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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next 5e's Giants, but with extra spice. (Warning, large (over 500KB) images.)



TigerT20
2021-05-29, 01:29 PM
I, and I feel many people, find the giant statblocks in 5e to be bland - storm and cloud get a pass (mostly because of casting) but stone giants are only alright and the others are just big ogres. So I decided to take their statblocks and spice them up a bit - mostly justifying new features in reaction to what their local dragons have, playing off the idea that their hatred of the dragons would make them adapt and learn new tactics to help fight against them.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/738461349096718427/850387677706846218/cloud_giant3.png?width=514&height=498

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/738461349096718427/850387629148471336/fire_giant.png?width=569&height=498

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/738461349096718427/850387586937782282/frost_giant.png?width=615&height=498

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/738461349096718427/850387544399151125/hill_giant1.png?width=653&height=498

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/738461349096718427/850387506821333013/stone_giant1.png?width=510&height=498

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/738461349096718427/850387458386296912/storm_giant1.png?width=452&height=498

So! Anyone got any advice or other feedback? Things you'd add or do differently?

Yakk
2021-05-30, 09:36 PM
I'd make the hurl be an opposed check (athletics/acrobatics). The varying DC is strange (why does hill have 17?).

The legendary on the hill giant is strange.

The one-non detect option is strange. The fire giant just puffs out smoke every round? Sort of strange.

Build-in magic items isn't something I'd do. How about a rune of free action? Leaning into the "Rune magic of the giants" could be a good way to spice things up.

Take a look at the Rune Knight fighter subclass. Give the giants their rune to start.

Hurl is 9d6 (31.5) damage, but costs an attack to hit. Which makes it a really complex way to ... do about as much damage as just swinging your weapon.
It is better on the weaker giants.

Maybe put a "snatch" into a legendary action (make a grapple check)?

Bolt Catching is a 13/20 (2/3) chance, but is mechanically complex. How about...

Bolt Catching: The Storm Giant has advantage on saving throws on spells and effects that deal lighting damage, and attacks that deal lighting damage are at disadvantage. If the Storm Giant saves against such an effect or such an attack misses, the Storm Giant takes no damage and Lighting Strike ability recharges.

But even that is a bit cumbersome.

sandmote
2021-05-31, 12:54 AM
I like the idea; a lot of 5e monsters are just bags of hit points that stand in front of the party. That said, some of these ideas feel like kind a stretch, like they're just filling space. I'd maybe take the specialty giants presented in Volo's Guide or the extra variant actions from Sky King's Thunder into account.

All Giants:
Top Heavy feels weird. Giants already get advantage against shove attempts due to their size, so I don't think its a good idea to grant them disadvantage on it. Also, I don't see why giants would be particularly more "top heavy" than any other creature of a similar body plan.
I rather like Hurl, because it's got some tactical use on top of the (otherwise equal to poor) damage. Sky King's Thunder introduced a variant "fling" action for most giant types, which was a lot weaker (not least because of that tactical use) that seemed somewhat underpowered. Applying it to an already grappled creature is a good fix. Finally, I'm surprised not to see any abilities that involve stomping.

One thing you could add is for the giants to be able to allow a grapple attempt as a legendary action for the more melee inclined giants. That could maybe leave most breath effects to the dragons that are famed for having them.

Cloud Giant:
Similarly, I agree that magic items are not a good idea to slap on the stat block for a generic version of any monster. If you want to slap them on an individual giant go ahead (you don't really need to even write up a stat block for it), but guaranteed loot isn't a good idea.

Fire Giant:
Sure footed would make more sense if you dropped Top Heavy from the other giants. They are all vaguely the same shape, after all. Fiery Glow is a looting issue like the ring you gave all cloud giants.

Frost Giants: as Mighty Puff doesn't actually cast the spell, I would write out the effects of icy effect. 5e design tries to minimize the need to flip between books to figure out what a monster can do.

Hill Giant:
Hill giants already have advantage to grapple anything large or smaller. Maybe grant them expertise on checks in catching flying creatures instead? I do like the idea that they're particularly skilled with their bare hands though, seeing as the fluff described them as too dumb to craft very much equipment.

Stone Giants:
For a huge creature, hiding as a bonus action is weird. When would they be able to obscure themselves to use this once they've been spotted?
Maybe grant them Stone Walk, and as a legendary action they stomp the ground into rough terrain?

Storm Giant
Bolt catching as a knockoff of the stone giant's rock catching is actually really neat, and I think would grant a nice flavor to the fight, where lighting is even a bad idea against the giant's minions. Maybe just make it automatic though, as the giants have innate, magical mastery over lightning and aren't actually using a skill with a chance to fail? I mean, at least the stone giant take damage from the stones they fail to catch, so a failure chance makes sense. Storm giants are straight up immune to lighting damage already.

