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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardRune Giant

Magically crafted and bred by ancient wizards, rune giants are anathema to and tyrants among their own kind, who were given power to command and magically control other giants. The rune giants themselves served even more powerful masters—potent wizards known as runelords—and in so doing commanded entire armies of giants on behalf of the runelords’ empires. In the eons since these empires collapsed, rune giants have persisted as a people of their own, though to the outside world they’re little more than fabled horrors whispered of late at night by superstitious giants. Rune giants usually dwell in the most remote and rugged of towering mountain ranges, but they can also be found in immense ruins atop lost islands, glacial valleys, or even more remote or magical regions.

Rune giants’ striking charcoal flesh is decorated by dozens of runes, which are potent manifestations of their eldritch powers. Rune giants are towering creatures, averaging at 40 feet in height and weighing 25,000 pounds.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 37
Unspecific Lore: DC 35
Specific Lore: DC 32

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.
NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Elite Rune GiantCreature 17

Legacy Content

Uncommon LE Gargantuan Evil Giant Humanoid 
Source Bestiary pg. 175
Perception +30; low-light vision
Languages Common, Jotun, Terran
Skills Arcana +30, Athletics +34, Crafting +30, Intimidation +30, Society +29
Str +9, Dex +2, Con +7, Int +2, Wis +6, Cha +4
Items +1 striking longspear, +2 greater striking greatsword, +1 splint mail
AC 40; Fort +35, Ref +28, Will +30
HP 350; Immunities fire
Attack of Opportunity [reaction] The rune giant gains an additional reaction at the beginning of each of its turns that it can only use for an Attack of Opportunity. Catch Rock [reaction]
Speed 45 feet; air walk
Melee [one-action] greatsword +35 [+30/+25] (magical, reach 20 feet, versatile P), Damage 3d12+2+17 slashingMelee [one-action] longspear +34 [+29/+24] (magical, reach 25 feet), Damage 2d8+2+17 piercingMelee [one-action] fist +33 [+29/+25] (agile, reach 20 feet), Damage 3d8+2+17 bludgeoningRanged [one-action] rock +33 [+28/+23] (brutal, range increment 120 feet), Damage 2d12+2+17 bludgeoningArcane Innate Spells DC 37 (+4 dmg); 8th charm, suggestion; 6th dominate (x3), true seeing; 5th sending; 4th charm (at will), suggestion (at will); Constant (4th) air walk
Command Giants When a rune giant casts a mental spell against another giant, the DC is 41, rather than 35.Demand [free-action] (arcane, enchantment, mental) When a rune giant casts its innate sending spell, it can also cast suggestion on the target.Flashing Runes [free-action] (arcane, evocation, light) Trigger The rune giant uses an arcane ability or casts an arcane spell. Effect The runes on the giant’s body flash as they produce magical energy. Each creature within a 10-foot emanation must attempt a DC 37 Fortitude save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round.
Failure The creature is blinded for 1 round.Invoke Rune [one-action] (arcane, concentrate, electricity, evocation) The rune giant invokes one of the runes on its body, causing the rune to spray forth a 30-foot cone of sparks that deals 6d12 electricity damage to all creatures in the cone (DC 39 basic Reflex save).
A glowing copy of the invoked rune appears on a single weapon the giant holds, granting the weapon one effect listed below of the giant’s choice. The giant can’t use Invoke Rune again for 1d4 rounds. The effect on the weapon lasts for 1 minute. If the giant places a new rune on a weapon, any previously placed rune immediately vanishes, ending its effect.
  • Rune of Destruction The weapon gains the deadly trait with three weapon damage dice of the same die size as for the base weapon, and a creature hit with the weapon is drained 1 unless it succeeds at a DC 37 Fortitude save.
  • Rune of Flames The weapon deals an additional 3d6 fire damage on all attacks.
  • Rune of Smiting When the weapon hits, the giant can Push the target back 10 feet, or 20 feet on a critical hit.
Throw Rock [one-action] Wide Swing [one-action] The rune giant makes a single greatsword Strike and compares the attack roll result to the ACs of up to two foes within its reach. This counts as two attacks for the giant’s multiple attack penalty.

Sidebar - Additional Lore The First Rune Giants

On Golarion, the first rune giants were created by the powerful rulers of the ancient nation of Thassilon, The runelords gifted rune giants their ability to control other giants, using them to command armies of oversized builders and soldiers to create and defend oversized structures.

All Monsters in "Giant"

NameLevel
Cave Giant6
Cloud Giant11
Desert Giant9
Fire Giant10
Frost Giant9
Hill Giant7
Marsh Giant8
Plague Giant14
Rune Giant16
Shadow Giant13
Giant, Smog7
Stone Giant8
Storm Giant13
Taiga Giant12
Tomb Giant12
Wood Giant6

Giant

Source Bestiary pg. 170
Giants are massive humanoid creatures who live in remote regions throughout the world. They are divided into a number of subtypes.

Sidebar - Treasure and Rewards Giant Bags

Giants often keep an eclectic collection of treasures in their knapsacks or bags. Among these can be found a staggeringly wide range of unexpected and odd treasures and valuables.

Sidebar - Locations Giant Locations

As oversized as they are, giants tend to dwell in remote regions of the world, where they have the luxury of claiming larger territories of their own.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Giant Pets

As with many people, giants enjoy keeping pets. Yet for giants, what constitutes a pet is often categorized as beast to others. Large animals like bears and lions, and megafauna like woolly mammoths and dinosaurs are popular, as are more magical creatures like hell hounds, manticores, griffons, and the like.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Other Giants

Beyond the giants detailed here, many others dwell in remote regions of the world. Marsh giants are cultists who worship strange sea deities, shadow giants have ties to the Shadow Plane, and mountain giants are horrific butchers even other giants fear.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Oversized Themes

Giants are larger-than-life foes. While many giants have themes that tie them to elemental or magical forces, the primary theme giants share is that they embody a classic cultural trope as their basis. Fire giants, for example, can be seen as oversized smiths, while hill giants should evoke the flavor of an oversized bully.