Reinforcements for Giant-Kin!
If you’ve joined battle with a gang of Giants, Ettins, Cyclops, or Titans, you already have your hands full. Giants and their kin are brutal adversaries, deadly and rude. As they endeavor to pulp your skulls with huge clubs, or impale you like shish kebab on massive pikes, they may also wage a war of insults, intimidation, and threats. Some survivors report that the verbal abuse suffered from the mouths of Giant-Kin rival the physical damage sustained. Giants enjoy toying with their prey and often recite long lists of their accomplishments at the outset of battle. They may point out grisly trophies such as straps stitched with ears, or necklaces strung with Dwarven hammers. They may describe the way they plan to slaughter their foes, or share the tasty dinner recipes in which they intend to include them.
And Giants do not always fight alone. These apex predators often keep ferocious pets, command minions, and cow their simpering lackeys into fighting on their behalf.
The Grim & Deliberate Beast includes 60 narrative A.I. combat actions for Giant-Kin. These add danger, humor, and depth to your combat, and make your encounters with Giants instantly legendary. Our combat actions are organized by Stage of Combat and monster Aggression Level, so monster behavior changes as combat unfolds. About 15% of the narrative A.I. results for Giant-Kin lead to the Reinforcements Table below. Roll d100 to see which strange allies answer the Giants’ call.
Reinforcements for Giant-Kin!
1-10. Emaciated Ogres! A gang of malnourished Ogres march into combat, wielding poleaxes. Their chieftain wears a bear head headdress and a ringmail shirt. He growls at his troops: “We keep what we kill, lads, so bring down the biggest!” (The Ogres receive +1 to hit and -2 AC during this combat. They attempt to surround the largest PC and use their reach weapons to their advantage whenever possible.)
11-20. Starving Bears! A sloth of hungry bears lope into combat, their ribs showing sharply through their sagging skin. Each wears a bronze collar and trails a 10′ length of chain. The bears look ill-used and all show the scars of many beatings and battles. They immediately assault the 2 nearest PCs with their broken teeth and cracked claws. (The bears receive -1 to hit, -2 to damage, and -1 AC for this combat.)
21-30. Giant Rocs! 1d4 Giant Rocs appear over the battlefield, circling the action from above! (The Rocs are not beholden to the Giants, but have learned to answer their call for the carrion of conflict and the promise of an easy meal. They will swoop down on any creature, PC or Giant, who sustains a mortal blow or is knocked Prone.)
31.40. Ryn-Kar Orcs! A well-appointed platoon of 2d8 fighting Orcs march into battle! They wear oiled chainmail and carry hooked swords. Their commander wields a silver-engraved bill hook and wears a necklace of chunky jade. (The Orcs charge the PCs in formation and attempt to aid any struggling Giants. The Orcs receive +2 AC and +2 damage during the first round they attack.)
41-50. Irate Chimera! An enraged Chimera storms the battlefield from above, raining fire down on the PCs with its Dragon head! (The Chimera attacks fanatically, first using its breath weapon, then diving at any PC who is apart from the rest, to fight in melee. The Chimera receives +2 to hit and +2 damage for its first melee attack. Any PC hit by this attack Saves DC 16 STR or is knocked Prone.)
51-60. Umber Hulk War Plows! The Giants guffaw as 1d4 Umber Hulk War Plows charge the battlefield and head straight for the front of the party! You hear their mandibles clacking and the grind of ungreased iron wheels beneath their plows. (The War Plows travel in a straight line and attempt to plow through the party. Each time they would pass through a square occupied by a medium-sized or smaller creature, that creature Saves DC 16 DEX to leap out of the way, or 20 STR to stop the Plow in its tracks. PCs who fail are knocked Prone.)
61-70. Hill Giants! “Mop up this ere’ fracas, ya’ filthy jobbers!” the Giants jeer at the 1d6 sad-eyed Hill Giants who shuffle onto the battlefield. They wear mud-splattered padded armor and carry crude maces–thick oaken clubs topped with lumps of pig iron. They move wearily, and shamble half-heartedly into combat with the nearest PCs. (The Hill Giants have -2 to hit and -2 to damage for the combat, and will flee as soon as two or more of them are slain.)
71-80. Giant Mountain Lions! A slink of 1d4 Giant Mountain Lions pounce on the party from behind! The creatures appear wild, but seem to respond to the commands of the boss Giant. (The Mountain Lions have 16 AC, 75 HP, Speed 60, and can jump 25′ in any direction. They have two attacks per round, a bite that deals 3d8+4 damage, and a claw that deals 3d6+4. PCs hit by both attacks must Save DC 16 DEX or STR or be Grappled.)
81-90. Storming Oliphant! A raging War Elephant stampedes the party! 1d8 Hobgoblin archers ride atop it in a wicker basket, and a Hobgoblin trainer directs it with a long hook. (The archers concentrate their fire on PCs armed with ranged weapons. The Elephant uses its Gore and Stomp attacks whenever possible. The Elephant receives -2 to hit and -2 AC if its trainer is killed or knocked off.)
91-00. Empty the Cages! Suddenly the battlefield is swarmed by two Rust Monsters, one Troll, and one Cockatrice! The Giants chuckle nervously and angle away from the new arrivals. (These odd creatures have been released from their holding pens by Giants frantic to win the combat. They will attack the PCs 70% of the time, roll separately for each group, each round. The Rust Monster is drawn to the PC with the most metal, especially metal armor. The Troll and Cockatrice attack indiscriminately, depending on the roll of the dice each round.)
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