D&D General did giants ever get the spotlight?

[Mind of tempest]

I have been looking at setting lore for things I might like or inspire me and I noted something against feel tacked on aside from as a big monster they do not seem to matter and what lore we do have for them is kinda dull.

should giants get used more in at least one setting as dragons have plenty of lore and that makes sense but giants and kin seem very tacked on and lack in interesting ways to use them in most settings?

anyone got any thoughts?

 

[GuyBoy]

I see where you are coming from in comparison with dragons, though giants got a pretty iconic role in the game’s cultural history with the G series of adventures, and a number of developments, expansions and homages to that series over the years.
I love those three adventures btw. Many great memories.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I see where you are coming from in comparison with dragons, though giants got a pretty iconic role in the game’s cultural history with the G series of adventures, and a number of developments, expansions and homages to that series over the years.
I love those three adventures btw. Many great memories.

one adventure is not the same as great place in setting plus it was only once.

 

[Delazar]

I've been using Storm King's Thunder a LOT!

 

[Yaarel]

In the history of Eberron, there is an era of giants. But I am unaware of a campaign during this era.

 

[Yora]

Aside from Storm King's Thunder?

I think the limited presence of giants in D&D comes from the strong Tolkienian influence in Forgotten Realms. Like Middle Earth, Faerûn is a world where humans have taken over and all the great ancient people have been pushed aside. Elves of course have their huge fandom, and there's some nods to dwarves, but like in Middle Earth, the dwarves in D&D are really relics of the past, their glory dies long ago faded into legend. And giants have it much worse. Dragons get some more presence because they are the poster boys for the game, but in practice their impact on society is negligible as well.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I think SKT is about as big a treatment as they've ever gotten in an official publication. They've been the focus of adventures before (as in: in previous editions), but I don't think they've ever been the focus of a setting, nor do I recall a Complete Book of Giants.

A setting where giants are the main antagonists from the get-go would be cool, though.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I have been looking at setting lore for things I might like or inspire me and I noted something against feel tacked on aside from as a big monster they do not seem to matter and what lore we do have for them is kinda dull.

should giants get used more in at least one setting as dragons have plenty of lore and that makes sense but giants and kin seem very tacked on and lack in interesting ways to use them in most settings?

anyone got any thoughts?

Essentially the answer is no.

The closest we've got is probably Monte Cooke's Arcana Unearthed/Diamond Throne setting for d20/3.XE, where the giants are absolutely central to the setting and quite fascinating - but they're not the D&D giant races, rather different humanoid giants.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

A setting where giants are the main antagonists from the get-go would be cool, though.

I think part of the reason we've not seen this is the fact that it would really foreground how silly fighting giants with normal weapons and so on is. But if it had rules for going all "Dragon's Dogma" on giants I think that would be pretty cool.

 

[Yaarel]

In 4e, the Primordials are an important group, elemental giants.