Huge giant, chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 105 (10d12 + 40)
Speed 40 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +5 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 (+5) | 8 (-1) | 19 (+4) | 5 (-3) | 9 (-1) | 6 (-2) |
Saving Throws (suggested) Str +8, Con +7
Skills Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Giant
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The hill giant makes two attacks with its greatclub or one ranged attack with a rock.
- Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
- Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
DESCRIPTION
Hill giants are the shortest and the fattest of all true giants, standing at around 16 feet and weighing about 4,500 pounds (though morbidly obese hill giants can manage to double that weight). They have tan coloured skin and are generally dirty and foul smelling creatures, having little concept of personal hygiene. They wear crude clothing made of animal hides and furs, which are a symbol of esteem in some hill giant communities – the more hides a giant has, the more large kills to his credit. They adorn themselves with bones, teeth, and feathers. Their weapons are uprooted trees and rocks pulled from the earth.
Hill giants are selfish, cunning brutes who survive through hunting and by terrorizing and raiding nearby communities. Despite their low intelligence, they are capable fighters. They have a primitive and animal-like society, if it can be called a society at all. They are driven by their insatiable hunger and greed, and care little for anything else. They are chaotic evil in alignment, and often clash with other races and creatures that share their territory.
COMBAT
Hill giants are not very intelligent or tactical in combat. They rely on their brute strength and size to overpower their enemies. They prefer to fight at close range, using their greatclubs to smash their foes. However, they can also hurl rocks at distant targets with surprising accuracy. Hill giants are not very brave, and will flee or surrender if they are outnumbered or outmatched. They will also try to bargain for their lives with promises of food or treasure.
Hill giants are vulnerable to fire and acid damage, as well as spells that target their low intelligence or wisdom. They have no resistance or immunity to any damage type or condition. They have a decent perception skill, but a poor stealth skill. They have a low armor class, but a high hit point pool. They have a moderate challenge rating of 5, which means they can pose a threat to low-level adventurers, but can be easily defeated by higher-level ones.
Occasionally a hill giant with an average intelligence can be found. Such a giant is capable of rallying bands of his peers so 2, 3, or 4 times the number of giants usually appearing can be encountered. These “giant kings”, as they call themselves, stage raids on human towns or against other races of giants.
The majority of hill giants are suspicious of magic and will seek to destroy magic items they acquire as treasure. They ceremonially kill mages.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
Hill giants live in temperate hills and mountains, where they can find plenty of food and shelter. They often dwell in caves, abandoned ruins, wooden huts, or excavated dens. They rarely build anything of their own, preferring to scavenge or steal from others. Hill giants are nomadic and territorial, moving from place to place as they exhaust the resources of their current location. They mark their boundaries with piles of rocks or bones, and will attack anyone who trespasses on their land.
Hill giants have a simple social structure based on strength and size. The strongest and largest hill giant is the leader, known as the chief or the jarl. The chief commands the respect and obedience of the other hill giants, who follow him out of fear or loyalty. The chief also gets the best food, shelter, and loot from the raids. The chief may have one or more mates, who are usually the largest females in the tribe. The chief’s offspring are considered his heirs, and may challenge him for his position when they grow up.
Hill giants have little interaction with other races or creatures, except as potential food sources or enemies. They sometimes ally with other giants, such as ogres or trolls, but only for mutual benefit or protection. They rarely trade with anyone, unless they are desperate for something they cannot obtain by force. They have a deep hatred for elves and dwarves, who often oppose their raids and encroachments. They also despise dragons, who compete with them for food and treasure.
There is a 50% chance a band of hill giants will have guards in their lairs, and the guarding creatures will be 2d4 dire wolves (50%), 1d3 giant lizards (30%), or a group of 2d4 ogres (20%).
Sometimes bands of hill giants will trade with each other or with bands of ogres to get foodstuffs and trinkets.
ECOLOGY
Hill giants are omnivorous creatures that eat anything they can find or kill. They prefer meat over plants, but will not hesitate to devour fruits, vegetables, grains, or fungi if they are hungry enough. They have a voracious appetite that is never satisfied, and will often gorge themselves until they are sick or exhausted. They have no sense of moderation or conservation, and will often waste more food than they consume.
Hill giants reproduce sexually, with females giving birth to one or two offspring at a time. Hill giant infants are born large and strong, but require a lot of care and feeding from their parents. Hill giant children grow quickly, reaching adulthood by the age of 12. Hill giant lifespan is about 50 years, but many die sooner due to disease, violence, or starvation.
Hill giants have a negative impact on the environment they inhabit. They destroy the natural resources and wildlife of their territory with their reckless hunting and raiding. They also pollute the land and water with their waste and garbage. They have few natural predators, except for dragons or other powerful creatures that can challenge them. Hill giants are considered pests and vermin by most civilized races, who seek to drive them away or exterminate them.
The flesh of young green dragons is considered a delicacy, and frequently giants who live on hills and mountains covered with forests will organize hunting parties in search of green dragon lairs. In turn, green dragons have been known to hunt hill giants.