Medium-Size Giant

Hit Dice: 5d8+10 (32 hp)

Initiative: -1 (Dex)

Speed: 30 ft

AC: 17 (-1 Dex, +8 natural)

Attacks: Greatclub +7 melee; or longspear +0 ranged

Damage: Greatclub 1d10+4; or longspear 1d8+4

Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft

Special Qualities: Monocular vision

Saves: Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1

Abilities: Str 19, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8

Skills: Climb +8, Listen +1, Spot +1

Climate/Terrain: Temperate hills and mountains

Organization: Solitary, gang (2-5), or clan (2-8 plus 50% noncombatants), hunting/raiding party (6-9), or tribe (20-80 plus 50% noncombatants)

Challenge Rating: 5

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: By character class

Cyclopskin are single-eyed giants relatives of the normal cyclops.

   The typical cyclopskin weighs around 350 pounds, and stands about 8 feet tall.  A single large, red eye dominates the center of its forehead. Its hair is black and dull and always unkempt. Its flesh varies from ruddy brown to yellow, and it speaks with a rough, sharp tone. Cyclopskin dress in animal hides and little else.

   Cylcopskin speak Giant.

Combat

Cyclopskin are armed with either a greatclub or a greataxe. Each will also carry a large spear and a large sling. They never wear armor or use shields. Cyclopskin do not bother with strategy or tactics in combat. If their opponents are out of reach, they hurl heavy spears. They cannot throw boulders like other giants.

   Monocular Vision (Ex): Since the single eye of the cyclopskin gives it poor depth perception, it suffers a -2 penalty on ranged attacks. This penalty has been factored in to the statistics block above.

   Skills: A cyclopskin suffers a –2 racial penalty on all Search and Spot checks due to its single eye.

Cyclopskin Characters

The favored class of a cyclopskin is barbarian.

Cyclopskin Society

Cylcopskins are a nomadic people and most tribes and clans wander from area to area, though on some occasions a clan has been known to lair in caves for months or years at a time. Being poor hunters, most clans keep goats or sheep for food and to trade to other clans at their yearly meetings.

   Cyclopskin’s clans meet yearly (usually in the spring) to exchange goods (including slaves) and to select mates. In some instances, a leader emerges from these meetings to bring several clans together into a tribe. A cyclopskin tribe is a dangerous thing, for they will raid outlying humanoid settlements that a normal cyclopskin would not for fear of defeat.

   A cyclopskin cave is sealed with boulders and there is but a single entrance. Inside the cave will be wooden pens to house both animals and slaves. These pens have roofs of either wooden bars or the walls will reach the ceiling (thereby using the natural cave as the roof). At night, a large boulder or stout wooden gate is placed at the entrance of the cave to seal it from outsiders and intruders. There are no interior fire pits, since cyclopskin use fire infrequently, and then only outside their lairs.

   While they live off the land, they do not live with it. They have absolutely no sanitary practices, and rarely even cook their meals. They take no care to preserve their environment while hunting.

The Cyclopskin first appeared in the 1e MM II (Gary Gygax, 1983).