Goliath

## Goliath - Level Adjustment 0

**Ability Score Modifiers**: (+4 STR, +2 CON, -2 DEX, -2 INT): Goliaths are incredibly strong and very tough, but not nimble or dexterous thanks to their musculature and burly bodies, and, with their tribal focus on wisdom rather than intelligence, are less booksmart than other races.

**Size**: Goliaths are medium-sized creatures, and gain no bonuses or penalties due to size. Goliaths tower above other medium sized creatures, and brush above the upper limit of medium size, standing usually between 8-9 1/2 feet tall.

**Type**: Goliaths are humanoid creatures with the Giant subtype, and count as Humanoid(Giant) for all effects relating to race.

**Speed**: Goliaths have a base land speed of 30ft.

**Vision**: Goliaths have low-light vision, and can see twice as far as normal humans in areas of dim lightning.

**Languages**: Goliaths begin play speaking Giant ONLY. A goliath with a high INT can choose from the following languages as bonus languages: (Common, Draconic, Orc, Terran, or Dwarven)

**Mountain-born**: Goliaths gain a racial +4 to Survival and Climb checks. Goliaths can make standing long jumps and high jumps as if they were running long jumps and high jumps, always negate the first 10ft of fall damage suffered, and they do not need to make Acrobatics checks to cross narrow or uneven terrain.

**Stone's Endurance**: Goliaths have thick, stony hides that resemble the mountainous areas which they call home, and gain a +2 natural armor bonus.

**Reclusive Sages:** Goliaths sequester themselves from the outside world and rarely allow themselves to be seen by outsiders so that they might be closer to nature and the wild, and this inner peace allows them to resist any effect that seeks to overtake their minds. They gain a racial +2 to saving throws and checks made to resist all Mind-Affecting effects. Additionally, they always treat Knowledge(Nature) as a class skill.

**Powerful Build**: Goliaths, created long ago by the high humans as hybrids between Giant, Man, and Dwarf to create the ultimate warriors, have an innate gift which lets them wield their immense size as a weapon. For all purposes, Goliaths may be treated as large sized if doing so would be advantageous to them. A goliath is also considered to be large sized for the purposes of a creature's special attacks that are based on size, such as improved grab or swallow whole. A goliath may wield a weapon designed for a creature one size category larger than themselves without the -2 penalty for doing so. Using such a weapon, your space and reach remain as a creature of your actual size, and do not increase with the weapon as normal. If the goliath gains an effect which similarly makes wielding oversized weapons easier(Such as the Jotungrip ability for the titan Mauler barbarian archetype), it does not stack with powerful build and overrides those benefits of Powerful build, though all other non-weapon bonuses from Powerful Build remain.

**Weapon Familiarity**: Goliaths' superior bulk helps them wield heavier than normal weapons. Goliaths treat exotic weapons which can be wielded in two hands as martial weapons by Medium creatures, such as bastard swords and dwarven waraxes, as martial weapons.

## Goliath Alternate Racial Traits:

**Savage Wisdom:**

If your HP falls below 0 but you are not yet dead, you can continue to fight. If you do, you are staggered, and lose 1 hit point each round. You still die when your hit points reach a negative amount equal to your Constitution score.

Replaces Reclusive sage

Some Goliaths, rather than a calm serenity, carry a burning, savage wisdom within their chests, their furious minds both wise, sagacious, and terrifyingly savage. These Goliaths are, more often than not, the ones who make their way into the outside world, unsettled and unhappy with the simple, reclusive, tribal lifestyle of their people.

**Giant Ancestry:**

Become a large sized creature.

Replaces powerful build

Though they indeed hail from Giant heritage, only a rare few Goliaths carry such ancestry within them so potently that they tower over their kin. Standing on average around 19 feet tall, these Goliaths are frequently mistaken for giantkind when the other races see them, and amongst their own kind, they are hailed as living proof of where they come from as a species.

**The Stone Speaks, We simply Listen:**

Gain tremorsense out to 30ft.

Replaces Stone's Endurance

Understood by few due to their simple, tribalistic, shamanistic ways, these odd Goliaths do not help their case when they claim to ‘listen to the stone’. Though they can easily prove their claims correct, it is nonetheless odd to an outsider to see such a towering brute both prove themselves wiser than them, and to be able to see them even when their eyes are closed. Treated by their kin as shamans and spiritual guides who speak the will of the mountains they live on and near, these Goliaths rarely leave their hidden villages, but have been known to descend to the surface to seek greater wisdom.

**Fireheart:**

Spurt gouts of white-hot flame in a five foot radius around you when damaged by piercing or slashing attacks and do 2d4 fire damage to all adjacent to you. Additionally, gain fire resistance 5.

Replaces Mountain-born and Stone's Endurance

Evidence of a different kind of heritage, yet nonetheless proof of their Giantkin ancestry, a select few Goliaths burn with the smouldering heat of an inferno, their boiling blood proof of their heritage as fire giants. Their skin red and dimly lit like a torch as if a fire always burns within their chests, these Goliaths are also heralded as living proof of their muddied ancestry, and frequently become leaders of their people, as well as ferocious warriors.

