They see me trollin'... [3.5 Monsters/Races]

[Admiral Squish]

After looking through some works on elfwood (This and this specifically), I really like the way they handle trolls. Now, trolls are awesome, don't get me wrong, but I always thought they were somewhat overly typecast. Big man-eating dudes that are hard to kill. So, here I am, making trolls more interesting and even more dangerous. Like they needed the help.
-----------------------
Long, long ago, trolls were a savage species, very similar to the orcs. Their strong, tough nature allowed them to live almost anywhere. The trolls were a proud race that reveled in their physical superiority over others. Their pride was their downfall, however, and when a troll tribe accosted a god wandering the earth, their bloodline was cursed. They would have their strength. They would have more strength than they would ever need. But their minds would decay as their bodies grew, and each generation would become more and more animal until the trolls become unreasoning, flesh-eating beasts. The trolls were given great strength, incredible regenerative abilities, and nearly infinite lifespans. But each troll as it aged would grow bigger, stronger, and weaker of mind and will until the trolls became ancient titans that would savage the countryside, eating everything. For generations, the trolls existed in a twilight of rational though and bestial fury. But finally, the trolls have begun to find methods of limiting their curse, and are beginning to break away from the savage image that they lived with.

The trolls quickly learned that there are only two things that slow the descent into animal madness. One is combat. The troll society rapidly became a constantly self-destructive cycle of battle. Even within the same family group, the trolls are expected to fight one another each night until only one remains standing. The first to fall is often given chores to do once their regeneration brings them back to consciousness. This constant self-destruction slows the process of animalism, but it doesn’t stop it. The other way is through breeding with the humanoids. Elves, humans, dwarves, orcs, even goblinoids all are capable of diluting the bloodline of the trolls. Traditionally, trolls would go down from their mountain homes to humanoid settlements and kidnap suitable mates and force the issue. In modern times, willing mates and even marriages are becoming more and more common, though still relatively rare.

If a troll mates with a humanoid, the offspring is a typical troll. If a troll mates with another troll, the offspring is known as a torog, a larger, stronger, more resilient breed of troll. Torog are still intelligent, though they have extreme tempers and descend much more quickly into the animal state. A torog and a troll mating produce another torog. Torog mating with humanoids bear trolls. A torog mating with another torog is strictly prohibited. The offspring of this union is known as a jotun. Jotun are bloodthirsty beasts, purely animal. They are cunning like wolves, and able to fend for themselves from the moment of birth. Mature jotun are bigger and stronger still than their torog parents, and a fully-grown jotun is capable of eating an entire mountain clean of life. A jotun is almost always killed at birth these days, because once mature, jotun are nearly impossible to kill, and the grisly task may require several families of trolls to work together in order to slay it. Back in the olden days, there was a fourth troll breed, a race of titanic monsters that were completely unstoppable, monsters that killed and ate anything they could find. But in recent years, the trolls have gotten better at managing themselves and the fourth breed hasn't been seen in a hundred years.

[Admiral Squish]

Troll Breeds:

There are several varieties of troll that wander through the world, each with their own unique adaptations.

Mountain:
Mountain trolls are the largest breed of trolls, even young ones towering over humans.

Troll:

Spoiler

Show

Large Giant
HD: 1d8+1 (5 HP)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 Squares)
Init: -1
AC: 15 (+3 Studded Leather, +4 Natural, -1 size, -1 dex) 8 Touch, 15 flat-footed.
BAB/Grapple: +0/+7
Attack: Greataxe +3 melee (3d6+4) or Bite +3 melee (1d8+4)
Full-Attack Greataxe +3 melee (3d6+4) and Bite -2 melee (1d8+1)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Low-Light Vision, Regeneration 1, Scent
Saves: Fort +3 Ref -1 Will +0
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8
Skills: Spot +4
Feats: Power Attack
Environment: Cold Mountains
Organization: Solitary, Pair, Family (2-4 plus 2 elder trolls and 1 torog)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure Standard
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: See Table
Level Adjustment: +2

The massive creature before you stands ten feet tall. It looks vaguely like a giant, but the long ears, fur-tipped tail and tusks mark it as a troll. It's long hair flows over it's shoulders and down it's back, almost reaching the base of it's tail. In it's claw-like hands it carries what resembles a tree trunk.

