Hill Giant
Hill giants speak their own language and a tongue common to all giants. In addition, 50% also speak ogre.
A hill giant lair will have 9-16 (1d8+8) giants; usually an extended family. Sometimes these families will accept lone hill giants into their folds. If six or more giants are encountered in a lair, half of them will be male, one quarter will be female, and the remainder will be immature giants. To determine a giant’s maturity, roll 1d4. A roll of 4 indicates an infant with no combat ability and hit points of gnoll; rolls of 1-3 indicate older progeny with hit dice, damage, and attack rolls equal to that of an ogre.
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.
Although hill giants prefer temperate areas, they can be found in practically any climate where there is an abundance of hills and mountains. They lair in caves, excavated dens, or crude huts. Those who live in colder climates have developed more skills with preparing and using skins to keep themselves warm and to keep the harsh winds out of their lairs.
There is a 50% chance a band of hill giants will have guards in their lairs, and the guarding creatures will be 2-8 (2d4)dire wolves (50%), 1-3 giant lizards (30%), or a group of 2-8 (2d4) ogres (20%).
The majority of hill giants are suspicious of magic and will seek to destroy magic items they acquire as treasure. They ceremonially kill mages.
Hill giants’ main diet consists of meat, which they obtain by hunting. 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.
Sometimes bands of hill giants will trade with each other or with bands of ogres to get foodstuffs and trinkets.
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.
Hill giants are oddly simian and barbaric in appearance, with overly long arms, stooped shoulders, and low foreheads. Even though they are the smallest of the giants, their limbs are more muscular and massive than those of the other giant races. The average hill giant is 16 feet tall and weighs about 4,500 pounds. Females have the same builds as males. Their skin color ranges from a light tan to a deep ruddy brown. Their hair is brown or black, and their eyes are black. Hill giants can live to be 200 years old.
Like all of giantkind, hill giants were created to be the laborers of the gods, building the confines of the mortal world for the other humanoid races. While fire giants and frost giants cling to shreds of their former purpose and a hatred of mortal humanoids, hill giants have long since accepted life in the natural world. Hill Giants clans even engage in trade and long-term relations with brutish humanoid tribes. Though most giants are brutish and coarse, hill giants are particularly unrefined and unpredictable. The race's minimal social skills inhibit the creation of hill Giants societies. Most hill Giants groups consist ofa single family. On the rare occasions when hill giants band together under the leadership ofa powerful chief, their lairs (known as steadings) resound with near-constant quarreling and infighting. In many cases, boisterous hill giants all but ignore the sound of attackers within their own homes.
Hill giants’ natural Armor Class is 5. This is reduced to an Armor Class of 3 when they wear crudely-sewn animal hides, which are the equivalent of leather armor. Nearly all hill giants wear these hides, which are a symbol of esteem in some hill giant communities -- the more hides a giant has, the more large kills to his credit. Only a few (5%) of the giants fashion metal armor from the armor of men they have defeated. These giants have an Armor Class of 0.
Like other races of giants, hill giants carry their belongings with them in huge hide sacks. A typical hill giant’s bag will contain 2-8 (2d4) throwing rocks, the giant’s wealth, and 1-8 additional common items.
Hill giants prefer to fight their opponents from high rocky outcroppings where they can pelt their targets with rocks and boulders while limiting the risks posed to themselves.
Club Sweep: Attack 2 M or smaller targets. If hit, each target is pushed 2 squares and knocked prone.
Knockdown Throw: Instead of the standard rock thorw, the Hill Giants can shatter their boulders for maximum effect. 2d8+6 dmg., save vs. Dexterity for 1/2 dmg. Area of effect 10 ft. by 10 ft. square. Target is dazed.
Rolling Rocks: Range of 80 ft. 2d10+4 dmg. Target slides 4 squares and knocked prone unless a Dexterity check is made.
Stomping Shift: The Hill Giant may shift 4 squares. Any enemies that are shifted "through" are stomped for 2d8 dmg. (Dexterity check for half damage).
Mobility: At the start of each of its turns, the Hill Giants can make a saving throw against one effect that a save can end. The effect must include the immobilized, restrained, or slowed condition.
Persistant Smash: The Hill Giants may continue to operate after it reaches 0 hit points. The Hill Giants must make a Wisdom check (14), each round, to do so.
Special Advantages
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Special Disadvantages
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