Andrew Tuttle's page

Giants have been around a long, long time.

Giants Revisited is Paizo's latest offering in their Pathfinder Campaign Series (intended to support Paizo's campaign setting); it's also a "Revisited" book, where Paizo's writers and creative folks take a fresh look at classic D&D monsters (re-booting, re-freshing, re-imagining ... or just simply re-visiting them, as they feel necessary).

My first exposure to giants in an RPG setting was when a good friend ran Steading of the Hill Giant Chief for me and my two brothers (a long, long time ago!). So I was interested in seeing how Paizo handled giants as monsters in-and-of themselves (Hey, Rune Giants, I'm talking to you!), as well as how they'd re-work the various giant races in terms of their campaign setting.

I'm totally satisfied with this book. "Classic" giants (such as Hill, Frost, and Fire) are treated respectfully in terms how they've been presented in RPGs over the past 30 years, "new" giants (Tiaga, Rune, and Marsh) are fleshed out and described such I'm interested in them enough to consider tossing them at players, and "mythic" giants (Cyclopeses, Cloud, and Storm) are presented in the context of the campaign setting that echo towards the past while heralding the future.

I've always been emotionally-attached to stone giants, so I'm totally recusing myself from commenting on them in this review. I'm very much looking forward to seeing more of them though soon.

I was totally on the fence as far as how many ★s for this product: I wasn't sure if I "Really Liked it" or "Loved it."

I had some issues with the tenor and tone of the text as a whole (there were multiple contributors for this project, and it reads that way in places).

Artwork was mixed: some was the absolute best I've ever seen. Some screamed "BEHOLD my ninja-like badassery, for I have a sword that I couldn't lift without CGI help!" I'm also old enough that my brain stumbles a bit when I see a frost giantess called a "Jarl," but I know that's my brain.

For me to be "satisfied" with an RPG product means it's pretty good to start with. It wasn't until I grabbed my hardcopy to leaf through it ... and noticed the type in the word "Giants" was several point sizes bigger than any I'd recalled seeing in any of the Revisited books I own.

A quick trip to the bookcase confirmed ... I love this book. Folks that pay attention to "tiny" things like font sizes pay attention "bigger things."

Like Giants!

-- Andy Tuttle

I'm not sure what I can add to the other 5-star reviews for this product, other than to reinforce the key points for me.

Artwork representing Characters / NPCs / Monsters is always very much a matter of personal taste; what appeals to one person may not appeal to others. For me, the artwork for each of these Minis is (as Delthos has said) "outstanding."

There's enough variety between the representations of even the "generic Minis" (such as the "pirates" / "grindylows") that I'm having trouble imaging a combat situation where anyone would have trouble differentiating between combatants.

In fact, the "generics" have such personality and panache they almost deserve names ...

Named NPCs from the AP have plenty of flavor and style as well (but still mirror the visual representations from the AP), and would be easily-recognizable once on the table-top. GMs, they're all here, just waiting to toss-down with your players!

Table-top? As Ravien noted, these Minis are perfect for re-purposing for use in VTT settings. That's how I'm planning to use them, and each Mini looks great at several resolutions.

This product is the standard by which I'll judge future Mini / Token purchases. Well-worth your consideration.

-- Andy Tuttle