Mountain trolls are some of the largest trolls, growing constantly through their lives, reaching huge sizes. Both males and females wear their hair incredibly long, using the thick curtains of hair much like a cloak. Mountain troll have good trade relationships with other mountain-dwellers, mostly giants, goliaths, and sometimes dwarves.

Combat:
Mountain trolls hunt alone, or as families, and when they fight they take full advantage of their massive strength and power attack feat.

Regeneration: A highland troll's regeneration is overcome by acid, cold, and fire damage. If a highland troll loses a limb or body part, the severed portion regrows over the next hour.


Mountain Trolls as Characters:

• +6 str, -2 dex, +2 con, -2 int, -2 cha. Mountain trolls are stong and tough, but their bulk makes them less than agile, and they are not known for their intellect of frendliness.
• Large size. -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.
• A mountain troll's base land speed is 30 feet.
• +4 natural armor bonus
• Natural weapons: Bite (1d8)
• Special Qualities (See above): Regeneration 1, Scent
• Automatic Languages: Common and Giant. Bonus languages: Orc, Goblin, Dwarven, Gol-kaa
• Favored Class: Barbarian
• Level Adjustment: +2

Mountain torogs basically resemble more mature mountain trolls. They start big and only get bigger. The females and the males both share the apelike posture, often knuckle-walking to go faster. Their skin is rough and gray and their hair is usually dark and slightly greasy. A torog’s tusks are longer than it’s troll parents, more like a boar’s tusks, and their tails are thicker and stronger. As mountain torogs age, their skin takes on a rocky appearance, and they grow bony horns and protrusions from their shoulders, elbows, and knuckles.

Mountain jotun are huge engines of destruction that uproot trees in their massive fists, hurl house-sized boulders, and generally reshape the landscape. Mountain jotun are as large as their parents by the time they’re adults and reach frighteningly huge sizes. Mountain jotun are some of the most dangerous jotun because they regularly cause avalanches and rockslides, and they consume huge amounts of food. A mountain jotun can upset the entire food chain of a mountain. A mountain jotun’s tusks are huge and curving, resembling a mastodon’s.

Forest:
Forest trolls are a smaller, more clever breed of trolls.

A forest troll looks like some mix of spider monkey, human, and lizard. They have long, narrow bodies and four long, slender arms with bony fingers. At the end. Forest trolls generally have shorter hair on their head, but they have a short strip of fur running down their neck to the middle of their backs. They share the common marks of a troll, the slender tail tipped with a puff of fur, the short tusks, the long, pointed ears. A forest troll’s tail is prehensile, but not dexterous enough to hold weapons. Most forest trolls spend very little time on the ground. They walk upright, but they usually prefer climbing to walking when it’s an option. They climb like lizard, but they brachiate through trees like monkeys. Adult forest trolls are about the same size as humans, perhaps slightly taller and thinner, and they don’t get too much larger as they age.

A forest torog’s mane and tusks are much longer than it’s parent’s. As an adult, it’s body is about the size of a lion, and it rarely, if ever walks on the ground. When it does, it usually stays on four of it’s six limbs, though they’re capable of a hunched upright walk. Forest torogs are ferocious hunters and extremely quick. As they grow, their tusks and mane get longer, and the mane extends further and further down their backs.

A forest jotun is a bloodthirsty predator. Swift, stealthy, and dangerous, an adult forest jotun is the size of a tiger. It’s tusks are sharp and serrated and it’s mane extends all the way down it’s body. It moves like a massive snake and pounces like a tiger. It savages anything that approaches it, and eats anything that moves.

Cave:
A more savage troll breed found in deep caves of the underdark. Rather than fight the savagery, the cave trolls have embraced it.

A cave troll is broad and stocky, built like an eight-foot dwarf. They have pale skin and reddish hair, with large eyes. Atop their pale skin sits dark bony plates, studded with bony spikes here and there. Their tails are short an thick, and their long ears are exceptionally wide. From their forehead emerges a pair of long, curving horns that arc back over the top of their head. Cave trolls have fully embraced the powerful savagery of their bloodline and wander the underdark as hungry, furious savages. As the cave trolls age, their bony spikes and horns grow, and the bony plates expand to cover more and more of their skin.

Cave torogs are bigger, meaner, and more spiny than cave trolls. Thick, bony armor covers a cave torog‘s body. Their horns are longer, and their hair extends down their back, followed by a double-row of spines.

A cave Jotun is not much larger than a cave torog. They are bulkier, but not much taller. Their horns develop a spiral as they grow, and their tails grow thicker. The bony armor becomes thicker and harder, and the spikes become more pronounced and larger.

War:
War trolls are a strictly disciplined society of warriors.

A war troll is large and incredibly tough. It is said war trolls were bred by ancient mages to make the perfect warriors. It’s also said that they succeeded. War troll warbands are a terrible force. Their limited numbers are the only thing to keep them back from conquering entire nations. A war troll has green, rubbery skin, and a long, hooked nose. Their hair is black and kept tied back in a long braid. Their pointed ears are slender and their tails are long and thin, with black fur on the end. Their tusks are small, and most make an effort to tuck their upper lips over them. As they grow older, the typical trollish signs become more and more pronounced. Their skin gets thicker and their muscles expand. Once a war troll becomes old, he is generally forced out of the public eye.

War torogs are born into slavery to the war troll military. They are viewed as little more than animals, and are basically used as living siege engines. War torogs are huge, muscular hulks with long, curving tusks and terrible strength. War torogs are carefully controlled, and never permitted to mate, especially not with one another. A war torog that become pregnant or sires a child is executed immediately. War trolls are determined to avoid the animal state of the jotun at all costs. Which is wise because war Jotun are nearly indestructible and even a single war Jotun would likely spell doom to the entire community.

Crystal:
Crystal Trolls are rumored to be the result of breeding with earth elementals.

A crystal troll rapidly grows to it's adult nine-foot height, but even ancient crystal trolls rarely grow beyond 12 feet in height. Crystal trolls are, however, extremely sturdy for their size. A crystal troll basically resemble other trolls, though the main difference is that a crystal troll looks to be entirely composed of faceted rock crystal. Crystal trolls dwell in the foothills of mountains, living in shallow caves. An adult crystal troll bears a number of short crystal spines along their shoulders, neck, head and back. the main way to tell the age of a crystal troll is the size of their spines. Young crystals have nubs that will eventually grow into full spines, whereas elder crystals have foot-long spurs emerging from their backs. One oddity of crystal trolls is that they lack the tails and pointed ears of their cousins, though they still bear a set of crystal tusks.

A crystal torog bears many of the same features as a crystal troll, though slightly larger. While a crystal troll has sharp, precise facets in their flesh, a crystal torog's facets are rough and uneven. Their spines are long soon after birth, and they bear spikes at the elbows, knees, and knuckles.

A crystal jotun is diamond-hard. While only slightly larger than a crystal torog, they are significantly stronger and their diamond-hard claws can peirce armor. The facets of their flesh are rough, jagged. Their spines are rough, unlike the spearlike pyramids of a crystal troll, a crystal jotun's spines rarely end in sharp points.

Sea:
Sea trolls are an aquatic race that dwell in costal waters or large lakes.

An adult sea troll stands about 9 feet tall, with rubbery smooth skin that is a deep blue or green on their back and limbs, but pale on their chest, belly, and the front of their thighs. Their fingers and toes are webbed, which make them awkward on land. Their bodies are extremely streamlined with a rounded head fading straight into their chest and a flat face, giving them a resemblance to giant walking frogs. Their tails are large and meaty, flattened vertically to allow for use as a rudder underwater, but it lacks it's signature tuft of fur. Their pointed ears bear the tufts instead, which function like the whiskers of a catfish. As a sea troll grows, it mostly grows in stature, often reaching 15 feet by old age.though there are some other minor changes, which include the tail becoming shorter and the webbing of their fingers and toes spreading further up the digits.

Sea torogs are bigger and broader of chest than the sea trolls, with short tails and extra-long fingers and toes. Their arms and legs are stronger, and their claws sharper. They tend to favor deeper waters than normal sea trolls, and they hunt bigger fish.

Sea Jotuns have almost no tails, but their fingers and toes are incredibly long and fully webbed. A sea jotun never leaves the water it it dwells almost exclusively in the deep waters. An adult sea jotun is over 25 feet from head to toe, and they can reach 40 feet by maturity. A sea jotun's mouthful of fangs is capable of biting holes in the keel of a sailing vessel, and they are known to do just that to devour the sailors that leap overboard. Sea jotuns hunt whales and giant sharks. Thankfully, the oceans they frequent are deep enough that they pose some of the least threat to humans, but the deepest waters may be home to any number of sea jotuns, breeding colonies left over from when the troll curse was young.

Highland:
Highland trolls are the most common breed of troll.They inhabit the foothills of mountains, living in small clans and dwelling in wood-walled villages. They have a strongly battle-oriented society.

Troll:

Spoiler

Show

Medium Giant
HD 1d8+1 (5 HP)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -1
AC 14 (+3 Studded Leather, -1 dex, +2 natural), Touch 9, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +0/+6
Attack Greatclub +2 melee (2d8+3) or Bite +2 melee (1d8+3)
Full-Attack Greatclub +2 melee (2d8+3) and Bite -3 melee (1d8+1)
Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks
Special Qualities Low-light vision, Powerful Build, Regeneration 1, Scent
Saves Fort +3, Ref -1, Will +0
Abilities Str 14, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8
Skills +4 Spot
Feats Power Attack
Environment Cold Hills
Organization Solitary, Pair, Family (2-4 plus 2 elder trolls and 1 torog), or clan (20-40, plus 5-10 elder trolls and 3-10 torogs.)
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually chaotic neutral
Advancement (see chart)
Level Adjustment +1

The humanoid creature standing before you looks like a very large orc, complete with green skin and short tusks. However, a pair of long, pointed ears emerge from it's long black hair and a long tail tipped with fur swishes behind it. It stands before you in a suit of studded leather, with a massive club over it's shoulder.

Young highland trolls stand about seven or eight feet tall and weight about 500 pounds, but they grow all through their lives. As they grow, a male's nose will expand, becoming large and bulbous. A female's nose will grow as well, but not nearly as fast, and it will develop a slight hook. Both males and females develop spots of darker green on their arms, chest, back, shoulders, and face. Their tusks become more pronounced and their tails longer and thicker. By old age, a highland troll can be 15 feet tall.

Combat:
Highland trolls may not be particularly intelligent, but they are quite strong, and they have been fighting practically from birth, so even young trolls have plenty of experience in battle. Single trolls fight recklessly, depending on their regeneration to protect them. Larger groups use tactics, rotating two or three groups of trolls. One group attacks and fades back once they're injured, waiting for their regeneration to restore them while the second group moves in. This rotation can lead to long battles, but the trolls are smart enough to know that time is on their side.

Powerful Build: The physical stature of a highland troll lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger. Whenever a highland troll 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 highland troll is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A highland troll 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 highland troll 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.

Regeneration: A highland troll's regeneration is overcome by acid, cold, and fire damage. If a highland troll loses a limb or body part, the severed portion regrows over the next hour.

Highland Trolls as Characters:

• +4 str, -2 dex, +2 con, -2 int, -2 cha. Highland trolls are stong and tough opponent, but their bulk makes them less than agile, and they are not known for their intellect.
• Medium Size: No special bonuses or penalties based on size
• A highland troll's base land speed is 30 feet.
• +2 natural armor bonus
• Natural weapons: Bite (1d8)
• Special Qualities (See above): Powerful Build, Regeneration 1, Scent
• Automatic Languages: Common and Giant. Bonus languages: Orc, Goblin
• Favored Class: Barbarian
• Level Adjustment: +1

Torog:

Spoiler

Show

Large Giant
HD 6d8+36 (63 HP)
Speed 30 Ft. (6 squares)
Init:+2
AC: 19 (+3 studded leather, +5 natural, +2 dex, -1 size) Touch 11, Flat-Footed 17
BAB/Grapple: +4/+14
Attack Club +10 Melee (1d8+6) or Bite +10 Melee (1d8+3) or Claw +10 melee (1d6+6)
Full-Attack Club +10 melee (1d8+6) and Bite +10 Melee (1d8+3) and Claw +10 melee (1d6+6), or 2 Claws +10 melee (1d6+6) and Bite +10 Melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks Rend 2d6+9
Special Qualities Low-Light Vision, Regeneration 5
Saves Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities Str 22, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Skills Survival +9
Feats Power attack, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack
Environment Cold Hills
Organization Solitary, Pair, Family (1 plus 2 elder trolls and 2-4 young trolls), or clan (3-10, plus 5-10 elder trolls and 20-50 young trolls.)
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually Chaotic Neutral
Advancement See Table
Level Adjustment +5

The massive, green-skinned giant before you stands 10 feet tall, and shows the typical signs of trollish ancestry. It's tusks curve slightly over its upper lip, it's pointed ears emerging from a mot of tangled, black hair, and the long, fur-tipped tail that sways slowly behind it. It's posture is hunched slightly and it's long limbs end in sharp claws. It's face is dominated by its nose, a large, fleshy one, framed by it's tusks.

Highland torogs start big and only get bigger. As they grow, their intellect shrinks and they get meaner and meaner. Most torogs descend into animalism after about 100 years, if they're not ritually executed by then. A wild torog is a dangerous foe.

Combat:
Torogs are not intelligent foes. Wild torogs are often found wearing no armor, or crude hide armor at best. The wild torog fights like an animal, attacking with its claws and teeth or occasionally with a tree branch as a club. The more civilized torogs often wield massive axes and wear studded leather, fighting with their fury honed to a fine edge. Torogs of all descriptions are usually quick to anger, and they fight recklessly, depending on their regeneration and sheer strength to carry them through battles.

Rend:
If a highland torog hits an opponent with both claw attacks in the same round, it latches on and tears the flesh, dealing 2d6+9 damage.

Regeneration: A highland torog's regeneration is overcome by acid, cold, and fire damage. If a highland troll loses a limb or body part, the severed portion regrows in 5d6 minutes.

Highland Torogs as characters: The highland torog presented here is only for NPC use. A significant portion of highland torogs have barbarian levels instead of RHD.
[*] +12 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +12 Constitution, -4 Intelligence (minimum 3), -2 Wisdom, -4 Charisma.[*]Large size. -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.

• Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet.
• A torog’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• low-light vision.
• +5 natural armor bonus.
• Natural Weapons: 2 Claws (1d6) and bite (1d8).
• Special Attacks (see above): Rend, damage 2d6 + 1½ times Str modifier.
• Special Qualities: Regeneration 5, scent.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Giant. Bonus languages: Orc, Goblin
• Favored Class: Barbarian
• Level adjustment +5.

Jotun:

Spoiler

Show

Large Giant
HD: 12d8+120 (174)
Speed: 30 Ft. (6 Squares)
Init: +4
AC: 22 (+4 Dex, +9 Natural, -1 Size) 13 Touch, 18 Flat-footed
BAB/Grapple: +9/+27
Attack: Bite +19 Melee (2d6+5) or Claw +19 melee (1d8+10)
Full-Attack: Two Claws +19 melee (1d8+10) and Bite +19 Melee (2d6+5)
Space/Reach: 10 Ft/10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend, Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Powerful Build, Low-light Vision, Scent, Regeneration 9
Saves: Fort +18 Ref +8 Will +6
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 18, Con 30, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 2
Skills: Survival +17
Feats: Power Attack, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, Track
Environment: Cold Hills
Organization: Solitary or Pair
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure None
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: See Table
Level Adjustment: -

the monster before you stands about 15 feet tell. It's green hide is covered with darker spots. It's hunched frame and long arms make it look almost apelike. Long tusks emerge from it's lower lip, and behind it a fur-tipped tail sways, dragging along the ground. It's hair is thick and shaggy, and a large, bulbous nose dominates the beast's face.

Highland Jotuns stand about 15 feet tall, easily weighing a ton and a half. They are angry, bloodthirsty and combining the worst facets of man an animal. They are cunning predators that feed on anything that can fit in their mouths, and they show a disturbing tendancy for cruelty and will often toy with their food until they get really hungry.

Combat:
Highland Jotun fight like apes. They grab opponents and brutally tear them limb from limb with their massive claws, tossing full grown men around like toys.

Improved Grab:
To use this ability, a highland must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Rend:
If a highland jotun hits an opponent with both claw attacks in the same round, it latches on and tears the flesh, dealing 3d6+15 damage.

Regeneration: A highland jotun's regeneration is overcome by acid, cold, and fire damage. If a highland troll loses a limb or body part, the severed portion regrows in 1d6 minutes.

Powerful Build: The physical stature of a highland jotun lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger. Whenever a highland jotun 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 highland jotun is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A highland jotun 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 highland jotun 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.

Ymir

Spoiler

Show

Huge Giant
HD: 22d8+374 (473 HP)
Speed: 30 ft.
Init: +7
AC: 30 (+7 Dex, +15 Natural, -2 size) 15 Touch, 23 Flat-footed
BAB/Grapple: +16/+45
Attack: Claw +33 Melee (2d6+17) or Bite +33 Melee (3d6+8)
Full-Attack: 2 Claws +33 Melee (2d6+17) and Bite +33 Melee (3d6+8)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend, Improved Grab, Swallow Whole
Special Qualities: Powerful Build, Low-light Vision, Scent, Regeneration 15
Saves: Fort +30 Ref +14 Will +12
Abilities: Str 44, Dex 24, Con 44, Int 2, Wis 20, Cha 2
Skills: Survival +30
Feats: Power Attack, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, Track
Environment: Cold Hills
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 16
Treasure None
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: See Table
Level Adjustment: -

This titanic monster towers above, it's hulking frame larger than some buildings. Huge, serrated tusks arc out of it's lip, and a thick tail sways behind it. It walks on it's overly-long arms and lopes like an ape. Its huge, hammerlike fists tear boulders and trees from the earth.

A highland ymir is a titanic beast that savages it's way through the countryside. The name of ymir is only laid upon the largest, most dangerous of jotuns, those ancient, legendary titans that dwell in legend and nightmare.

Combat:

Ymir strike their foes with terrifying strength, savaging opponents and even the terrain around them.

Improved Grab:
To use this ability, a highland ymir must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Rend:
If a highland ymir hits an opponent with both claw attacks in the same round, it latches on and tears the flesh, dealing 3d6+15 damage.

Regeneration:
A highland ymir's regeneration is overcome by acid, cold, and fire damage. If a highland troll loses a limb or body part, the severed portion regrows the following round.

Powerful Build:
The physical stature of a highland ymir lets him function in many ways as if he were one size category larger. Whenever a highland ymir 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 highland ymir is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A highland ymir 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 highland ymir 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.

Swallow Whole:
As a move action, a highland ymir can make a grapple check to transfer a grappled opponent at least two sizes smaller than itself to its mouth and swallow the opponent whole. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d6+17 crushing damage and 3d6 acid damage each from the ymir's stomach as it digests the opponent. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the stomach (AC 20). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A highland ymir's stomach may hold 1 large, 4 medium, 16 small, 64 tiny, or 256 diminutive creatures.

[Admiral Squish]

Troll Age Categories:


Age Equivalency

Highland Trolls

Spoiler

Show

Rend:
If a highland troll hits an opponent with both claw attacks in the same round, it latches on and tears the flesh, dealing the damage indicated on the table + 1 1/2 x the troll's strength modifier.

Rapid Regrowth:
If a highland troll loses a limb or other appendage, the severed limb grows back in 5d6 minutes.

Improved Grab:
To use this ability, a highland troll must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

NW Size Up:
At the levels indicated on the table, the highland troll's natural weapons increase in size, dealing damage as though one size larger.

Blinding Regrowth:
If a highland troll loses a limb or other appendage, the severed limb grows back in 1d6 minutes.

Swallow Whole:
As a move action, a highland jotun can make a grapple check to transfer a grappled opponent at least two sizes smaller than itself to its mouth and swallow the opponent whole. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d6+str crushing damage and 3d6 acid damage each from the jotun's stomach as it digests the opponent. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the stomach (AC 20). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A highland jotun's stomach may hold 1 large, 4 medium, 16 small, 64 tiny, or 256 diminutive creatures.

Instant Regrowth:
If a highland jotun loses a limb or other appendage, the severed limb grows back the following round.

[Admiral Squish]

(Reserved for extra space. Pay no attention to this until I tell you otherwise.)

Spoiler

Show

Large Giant
HD:
Speed:
Init:
AC:
BAB/Grapple:
Attack:
Full-Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort + Ref + Will +
Abilities: Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Alright, you guys can post now.

[The Tygre]

Looks like it's gonna' be a great project. Are trolls going to be gaining special abilities as they get older, like dragons or Ravenloft undead?

EDIT: Oh, also, you're second image link is broke. Just a heads up.

[Admiral Squish]

Looks like it's gonna' be a great project. Are trolls going to be gaining special abilities as they get older, like dragons or Ravenloft undead?

EDIT: Oh, also, you're second image link is broke. Just a heads up.

Well, they won't be getting magic, but they might get things like pounce and rend as they grow older.

EDIT: Well, I couldn't fix the link to the image, so I just linked to the gallery page. Hopefully fine.

[Chambers]

Huzzah, you used one of the names I suggested! Heh.

This looks cool. I am intrigued by the idea of Age Categories for Trolls. Tell me more, sir.

Testing Link. Works fine for me. Try this one: http://www.elfwood.com/art/a/n/ander...f_the_Bond.jpg

[The Tygre]

Huh, weird. I have to re-input into the address bar to get the image. The first time always takes me to Yahoo search.

[Admiral Squish]

Alright, I can't sleep so I did a little work. I filled out the last of the breeds.

As for age categories. I'll be stating everything up at young. Then, I'll be giving long age category lists. Each breed will have it's own list of aging benefits and penalties, including what goodies they get at what point, what size they are... but for simplicity's sake, I was thinking that a troll's 'old' would be basically equivalent to a torog's 'young', and a torog's 'mature' (or maybe 'old') would be the equivalent of a jotun's 'young'. I'd still be making statblocks for a young troll, torog, and jotun.

Also, I was thinking of adding a troll-only PRC dedicated to hunting down trolls that have gone animal. A dangerous and unpleasant job, but I like the idea of an honor-hunter, a warrior who cuts short the lives of those who've lost themselves, before they can ruin their own legacy.

[Tanuki Tales]

Just wanted to say that when I try to open any of the links to elfwood Firefox says there's a connection error and can't reach the site.

[The Mentalist]

I like the looks of this project. Will we get to see the fourth breed of trolls?

Bookmarked and checking regularly.

[Mulletmanalive]

The "males are hideous, females are hot" thing is actually part of the Norwegian version of trolls, circa 1400 [folklore buff, sue me], which makes the WoW orcs seem slightly less silly [only slightly though]...

[Admiral Squish]

Just wanted to say that when I try to open any of the links to elfwood Firefox says there's a connection error and can't reach the site.

I dunno, it seems to work fine for me. Try again?

I like the looks of this project. Will we get to see the fourth breed of trolls?

Bookmarked and checking regularly.

I'll probably end up just putting up a flat statblock for the fourth breed of each race. There's going to be a lot of work involved in creating the rest of the age categories.

Anyone have a name for the fourth breed?

[Mulletmanalive]

Ymir or Gigantes are the only two creatures i can think of from myth that are vaguely humanoid and significantly larger than a great jotun...aside from Kaiju, obviously

[Admiral Squish]

Ymir or Gigantes are the only two creatures i can think of from myth that are vaguely humanoid and significantly larger than a great jotun...aside from Kaiju, obviously

Ymir might work. Gigantes sounds kinda spanish. Kaiju... eh, there's already a couple homebrewed versions of them. Maybe I should call them gigas?

[The Mentalist]

Ymir might work. Gigantes sounds kinda spanish. Kaiju... eh, there's already a couple homebrewed versions of them. Maybe I should call them gigas?

Gigantuns?

[Mulletmanalive]

Gigantes is greek. If you wanted to continue the norse-sounding-bit, you could call them Gigantr...

[Admiral Squish]

We have takeoff, folks. Highland trolls have a statblock. I'm debating if the LA should stay at +1 or it needs to be knocked up to +2.

[Mulletmanalive]

Somewhat random suggestion: have you though of making the creatures of the third age category as the standard and then putting some basic numerical modifiers on the age category table?

For instance, the highland troll might have a -4 on attacks, -8 grapple and half hit points if they were in the youngest age category while a venerable one might be +12, +16, x5 respectively...

