How big are the rocks that giants throw?

[NewJeffCT]

Just curious as to how big they are? According to the MM, a hill giant weighs about 1,100 pounds, or a little more than 6 times a normal human adult male at 175 pounds. They are only about twice as tall as a normal human male, if that.

However, a range increment for a thrown rock is 120' - given they are about 6 times heavier than a human, does that mean it is the equivalent of how much a human can throw about 20 feet? A gallon of milk is about 8 1/2 pounds. Can a normal human toss a gallon of milk that far easily? If a human can toss an 8 1/2 pound weight 20 feet, is that like a hill giant toss a 51 pound rock 120 feet?

And, what kind of throw do they make? Is it like throwing a football or baseball? Or, is it a big heave like an Olympic shot putter or discus thrower? (I might be able to throw a gallon of milk 20 feet if I wound up, but not sure I could do it overhand throwing it like a football or baseball)

 

[Delta]

That's a good question. SRD says:

A giant of at least Large size can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to five range increments. The size of the range increment varies with the giant’s variety. A Huge giant can hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects).

My short answer is that the sizes/ weights/ distances are simply out of whack -- they're totally not going to make any sense if you try to corellate them like this. Remember that you're only dealing with range increments -- the actual distance they can throw is 5 times that (600 feet for a hill giant). That's a hella long way with the accuracy they get.

By the RAW, since the objects are a smaller size than the giant, they can pitch it one-handed. But all my old sources (AD&D giant modules) show them grabbing big boulders two-handed, so in my campaign that's what they do. I also knock down range increments to 1/3 the listed amount for some kind of reasonableness.

 

[NewJeffCT]

That's a good question. SRD says:



My short answer is that the sizes/ weights/ distances are simply out of whack -- they're totally not going to make any sense if you try to corellate them like this. Remember that you're only dealing with range increments -- the actual distance they can throw is 5 times that (600 feet for a hill giant). That's a hella long way with the accuracy they get.

By the RAW, since the objects are a smaller size than the giant, they can pitch it one-handed. But all my old sources (AD&D giant modules) show them grabbing big boulders two-handed, so in my campaign that's what they do. I also knock down range increments to 1/3 the listed amount for some kind of reasonableness.

Thanks - I was wondering about that. The old modules, plus one of my old Warhammer giants of albion has the huge rock over its head as well... which is why I was wondering. It didn't seem logical to me that an 11 foot tall hill giant could toss a huge stone like that 120-240-360-etc feet.

 

[physics_ninja]

Well, judging from the Princess Bride, not very big at all. But then again, Andre the Giant doesn't weight 1100 pounds.

I looked up shotputs on wikipedia. A shot put weighs 16 pounds ( the world record distance is 75 feet).

So multiplying the weight by six gives us about 106 pounds. However, giants aren't competing in the olympics and won't throw the heaviest rocks around. Let's just say 50 pounds, which sounds about right for the 120' range increment.

 

[Jhaelen]

Just curious as to how big they are?

First off: Realism =/= D&D rules. It's generally better not to think about it.

You can calculate it yourself: Stone has an average density of ~ 2,0 - 2,5g/cm^3. To calculate the volume of a sphere: 4/3*PI*r^3. Now if I knew, what a US pound is in grams...

 

[el-remmen]

Ranging from volley ball-sized to basketball-sized all the way up to kitschy inflated over-sized beachball sized.

or at least, that is how I've always described them.

 

[Lanefan]

Usually, big enough.

Lanefan

 

[physics_ninja]

Now if I knew, what a US pound is in grams...

454 grams to the pound.

Doing a rough calculation I get my 50 lb rock coming in at about a foot in diameter. (Basketball sized).

Oh, and to answer the OP's orginal question, I imagine them being thrown like baseballs.

 

[QuaziquestGM]

Ever check the stats for a 2ed cyclops?

Monstrous Manual pg 133.

"Cyclopes can hurl boulders up to 150 yards away, inflicting 410 points of damage."

This is a 4000 xp /13 hd creature. (hill giants 2000 xp/ 12 hd; Frost giants 7000 xp/14 hd)

I know that this is probably an errata issue and it should be 4d10...but I know what to run "as written" for the next complete jerk player who shows up for my "Against the Giants" game.


For those looking for a 3ed cyclops, it is in Dieties in the Olympian Monsters section, and in one of the FG books, though I don't reacall which (South or East i think).

 

[Delta]

Doing a rough calculation I get my 50 lb rock coming in at about a foot in diameter. (Basketball sized).

Of course, you see that necessarily contradicts the RAW stating that they're Small objects (1 ft. wide being a Tiny object). That is, just for starters, the RAW statement has rocks being a lot less dense than in reality.