How big are the rocks that giants throw?

[HeavenShallBurn]

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.

Remember size categories have a weight too not just dimensions so while they may be Tiny by dimensions they're Small by weight. And the OP is really underestimating distances objects can be thrown. 20 feet, a milk jug? I can throw an 80 pound bag of fertilizer 20 feet. A milk jug would go much further.

 

[Delta]

Remember size categories have a weight too not just dimensions so while they may be Tiny by dimensions they're Small by weight. And the OP is really underestimating distances objects can be thrown. 20 feet, a milk jug? I can throw an 80 pound bag of fertilizer 20 feet. A milk jug would go much further.

If you read carefully, you'll see the sizes really are defined by the dimensions and not the weight -- the listed weights are only presumed estimates.

Assumes that the creature is roughly as dense as a regular animal. A creature made of stone will weigh considerably more. A gaseous creature will weigh much less.

If you're 1 ft. wide and made of stone (thus 50 pounds), you're still size Tiny.

 

[Pbartender]

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.

Remember, weight counts for a lot, but it isn't everything. Speed is a great factor as well.

For better comparison, consider that a typical early medieval "traction" trebuchet, which was desgined to throw rocks by having anywhere from 15-45 men hauling down an a teeter-totter-like lever, could throw rocks upwards of 200 pounds 100-200 feet.

Of course, looking a bit later, cannons, at the height of their usage, threw cannonballs weighing anywhere between 4 and 42 pounds, depending on the size of the cannon.


Persaonlly, I envision most giants throwing rocks that look something like stone bowling balls... Just the right size for a giant to grasp and hurl, but plenty heavy enough to do serious damage.


In another respect, the size and weight the rock thrown, since it generally a random rock picked up off the ground, is dependant on the damage roll... Low damage roll == smaller rock, high damage roll == larger rock. Just be sure to roll the (potential) damage before you announce the attack, if you want to describe it accurately.

 

[Jhaelen]

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.

Probably the influence of Hollywood:
The authors have seen too many styrofoam rocks being thrown around

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).

Yup, probably a bit smaller according to my calculation: I get about 27cm diameter or 10.5 inches

 

[Truth Seeker]

A fifth of this rock, can be used as a throwing item.

 

[jgbrowning]

A fifth of this rock, can be used as a throwing item.

Just pick up the little peoples and throw them instead.

joe b.

 

[Pbartender]

Probably the influence of Hollywood:
The authors have seen too many styrofoam rocks being thrown around

Yup, probably a bit smaller according to my calculation: I get about 27cm diameter or 10.5 inches

For comparison, a typical 32 pound iron cannonball (the typically standard sized cannonball you'd see used in most pirate movies) is only about a half foot in diameter... About the size of a typical cantaloupe.

An iron cannonball one foot in diameter would weight nearly 260 pounds.

 

[Galethorn]

One important physics note: if you double the weight of the rock, you get twice the kinetic energy, but if you double the speed, you get four times as much energy. So, a 10-pound rock going 80mph packs twice the punch that a 20-pound rock going 40mph does. Interestingly enough, this is (mostly) why your stopping distance in a car is four times as far if you're going twice as fast.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

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.

This.

I usually assume that the rock is about the size that will easily fit in the giant's hand... Or, equivalent to a baseball in a human's hand.

Later
silver

 

[Thurbane]

Unspunnen Stone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unspunnen_Stone