Hill Giants
Creatures of pure hedonic bliss, a hill giant's role in the great ordning is to enjoy the fruits of their greater kin's labors, to live joyful lives unburdened by divine mandate. While in demihuman societies the rights of the leisure classes are typically derived from political dominance, among giants the hill-dwellers are looked upon with a fond sort of pity, cursed to serve only their own purposes, rather than those of the gods.
Hill Giant Social Encounters
- A clan of hill giants has slain a green dragon, and is looking for exotic and unusual seasonings to prepare it with for a feast. This news has attracted merchants and grifters from far and wide, looking to take advantage of the giants' loose understanding of minted currency. The giants, for their part, are wary of such deceit and in search of an interpreter who can help them spot these ruses.
- A hill giant feast day is approaching, and livestock from the local village have been disappearing in droves. This itself is not unusual, and considered part of the cost of doing business in these territories, but it has been discovered that one of the sheep taken was actually a famous wizard who had polymorphed himself for reasons known only to him. No one is terribly worried about the wizard being eaten, but there might be a boon in the offing for someone who rescues him.
- A hill giant master chef, exiled from his clan for the excessive handsomeness bestowed upon him by his recent culinary discoveries, is seeking funding to build an inn for traveling giants and giantkin on the outskirts of a local city. The local governor wants to avoid the presence of giants without open conflict and is imposing unreasonable requirements and restrictions on the project, which is further complicated by a mischievous fey who wants his apples back.
Hill Giant Lore
Arcana DC 15: Though runecrafting does not come easily to hill giants, some pursue mastery of it nevertheless, gaining the power to move earth and stone as though it were water.
History DC 10: Creatures of giant scale are often known to be difficult to inflict significant harm on without actively creating an opening to do so.
History DC 15: Though hill giants typically carry
sacks of good throwing rocks if they expect conflict,
they prefer to throw whatever comes to hand in their environment, due to their tendancy to develop strong attachments to their throwing rocks, often naming each individually and telling stories featuring the rocks as characters.
Religion DC 10: Hill giants mandate in the great ordning
is to serve their own appetites, pursuing epicurean
novelty and delight. Those with
the broadest experience and
most refined palettes are
considered repositories of
divine wisdom.
Hill Giant Tactics
Hill giants will often rush into conflicts they know they cannot win to avoid appearing cowardly, especially while in a group, but will swiftly find a reason to claim victory and retreat or surrender and ask for mercy if the fight turns against them.
In combat, hill giants usually prefer to take the high ground and fling rocks down hills or bluffs, often competing to see who can hit the farthest or smallest target. Once enemies close to melee range, they use their
tree trunks to herd foes together
before using their Brutal Shove,
preferentially targeting creatures
that fall prone to avoid the shove.
Designer's Note. If you use
miniatures and terrain, be sure to place
rocks and trees for your giants
to throw and wield, and cover for
your PCs to dart between as they
approach. Players universally love
that kind of thing. Here
is a guide
for making very cheap miniature
trees, and you can use large pieces
of gravel for your boulders. Also, note
that "rock" is a loose stand in
for any big thing that a giant can
throw. "Rocks" can be
creatures, furniture,
vehicles, small structures, etc.
Hill Giant
Huge giant, chaotic neutral
- Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 105 (10d12 + 40)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 8 (-1) 19 (+4) 5 (-3) 9 (-1) 6 (-2)
- Skills Athletics +8, Perception +2
- Damage Resistances Attacks made without advantage
- Senses Passive Perception 12
- Languages Giant, Jotunhaug
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Easily Confused. While at least three hostile creatures are within 5 feet of the giant, all attacks against it are made at advantage. While at least two creatures are speaking to the giant, it has disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to detect deception.
Huge Stature. A creature adjacent to the giant may spend half of its movement to attempt a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, the creature climbs onto the giant. While climbing on the giant, a creature has advantage on melee attacks against the giant, and the giant has disadvantage on melee attacks against it.
Actions
Multiattack. The hill giant makes two tree trunk attacks. It may replace one tree trunk attack with a use of its brutal shove ability.
Tree Trunk. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage and be pushed 5 feet away.
