By Alan McCoy from Dungeons & Dragons: Fundamentals
How to build challenging
encounters against an Ettin
Note: This has been prepared utilizing only the 5E Core Rules. The Ettin can be found in the Monster Manual page 132.
The Ettin is a large giant roughly twelve feet tall. They are usually covered in dirt, grime, and the leftover gore from hundreds of previous meals. Their most striking feature is the fact that they have two heads, these are usually either bald or covered with long stringy hair and beards. Their breath is rank, and the foul odor can be smelled at a great distance. Their teeth are a collection of crooked, rotting teeth and tusks.
Ettins are extremely disagreeable bullies, who will boss and argue with anyone, including their other head. Each head has a unique personality and a specific name. Cultural imprinting has allowed the Ettin to accept a combination of the names to identify the single creature, for example a head named Koric and a head named Bock would respond to someone addressing Koricbock, though an argument over who got top billing might ensue. (Bockoric?)
Ettins have a relationship to Orcs. Some claim that this is due to the action of the Demon Prince Demogorgon, who as a reward, elevated some Orcs to a two-headed status like his own. Others claim that Demogorgon curse some Orcs by twisting them into mockeries of himself with two heads. There are other stories: whatever the truth, what is known is that the Ettin and the Orc share a common language, though not usually a common dialect or accent, and that Orcs treat the Ettin as an honored cousin and will gladly add the power of an Ettin to their tribe.
The dual personality and bullying nature of an Ettin usually leads them to lead solitary lives, unless adopted by an Orc tribe. Two Ettins are rarely seen together, and when it does happen, it is usually a mated pair, or a grouping cowed into submission by a strength greater than their own.
Step 1) Let’s Review what we know about Ettins:
Ettins are Large Giants, twelve feet tall with two heads. Their large size allows them to travel at 40 feet per round.
Physically, Ettins are almost supernaturally strong (+5), extremely tough (+3), yet not nimble (-1), probably due to conflicting messages from their brains.
Mentally, Ettins are lacking, dumb (-2 INT), foul (-1 CHR) and yet they are fully aware of their surroundings (+/- 0 WIS).
Indeed, because an Ettin has two heads, they miss little (Advantage Perception Checks). This also applies to saving throws vs being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned or knocked unconscious.
Because the Ettin has two heads, they are never fully asleep, one head is always awake.
Step 2) Determine the probable Strategy.
Ettins want to eat, to bully and to destroy, there simply isn’t much going on upstairs. An Ettin is not stealthy, they may even give their location away by arguing between the heads.
Ettins are can fashion simple weapons from available resources or will carry the weapons of previous kills.
Step 3) Determine Tactics
While not tactically inclined, there are things that an Ettin can do to increase their chance of victory and their next meal. It should go without saying, but whatever disagreements that Right and Left had are forgotten during combat.
Taking advantage of their nearly supernatural strength (PHB p.195)
Ettins, being giants, can lift and throw boulders at incoming foes. Strength based Ranged weapon attack +7 to hit – 7d10+5 Damage.
Ettins, will sometimes grab an opponent, when they do so:
They will sometimes drop them into a bag for later consumption.
They will sometimes throw them (falling damage).
They can Squish them. Hit is automatic, damage 2d8+5.
They can use them as a weapon against (opposed grapple check, damage from being used as an improvised weapon TBD – I suggest that light armor = 2d6+5, Medium armor = 2d8 +5, and heavy armor = 2d10+5. For simplicity, use the same damage.
Ettins, can shove an opponent, pushing it away or knocking it prone. Minimum distance of 10 feet.
Ettins, while not smart, can take advantage of terrain features such as cliffs from which to throw annoying opponents, or water in which they can drown a grappled opponent.
Step 4) DM Tips and Observations:
Where to start: the Ettin was given the short end from the designers. As a solitary creature with only two attacks and an exceptionally low armor class, the Ettin is a quick and easy kill by most adventuring groups, even low-level ones. If it gets an attack, and hits, it will probably do significant damage, but nothing a level 3 or higher group can’t handle.
Armor Class 12! With a hide toughened by years of self-abuse. Let’s raise that to 14, then cover these monsters with heavy hide armor from the animal hides they utilize as clothing. After the dexterity reduction, that still leaves them with a 15.
Strength of 21, Constitution of 17, so close yet so far. Raise these to 22 and 18, respectively. Half measures are irritating after all.
Two heads, two personalities, two attacks from Multi-attack. Let’s let both heads have multi-attack and Right has two attacks and Left has two attacks. Before we get too excited, where would a solitary and disagreeable creature like an Ettin get a Battle-Axe or a Morning Star? Let’s arm them instead with a Maul (fashioned from a heavy tree soaked in water) with spikes (snapped off limbs).
Spiked Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d8+6 bludgeoning, +1d6 Piercing) damage.
Yes, I realize these will increase the power level of the Ettin considerably, quite frankly, the original version of CR 4 was a bit high in my opinion. If you change the monster as suggested, it’s a solid CR 6.