D&D 5E Why are 5E Giants Huge size?

[Prakriti]

I don't really understand the move to making giants Huge size when in previous editions they weren't

Giants were Large in 1E and Huge in 2E. So there is precedent for both.

That said, 5E's Huge Giants create interesting problems in Tales from the Yawning Portal. The maps for Against the Giants were designed with 1E's Large Giants in mind, which means that 5E's Huge Giants can't fit down their own hallways in some cases!

 

[Upper_Krust]

Yeah, I just find that when Hill Giants are the same size as Ogres... they're essentially the same creature. Making them Huge definitely gives them a leg up for not being grappled and such.

I still don't really see much of a difference. Orc to Orog to Ogre to Hill Giant is basically just a damage and hit point difference.

Str 16, 18, 19 & 21 respectively.

I find Empyreans are essentially "angel giants" so I totally like how they are the same size.

Yes its quite the CR leap.

Also, I just homebrew that Frost Giants can ride mammoths despite being the same size, it's the rule of cool!

Who cares if their feet can touch the ground.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Howdy Vaalingrade,

totally agree with this. Even in D&D's own artwork they almost always have the giants as Huge size.

But then my question becomes "so why make the stats so bland?" Play up to the GIANT SIZE difference in the way Warhammer Giants do.

The way 5E is designed most campaigns probably won't have more than 1-2 giants in play...ever. So make them individually more interesting encounters.

I mean, that's a problem with a massive number of monsters, not just giants. They're just bruises who suck at being interesting.

Personally, I like giant melee attacks to be AoOs, for them to grab and fling people things and PLACES, and for them to be capable of amazing martial feats. But D&D traditionally hates all those things.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Giants were Large in 1E and Huge in 2E. So there is precedent for both.

Hey Prakriti,

That is true. I should have dug out my Monstrous Manual before posting this thread.

That said, 5E's Huge Giants create interesting problems in Tales from the Yawning Portal. The maps for Against the Giants were designed with 1E's Large Giants in mind, which means that 5E's Huge Giants can't fit down their own hallways in some cases!

Haha! Brilliant!

 

[Voadam]

Basic D&D giants

1e giants compared with people

2e depiction of giants near people for comparison

3e's large fire and frost giants compared to people. The Storm giant is Huge.

4e had the large giants and huge titans

5e has all huge giants

 

[Upper_Krust]

I mean, that's a problem with a massive number of monsters, not just giants. They're just bruises who suck at being interesting.

I agree, but I don't see why they need to be. However, 5E compounds the blandness because the higher the CR (and as a byproduct of that the monsters size) the fewer of a given monster most campaigns will both see and use.

I actually should have asked Prakriti if in Tales of the Yawning Portal you are meant to face more than 1 or 2 giants at a time in any given encounter?

Personally, I like giant melee attacks to be AoOs, for them to grab and fling people things and PLACES, and for them to be capable of amazing martial feats. But D&D traditionally hates all those things.

They would have been better having a single generic giant stat block (for all the differences they have) but made it a far more interesting encounter (as per a Warhammer Giant).

Giants in 4E were more varied and interesting, yet were still able to be used in relatively high numbers at epic tier levels.

5E doesn't seem to enable a Halls of the Fire Giant King style adventure. 2 Fire Giants and 2 Hell Hounds are already a CR 20 encounter...albeit the Hell Hounds are now going to look like Chihuahua's next to the Huge size Fire Giants.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Thanks for the post Voadam.

5E Giants seem on par with that illustration from Basic D&D.
1E scaled them down.
2E scaled them back up.
3E scaled them down again.
4E kept them scaled down...but added the titans.
5E scaled them back up but removed the titans.

I agree Huge giants are more 'giant-like' (in traditional fantasy terms). That said, smaller giants are more accessible and usable in larger numbers. Facilitating adventures akin to the classic 'Against the Giants' series.

To me, 4E giants are the best of both worlds (Large Giants, Huge Titans) while also making individual giant types more varied than ever before and playing up the elemental side of things.

 

[Nefermandias]

They used to be huge back in 1e and 2e. Smaller giants are a 3eism.

 

[Mirtek]

Giants were Large in 1E and Huge in 2E. So there is precedent for both.

That said, 5E's Huge Giants create interesting problems in Tales from the Yawning Portal. The maps for Against the Giants were designed with 1E's Large Giants in mind, which means that 5E's Huge Giants can't fit down their own hallways in some cases!

Well, that's what you get when you force enslaved dwarves construct your castles

 

[the Jester]

Going by how the 5E rules work, three Fire Giants are a Challenge Rating of 21. I wonder if, after statting the giants did they think well PCs won't be facing an army of giants so they may as well be Huge to compensate...?

That's not really how CR works in 5e. I've had a party of pcs in the mid-teens take on nearly all the giants in G1 in one massive 5e fight, and they won hands down.