Each other creature within 5 feet of the target must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take half the attack's damage.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Body Slam. The Hill Giant expends all of its remaining movement and throws itself prone in a 15 foot square centered on a point within 25 ft. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone, or take half as much damage on a success.
A creature that is climbing on the giant has disadvantage on the saving throw. A creature that succeeds may use its reaction to move up to ten feet, taking no damage if it ends this movement outside the affected area.
Brutal Shove (Recharge 5-6). Up to two creatures within 10 feet of the giant and within 15 feet of each other must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 20 (3d12) bludgeoning damage and be pushed 10 feet away. A creature may fall prone as a reaction to gain advantage on this save.
Reactions
Kick Away. As a reaction to a creature ending its movement within 5 feet of the giant, the giant forces it to succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone, pushed 10 feet away, and lose concentration if it was holding it.
Hill Giant Avalancher
Huge giant, chaotic neutral
- Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 115 (11d12 + 44)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 8 (-1) 19 (+4) 6 (-2) 9 (-1) 6 (-2)
- Skills Athletics +8, Perception +2
- Damage Resistances Attacks made without advantage
- Senses Passive Perception 12
- Languages Giant, Jotunhaug
- Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Easily Confused. While at least three hostile creatures are within 5 feet of the giant, all attacks against it are made at advantage. While at least two creatures are speaking to the giant, it has disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to detect deception.
Rock-Sack. The giant carries a sack with twelve good throwing rocks in it.
Huge Stature. A creature adjacent to the giant may spend half of its movement to attempt a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, the creature climbs onto the giant. While climbing on the giant, a creature has advantage on melee attacks against the giant, and the giant has disadvantage on melee attacks against it.
Actions
Multiattack. The hill giant makes two attacks with its earthen wave.
Earthen Wave. Melee Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 ft. away.
Rock. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (5d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Each other creature within 5 feet of the target must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take half the attack's damage.
Runecut Stomp (Recharge 5-6). The hill giant stomps a rune into the earth, sending the earth churning in a 30 ft. cone. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage and fall prone, or half as much damage on a success.
The area becomes difficult terrain. At DM discretion, this ability may cause an avalanche, in which case its damage is maximized and creatures that fail the save are additionally blinded and restrained (escape DC 15) as they are buried alive by loose material.
Reactions
Kick Away. As a reaction to a creature ending its movement within 5 feet of the giant, the giant forces it to succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone, pushed 10 feet away, and lose concentration if it was holding it.
Hill Giant Avalancher Tactics
Avalanchers are usually found leading hunting parties of giants, and are usually willing to share their rocks, though interpersonal conflicts can make them feel less magnanimous, even in life-or-death conflicts. Avalanchers use
their Earthen Wave to keep enemies at range so they and their allies can continue throwing rocks at them. If on a slope that might precipitate an avalanche, they will open with their runecut stomp, otherwise saving it for when they can catch at least three enemies in its area.
Hill Giant Chef-Soul
Huge giant, chaotic neutral
- Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 138 (12d12 + 60)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 11 (+0) 20 (+5) 13 (+1) 9 (-1) 6 (-2)
- Saving Throws STR +8, CON +8
- Skills Athletics +8, Perception +2
- Damage Resistances Attacks made without advantage
- Senses Passive Perception 12
- Languages Common, Giant, Jotunhaug
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Easily Confused. While at least three hostile creatures are within 5 feet of the giant, all attacks against it are made at advantage. While at least two creatures are speaking to the giant, it has disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to detect deception.
Huge Stature. A creature adjacent to the giant may spend half of its movement to attempt a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, the creature climbs onto the giant. While climbing on the giant, a creature has advantage on melee attacks against the giant, and the giant has disadvantage on melee attacks against it.
Runescribed Cauldron. The giant carries a 15 ft. across magic cauldron that can fill with water and heat on command. A creature that enters the caudron for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 11 (2d10) fire damage. A creature may exit the cauldron by spending half its movement, landing prone in an unoccupied adjcacent space of its choice.
Actions
Multiattack. The hill giant makes two melee attacks, up to one of which may be with its sample bite. It may replace one tree trunk attack with a use of its brutal shove ability.
Sample Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one grappled target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage and the giant has advantage on saving throws against spells cast by the creature until the beginning of the giant's next turn.
Hog Splitter. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) slashing damage and the target is pushed 5 feet away. A creature killed by this weapon is split in half.
Snatch. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 16).
Reactions
Kick Away. As a reaction to a creature ending its movement within 5 feet of the giant, the giant forces it to succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone, pushed 10 feet away, and lose concentration if it was holding it.
Into the Cauldron! As a reaction to being hit with an attack by a grappled creature while within 30 ft. of its cauldron, the hill giant tosses the creature.
The creature must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, falling into the cauldron on a failed save or taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage on a successful one.
Hill Giant Chef Soul Tactics
Once battle is joined, chef-soul drops its
cauldron as part of their movement, then goes
about snatching creatures to hurl in,
preferentially targeting those of exotic
races/species. If a creature doesn't provoke
the chef-soul's reaction, it can always
just schlep them back and drop them
in. It usually tries for a Sample Bite
before tossing a creature in, and will
switch to its hog splitter if it has a
creature grappled that it has already
tasted.
Encounters
CR 18 Encounter 8,300 XP
- 1 Hill Giant Chef-Soul (CR 8)
- 1 Hill Giant Avalancher (CR 6)
- 3 Ogres (CR 3)
Hill Giant Master of the Feast
Gargantuan giant, chaotic neutral
- Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points 200 (16d12 + 96)
- Speed 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 23 (+6) 3 (-4) 22 (+6) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1)
- Saving Throws STR +10, CON +10
- Skills Athletics +10, Perception +5, Persuasion +5
- Damage Resistances Attacks made without advantage
- Senses Passive Perception 15
- Languages Goblin, Giant, Jotunhaug
- Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Easily Confused. While at least three hostile creatures are within 5 feet of the giant, all attacks against it are made at advantage. While at least two creatures are speaking to the giant, it has disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to detect deception.
Gargantuan Stature. A creature adjacent to the giant may spend its full movement to attempt a DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, the creature climbs onto the giant. While climbing on the giant, a creature has advantage on melee attacks against the giant, and the giant has disadvantage on melee attacks against it.
Ordning of Plenty. When initiative is rolled, each friendly giant within 60 ft. gains 11 (2d10) temporary hit points. While a giant has these temporary hit points, it has immunity to poison and to being frightened, and makes Wisdom saving throws at advantage.
Actions
Dwarf-Driver Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 20 ft. away, or half as far on a success.
Snatch. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 18).
Hurl Creature (Requires a grappled creature). Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage. On a hit or miss, the thrown creature takes the attack's damage.
Savor. The giant slowly chews. Each creature in its mouth must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage, or half as much on a success.
Call to the Feast (Recharge 5-6). Up to four hill giants within 60 ft. may each use their reaction to make a bite attack using the Master of the Feast's attack bonus, dealing 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage on a success.
Legendary Actions
The giant can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below.
Snatch. The giant makes a snatch attack.
Stuff. One Large or smaller creature grappled by the giant must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be stuffed into the hill giant's mouth and restrained (escape DC 18).
Earthshaker Charge (Costs 2 Actions). The giant moves up to 30 feet in a straight line and can move through the space of any creature smaller than Gargantuan. Each creature within 30 ft. of where it begins or ends this movement must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. A creature whose space the giant passes through has disadvantage on this saving throw.
Hill Giant Master of the Feast Tactics
In the early stages of a fight, the master of the feast declines to join in, yelling words of encouragement while giving the impression of harmless immobility. If the PCs get within 30 ft. of it, however, it makes an Earthshaking Charge,
heedless of its allies, and immediately snatches
them. If it has two or more creatures in its mouth it
always uses its Savor, otherwise preferring its Dwarf-Driver Club, especially if there are Small creatures to hit with it.
Encounters
CR 25 Encounter 17,000 XP
- 1 Hill Giant Master of the Feast (CR 10)
- 5 Hill Giants (CR 5)
- 4 Ogres (CR 2)
- 6 Goblins (CR 1/4)
