Giant-slayer
Gnome Giant-Slayer
Complete Warrior (2003-12) pp.36–38, by Andy Collins, et al.
In every gnome community, only a select few individuals of extraordinary courage take up the mantle of giant-slayer. Relying on a combination of agility, combat prowess, and pure craftiness, the gnome giant-slayer is the bane of all creatures who use their size to terrorize the small or weak. The champion of those far-too-often trampled underfoot, the gnome giant-slayer stands far taller than his stature would suggest. As the ultimate believers that “The bigger they are, the harder they fall,” these doughty battlers actively seek out ogres, trolls, giants, and the like to slay. Some also utilize their training to take on other immense opponents, such as umber hulks, monstrous vermin, and even dragons.
Most gnome giant-slayers are fighters or rangers, although some paladins and clerics also take up the path of giant-slaying. Rogues who favor looting the dens of ogres and the like also become giant-slayers. Monks make excellent giant-slayers. Arcane spellcasters rarely take up this class, since it largely depends on toe-to-toe interaction with immensely powerful creatures.
Gnome giant-slayer NPCs are often lauded as heroes or celebrities within gnome communities. They might serve as captains of the guard, trainers, or in other positions of authority. Some pass down their mantle from generation to generation, granting the bravest son or daughter a treasured nickname such as “Trollbane” or “Giant-Crasher.” Those who work for their own purposes might still enjoy some measure of popularity but prefer to remain aloof from political venues in favor of pursuing personal gain. Of course, many look to adventure to prove their mettle; rare indeed is the gnome giant-slayer who hasn’t bearded his share of trolls or fire giants in their very lairs.
- Hit Die
- d10.
Requirements
To qualify to become a gnome giant-slayer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
- Race
- Gnome.
- BAB
- +5.
- Feats
- Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack.
- Skills
- Escape Artist 3 ranks, Speak Language (Giant), Tumble 3 ranks.
Class skills
The gnome giant-slayer’s class skills (and the key abilities for each) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
- Skill Points at Each Level
- 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Favored enemy (giant) +2 |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Crafty fighter |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Slippery |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Favored enemy (giant) +4 |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Close shot |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Fast movement |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Favored enemy (giant) +6 |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Improved mobility |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Annoying strike |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Favored enemy (giant) +8, defensive roll |
Class features
All of the following are class features of the gnome giant-slayer prestige class.
- Weapon and Armor Proficiency
- Gnome giant-slayers have proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields.
- Favored Enemy (Giant) (Ex)
- A gnome giant-slayer gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against giants. He gets the same bonus on weapon damage rolls against giants. This benefit stacks with the ranger favored enemy class feature if giant is the ranger’s favored enemy. This bonus increases by an extra +2 for every three gnome giant-slayer levels beyond 1st.
- Crafty Fighter (Ex)
- At 2nd level, a gnome giant-slayer gains a +4 dodge bonus to his Armor Class against giants, or a +2 dodge bonus against any other (nongiant) creature at least two size categories larger than himself. This benefit is lost in any situation in which the gnome giant-slayer would lose his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. He also loses this bonus in heavy armor.
- Slippery (Ex)
- If a gnome giant-slayer of 3rd level or higher is grappled by a creature at least two size categories larger than himself, he can add his gnome giant-slayer level as a bonus on any checks (whether grapple checks or Escape Artist checks) made to escape grappling.
- In addition, a gnome giant-slayer can move through an area occupied by a creature two size categories larger than he is. This doesn’t apply against creatures that completely fill their area, such as a gelatinous cube. (Normally, a character call only move through an area occupied by another creature if it is at least three size categories larger than the character.)
- Close Shot (Ex)
- At 5th level and higher, a gnome giant-slayer does not provoke attacks of opportunity from giants for using a ranged weapon while threatened by them.
- Fast Movement (Ex)
- At 6th level, a gnome giant-slayer’s base land speed increases by 10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the giant-slayer’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn.
- Improved Mobility (Ex)
- At 8th level and higher, a gnome giant-slayer gains a +4 dodge bonus to his Armor Class when moving out of or within a giant’s threatened area. As with all dodge bonuses, this benefit stacks with the bonus granted by the Mobility feat.
- Annoying Strike (Ex)
- Whenever a gnome giant-slayer of 9th level or higher damages a giant in melee, that giant is shaken for 1 round.
- Defensive Roll (Ex)
- A 10th-level gnome giant-slayer can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than he otherwise would. Once per day, when he would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow struck by a giant, not a spell or special ability), he can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, he makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt; the gnome giant-slayer adds his class level as a bonus on this saving throw). If the save succeeds, he takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, he takes full damage. He must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute his defensive roll—if he is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC, he can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the character’s evasion or improved evasion ability (if applicable) does not apply to the defensive roll.
