Recently, I was inspired to look into the feasibility of creating an adventure where the players are all Storm Giants. I spoke with several of my fellow friends who play the game and while they expressed some interest, they voiced concern over a few things which I agreed with.
While size is irrelevant, as an adventure built from the ground up for Storm Giants will accommodate them, other factors such as character builds (if class levels are granted) and finding an appropriate challenge for a party of 5 giants have given me pause. I would like to see what the Paizo community thinks of this, and whether it is simply too much work for what would probably be a one shot adventure.
If everone is the same monster race, im sure it would all work fine.
One thing you could do thats slightly diferent, is have everone make a character as normal using a CR 1 'giant' race. Then Re-scale the rest of the world around them :)
So humans become tiny or diminutive. Its another way to do it but might be better for a longer runing non-one- shot game and would probly require more work as youd have to re-size everything
Sounds like fun. I don't think it would be too much work. They won't be going into small spaces and won't be doing much sneaking without magic. Just give them enemies of the appropriate CR just like you would with any other character. Just take a look at the monsters as characters section of the rules.
Storm Giant Racial Modifiers
Strength +28, Dex +2 (despite being Huge!), Con +12, Int +6, Wis+10, Cha +4.
Huge Size (15 ft reach)
Lots of Feats
Lots of Racial HD
Basically Fighters and Barbarians get significant advantages, Storm Giants make great clerics and druids, somewhat lesser bonuses for wizards and sorcerer/oracle/bard types. Storm Giant Rogues will be mediocre at best (flanking while huge can be difficult, stealth hahahahaha!)
Clearly the effect of this "template" is unbalanced. Certain Storm Giant Class combos are going to be stronger than others.
If the majority of the people will be taking fighter/barbarian and druid/cleric classes with maybe a single wizard this could be fun. Discourage classes like rogues and mount dependent classes because you'd have to houserule some sort of gargantuan mounts.
Storm Giant Monk also seems interesting...
Storm Giant Racial Modifiers
Strength +28, Dex +2 (despite being Huge!), Con +12, Int +6, Wis+10, Cha +4.
Huge Size (15 ft reach)
Lots of Feats
Lots of Racial HDBasically Fighters and Barbarians get significant advantages, Storm Giants make great clerics and druids, somewhat lesser bonuses for wizards and sorcerer/oracle/bard types. Storm Giant Rogues will be mediocre at best (flanking while huge can be difficult, stealth hahahahaha!)
Clearly the effect of this "template" is unbalanced. Certain Storm Giant Class combos are going to be stronger than others.
If the majority of the people will be taking fighter/barbarian and druid/cleric classes with maybe a single wizard this could be fun. Discourage classes like rogues and mount dependent classes because you'd have to houserule some sort of gargantuan mounts.
Storm Giant Monk also seems interesting...
Hahaha. A monastery of Storm Giant monks. Picture a kung-fu master the size of a skyscraper. lol
I think this sounds like a great idea for a one-shot!
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You might want to consider a lower CR giant type, or even give the players a choice of two types with the same CR or HD. This would serve three purposes:
- It leaves room for more character customization through class levels.
- It leaves room for by-the-book giants of a larger type to be formidable foes who look down on the player characters, yet are defeated by their "lesser brethren" who have class levels.
- It mitigates the problem Vuron brought up. While the templates will still lend themselves to fighting types, the bias will be smaller.
Here are all the giants listed by CR:
- Wood Giant, CR=6, HD=7
- Hill Giant, CR=7, HD=10
- Stone Giant, CR=8, HD=12
- Marsh Giant, CR=8, HD=12
- Frost Giant, CR=9, HD=14
- Fire Giant, CR=10, HD=15
- Cloud Giant, CR=11, HD=16
- Tiaga Giant, CR=12, HD=15
- Gorest Giant, CR=12, HD=17
- Storm Giant, CR=13, HD=19
- Rune Giant, CR=17, HD=20
I always think of situations similar to this like I think about Marvel vs Capcom 2. If every character is crazy and broken, then no characters are crazy and broken. But, you will need to take into account that the creature does favor some classes over others. Maybe you'll need to rule 0 some features for some caster classes.
PS: Remember that anything that any feat that is not a bonus feat is gained like a normal feat (meaning it can be changed from what is listed in the book).
Storm Giant Racial Modifiers
Strength +28, Dex +2 (despite being Huge!), Con +12, Int +6, Wis+10, Cha +4.
