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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardMarsh Giant

Dwellers of brackish coastal salt marshes and fetid bogs and swamps, marsh giants are hideous in appearance indeed, with fishlike mouths, slimy gray-green skin, and dark, beady eyes. They prefer to eat the flesh of those they slay in battle, but many are also cannibals. It is perhaps this vicious behavior that keeps the creatures in check, for if a fellow marsh giant becomes too dangerous and powerful, it runs the risk of being ambushed and consumed by its clan.

Marsh giants are insular and mysterious, dedicating much of their lives to zealous worship of sea-dwelling deities or stranger entities. While there is no central religion followed by all marsh giants, many are known to venerate the demon lord Dagon, while others worship even more powerful monstrosities from the Elder Mythos, such as distant, dreaming Cthulhu.

Only rarely do more than a dozen marsh giants settle together in a location, but when they do it is often for a religious purpose. Whatever call from the deep draws them together also tugs at nearby creatures such as boggards or skum, who look upon marsh giants in fear and reverence. The grim, terrifying chants and screams coming from such an encampment are a sure sign of terror to come for any other residents of the area.

Barely topping 11 feet tall and 1,000 pounds, marsh giants are small for giants but make up for their relatively diminutive stature with their zealotry.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 24
Unspecific Lore: DC 22
Specific Lore: DC 19

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Marsh GiantCreature 8

Legacy Content

CE Large Amphibious Giant Humanoid 
Source Bestiary 2 pg. 125 2.0
Perception +16; low-light vision
Languages Aklo, Common, Jotun
Skills Athletics +18, Intimidation +15, Religion +17
Str +6, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha +1
Items +1 striking gaff, sack with 5 rocks
AC 27; Fort +18, Ref +13, Will +17
HP 150
Catch Rock [reaction]
Speed 35 feet, swim 20 feet
Melee [one-action] gaff +20 [+15/+10] (magical, reach 10 feet, trip, versatile P), Damage 2d6+14 bludgeoningMelee [one-action] fist +20 [+16/+12] (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d6+14 bludgeoningRanged [one-action] rock +20 [+15/+10] (brutal, range increment 120 feet), Damage 2d6+14 bludgeoningOccult Innate Spells DC 23; 5th mariner's curse; 2nd augury, obscuring mist
Hook Shake [one-action] Requirements A creature adjacent to the marsh giant is prone in water at least 1 foot deep; Effect The marsh giant uses its gaff to shake the creature back and forth and hold it underwater. The giant attempts an Athletics check against the target's Fortitude DC.
Critical Success The target takes 6d6+14 piercing damage and loses 5 rounds' worth of air if they were holding their breath.
Success The target takes 3d6+14 piercing damage and loses 3 rounds' worth of air if they were holding their breath.
Failure The target is unaffected.
Critical Failure As failure, but the giant drops its gaff as well.Throw Rock [one-action] Twist the Hook [two-actions] The marsh giant makes a melee Strike with its gaff. If it hits, it twists and yanks the gaff to create an awful wound, dealing 3d6 persistent bleed damage to the creature.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Gaffs

Many marsh giants fight with oversized gaffs—lengths of wood with a single metal spike affixed to the tip. Used often by fisherfolk to land fish, marsh giants use their gaffs as weapons. A gaff sized for a Medium creature is a common martial weapon in the club group. It deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage and has 1 Bulk. It requires one hand to use and has the trip and versatile P weapon traits. Gaffs are readily available in fishing or coastal settlements for 1 gp.

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.