Thursday, October 15, 2020

Grognard's Grimoire: Gargantua

A gargantua by Zhu Bajiee

Requirements: Minimum CON 9, minimum STR 9
Prime Requisite: CON and STR
Hit Dice: 1d10
Maximum Level: 10
Armor: Any appropriate to size, including shields
Weapons: Any
Languages: Alignment, Common

Known as the "Big Brothers of Man," Gargantuas stand about 7½' tall and weigh 550 pounds. Gargantuas typically live among or near Men, though some prefer to establish their own communities in the wilderness. They are known as powerful warriors with a strong resistance to every kind of hardship. Gargantuas also have a reputation for being slow-witted and literal-minded that is not entirely deserved, though it is true that they lack subtlety when compared to their smaller kin. They can be steadfast allies or unyielding foes.

Prime Requisites: A gargantua with at least 13 CON and STR gains a 5% bonus to experience. A gargantua with a STR of at least 16 and a CON of at least 13 receives a +10% XP bonus.

Combat
Gargantuas can use all types of weapons and armor, but it must be tailored to their large size. Conversely, they can wield any two-handed melee weapon, such as a battle axe, with only one hand.

Open Doors
Gargantuas open even barred doors with ease. They are treated as the next highest STR category when it comes to determining their chance of opening doors. For example, a gargantua with STR 12 is treated as if his STR were in the 13–15 category instead.

Rock Throwing
Gargantuas are adept at using rocks as projectiles. For range and damage purposes, treat this ability as if the gargantua were using a short bow. 

After Reaching 9th Level
A gargantua has the option of creating a stronghold that will form the basis of a new community of gargantuas. Gargantua communities can be located either near those of Men or in the wilderness (typically a forested or hilly area).

Gargantua Level Progression

*Modifiers from CON no longer apply.

D: Death / poison; W: Wands; P: Paralysis / petrify; B: Breath attacks; S: Spells / rods / staves.

5 comments:

  1. Like it. I've honestly never understood why Dwarves and Halflings and even Gnomes are nearly universal in fantasy RPGs but you rarely see a "big guy" race that isn't some kind of ogre/giant/troll hybrid. I guess Goliaths have changed that a little, but they still feel kind of like an afterthought in most settings.

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  2. Nice!
    A lot easier to use in a campaign than a half-ogre.
    I was wondering, are these alternative classes and new monsters from a game you are running?

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    1. These are from a game I might be running in the future. They're all intended to be used with the Urheim dungeon I am developing.

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  3. GM would have to make sure their size comes with disadvantages too, such as not getting a room, probably can't ride horses, fitting into tight dungeons etc

    Otherwise why choose a Human Fighter when this is available.

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    1. Because it costs more XP to level, they have a level cap, and it's harder to qualify for an XP bonus, per the write-up. And it's at least implied that their equipment will be more expensive, and maybe not all magic items will fit them.

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