Huge Size (15 ft reach)
Lots of Feats
Lots of Racial HDBasically Fighters and Barbarians get significant advantages, Storm Giants make great clerics and druids, somewhat lesser bonuses for wizards and sorcerer/oracle/bard types. Storm Giant Rogues will be mediocre at best (flanking while huge can be difficult, stealth hahahahaha!)
Clearly the effect of this "template" is unbalanced. Certain Storm Giant Class combos are going to be stronger than others.
If the majority of the people will be taking fighter/barbarian and druid/cleric classes with maybe a single wizard this could be fun. Discourage classes like rogues and mount dependent classes because you'd have to houserule some sort of gargantuan mounts.
Storm Giant Monk also seems interesting...
Yeah this is what I was thinking too, any strength based melee class would be absolutely devastating, while the other classes would be somewhat less effective overall. Obviously though this is more of a 'fun' one shot idea and less of a serious one.
I don't even want to think about what kind of mount I'd have to use for a storm giant cavalier. Metallic Dragons? *tosses balance out the window*
If everone is the same monster race, im sure it would all work fine.
One thing you could do thats slightly diferent, is have everone make a character as normal using a CR 1 'giant' race. Then Re-scale the rest of the world around them :)
So humans become tiny or diminutive. Its another way to do it but might be better for a longer runing non-one- shot game and would probly require more work as youd have to re-size everything
I'd probably avoid going this route unless there needed to be more space on the mat for whatever reason.
Maybe go for Nephilim instead
Usually N Large outsider (native)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +14, Spot +14
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 10, flat-footed 22
(+4 armor, +1 Dex, +7 natural, +2 shield, –1 size)
hp 102 (12d8+48)
Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +7
DR 15/magic; Resist cold 10, fire 10; SR 19
Spd 30 ft. in scale mail (40 ft. base)
Melee +2 longsword +20/+15/+10 (2d6+9/19–20) or
2 slams +20 (1d4+7)
Ranged mwk spear +13 (2d6+7/×3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks crushing blow, mortal challenge
STATISTICS
Str 25, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 16
Base Atk +12; Grp +23
Feats Athletic, Cleave, EnduranceB, Great Cleave, Great
FortitudeB, Improved Sunder, Power Attack
Skills Climb +19, Craft +17, Handle Animal +18, Intimidate +18,
Jump +17, Knowledge (history) +17, Listen +14, Spot +14,
Survival +14, Swim +14
Languages Celestial, Common, Giant
Crushing Blow (Ex) When a nephilim makes a successful critical
hit on a melee attack, the target must make a DC 23 Fortitude
save or take an additional 3d6 points of damage and be
staggered for 1 round from the unearthly power of the blow.
The save DC is Strength-based.
Mortal Challenge (Su) At will as a standard action, a nephilim can
roar out a battle challenge. Any humanoid, giant, or monstrous
humanoid of fewer Hit Dice than the nephilim within 100
feet must make a DC 19 Will save or become frightened for
2d6 rounds. A creature that fails this saving throw takes a –2
penalty on all future saves against mortal challenges made by
that nephilim for the next 24 hours. A creature that succeeds is
immune to that nephilim’s mortal challenge for 24 hours. This
is a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based
The nephilim are the misbegotten offspring of unions
between the earliest humans and certain primordial deities
and semi-divine demigods. These unions were forbidden
and the offspring cursed by both men and gods, as they
span the sacred lines between the mortal and immortal
realms, though the giant children proved hardy and
capable of survival on their own, living even into modern
times. Nephilim typically stand 11 feet tall and weigh
approximately 1,100 pounds, being gigantic humanoids of
great physical prowess and possessing unnaturally noble
bearings. Their immortal ancestry makes them extremely
long lived, reaching ages of up to 600 years
Not sure what that was, poster above me.
Regardless, you all have given me some ideas to make it work. I think I will go ahead and start writing this one shot. Thanks everyone!
I'd probably avoid going this route unless there needed to be more space on the mat for whatever reason.
yeah, i had a mom,entary brain re-direct though i seem to recall a Game where all the stats changed proportionally to what you are playing. Ie If your all rabbits a stat is only proportional to the fact that your rabbits. (or all giant robots or whatever)
Just cant remember what it was but apparently started thinking of it mid post.
Anyhow the Stormgiant thing seems neat.