How have you made giants more interesting?

[Ibram]

Giants IMC are somewhat of a puzzle. It is known that they once had a vast kingdom, and that they were skilled magic users, though what happened to most of thier population is unknown.

most giants have signficant spell casting abilities to back up their physical abilities (often in the form of spell like abilities keyed to their element)

Fire Giants are master artisans, and are often sought by those looking for magical weapons.

Frost Giants are the guardians of what remains of the old giant empire, keeping the mortal races away.

Stone Giants are philosophers and wanderers who often interact with mortals (most can change shape at will to pass among the mortals). It was stone giants who first taught dwarves the magic found in runes.

Hill Giants are giants (of any type) who were striped of their powers for commiting a crime (though it is not known what a giant has to do to be so punished).

 

[the Jester]

Hmm, I haven't tinkered a lot with giant culture, but I've done a lot with individual giants or small groups imc. There was a cult of Chaos that was headed by a fomorian cleric 20 in my epic game... there has long been a storm giant wizard floating around in the background imc... etc.

 

[phindar]

For my Elemental Islands game (an idea I nicked from another forum and ran with, though haven't actually run), I ditched outsiders and replaced them with elementals. Its D&D with no Outer Planes, just Inner Planes. Creatures with elemental subtypes are the representations of the elements. Most notable are the dragons, but right behind them are the giants. Fire giants, for example, are worshipped and feared as totem/avatars of the spirit of Fire. Stone Giants have Earth, and Cloud Giants have Air. I made Storm Giants Water subtypes, just to round out the roster. (There are no Water subtype giants that I came across designing that game, but Storm Giants have a swim speed and breath water, so that was not a huge leap). The other giants without elemental subtypes (hill giants, ogres, trolls) were corrupted or lured away in eons past, and tend to serve the ever-hungry darkness.