**One with the Mountain:**

Members of this race receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.

Replaces Mountain-born

Similar to the dwarves that live beneath the mountains they usually call home, some Goliaths, having lived their entire lives in the mountains, become innately capable of sensing when the stone around them is unusual, unnatural, or both, regardless of whether or not they are trying to notice.

**Dwarven Battle-brother:**

Members of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities. Additionally, you become proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon.

Replaces Mountainborn and Stone's Endurance

The ONLY Giant race the dwarves get along with, Goliaths are treated by most all dwarves as ‘simply bigger dwarves’. The two races get along swimmingly, and it is not uncommon for the goliaths who descend to the surface for one reason or another to find themselves in the dwarven keeps, drinking, fighting, and laughing with their newfound dwarven brethren. Similarly, it is not uncommon to see a Goliath and a Dwarf become sworn brothers, swearing to fight at each other’s sides and always support the other in battle, romance, and drinking until the end of their days...such Goliaths become capable at resisting poison, as well as wielding dwarven weapons.

**Cloudstrider:**

Gain the spell Air Walk as a spell like ability 3/day, and gain a racial +2 on all perception checks.

Replaces Reclusive Sages

Seen as untrustworthy amongst their own kin because of their wanderlust and fleeting natures, the rare Goliaths who are born to resemble the powerful, sky-dwelling cloud giants are similarly airy creatures. Using their innate gift to stride upon the sky and see the sights of the world around them, these Giants are frequently seen all across the continent, wandering to find new sights, experiences, and sensations to whet their palettes.

**Song of the Mountain:**

Gain +4 to a Perform skill and it is always a class skill for you

Replaces Reclusive sages

A race who has grown up secluded from the outside world, the Goliaths are a cultural rich people, and one completely untouched by outside influence. Among this rich, vibrant culture, they are said to be beautiful performers, their rich, baritone voices like silk upon ones ears when they sing their fabled Goliath Opera...they even become more dexterous and capable when playing instruments, as well...no matter the form, these Goliaths are masters of performing.

**Goliath Shaman:**

Ability Score Bonuses replaced with (+2 Wisdom, +2 Strength, -2 Dex)

Replaces Ability Scores

While most Goliaths are specialized creatures of strength and durability, the tribal shamans that lead their people carry within them the spoken history of their people, their traditions and ways, myths, lore, and stories...they are the leaders and anchors of their tribe, and are as wise as they are strong...while less so than their kin, they more than make up for it in bottomless wisdom. It is not uncommon for these Shamans to walk the path of the druid.

Traveled Tribesman:

Add Common OR Dwarven to your list of starting languages. If Dwarven is picked as a starting language, Maeish replaces it in the list of available bonus languages. Treat your intelligence score as 2 higher for selecting bonus languages.

Replaces Reclusive Sages and Modifies Languages.

While rare, it is not an impossible occurrence for a Goliath to grow unsatisfied with the ways of his tribe, either through simple wanderlust or exile, and venture into the world far below their mountaintop homes. These Goliaths quickly become enamored with the wide, colorful cultures that call the lands their home, and, as a result of integrating into any society that will accept them, their wise, simple natures lending itself well to making friends in odd places, they pick up another language in their travels, Most Goliaths either learn Dwarven, the language of what is often the first and most often befriended race they meet in their exit from the mountains, or Common, the language that is most frequently spoke regardless of the area.

## Racial Feats:

**Stoneheart:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, 'Giant Ancestry' alternate racial trait or 'One with the Mountain' alternate racial trait, Character level 5th, Cannot have any of the other '-heart' Goliath Racial Feats

Effects: You gain DR 5/Adamantine as your skin turns to stone, yet remains as pliable as skin. Your natural armor bonus increases by 2.

Living embodiments of Stone Giant Heritage, some Goliaths display their potent giant ancestry on their skin, which turns as grey and durable as slate stone, yet remains as pliable as skin. They are frequently mistaken for small Stone Giants by many.

**Cloudheart:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, 'Giant Ancestry' alternate racial trait or 'Cloudstrider' alternate racial trait , Character level 5th, Cannot have any of the other '-heart' Goliath Racial Feats

Effects: Gain Levitate(Self+2000 pounds) and Obscuring mist as spell-like abilities. 1/day, you may lose these at-will abilities for 1d4 hours to cast Fog Cloud.

Living embodiments of Cloud Giant Heritage, some Goliaths display their potent giant ancestry in their beautiful hair or beard, airy personalities, and powerful innate abilities.

