Large Giant

Hit Dice: 13d8+52 (110 hp)

Initiative: +1 (Dex)

Speed: 40 ft

AC: 20 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural)

Attacks: Huge great sword +16/+11 melee; or rock +10/+5 ranged

Damage: Huge great sword 2d8+10; or rock 2d6+7

Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/10 ft

Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, rock throwing

Special Qualities: Rock catching

Saves: Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +8

Abilities: Str 25, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 14

Skills: Climb +10, Concentration +7, Hide +0, Jump +11, Spot +6

Climate/Terrain: Temperate hills and forests

Organization: Solitary, gang (2-5), band (6-9 plus 35% noncombatants), hunting/raiding/trading party (6-9 plus 1 5th level cleric), or tribe (21-30 plus 35% noncombatants plus 1-3 5th level clerics)
Challenge Rating: 7

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Usually neutral but often chaotic good

Advancement: By character class

Of all the giant-kin, the firbolg is the most powerful, due to natural intelligence and considerable magical power. Firbolgs are cautious and crafty. They have learned to distrust and fear humans and most other humanoids.

   Firbolgs appear to be normal humans, except that they are over 10 feet tall and weigh over 800 pounds. They wear their hair long and keep great, thick beards. Their skin is a normal fleshy pink, with any shade of hair color, although blonde and red are most common. Their voices are a smooth, deep bass, thick with rolling consonants.

COMBAT

If possible they avoid an encounter, either by hiding or with deception. If forced to fight, they do so with great strategy, utilizing the terrain and situation to best effect. They operate as a group, not a collection of individuals.

   Firbolgs can use any Large size weapons in one hand without penalty; they disdain the use of armor and shields. Of manmade weapons, they prefer two-handed swords and halberds. Weapons of their own make are Huge equivalents of human weapons.

   Firbolgs usually throw rocks only for sport, in the manner similar to that of the stone giants. Their thrown rocks have a range increment of 120 feet.

   Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—alter self, detect magic, entangle, protection from elements, and reduce. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 10th-level sorcerer (DC 12 + spell level).

   Feats: Firbolgs gain the Deflect Arrows feat as a bonus feat.

FIRBOLG SOCIETY

Firbolgs live in remote forests and hills. These giant-kin distrust most other civilized races, and stay well away from them. They keep on even terms with druids and the faerie creatures, including elves, neither asking nor giving much, but avoiding insult or injury. Strangers are met with caution, frequently in illusionary disguise as one of their own race. They do not attack or kill without reason, but do enjoy pranks, particularly those that relieve strangers of treasure.

   Firbolg society is close-knit and centered around the family or clan. The clans live apart from each other, existing as gatherers and sometimes nomads. Their homes are huge, single-story, wooden houses with stout walls and a central fireplace opening in several directions in the common room. When great decisions are needed, the clans involved meet in an enclave. This happens at least once a year at the fall solstice, just to celebrate if nothing else. The shamans preside over these events, and settle any disputes between clans.

   Firbolgs live off the land and with it. Their homes are built from trees cleared from around the house. The clan does keep a field for harvest, but only enough to supplement their diet. They trade tasks involving great strength for food, usually with other peaceful folk in the forests or hills. Gathering and hunting an area up to 20 miles from their homestead is how they obtain the rest of their food.  Meat is used in small quantities for most meals, although major celebrations always include a large roast of some sort.

   Although many creatures are capable of killing a firbolg, none hunt them exclusively. They are stronger than most forest beasts, and intelligent creatures know better than to mess with them. They avoid true giants, except storm giants, and aggressively repel other giant- kin from their lands.

FIRBOLD CHARACTERS

The favored class of the firbolg is fighter. Most firbolg chieftains are fighters. Firbolg clerics are called shamans and can choose two of the following domains: Animal, Earth, or War.

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