Giant-Killer
Silver Marches (2002-07) pp.109–110, by Ed Greenwood & Jason Carl
Giant-killers are great heroes so long as they are killing giants. When they are not out doing what they do best, giant-killers tend to drink a lot and pick fights with people bigger than themselves. Some kindly giant-killers break the stereotype, but everyone expects giant-killers to be rude and boastful, so many live down to expectations. giant-killers are found most frequently in regions where giants are common.
Most giant-killers begin their careers as barbarians, fighters, or rangers, but clerics of certain deities, paladins, and rogues also choose this path. Not all giants are evil, and not all giant-killers are good. There are a few sorcerers and wizards among their number, but hardly any druids.
As NPCs, most giant-killers prefer to operate alone or with a small group of like-minded allies. Many of them have sworn to avenge some past wrong or foul deed committed by giants, such as the destruction of their homes or the murder of a member of their family. Where giants gather in strength, several giant-killers sometimes pool their resources in order to more effectively defeat their sworn enemies.
The recent invasion of giants in the Evermoor region, and the subsequent influx of displaced trolls into the Silver Marches, has resulted in a boom in the giant-killing business. Giant-killers from around Faerûn have arrived in the vicinity to ply their trade, offering their services to the highest bidders. Giant-killers charge whatever the market will bear, and the more unscrupulous of the lot often refuse the first offer from a prospective employer, hoping that the problem will worsen and result in a better, more lucrative offer.
A bona fide giant-killer is an expert in his field, and several of them have made themselves invaluable on the outskirts of the Evermoors and in the town of Nesmé. There are also native giant-killers among the dwarves of Citadel Felbarr and Mithral Hall, but while the latter sometimes make themselves available to other communities, those living in the former most often serve the interests only of their own home. Lady Alustriel has recently appealed to King Warcrown on the matter, asking him to consider sending one or two of his kingdom’s giant-killers to help scour the lands around the Silverwood for trolls, before the creatures become an even worse problem for the farmsteads outlying the city of Everlund.
- Hit Die
- d10.
Requirements
To qualify to become a giant-killer, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
- BAB
- +5.
- Feats
- Dodge, Mobility, Toughness.
- Skills
- Hide 2 ranks, Wilderness Lore 4 ranks.
- Special
- The character must have already slain at least one giant of any type. He need not have accomplished this alone, but he must have damaged the giant with at least one melee attack.
Class skills
The giant-killer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Tumble (Dex), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).
- Skill Points at Each Level
- 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Giant lore +1, improved mobility, smite big folk 1/day |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Damage reduction 1/— |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Giant lore +2, smite big folk 2/day |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Diehard |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Giant lore +3, smite big folk 3/day |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Damage reduction 2/— |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Giant lore +4, smite big folk 4/day |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Diehard 2 |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Giant lore +5, smite big folk 5/day |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Damage reduction 3/—, diehard 3 |
Class features
All of the following are class features of the giant-killer prestige class.
- Weapon and Armor Proficiency
- The giant-killer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, but gains no proficiency in any type of armor or shield.
- Smite Big Folk (Su)
- Giant-killers know how and where to hit their foes so that every blow counts. Once a day, a giant-killer can smite a foe of at least Large size (provided the foe is larger than the giant-killer) with one melee attack. He adds his Wisdom modifier (if positive) to his attack roll and inflicts 1 extra point of damage per class level. The giant-killer can only use this ability a certain number of times per day as determined by his level. Barbarian giant-killers can use the smite big folk ability when raging. Bonuses from the smite big folk ability stack with ranger bonuses for a favored enemy, and can be combined with a smite ability conferred by another class (such as a paladin’s smite evil ability).
- Improved Mobility
- Sometimes fighting a giant within range of the creature’s mighty limbs is unavoidable. Fortunately, the giant-killer learns how to make himself harder to hit when he must be underfoot. This ability works exactly as the Mobility feat, except that the giant-killer’s bonus to AC is +8 instead of +4.
- Giant Lore
- The giant-killer is a repository of knowledge and information concerning his chosen foes. Beginning at 1st level, a giant-killer adds this bonus to skill checks used in situations that directly concern giants, such as a Knowledge (local) check to determine where a giant’s lair might be located, a Move Silently check to creep past a sleeping giant, or a Wilderness Lore check when tracking a giant.
- Damage Reduction (Ex)
- Beginning at 2nd level, a giant-killer gains the extraordinary ability to shrug off some amount of injury from each blow or attacked. Subtract this number from the damage the giant-killer takes each time he is dealt damage. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0.
- Diehard (Ex)
- At 4th level, if reduced to from −1 to −9 hit points, a giant-killer may remain conscious and take a partial action each round. The giant-killer still loses 1 hit point each round when at negative hit points (unless stabilized), and dies when he reaches −10 hit points. If he is stabilized, the giant-killer is disabled.
- At 8th level, a giant-killer may act normally each round when at from −1 to −9 hit points, although he still loses 1 hit point per round (unless stabilized) until dead at −10 or lower.
- At 10th level, instead of dying at −10 hit points or lower, he may make a Constitution check (DC 10 + 1 per previous check) to remain alive for another round. He dies immediately if reduced to −30 hit points or lower.
