Base Requirements

• Races: Any
• Sub-Classes: Any Warrior
• Ability Requirements: Muscle 15, Aim 15, Leadership 13
• Alignments: Any
• Starting Cash: By class

Weapon Proficiencies

• Weapon Slots: By class
• Bonus Weapon Proficiencies: none
• Required Weapon Proficiencies: One two-handed slashing melee weapon (specialized)
• Allowed Weapons: Any melee or thrown weapons, no missile weapons
• Allowed Armors: By class

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

• Non-weapon Slots: -2 slots
• Available Categories: By class
• Bonus Non-weapon Proficiencies: Ancient History, Endurance, Modern Language (giant), Tracking
• Required Proficiencies: none
• Recommended Proficiencies: Alertness, Animal Handling, Armorer, Blind-Fighting, Camouflage, Direction Sense, Fire-building, Fishing, Hunting, Jumping, Land-based Riding, Local History, Mountaineering, Rope Use, Running, Signalling, Survival, Swimming, Tumbling, Weaponsmithing, Weather Sense
• Forbidden Proficiencies: none

Overview: Humanoid hordes have long plagued many regions of Faerûn. Special tactics have been devised over the centuries to deal with the largest foes, such as giants, ogres, trolls, and other giant-kin; these tactics were best developed by dwarves but have been taught to warriors of other races as well. Giant killers are especially valuable as true giants often unite and lead huge bands of smaller humanoids; destroying the leader may cause their surviving armies to either be dispersed or fight among themselves.

Giant killers come from all over Faerûn, but most begin their careers in the North, where giants are most often sighted these days. Giant killers may travel widely, following rumors to destroy any evil giants in existence.

An ordinate number of half-ogres become giant killers, expressing their angst at their unfortunate breeding in the best way they know how.

Description: A giant killer travels heavily armored in the outdoors, riding a powerful steed and unconcerned if anyone hears his approach. Regardless of his race and size, the giant killer is a being of mythic status rivaled only by dragon slayers, and he knows it. He often wears clothing that seems larger than normal for him: thick belts, high boots, huge gloves, oversized helmet, jewelry, and rings. Old legends lead the giant slayer to seek magical girdles and gauntlets of strength, then combine their power with throwing hammers or axes. Two-handed axes or swords are widely used for their damage-causing potential. A large band of fellow adventurers or henchmen is needed if the giant has many humanoid followers.

Role-Playing: A giant killer is a being of legend, a violent warrior driven to prove himself by destroying giants. He has a wide aggressive streak, often with a bad temper. A giant killer grudgingly accepts aid from others but insists on leading any attack on giants, whom he hates with a single-minded fury. Being denied this “right” to kill a giant causes the giant killer to turn his anger on those who “cheated” him of combat.

All the awards and medals a giant killer wins for his actions bring no relief from his compulsion to destroy the giant race, for this kit is founded more on a compulsion than a real need. The giant killer looks confident and self-assured, but he fears failure or looking foolish, and he cannot rid himself of this or discuss it with anyone. Most giant killers lost loved ones to giant attacks, but they are driven by far more than mere revenge, and they achieve renown from their pride and terrible inner conflicts.

The giant killer must choose a two-handed slashing weapon at 1st level, such as the battle axe, bastard sword, or two-handed sword. This is the weapon with which the giant killer does exceptional amounts of damage to his foes. Bows, slings, and crossbows are seen as cowardly and are never used, though any hand-hurled weapon is acceptable to contribute to close-range combat. The giant killer thrives on the emotional high of battle and risking his life to destroy his perceived enemy.

Special Abilities:

• Because he trains himself so rigorously for battle, a giant killer uses a twelve-sided die when determining his hit points each level.
• A giant killer carefully studies the bodies of his giant enemies to determine how best to kill them. As a result, he receives a +1 bonus per level to all damage rolls against giants, giant-kin, ogres, trolls, and related beings.
• From his studies of Ancient History in the Realms, he automatically knows in general the special abilities that certain giant types have (fire giants are immune to heat, frost giants are immune to cold, etc.), and so can tailor his attacks to fit appropriate types of giants. All of the information in the Giantcraft book should be available to players of Giant Killers.
• From long practice and because his targets are so large, the giant killer suffers no initiative penalty and takes only a -2 penalty to the attack rolls when making a called shot against a giant.
• A giant killer gains a +1 bonus to AC against giants for ever five levels he possesses (round up). This modifier is cumulative with a dwarf or gnome’s AC bonus against giants, and with modifiers for the Tumbling proficiency, if this is used.
• Giant Killers can dodge giant attacks. If a giant with initiative attacks and hits, the Giant Killer may give up his action to dodge. If the Giant Killer saves vs. death magic, the giant’s attack misses. If the Giant Killer has initiative, he can dodge instead of attacking for the round.
• A Giant Killer can goad and infuriate a giant into making careless and ill-conceived attacks. To infuriate a giant, the Giant Killer spends two rounds darting between the giant’s legs, waving his hands, and hollering insults. The Giant Killer cannot make attacks or take any other actions while attempting to infuriate the giant; if interrupted (to dodge, for example), he must start over. During this time, the giant can attack the Giant Killer; however, because of the Giant Killer’s erratic movement, the giant’s attacks are made at a -2 penalty.
  At the end of this period, the giant makes a saving throw vs. spells. If the throw succeeds, nothing special happens. If the throw fails, the giant becomes enraged for the next 2d6 rounds. During that time, the giant directs all of his attacks against the Giant Killer and the giant’s attacks are made at a -4 penalty. The Giant Killer may attack normally while the giant is infuriated.
• A Paladin who becomes a Giant Killer is less restricted by his vow of non-violence than other Paladins. His vow of nonviolence does not apply to Giants. This exception only applies to true Giants (creatures with <x> Giant as their name), and does not extent to other giant-sized humanoid creatures such as Ogres, Trolls, or Titans, nor to giant-sized non-humanoid creatures. The Giant Killer must accurately identify the creature as a Giant, and verify that it is not some other creature transformed or disguised as a Giant before he may engage in violence against it.

Special Disadvantages:

• In order to gain a new experience level, the giant killer must personally fight and slay at least one giant, giantkin, ogre, troll, or the like per level he currently has. No other assistance in killing the giant can be had; if any direct help is gained, wanted or unwanted, the giant’s death does not count toward the necessary total. Furthermore, the giants slain cannot each have fewer total Hit Dice than the giant slayer has levels. Thus, a giant killer must kill three giants by himself during the time he is 3rd level before he is allowed to train up to 4th level. The wise giant killer can be selective about his giants, of course, picking ogres at low levels and so forth.
• Not all giants are evil, but all giants hate giant killers regardless of alignment considerations. A widely known giant killer can become the target of varied assassination attempts and plot hatched by giants who have heard of his reputation. Giants often have many helpers, and these can be brought in to take out the giant killer before he finds more giants. Good-aligned giants might be strongly defended by good humans and demi-humans, and the giant killer might be forced to pick on other targets. Good-aligned giant killers do not attack good-aligned giants unless the latter become a problem.
• Because a giant killer has such a big ego and presents himself so aggressively, he is often targeted by local bullies and toughs for harassment. This kind of reaction is almost as common as adoration. A giant killer should be on guard against this.

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