Hill Giants in v3.5

[ColonelHardisson]

Yes, that's the point. I don't want dwarves to get free exotic war axe proficiency.

It's the Axe equivalent to a bastard sword. If they had just called it a "War Axe," we wouldn't have silly dwarves asking for a good exotic weapon for free.

They'll not be getting proficiency in the Urgrosh or War Axe for free, technically. They just won't be considered exotic weapons for them. Non-fighter type dwarves will still have to spend extra Feats to be able to gain proficiency in them.

 

[BryonD]

They'll not be getting proficiency in the Urgrosh or War Axe for free, technically. They just won't be considered exotic weapons for them. Non-fighter type dwarves will still have to spend extra Feats to be able to gain proficiency in them.

True. And that extra 1 point of damage per attack is hardly going to break the game.

I think this is a good thing.

Letting a dwarf fighter get a 1d10 1-handed weapon is no more of a big deal than letting an elf rogue (or wizard even) get a 1d8 1-handed weapon. And that has never been a problem.

Now dwarves will have just a tiny extra edge exactly where they are stereo-typically supposed to.

 

[Eldorian]

I think the reason dwarves are getting the exotic weapon familiarities is because they are slightly weaker than the other starting PC races. They most of the small race disadvantages with none of the benifits. (i say most because they still do ok in bullrushes, grapples, and use medium weapons). As it is now, the only reason my players play dwarves is RP reasons, and if they play a barbarian for the bonus con. (fast move negates dwarf slowness) I also hope they give half-orcs weapon familiarity with the orc double axe, because I recently had a player make a half orc, and after I read the racial benifits to him to copy down, he was like "and?" and I was out of bonuses. Darkvision just isn't enough for a core race. (especially one that has an overall negative stat modifier). And orc blood? thats a penalty.. orc bane weapons anyone? know of any other items that require orc blood? besides bad ones? I'd also like to see a small boost for half-elves, never seen one played, other than RP reasons, or because I houseruled them an extra feat. Although one thing I must say, I do enjoy how in 3e humans are one of the best races (if not the best). They sucked in 2e.

Eldorian Antar

 

[Gez]

Charisma is not beauty, it's active willpower (strength of personnality). It don't really make sense for a hill giant to have a big Cha, but it's not out of place for a ghoul: the damn thing has enough will to animate its dead corpse.

 

[Hadit]

Are you saying that if a Hill Giant told you to do something, you wouldn't do it?
Sounds like 17 CHR to me!
Jest aside, looks like a typo. 7 CHR doesn't seem too far off.
(I never noticed this before because my players are still 6th level).
Ghouls though, are a wee bit screwy.
I tried to play it off saying it was "evil influence", but that didn't work. Even dropping 10 points and making it a 6 doesn't really make much sense. A freaking ghoul has about ZERO (or negative) charisma when it comes to just about any creature beyond actual undead... and even then only about the aforementioned '6'.
No biggie... that's why God gave DMs brains... to 'interpret' things.

 

[Mark CMG]

Maybe Balors aren't immune to fire because Hill Giants are so charismatic... Did you ever think of that? Huh? Did ya? Huh?

 

[LGodamus]

Maybe Balors aren't immune to fire because Hill Giants are so charismatic... Did you ever think of that? Huh? Did ya? Huh?

It all makes perfect sense now........call of the 3.5 revisions mark fixed everything.

 

[nsruf]

Do ghouls still have a 16 charisma?

the rules don't have to make sense, it's D&D!

It's part of the charm

Actually it makes sense in a weird, game mechanical kind of way, as the Cha is necessary to set the DC for the ghoul's paralysis attack (10 + 1/2 HD + Cha modifier = 14, IIRC). Usually, such an effect would be based on Con, but being undead, ghouls get to use Cha instead.

I wonder if I'll ever have the opportunity to play a ghoul sorcerer in an evil campaign. Forget vampires and lichs...

 

[nsruf]

I think the reason dwarves are getting the exotic weapon familiarities is because they are slightly weaker than the other starting PC races.

Funny, since I always thought dwarves were one of the stronger races, mechanically. They get to offest a physical stat bonus by a single mental stat penalty (I know that the DMG states a Con increase is only worth as much as a mental ability decrease, but IMO this was introduced because of dwarves), and darkvision is pretty nifty, too, not to mention the +2 to saves vs. magic and poison.

 

[Tonguez]

I wonder if I'll ever have the opportunity to play a ghoul sorcerer in an evil campaign. Forget vampires and lichs...

Damn right forget Vampires and Liches - Ghouls rock

Str +2, Dex +4, Con -, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +6

Look what you can get with a 30 point buy and CON as your dump stat

Str 20 +5 , Dex 18 +4, Con -, Int 16 +3 , Wis 18 +4, Cha 20 +5

Ghouls ARE intelligent undead, they are NOT just pumped up zombies they are badasses that need some respect. IMC The Bogeyman and Jack the Ripper are both Ghoul NPCs. I even had a Ghoul NPC (Rotten Eddy) as a recurring character who actually helps the PCs (whilst eating various street urchins and beggars)

Oh and I think Hill Giants with Cha 17 is kind of funky too - "so what if they're mindless brutes, they're still kind of adorable don't ya think"