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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 9266961" data-attributes="member: 6915329">What follows is probably the most powerful monster I’ve ever created that isn’t a dragon: It’s the earth giant of Krynn. Which isn’t actually a giant in my mind, but an elemental, since it’s basically a living mountain. It’s a fairly peaceful creature, which means that if you were looking to throw a CR 29 monster at your players to kill, you might be disappointed. Of course, you can make it go on a rampage, or maybe your players did something to really piss it off, but the earth giant isn’t the type to just wander around being evil. Or hoard treasure, although I gave it some anyway, since I’m going to assume stuff just got lost on its body. The PCs will really have to search for any treasure they pull from it, though.Annoyingly, this article only gives abbreviated statblocks, the type you’d find in modules, rather than the full Monstrous Compendium-style pages. Although it does give stats in both AD&D and Saga System. I guess they didn’t have enough room for full tats for both. What was the Saga System like? Anyone here play it?[ATTACH=full]347452[/ATTACH]Earth GiantThe Lost Giants of Krynn, Dragon Magazine #256Creature by Richard “Ricko” Dakan; art by Tom BaxaThe name “earth giant” is something of a misnomer, as they are not giants but actually tremendous nature elementals, walking mountains with a bulbous, vaguely humanoid form. They stand over 150 feet tall, although they rarely stand—they spend much of their time sound asleep. So much time, in fact, that most are covered with soil and rock and even small trees.Big Friendly Giants. Despite being so large and powerful that even their sighs can cause small earthquakes, earth giants are generally peaceful creatures. They seem to have no ill will towards anyone, primarily because they have almost no enemies. The only creatures that ever actively want to harm them are the few creatures who eat rock and on occasion, beings such as div, who sometimes want to own an earth giant as a status symbol. Far more often, earth giants are harmed by people who, mistaking them for a mountain, try to dig into them. None of these creatures pose much of a threat to the giant, who—if it even notices them—will simply shoo them away rather than fight. Only if the threat persists will the giant react with violence.Historians. Earth giants are ancient beings; legends say they predate the world itself, and were born out of primordial earth. They are quite intelligent and have nearly perfect memories and, despite lacking eyes and ears, can somehow detect everything that goes on around them, even when they’re asleep. Thus, every earth giant is a fount of lore that makes every historian desperate to interview them. However, these giants spend so much time sleeping and are difficult to wake up. It’s also hard to get one talking—although once it starts talking, it rambles on, sometimes for days at a time.Earth-Eater. Earth giants eat rock and earth when awake, but when asleep, they absorb nutrients from the soil and from sunlight, like plants. Unfortunately, after a few centuries of sleep, the soil becomes drained of nutrients, unsuitable for either the giant or for trees. At this point, the giant simply wakes up and wanders away, looking for a new place to nap, leaving barren dirt behind.Climate/Terrain: any climate; forest, grassland, hill, mountainLegends and LoreWith an Arcana or Nature check, the characters can learn the following:DC 15. Earth giants are not true giants, but are more akin to earth spirits or genius loci. So large they resemble small mountains than living beings, they spend centuries at a time sleeping, causing soil to accumulate over them and trees to grow on them.DC 20. These immortal beings are excellent sources of history. They lack eyes and ears but can sense even the slightest movements by other creatures up to a mile away.Earth Giant EncountersChallenge Rating 23-30 earth giantTreasure: 13,000 gp, 3 diamonds (5,000 gp each), 5 opals (1,000 gp), half-ruined fortress (can be fixed), silver and topaz crown (2,500 gp), greatsword named Yondolug that once belonged to a famed orc warlord (for every five enemies killed in a battle, it gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls; bonus resets to +0 at dawn), +3 arrows, 2 potions of supreme healing, scroll of forest armyChallenge Rating 31+ earth giant with 1-2 earth elementals and 1-2 treantsTreasure: 5,000 pp, 10,000 gp, 10 rubies (5,000 gp each), platinum and ruby ring (7,500 gp), gold bejeweled ewer (7,500 gp), platinum statuette of a beloved deity (7,500 gp), bead of force, +3 greatclub that formed inside of the giant (inflicts an additional 3d8 damage on a critical hit, can be used to cast move earth and stone sense each 1/long rest), ioun stone of greater absorption, rod of absorption, scroll of gateSigns1. Numerous earth elementals, dust mephits, and plant creatures can be found in the area2. Frequent earth tremors that seem to be coming closer3. A terrible, rhythmic, landslide-kind of noise—the earth giant is asleep and snoring4. Many animals running in panic; the earth giant is movingBehavior1-3. Sleeping4. Dictating local history to an audience (who may or may not be appreciative) in a very slow and sonorous voice.5. Awoken by miners and attempting to shoo them away.6. Looking for a new open area in which to fall asleep.Earth GiantLegendary titanic elemental; Challenge 29 (135,000 XP)AC 22 (natural armor)HP 533 (2d6d20+260; bloodied 266)Speed 90 ft.STR 30 (+10) DEX 7 (-2) CON 30 (+10)INT 17 (+3) WIS 22 (+6) CHA 17 (+3)Proficiency +9; Maneuver DC 27Saving Throws Str +19, Dex +7, Con +19Skills History +12, Insight +15, Intimidation +9 (+1d6), Nature +12, Perception +15Damage Resistances damage from weaponsDamage Immunities cold, fire, lightning, thunderCondition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, fatigue, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, proneSenses blindsight 1 mile (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 25Languages Common, Sylvan, Terran, 1d4 other languagesFalse Appearance. When motionless, the earth giant is indistinguishable from a small mountain or hillGreat Steps. The earth giant’s movement isn’t hindered by difficult terrain.Immortal Nature. The earth giant doesn’t require air or sustenance.Legendary Resistance (3/day). When the earth giant fails a saving throw it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, boulders and dust fall from it, as if it is crumbling. Until the end of its next turn, it can’t use Cause Avalanche.Magic Resistance. The earth giant has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.The Mountain Sees All. The earth giant has a d8 expertise die on Intelligence checks made to recall history. If it fails such a roll, it can expend one use of its Legendary Resistance trait to treat the roll as a 20.ActionsMultiattack. The earth giant makes two Fist attacks.Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (6d10) bludgeoning damage and the target must make a DC 27 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the start of its next turn.Cause Avalanche (Recharge 5-6). The earth giant causes rocks to fall of it in a cylinder that is 60 feet and has a 40-foot radius. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage and falls prone. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and doesn’t fall prone. The rocks turn the ground in that area into difficult terrain until cleared.Bonus ActionsGrab. One Medium or Large creature within 15 feet of the earth giant must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 27). Until this grapple ends, the giant can’t grab another target and can only make one Fist attack.Legendary ActionsThe earth giant can take 4 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.Bellow. Each creature of the earth giant’s choice within 120 feet of it that can hear it must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. Creatures take 10 (3d6) thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one, and creatures that fail their saving throw are frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. When it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends for it, it is immune to Bellow for 24 hours.Fling. The earth giant throws one object or creature it is grappling up to 90 feet away. The target lands prone and takes 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage. If the giant throws the target at another creature, that creature must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw taking the same damage on a failure.Rumble (Costs 2 Actions). The earth giant stomps, causing an earthquake around it. Creatures within 90 feet must make a DC 27 Strength saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and falling prone on a failure.CombatEarth giants rarely attack and almost never actively try to kill anyone—they simply pick up anyone who tries to hurt them and throw them away. They do not run away and will fight to the death, if forced to.</blockquote>

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