version of the feat, for bard/paladin of tyranny, that has Smite Good instead of Smite Evil as a requirement, and allows NE bards that change to LE, to keep taking bard levels?

[Telonius]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I hadn't considered Bard; one of my houserules is to allow Lawful Bards (the lawful skald keeping the traditions of his culture has always seemed like an archetype the game ought to support). So, probably going with Bardsader (and picking mostly defensive maneuvers - all those racial hitdice as half initiator levels could get pretty nasty).

[Coidzor]

Limit yourself to 2 levels of Warblade or Crusader?

Maybe a level of (updated) Warrior Skald > Warchanter X?


Thanks for all the suggestions! I hadn't considered Bard; one of my houserules is to allow Lawful Bards (the lawful skald keeping the traditions of his culture has always seemed like an archetype the game ought to support). So, probably going with Bardsader (and picking mostly defensive maneuvers - all those racial hitdice as half initiator levels could get pretty nasty).

Well, he is a leader of menGIANTS! (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=9963.0) :smallbiggrin:

Crusader 2/Bard 4, awww yeaaaah. :smallamused: