Let's Read the 4e Dark Sun Creature Catalog: Giant
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Athas has a lot of the same giants we can see in the Monster Manuals and Monster Vault. Athasian giants are less militarily aggressive than their counterparts in other worlds, but they still don’t like interacting with the “small folk”. They prefer to make their homes in isolated islands on the Silt Sea. A giant who wants to visit the mainland can often just wade through what to them is chest-high silt. PCs might be able to negotiate a ride with such a giant, if they’re diplomatic enough.
In this entry we’ll take a look at two Athas-specific giants, whose descriptions will help explain why they don’t like the small ones very much.
Beast Giants
Beast Giants are the product of psionic experimentation by ancient masters of the Way, who have stabilized into their own species. They have bodies similar to that of hill giants, but the heads of beasts.
Each giant’s head is different, and can be similar to that of any Athasian beast, whether currently living or extinct. So PCs might be faced with something familiar like a Cilops or Baazrag-headed giant, or with some exotic ancient cryptid like a lion, tiger or bear. Oh my! Their skill at mind-reading is such that they can copy most techniques used against them on the fly during a fight.
Beast Giants are fairly cosmopolitan sorts and frequently associate with other types of giant and giant-kin who share their islands: hill giants, firbolgs, brohgs, and others.
Beast Giant
The typical beast giant is Large Natural Humanoid (Giant) and a Level 15 Brute with 180 HP and a ground speed of 7 and Low-light Vision.
No matter what their head looks like, it gives them a Rending Bite that deals heavy immediate damage and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Once per encounter they can use the Red of Tooth power to make three bite attacks on the same action, each against a different target.
When someone attacks a beast giant, they can use Psionic Retention as a reaction. They still suffer the damage and any riders normally, but they also “retain” that result, so keep a note of it. They can then use this to power their Psionic Release attack (melee 2 vs. Fortitude). A hit deals the exact same amount and type of damage, and the exact same riders, as the giant’s “retained” attack. Psionic Release recharges when the giant uses Psionic Retention again, so it effectively “spends” the retained attack.
Beast Titan
The oldest Beast Giants have grown enough in power and size to qualify as Beast Titans. They’re a lot more aggressive than their younger counterparts and love displaying the skulls of their enemies as trophies.
These are Huge instead of Large, and they’re Level 20 Elite Brutes with 466 HP. Their ground speed is an 8, and their Beast Reflexes let them roll a save to avoid falling prone.
Their Psionic Retention and Release powers work the same as the giant’s, with the greater range and numbers from their larger size and level. Their Gnashing Bite is also upgraded.
As a minor action the titan can use Titan’s Embrace (melee 3 vs. reflex) to do some light damage and grab on a hit. And once it has a grabbed victim, it can use Head Rip to deal massive damage, plus the same ongoing damage as the bite. The giant also throws the victim 10 squares and knocks it prone at the end.
Shadow Giant
Unlike the Death Giants of the monster manual, who are merely death-_themed_, Shadow Giants are actual undead. They’re vengeful spirits who seek retribution from an ancient slaughter, likely from the Red Age. They look like shadows cast on a wall.
They tend to be loners, or to ally with those giants that still retain a strong elemental connection (like fire and stone giants). Sometimes, a brohg renegade will seek them out to learn the ancient arcane secrets the shadow still rememebers.
Shadow Giants are Large Shadow Humanoids with the Undead and Giant tags, and Level 18 Soldiers with 185 HP. They have darkvision, a ground speed of 7, and a flight speed of 3. Like most undead, they are immune to disease and poison and have 20 necrotic resistance. They’re also insubstantial, but lack Phasing.
A shadow giant projects an aura (5) of Shadow Malaise that halves any healing that takes place inside. Whenever they take radiant damage, they’re Revealed by Radiance and become substantial for a turn.
Their basic attack is a Necrotic Touch, which targets Reflex, deals necrotic damage, and marks on a hit (save ends). They also have a non-basic Death Touch that is similar, but exchanges some of its direct damage for an additional ongoing 10 necrotic damage rider (save ends both this and the mark).
If a marked enemy makes an attack that doesn’t include the giant, they are Cast Into Shadow as a reaction. This is a melee attack that targets Reflex. A hit does no damage, but removes the target from play for a turn! This means they’re stunned and removed from the map, reappearing at their previous position when the effect ends.
The giant’s ability to possibly mark multiple PCs makes it a very effective “defender”. Cast Into Shadow is a very potent “save or suck” attack, so PCs will have an extra incentive to focus on the giant and not on its other buddies. And if they don’t, the giant has just removed a whole PC from consideration for the next round.
Encounters and Final Impressions
Athas is prime giant country and plenty of core giants would be happy as clams living here, but I guess it makes sense to have some setting-specific ones to signal that we’re not in Kansas any more.
Beast giants and titans feel a bit redundant, but their appearance is certainly striking. Shadow Giants have intriguing mechanics, but you probably don’t want to have more than one of these in play at any given encounter. They can also be used in other settings without a lot of modification, as “undead giant with a grudge” is a pretty universal concept.