TigerT20
2021-05-31, 08:10 AM
Thank you both for the feedback!


I'd make the hurl be an opposed check (athletics/acrobatics). The varying DC is strange (why does hill have 17?).

That's to match how the save DC for an effect would go up with higher CR.


The legendary on the hill giant is strange.

I wanted to give them something to put them above lesser giants, but also show they're still not quite in the same weight class as the rest of the giants.


The one-non detect option is strange. The fire giant just puffs out smoke every round? Sort of strange.

I did the frost giant first, giving them Mighty Puff (which was originally gust of wind) and wanting to give fire giants a counterpart when I did them next.


Build-in magic items isn't something I'd do. How about a rune of free action? Leaning into the "Rune magic of the giants" could be a good way to spice things up.

Take a look at the Rune Knight fighter subclass. Give the giants their rune to start.

Makes sense, I'll definitely change the ring and take a look at the RF.


Maybe put a "snatch" into a legendary action (make a grapple check)?

Good idea


Bolt Catching is a 13/20 (2/3) chance, but is mechanically complex. How about...

Bolt Catching: The Storm Giant has advantage on saving throws on spells and effects that deal lighting damage, and attacks that deal lighting damage are at disadvantage. If the Storm Giant saves against such an effect or such an attack misses, the Storm Giant takes no damage and Lighting Strike ability recharges.

But even that is a bit cumbersome.

I'll definitely look at simplifying it.



All Giants:
Top Heavy feels weird. Giants already get advantage against shove attempts due to their size, so I don't think its a good idea to grant them disadvantage on it. Also, I don't see why giants would be particularly more "top heavy" than any other creature of a similar body plan.

I wanted to make them susceptible to being knocked over like in media such as Gullivers Travels or Night at the Museum (although neither of those cases were actual giants...). Top-heavy was just the only name I could think of.


Finally, I'm surprised not to see any abilities that involve stomping.

Considered giving them a weaker attack that auto-grapples but thought it might interact weirdly with Hurl. Might add it when I make some of the other changes.


One thing you could add is for the giants to be able to allow a grapple attempt as a legendary action for the more melee inclined giants. That could maybe leave most breath effects to the dragons that are famed for having them.

Yep, will do


Cloud Giant:
Similarly, I agree that magic items are not a good idea to slap on the stat block for a generic version of any monster. If you want to slap them on an individual giant go ahead (you don't really need to even write up a stat block for it), but guaranteed loot isn't a good idea.

As above, so below


Fire Giant:
Fiery Glow is a looting issue like the ring you gave all cloud giants.

I'll make that a rune too.


Frost Giants: as Mighty Puff doesn't actually cast the spell, I would write out the effects of icy effect. 5e design tries to minimize the need to flip between books to figure out what a monster can do.

Ok. I might also just replace it with the grapple.


Hill Giant:
Hill giants already have advantage to grapple anything large or smaller. Maybe grant them expertise on checks in catching flying creatures instead? I do like the idea that they're particularly skilled with their bare hands though, seeing as the fluff described them as too dumb to craft very much equipment.

Nice catch, didn't think of that.


Stone Giants:
For a huge creature, hiding as a bonus action is weird. When would they be able to obscure themselves to use this once they've been spotted?
Maybe grant them Stone Walk, and as a legendary action they stomp the ground into rough terrain?

Good idea


Storm Giant
Bolt catching as a knockoff of the stone giant's rock catching is actually really neat, and I think would grant a nice flavor to the fight, where lighting is even a bad idea against the giant's minions. Maybe just make it automatic though, as the giants have innate, magical mastery over lightning and aren't actually using a skill with a chance to fail? I mean, at least the stone giant take damage from the stones they fail to catch, so a failure chance makes sense. Storm giants are straight up immune to lighting damage already.

That makes sense and would simplify it.

Edit: Made most of the changes requested; I've kept Top-Heavy and the breaths for now, though modified the latter.

TigerT20
2021-06-04, 02:28 PM
Small update: added the passive benefits for the runes (unfortunately tetracube doesn't have tool proficiencies for monsters, so the fire giant is left wanting) and switched out Top-Heavy for a universal trait "The Bigger They Are" which deals damage to the giant when they fall prone.

sandmote
2021-06-04, 08:09 PM
switched out Top-Heavy for a universal trait "The Bigger They Are" which deals damage to the giant when they fall prone.

I like it! I think it makes a good reason why characters would try to knock down giants even if it's hard.