**Volcanoheart:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, 'Giant Ancestry' alternate racial trait or 'Fireheart' alternate racial trait, Character level 7th, Cannot have any of the other '-heart' Goliath Racial Feats

Effects: Gain a breath weapon. 3/day, you can exhale a cloud of warm and sulfuric gas in a 30-foot cone. Affected creatures must make a successful Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 CONMOD + 1/2 HD) or take a -4 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, checks and saves for 1 minute (10 rounds) due to fits of coughing and choking.

***Special***: If you possess the 'Fireheart' alternate racial trait, your fire resistance increases by 5 and any fire damage from the Fireheart alternate racial trait you deal increases by one damage die.

Living embodiments of Volcano Giant Heritage, some Goliaths display their potent giant ancestry with a nasty, sulfurous breath weapon that sends their foes into a coughing fit. Some among these Goliaths who showed signs of Fire giant heritage find their innate abilities supercharged.

**Runeheart:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, 'Giant Ancestry' alternate racial trait, Character level 8th, Cannot have any of the other '-heart' Goliath Racial Feats

Effects: You gain a +4 racial bonus on the save DC of charm or compulsion effects used against giants. Additionally, you gain Suggestion(1/day) and Charm person(3/day) as spell like abilities.

Living embodiments of ever-mysterious and unnerving Rune Giant Heritage, some Goliaths display their potent giant ancestry with an innate control over Giantkin, much like the mythical Rune Giants were said to have. They have a few innate gifts, and are very adept at controlling their kin….a feat which earns them the distrust and suspicion of their tribe, and often leads to their leaving it to find their own way in the world.

**True Giant:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, 'Giant Ancestry' alternate racial trait, One of the '-heart' Goliath Racial Feats, Character level 10th

Effects: Gain a hit point for each Hit Die you possess. You also gain a hit point whenever you gain a Hit Die. Additionally, gain an effect based on which '-heart' racial feat you possess.

Stoneheart: +2 CON

Cloudheart: +2 CHA

Volcanoheart: +1 CON, +1 STR

Runeheart: +1 CHA, +1 CON

The final evolution for those Goliaths who seek to embody their Giant Heritage, these Goliaths become tougher, beefier, and more durable, their bodies swelling with power as they find their natural abilities growing more potent depending on their ancestry.

**Dragonfriend:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, Character level 5th

Effects: Any creature with the Dragon Type or Reptilian subtype begins one step friendler to you, sentient or not, and you gain draconic as a bonus language if you did not already possess it. Treat your roll as 4 higher for any skill checks, saves, or rolls made to overcome SR against creatures of the Dragon type. This bonus decreases to 2 against creatures with the reptilian subtype but not the dragon type.

The only race with which they share the mountainous areas of the world, the Dragonborn are often the only true friends a Goliath has outside his tribe. The two races mesh surprisingly well...the simple, tribalistic nature of the Goliath lends itself well to the Dragonborn, who often happily take them in and teach them the ways of intelligence and magic, all too happy to have a friend and ally in an otherwise secluded locale. The two races, both reclusive and in possession of a desire to stay away from the rest of the world, finds solace in each other quite frequently.

**Cragtop Farscout:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, Character level 4th

Effects: Gain a racial +4 to perception checks and increase the range increment all ranged weapons you wield by ⅓.

During their time scouting the highest mountain peaks for their tribes, some Goliaths become highly perceptive, and able to draw more potential out of any ranged weapons they wield.

**Cragtop Catapulter:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, 'Cragtop Farscout' racial feat, Character level 8th

Effects: Gain the Rock Catching and Rock Throwing(100ft, 1d8 + 1.5xSTRMOD) universal monster rules. Additionally, you gain a +4 racial bonus on your Reflex save when attempting to catch a thrown rock with rock catching. This ability otherwise works like the rock catching ability. You are also treated as having the precise shot and point blank shot feats when using your rock throwing ability.

Among those who scout the peaks and zeniths of their mountain homes, there exist a few Goliaths who have learned to tap into their Giant heritage in an altogether different way, and become terrifyingly proficient in the ancient giant art of rock-tossing. Veritable marksmen with a boulder or similar object, these Goliaths are feared by any and all who would seek to invade their home...for they are also just as adept at catching such projectiles as they are at throwing them. And, not many things are as frightening as seeing a Goliath catch a twenty foot diameter boulder like a ball, and toss it back as fast as an arrow.

**Minimal armor required:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, Character level 3rd, Cannot have 'All Armor Required' racial feat

Effects: Treat your DEX score as 4 points higher when wearing light armor for all purposes relating to that armor(Max dex, etc…).

Some Goliaths, surviving in their homes with nothing but their own muscles and bodies for protection, have learned to draw more power out of their armor when they wield it.

**All armor required:**

Prerequisites: Goliath, Character level 3rd, Cannot have 'No Armor Required' racial feat

Effects: Treat your DEX score as 2 points higher when wearing heavy armor, and treat all heavy armor as having +2 to its Maximum Dexterity Bonus.

Some Goliaths, surviving in their homes with nothing but their own muscles and bodies for protection, have learned to draw more power out of their armor when they wield it.