Half-Giant (4e Race)

Half-Giants

By Daniel Zrom

Powerful children of giants and humans with unimaginable strength, stamina, and height.

Racial Traits

Average Height: 6’9”–8’2”

Average Weight: 240–480 lb.

Ability Scores: +2 Strength,+2 Constitution.

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Low-Light

Languages: Common, Giant

Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Intimidate

Natural Resistance: you are granted a form of resistance to a specific type of damage or effect depending on the race of your Giant parent. These bonuses are: Death: resist 5 necrotic, Earth: immunity to petrification, Fire: resist 5 fire, Ice: resist 5 cold, Storm: choose either resist 5 lightning or resist 5 thunder. Add half your level to the value of your resistance.

Towering Blow: You may use Towering Blow as an encounter power

Towering Blow	Half-Giant Racial Power
Your size and hereditary Giant strength allows you to overpower nearly any foe in an instant.
Encounter
Free Action	Personal
Trigger: You hit an enemy with a melee weapon attack.
Effect: One target of your attack is knocked prone.

Half-Giants are widely known for their physical abilities, and for their ability to deal heavy damage to foes during combat, but they are typically shunned by many people for their hulking figures and often simplistic views on life and goals. This is not to say that Half-Giants are stupid, as many of them, especially storm Half-Giants can have great intellect, but because of their ability to muscle through problems, they typically do not worry too much about details, and feel they can just plow right on to their goals.

The main thing a Half-Giant wants in life is acceptance from giants, humans, or both. Some Half-Giants attempt to gain acceptance by accomplishing heroic deeds. While, Half-Giants who are raised among the Giant culture will attempt to gain acceptance by honing their combat skills to perfection. Adventuring typically allows them to hone their combat skills and accomplish heroic deeds at the same time, so most Half-Giants who get the chance to will gladly join an adventuring party.

Play a Half-Giant if you want...

• To be a hulking brute who cuts his enemies down one by one.
• To tower over most others around you.
• To be a member of a race that favors the Fighter and Warlock classes.

Physical Qualities

Half-Giants are very tall and well-muscled. They typically will look like humans, but at times they are also known to look like the giant which they are kin of. Many, however, are known to look slightly more primal, or have skin more closely colored to stone than actual flesh.

Half-Giants age at the same rate as humans do to start with, but can live about 20 years longer. Depending on their parents, they may always be vigorous, and even at great age be a formidable foe. But many end up settling down once they reach an old age.

Playing a Half-Giant

There were times when Half-Giants were shunned by mankind, but in this time of need many communities have come to accept them, and even revere them for their strong physical abilities and the way they never seem to tire. Giant, however, and especially Storm Giants, will typically not tolerate a Half-Giant, viewing them as weak and worthless. Very few will allow a Half-Giant into their tribes or caves. Half-Giants typically join parties to prove themselves, and work on training diligently during their free time.

Half-Giant Characteristics: Naive, powerful, confident, proud, and clumsy.

Male Names: Typically as human names.

Female Names: Typically as human names.

Half-Giant Adventurers

Three sample Half-Giant adventurers are described below.

Alek is a Half-Giant Fighter who was thrown out of his Earth Giant father's cave and left to be raised by his mother on a simple farm. He does not feel hatred for his father's actions, but he hopes to one day prove himself worthy. For this reason, he trains nightly to hone his skills with the warhammer. When he learned of a nearby adventuring party, he gladly joined, hoping to impress his stubborn father through deed and power alike.

Helen is a Half-Giant Ranger who was accepted into her Ice Giant family and happily lives with them along with her non-Giant father. While she is not very stealthy, she easily picks off enemies with her dual blades. When the remaining foes begin to flee, she and her teammates simply take them down one by one from a distance.

Johna is a Warlock who gained his powers by making a deal with a demon after he was rejected by both his families. His fellow adventurers worry for him and are usually concerned with his silence, but his skill in both melee and magical combat make them easily forget about how fragile he can be on the inside.

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