Nonstandard but possibly easier and just as effective

[Analytica]

You probably already saw this, but the talented Elfwood artist linked to above commented on one of the troll pictures thus:

Under the watchful eyes of her father a young troll woman is about to complete a traditional quest, to thin out the thick blood of their family with that of a human. If the pure lineage of trolls isn’t broken their kind are doomed to become hideous monster after only a few generations. Hence why trolls like to lure away and kidnap humans in general…

and on another:

A human mother introducing her ogress daughter to her troll father. It’s not going to be a happy reunion. In my imaginary fantasy world trolls need to mix their blood with humans once in a while to prevent their bloodline from becoming degenerated, creating a monstrous inbred offspring. This only works between female trolls and male humans. Female humans and male trolls will create ogres...mostly rejected, abondoned ogres with no family, making them inot angry, hateful and aggresive ogres. This one is just angry on dad.

Looks like great minds think alike.

[Admiral Squish]

You probably already saw this, but the talented Elfwood artist linked to above commented on one of the troll pictures thus:



and on another:



Looks like great minds think alike.

I saw the first one, which actually inspired the whole troll-breeding chart thing. Then, I saw the 'day of the bond' pic and that solidified the idea of the troll age categories. I didn't see the second comment mentioned, actually.

[Admiral Squish]

Somewhat random suggestion: have you though of making the creatures of the third age category as the standard and then putting some basic numerical modifiers on the age category table?

For instance, the highland troll might have a -4 on attacks, -8 grapple and half hit points if they were in the youngest age category while a venerable one might be +12, +16, x5 respectively...

Nonstandard but possibly easier and just as effective

I think my straight addition method is just easier, and it requires significantly less forethought.

Nobody has any comment on the balance of the highland troll? This is sorta my baseline. All the other trolls are gonna be based off this fella.

[Risek]

This is going to be awesome.
Would you make templates too, for those of us who want to add torogs and jotunns to the game without actually instilling to entire system?

[Admiral Squish]

This is going to be awesome.
Would you make templates too, for those of us who want to add torogs and jotunns to the game without actually instilling to entire system?

Well, actually, the Torogs are supposed to be about equivalent to the current trolls. so, you already have torogs. Trolls are being redefined as near-human. I might make a jotunn template eventually, but I'm going to focus on making the whole system mesh before that.

[InfiniteNothing]

The highland trolls look fine, though you might be able to push it to Regeneration 2 and still keep it at LA+1. At least, that's my estimate. You may want to keep it at 1 to be safe.

[Admiral Squish]

Okay, the initial table for homegrown trolls is up for the highlanders. I need to think up some special abilities that scale beyond the Torog Level. How is the scaling? I'm worried I may have gone too slow the NA. Am I missing any columns I will need to add?

Also, tables are a lot more confusing then I previously understood.

It just occurred to me I need to add in HD. Now, this is the thorny bit. I think the trolls are (vaguely) playable with just the LA. But if I throw in HD, nobody will play ANYTHING but the young trolls. But the older/tougher trolls NEED HD to be used as monsters, or players will be one-shotting them left and right. A jotun should NEVER be considered a glass cannon.

[InfiniteNothing]

No clue how to help you with special abilities, but why not just give joten Barbarian levels? It's not like that class requires intense study. Or maybe have only the torogs and joten have HD while the trolls have class levels?

The NA looks good, but wait for another person's judgement as well. I'm not the best at judging stuff like that.

[Temotei]

A highland troll would make an interesting cleric.

[radmelon]

This looks awesome. Trolls need more love.
If you're really worried about it being OP, lower the regen to 0, basically making it so that all damage but fire, ice, and acid is nonlethel.

[Admiral Squish]

No clue how to help you with special abilities, but why not just give joten Barbarian levels? It's not like that class requires intense study. Or maybe have only the torogs and joten have HD while the trolls have class levels?

The NA looks good, but wait for another person's judgement as well. I'm not the best at judging stuff like that.

That might work. I could give the Jotuns, specifically, an HD progression. Barbarian levels could certainly work, though that might be rather powerful.

A highland troll would make an interesting cleric.

It certainly would. A highland troll war cleric would be pretty epic. the lack of a wis penalty would make sense, though, since even wolves have wis 12.

This looks awesome. Trolls need more love.
If you're really worried about it being OP, lower the regen to 0, basically making it so that all damage but fire, ice, and acid is nonlethel.

Well, the problem is I ALWAYS think I'm overdoing it, but I never know exactly.