Volo's and the Firbolg

[GorogIrongut]

So I just came across the fact that Volo's Guide to Monsters is coming out and that it's going to be comparable to EE and SCAG. To be honest, while I like the idea of more monsters, I'm really drawn to the fact that there will be new player races in it. So far I've heard confirmed goblins, orcs and firbolgs... These are all very good things in my book.

Now, I was less familiar with the firbolg and a quick google search made me smile even more. The (irish) 'Gentle Giant' is a pleasing thought to me. Now I've got to admit part of this is because they're reputed to be the most intelligent of giants. This is because I've been tempted to play an intelligence based class, but when I really, really looked at it. There were no races that I wanted to play. Some I thoroughly hate. So even though I'm tempted to play these classes, for roleplaying purposes I can't.

Now, I'm willing to admit that it's a long shot that Firbolg will get a +X to their intelligence, but this got me thinking about how I would make firbolg be a playable race.

For me, I would have them be large. I would give them a +2 to constitution and a +1 to intelligence. I've yet to decide what armour or skills they might come with. Now, this doesn't come across as very giantish to me just yet. So a thought came to me. If firbolg are of the gentle giant type, perhaps they don't unleash their inner giant until sufficiently motivated.

To portray this, I would have it count as such, the stats remain as above until the firbolg has been taken down to a 1/3 of their hit points. At that point they would become so enraged that their mental statistics (wisdom/intelligence/charisma) would halve. And their physical statistics (strength/dexterity/constitution) would... not double. But their bonuses would double. So for example, someone with a constitution of 16 would have a +3 to their con checks/hit points. When this ability kicked in, that would jump to a +3. In the case of a negative bonus it would double. The example being of an 8 dexterity that's a -1... then being doubled to a -2.

This could be crippling or life saving and very hard to plan for.

Now again, I have zero thought that I'm even close to how it would turn out. But my excitement is still at a peak, so I was curious what you would do to represent the firbolg.

[ZX6Rob]

So I just came across the fact that Volo's Guide to Monsters is coming out and that it's going to be comparable to EE and SCAG. To be honest, while I like the idea of more monsters, I'm really drawn to the fact that there will be new player races in it. So far I've heard confirmed goblins, orcs and firbolgs... These are all very good things in my book.

Now, I was less familiar with the firbolg and a quick google search made me smile even more. The (irish) 'Gentle Giant' is a pleasing thought to me. Now I've got to admit part of this is because they're reputed to be the most intelligent of giants. This is because I've been tempted to play an intelligence based class, but when I really, really looked at it. There were no races that I wanted to play. Some I thoroughly hate. So even though I'm tempted to play these classes, for roleplaying purposes I can't.

Now, I'm willing to admit that it's a long shot that Firbolg will get a +X to their intelligence, but this got me thinking about how I would make firbolg be a playable race.

For me, I would have them be large. I would give them a +2 to constitution and a +1 to intelligence. I've yet to decide what armour or skills they might come with. Now, this doesn't come across as very giantish to me just yet. So a thought came to me. If firbolg are of the gentle giant type, perhaps they don't unleash their inner giant until sufficiently motivated.

To portray this, I would have it count as such, the stats remain as above until the firbolg has been taken down to a 1/3 of their hit points. At that point they would become so enraged that their mental statistics (wisdom/intelligence/charisma) would halve. And their physical statistics (strength/dexterity/constitution) would... not double. But their bonuses would double. So for example, someone with a constitution of 16 would have a +3 to their con checks/hit points. When this ability kicked in, that would jump to a +3. In the case of a negative bonus it would double. The example being of an 8 dexterity that's a -1... then being doubled to a -2.

This could be crippling or life saving and very hard to plan for.

Now again, I have zero thought that I'm even close to how it would turn out. But my excitement is still at a peak, so I was curious what you would do to represent the firbolg.

Well, it's an interesting mechanical idea, but I think it somewhat goes against the grain of 5e. One of the things I think the system tries very hard to avoid is having situations in which a person goes, "Oh, wait, I forgot that because of X, I get to add a +Y to Z. Did I hit it now?" As such, the abilities that grant you bonuses do so by giving you extra dice, a physical reminder of your actual bonus. Bardic inspiration or battlemaster maneuvers, for instance. Advantage, for another example, represents a bonus due to circumstance, but does so without having to remember when to apply numbers on the character sheet.

I'm not crazy about giving variable stats to creatures, so if I were to represent the Firbolg, I don't think I would do so in that manner. That being said, if you wanted to, I would instead come up with a racial power of sorts. Either once a trigger happens, or when you decide, you can roll, say, 1d4 and temporarily increase your STR by the amount shown on the die, while decreasing your INT by the same amount. You can't do it again until you finish a short/long rest (adjust as needed to maintain balance). You'd need some heavy vetting of this mechanic (I'm not at all claiming it's balanced as-is), but I feel like that'd be more within the realm of how 5e handles this sort of thing.

Honestly, I'm curious to see how Volo's Guide differentiates Firbolg from Half-Orcs and Goliaths. As a race whose only real trait is "big", I don't know how they'll do it. STR and CON bonuses, probably, plus a ribbon ability that increases your ability to carry a load as though you were a size bigger or something like that, I'd bet.

[Belac93]

I'm assuming that they will have +2 strength, +1 constitution and intelligence, and the ability to cast the Reduce part of Enlarge/Reduce once per long rest. Probably some other abilities as well.

If you think about it, being large size is actually a disadvantage. Yes, you have an enormous carry weight, but you also can't get through many doors, and need to squeeze in many dungeon areas. I think Fireblogs will be large size, with some good abilities to counteract that.

I am praying that they don't just make them medium size with powerful build. That would just be really lame, and I would probably rarely play one then.

[Draco4472]

Firbolgs being giants, I would rule them as large creatures.

For racial bonuses probably +2 to Str. or Con., and +1 to Int. Potentially vice-versa.

Maybe racial spells? Perhaps a feature similar to that of the high-elf's where they learn a wizard cantrip and/or spell.

Probably going to end up built as beefy wizards. I'm interested to see how WotC presents these and the other races. I heard Kobolds would be included as a player race myself.

[MrStabby]

I just hope they don't make them large. I don't want to sit through that many games with everyone playing a grappling Firbolg.

[Belac93]

I heard Kobolds would be included as a player race myself.

Hopeful source?

Also, I previously saw posts somewhere (either on reddit or twitter) that pretty much made it certain we are getting Tritons and Catfolk. Does anyone else remember that?

[RickAllison]

Hopeful source?

Also, I previously saw posts somewhere (either on reddit or twitter) that pretty much made it certain we are getting Tritons and Catfolk. Does anyone else remember that?

Yes on catfolk, I'm hoping the jaguar people

[Belac93]

Yes on catfolk, I'm hoping the jaguar people

I'm guessing they will be Rakasta. Do you have links?

[RickAllison]

I'm guessing they will be Rakasta. Do you have links?

It was a tweet from Chris Perkins:

If you can wait a few months, we'll make your wish come true. https://twitter.com/trogaf/status/739144735181283328 …

In response to a request for official catfolk race.

[Belac93]

It was a tweet from Chris Perkins:

If you can wait a few months, we'll make your wish come true. https://twitter.com/trogaf/status/739144735181283328 …

In response to a request for official catfolk race.

Thanks! It does say campaign, but hopefully it's just been changed to Volo's Guide.