Giant Killer - Faerûn (Character Kit)

Class Information 	Class Information
Class Requirements 	Fighter
Racial Requirements 	Elf (gold, moon, wild), half-elf (gold, moon, wild), dwarf (gold, shield)
Ability Requirements 	Charisma 13, Dexterity 13, Strength 13
Prime Requisite 	Strength
Aligments 	Any
Social Rank 	Any class
Hit Die Type 	d10
Attack as 	Warrior
Save as 	Warrior
Advance as 	Fighter
Spell Ability? 	No
Exceptional Strength? 	Yes
Exceptional Constitution?	Yes
Starting Cash (x10 gp) 	5d4
Proficiencies 	Proficiencies
Weapon Slots 	4
Initial Weapons 	Two-handed sword or battle axe, throwing hammer or hand axe (spec. in one of these four) plus others; no missile weapons
Additional WP Slot 	3
Additional Weapons 	Any (no missile weapons)
Nonproficiency Penalty 	-2
Nonweapon Slots 	3
Additional NWP Slot 	3
Available Categories 	General, Warrior
Bonus Proficiencies 	Ancient history (Faerûnian giants), endurance, languages (giant), tracking
Recommended Proficiencies	Alertness (CRH), animal handling, armorer, blacksmithing, blind-fighting, bowyer/fletcher, camouflage (CRH), direction sense, fire-building, fishing, hunting, jumping, local history, mountaineering, riding (land-based), rope use, running, signaling (CRH), survival, tumbling, weaponsmithing, weather sense
Secondary Skills 	Armorer, forester, groom, hunter, weaponsmith
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==Overview==
Humanoid hordes have long plagued many regions of Faerûn, which led to the creation of rangers to defend elven homelands. Special tactics have also 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 shield 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. Dwarf giant killers outnumber elf ones many times over.
==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 (elves typically use swords, and dwarves use axes). A large band of fellow adventurers or henchmen is needed if the giant has many humanoid followers.
==Roleplaying==
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. (Rangers could deal with giants quite readily.) 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. (Hammers and axes are much preferred.) The giant killer thrives on the emotional high of battle and risking his life to destroy his perceived enemy.
==Special Advantages==
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. The damage bonus (and those bonuses for Strength, Dexterity, and magic) applies to hurled weapons, too. From his studies of ancient giant history in the Realms, he 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.
Use of this ancient history proficiency allows the player access to much of the information in the FORGOTTEN REALMS Giantcraft accessory. The DM should decide which parts the giant killer knows without making a proficiency check, and which he needs a proficiency check to recall. Some parts of the book might be kept secret from the giant killer, but, again, this is up to the DM.
A giant killer can make called shots with his hurled weapons in order to achieve special effects. From long practice and because his targets are so large, the giant killer suffers no initiative penalty (normally a +1) and takes only a -2 penalty to the attack roll (normally a -4). Possible results follow.
* A called shot against a hand causes a giant to drop whatever he holds in that hand. A second called shot against that same hand within 1 turn causes the giant to be unable to use that hand for a full day afterward. If the hand was the giant's usual weapon hand, he makes attacks with his other hand at a -2 penalty on the attack roll.
* A called shot against a foot causes a giant to fall, taking 1d6 points of damage for every full 10 feet the giant is tall. A second called shot against that same foot within 1 turn causes the giant to be unable to walk for a full day afterward, forcing it to crawl, hop, or limp at one-third normal speed.
* A called shot to a giant's head has a percentage chance per point of damage done of stunning the giant for 1d2 rounds afterward.
* A called shot against an unarmored part of the giant's body ignores armor considerations, if any.
Called shots against a giant's weapon rarely have any useful effect, and giant killers know this by using common sense.
A giant must take a -1 penalty to all attack rolls it makes per five levels of the giant killer, as the latter knows many special defensive techniques against these bigger folk. This modifier is cumulative with normal penalties for a giant to hit a dwarf (if the attacker is a dwarf) and with modifiers for the tumbling proficiency, if this is used.
Because he trains himself so rigorously for battle, a giant killer gains 1d8+2 hit points per level instead of 1d10. This increases his hit-point average but keeps his maximum-possible hit-point total the same as for other fighters. Thus, an 8th-level giant killer has 8d8+16 hit points, plus whatever bonus hit points are granted for exceptional Constitution.
==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. If he gains sufficient experience to reach a new level but has not killed his allotment of giants, the giant killer takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, and proficiency checks until such time as he has killed the required number of giants. 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 demihumans, 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.