D&D 5E Large Giants

[jgsugden]

In prior editions, Many giants (hill, stone, fire, frost) were large creatures, standing twice as tall (or 8 times as massive) as humans. In 5E, they are three times as tall (or 64 times as massive) as a human. I really enjoy having those huge giants as they truly feel like giant foes, but I also have a plethora of large scale giants from prior editions that I don't want to relegate to the back of the figure shelf to never see play.

Accordingly, I made lesser giants for my gaming world and gave them a role that fits into my lore. A lesser hill giant is CR 3, a lesser stone CR 4, a lesser frost CR 5, and a lesser fire CR 5. They fill the gap between ogres and huge giants. They were created to be smaller and easier to control by powerful spellcasters in my campaign world, so they have very low wisdom scores and disadvantage on all wisdom, intelligence and charisma saving throws. They all have an obsessive focus on something (different for every giant) that sticks with them through their entire lives.

Have other people created a place for large giants in their lore? If so, is it different than just being a smaller giant? If so, what?

 

[dave2008]

I have not, but you could go the 4e route and make the Large version the true "giants" and the Huge version the "titans"

 

[MarkB]

Pygmy Giants are a true-breeding subrace arising fro an uncommon (but, surprisingly, far from unheard-of) union between a giant and a halfling. Few scholars understand the nature of the mutual affinity between these races, and only a handful have been able to fully comprehend the physical and biological logistics of such a union. Of those who did, most did not commit that knowledge to paper, as they were driven mad in the process.

 

[Tonguez]

I have not, but you could go the 4e route and make the Large version the true "giants" and the Huge version the "titans"

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This the route I essentially took too, the true ‘mortal’ giants are Large size and are infact a single race with elemental affinities (Rock, Fire, Cloud, Ice etc). In their racial legends they claim to be descendents of the Titans who were sent from the heavens to give shape to the world but later fell (the deformity of hill giants, ogres and ettins is due to the fall).

The Huge giants are the ‘Legendary Storm Titans’ who gave shape to the mortal world, they’re rare and even the true giants consider them to be Mythic figures who are worshipped as gods

 

[ccs]

I have not. I've gone the far lazier route & said that Giants are at least Large size & simply kept the stats the same.

 

[werecorpse]

I make hill, stone, fire and frost giants large but keep the same stats. I tend to go off 1e standards for most lore.

 

[jgsugden]

Pygmy Giants are a true-breeding subrace arising fro an uncommon (but, surprisingly, far from unheard-of) union between a giant and a halfling. Few scholars understand the nature of the mutual affinity between these races, and only a handful have been able to fully comprehend the physical and biological logistics of such a union. Of those who did, most did not commit that knowledge to paper, as they were driven mad in the process.

However, it is the subject of many short stories written on adult websites.

I make hill, stone, fire and frost giants large but keep the same stats. I tend to go off 1e standards for most lore.

Understandable - I did the same for the most part (with a few things changing due to in game excuses), but the recent reboot of my setting after moving is giving me a clean slate and I'm taking advantage of it. It would be interesting to have a site that collects the major differences in lore between editions and collects how people address changes in campaign settings that have existed for 20, 30, or 40 years,

 

[Bitbrain]

At present in my games, Large-sized giants are considered “False Giants” or “Giant-Kin” by the Ordning, and include Cyclopes*, Ettins, and Ogres.

Huge-sized giants are considered “True Giants”, and include Hill, Stone, Frost, Fire, and Cloud Giants.

Storm Giants are Gargantuan-sized and considered “Elder Giants”.

*Cyclopes are actually Huge-sized, and act as servants to the Storm Giants.

 

[kieran_of_the_dark_peaks]

I really like that, while they are huge creatures now, they are different heights. In the MM it states that Frost Giants are 21 ft high - though height shouldn't always indicate strength. A squat giant could be stronger and more dangerous than the taller, slightly rangier Stone Giants.

 

[GMMichael]

Have other people created a place for large giants in their lore? If so, is it different than just being a smaller giant? If so, what?

There is one true giant. Obey.

Good call on the "large" giants. That's my preferred, standard size. If someone taller than nine feet moves into town, it's probably time for you to move out of town.