On civilizationās frontier, half-giants come from the union of humans and giants. Rarely the product of a loving relationship, they straddle two worlds, but never fully belong to either. True giants regard them as targets for rock throwing and other forms of abuse, while humans are put off by their abnormally large size. Yet, simultaneously, human society values the strength of half-giants, often keeping them around should they prove useful.
Physical Description: Half-giants look similar to humans, but are massively built, ranging from 7 to 8 feet tall and weighing in somewhere between 250 to 400 pounds. Like humans, men tend to be taller and heavier than women.Ā Most half-giants (being spawned by hill giants) have skin tones that range from lightly tanned to ruddy brown, with brown or black hair. Other features depend on the giantās heritage- half-fire giants tend to have red hair, bronze skin and yellow eyes. Half-frost giants tend to be blond, blue-eyed, and very pale, often with blue skin. Half-stone giants tend towards black or gray skin tones with little or no hair, head or body-wise, and half-marsh giants look like something from a sailorās nightmares. Half-giants tend to run the gamut on features, thanks to their human genes.
Society: Half-giants in giant societies rarely survive, simply not having the sheer physical power of a true giant. The brutes see the weaklings as tainted by human blood, and those that arenāt eventually killed make their way to human society. Even the civilized giant races, such as the cloud and storm giants, tend to encourage their half-human spawn to leave and make themselves useful.
Humanity has a mixed relationship with half-giants. On one hand, they are the scions of brutish, violent creatures that often enslave and eat people; this is difficult for one to get past. But on the other hand, a half-giantās size and strength are quite useful. This attitude results in humans keeping half-giants at armās length. Most half-giants tend to become warriors or mercenaries of some stripe, and a skilled/lucky half-giant can often find employment as an intimidating bodyguard or enforcer. Others are recruited to perform back-breaking labor (for normal humans, anyway).
Half-giants rarely experience the open-hatred prejudice that half-elves and half-orcs experience. Simply put, they resemble humans very closely, and only the bravest of bigots would think twice before assaulting a human mountain capable of breaking iron with his bare handsā¦. Most bigotry they experience tends to be subtle, such as being denied services or having prices raised.
Relations: Dwarves and gnomes are some of the most mistrustful of half-giants, since true giants have been the enemies of these races since forever. Likewise, Elves and halflings often experience giant raids on their territory, and their suspicions carry over to half-giants. Half-elves and half-orcs recognize half-giants as cousins in spirit; people who understand their inability to fit into society. Half-orcs especially respect a half-giantās physical prowess, seeing it comparable to their own, but they often grow jealous of their semi-accepted status.
Alignment and Religion: Half-giants in giantish societies tend towards chaos and evil, having been taught the harsh lesson that life is a bitch and then you die. Those in cloud or storm giant strongholds tend more towards law. Those in human society tend towards chaos more than law, but are often good, neutral or evil equally. Often lonely in human society, many half-giants find comfort in religion, and venerate the local deities. But just as there are devout half-giants, there are those that turn their backs on the deities entirely, reasoning that, if mortals canāt fully accept them, then how can the gods?
Adventurers: Almost all half-giants take to adventuring out of necessity, trying to find acceptance within society by being useful. Half-giants in true giant clans are usually barbarians, or rarely, rangers, lacking any other means of training. Those in human society have a lot more options. Half-giants are commonly fighters, monks or thuggish rogues. While some receive clerical training, most are pushed into the more martial aspects of the faith, and become mighty paladins. Although they have the inborn talents for sorcery or the potential for wizardry, few half-giants pursue this route.
Male Names: Alberik, Alrik, Erland, Gunnar, Hagrid, Isak, Ragnor, Rurik, Tor.
Female Names: Agaton, Annalina, Blenda, Eleonora, Gala, Malin, Ragnara, Vedis.
Alternate Racial Traits
Small Build: Youāre not as powerfully built as other half-giants, but you have an easier time melding into human society. You do not need to make disguise checks to pass for a normal human, and your integration into human society has paid off: you gain a bonus feat, similar to what humans get at character creation. This replaces the Powerful Build trait.
Human Versatility: You werenāt born with the might of the giants, but youāve got human adaptability instead. You gain a +2 bonus to one ability score of your choice. This alters and replaces the half-giant ability scores.
Hulking Half-Giant: Rather than throwing projectiles, you prefer to get up close and personal. You gain a +1 bonus on all melee attacks. Your focus on melee comes at a price, however, and you take a -2 penalty on all ranged attack and damage rolls. This replaces the Throwing Arm trait.
City Giant: You arenāt as tough as your wild cousins, but youāre more adept at navigating civilization. You gain a +1 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy and Perception checks. In urban environments, these bonuses becomes +2. This trait replaces Thick Skin.
Stone Giant Heritage: Your natural armor increases to +3. Your shale-grey skin also grants you a +2 bonus on stealth checks when in rocky or mountainous terrain. However, your penalty to Dexterity becomes -4 instead of -2. This replaces the Throwing Arm and Thick Skin traits.
Fire Giant Heritage: You gain Fire Resistance 5 and may add Ignan to your list of bonus languages. This replaces the Throwing Arm trait.
Frost Giant Heritage: You gain Cold Resistance 5 and always treat Intimidate as a class skill. This replaces the Throwing Arm trait.
Storm Giant Heritage: You display some skill in arms, similar to your Storm Giant parent. You gain proficiency with a number of martial weapons equal to your Intelligence modifier. If you are already proficient with all martial weapons thanks to your class, you may instead become proficient with a single exotic weapon. This replaces the Throwing Arm trait.
Wood Giant Heritage: Once per day you may cast Speak With Animals as a spell-like ability. Caster level equals your character level. You gain a +2 bonus on Stealth and Survival checks when within forested terrain. This replaces the Throwing Arm trait.
Taiga Giant Heritage: Once per day you may use the following spell-like ability: Bless (if you are good-aligned), or Doom (if you are evil-aligned). Morally neutral half-giants may choose whichever spell-like ability they want, but once chosen, the choice cannot be undone. Caster level equals your character level and the DC is Wisdom-based. This replaces the Throwing Arm trait.
Rune Giant Heritage: You have a rune carved into your flesh that enables you to tap into your Rune Giant parentās ability to control people. Once per day you may cast Charm Person as a spell-like ability. Caster level equals your character level and the DC is Charisma-based. However, you take a -4 penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks (except for Intimidate) when dealing with giants who see your rune, and their attitude instantly shifts one degree towards hostile.
Marsh Giant Heritage: You are a freak of nature from the deepest hole in the sea. Your type changes to āAberrationā. You are not subject to spells that normally affect humanoids, and you are no longer treated as a human or a giant. You also gain the Amphibious special quality. However, your hideous visage means you take a -2 penalty to your Charisma score. This trait alters the half-giantās ability scores, and replaces the Giant Blood and Throwing Arm traits.