Gnome Giant-Killer
Dragon #291 (2002-01) pp.84–85, by Andy Collins
In every gnome community, only a select few individuals of extraordinary courage take up the mantle of giant-killer. Relying on a combination of agility, combat prowess, and pure craftiness, the gnome giant-killer is the bane of all creatures who use their physical size to terrorize the small or weak. Champions of those far-too-often trampled underfoot, the gnome giant-killer stands far taller than his diminutive stature would suggest. As the ultimate believers that “the bigger they are, the harder they fall,” these crafty warriors actively seek out ogres, trolls, giants, and the like to slay. Some also utilize their training to take on other immense opponents, such as umber hulks, monstrous vermin, and even dragons.
Most gnome giant-killers are fighters or rangers, although some gnome paladins and clerics also follow the path of giant slaying. Rogues who favor looting the dens of ogres and the like also become giant-killers. Monks make excellent giant-killers. Arcane spellcasters rarely take up this class, since it largely depends on toe-to-toe interaction with immensely powerful creatures.
Gnome grant-killer NPCs are often lauded as heroes or celebrities within gnome communities. They might serve as captains of the guard, elite warrior trainers, or in other positions of authority. Some pass down their mantle from generation to generation, granting the bravest son or daughter a treasured nickname such as “Trollbane” or “Giant-Crasher.”
Those who work for their own purposes might still enjoy some measure of popularity but prefer to remain aloof from political venues in favor of pursuing personal gain. Of course, many look to adventure to prove their mettle; rare indeed is the gnome giant-killer who hasn’t bearded his share of trolls or fire giants in their very lairs.
Requirements
To qualify to become a gnome giant-killer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Race
- Gnome.
- BAB
- +5.
- Feats
- Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack.
- Skills
- Escape Artist 3 ranks, Tumble 3 ranks, Speak Language (Giant).
Class skills
The gnome giant-killer’s class skills (and the key abilities for each) are: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).
- Skill Points at Each Level
- 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Favored enemy (giant) +1 |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Crafty fighter |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Slippery |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Favored enemy (giant) +2 |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Close shot |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Longstrider |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Favored enemy (giant) +3 |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +2 | +2 | Improved mobility |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Annoying strike |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Favored enemy (giant) +3, defensive roll |
Class features
All the following are class features of the gnome giant-killer prestige class.
- Weapon and Armor Proficiency
- Gnome giant-killers gain proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields.
- Favored Enemy (Giant) (Ex)
- At 1st level, the gnome giant-killer gains a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks made against giants, and +1 to damage against giants (ranged attacks only gain the damage bonus against targets within 30 feet). This stacks with the ranger favored enemy class feature if giant is the ranger’s favored enemy. This bonus increases by an extra +1 for every 3 levels beyond 1st (4th, 7th, and 10th).
- Crafty Fighter (Ex)
- At 2nd level, the gnome giant-killer can add his Wisdom bonus to his AC against giants, or half his Wisdom bonus (rounded down) against any other (non-giant) creature at least two size categories larger than himself. This is considered a dodge bonus and is lost in any situation in which the gnome giant-killer would lose his Dexterity bonus to AC.
- Slippery (Ex)
- Beginning at 3rd level, if the gnome giant-killer is grappled by a creature at least two size categories larger than himself, he can add his gnome giant-killer class level to any checks (whether grapple checks or Escape Artist checks) made to escape grappling.
- In addition, a gnome giant-killer can move through an area occupied by a creature two size categories larger than he is. This doesn’t apply against creatures who completely fill their area, such as a gelatinous cube. (Normally, you can only move through an area occupied by another creature if it is at least three size categories larger than you are.)
- Close Shot (Ex)
- At 5th level, the gnome giant-killer does not incur attacks of opportunity from giants for using a ranged weapon while threatened by them.
- Longstrider (Ex)
- At 6th level, the gnome giant-killer’s base speed increases by 10 feet.
- Improved Mobility (Ex)
- At 8th level, a gnome giant-killer gains a +8 dodge bonus to his AC when moving out of or within a giant’s threatened area. This supersedes (does not stack with) the bonus granted by the Mobility feat.
- Annoying Strike (Ex)
- Beginning at 9th level, whenever the gnome giant-killer damages a giant in melee, that giant also suffers a −2 penalty to attacks for one round. The effect of multiple annoying strikes is cumulative.
- Defensive Roll (Ex)
- A 10th-level, the gnome giant-killer can roll with a potentially lethal blow struck by a giant to take less damage from it. Once per day, when a gnome giant-killer would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage in melee combat (from a weapon or other blow struck by a giant, not a spell or special ability), the gnome giant-killer can attempt to roll with the damage. He makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt; the gnome giant-killer can add his class level to this saving throw) and, if he’s successful, he takes only half damage from the blow. He must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute his defensive roll—if he is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC, he can’t roll. Evasion or improved evasion have no effect on the damage taken.
