2.7 - Goliath
Goliath
Goliaths carry giant legacies without being bound to one climate or social tradition. Choose a giant heritage for the supernatural expression of that legacy.
Hiraeth Context
Beccan traditions trace the Goliaths to Beccarack, conqueror of the North, and the Gu-Li-Oth from whom his many children descended. Whether every detail is literal history, political myth, or both is disputed. After Beccarack vanished, his descendants were driven back toward the mountains and later spread into many clans and cities.
Lifecycle and Physical Profile
| Field | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Maturity | About 17 years |
| Lifespan | Usually 90 to 120 years |
| Height | Usually 6 ft 6 in to 8 ft (198 to 244 cm) |
| Typical Weight | Usually 220 to 380 lb (100 to 172 kg) |
| Size | Medium |
Goliaths are massive humanoids whose giant legacies may show through skin, eyes, temperature, voice, shadow, or stature. These signs do not prescribe clan or temperament.
These are setting averages, not restrictions. Within the selected size category, choose the height, build, coloration, sex characteristics, mobility aids, scars, and other features that fit the character.
Ancestry Chassis
| Field | Rule |
|---|---|
| Creature Type | Humanoid |
| Size | Medium |
| Speed | 30 feet |
| Typical Lifespan | Usually 90 to 120 years |
Powerful Build. Count as one size larger when determining carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Mountain-Born. You are acclimated to high altitude and ignore nonmagical penalties caused solely by thin air.
Ancestry Knacks
Choose one knack at character creation. Knacks preserve the small sensory, practical, and roleplaying choices present in earlier HAG systems without adding another power currency. A knack supplies reliable narrow information or expression; it does not grant blanket advantage unless it explicitly says so.
Load Sense. Accurately judge the weight category and obvious leverage risk of a visible mundane load.
Altitude Sense. Recognize ordinary symptoms of thin air and abrupt pressure change.
Challenge Read. After observing a public contest, identify whether its primary purpose is rank, reconciliation, training, or spectacle.
Weather Bones. Recognize when a major nonmagical temperature or pressure change is approaching within the next hour.
Thrower's Measure. Accurately estimate whether a visible mundane object is light and balanced enough for you to throw safely.
Heritages
Choose one heritage, or replace this choice with a versatile heritage.
Cloud Giant
Cloud legacy appears through lightness, mist, altitude, or a body that seems slow to fall.
Heritage Gift. Once per long rest when you fall, use your reaction to reduce the fall distance by 60 feet and move 10 feet horizontally.
Fire Giant
Heat, forge color, and sudden burning force mark this giant legacy.
Heritage Gift. Ignore nonmagical extreme heat. Once per long rest when you deal damage, deal extra fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus.
Frost Giant
Cold follows your breath or skin, and your blows can carry winter's slowing weight.
Heritage Gift. Ignore nonmagical extreme cold. Once per long rest when you hit a creature, reduce its Speed by 10 feet until your next turn.
Hill Giant
This legacy expresses blunt endurance and immense, straightforward force.
Heritage Gift. Once per long rest when you fail a Strength check or saving throw, reroll it.
Stone Giant
Natural stone feels climbable and concealing to a body that shares its tones and stillness.
Heritage Gift. Gain a climb Speed of 20 feet on natural stone and proficiency in Stealth while among stone.
Storm Giant
Your body carries a storm's pressure and answers violence with lightning.
Heritage Gift. Once per long rest when a creature within 30 feet hits you, use your reaction to deal lightning damage equal to your proficiency bonus.
Fomorian
A distorted or uncanny giant legacy grants dark sight and an imposing presence without dictating evil.
Heritage Gift. Gain Darkvision 60 feet and proficiency in Intimidation.
Rune Giant
Runes, old speech, and minor magic appear as inherited giant resonance.
Heritage Gift. Learn one utility cantrip and one additional language.
Death Giant
You carry an awareness of death and the Undead that need not imply worship or corruption.
Heritage Gift. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened by Undead, and always know whether a visible corpse died within the last 24 hours.
Sun Giant
Light, desert heat, and courage-bearing radiance mark this giant legacy.
Heritage Gift. Learn the light cantrip. Once per long rest, creatures of your choice within 10 feet have advantage on their next save against fear before your next turn.
Tide Giant
Your giant inheritance is expressed through water, breath, and powerful swimming.
Heritage Gift. Gain a swim Speed equal to your walking Speed and can hold your breath for 30 minutes.
Ancestry Talents
Choose one talent at level 1 and another ancestry talent at levels 5, 9, 13, and 17. You may also choose an eligible universal talent.
Level 1 Talents
Giant's Endurance. Once per long rest when you take damage, use your reaction to reduce it by your proficiency bonus plus your Constitution modifier.
Long Stride. Your walking Speed increases by 5 feet.
Titanic Grip. You have advantage on checks made to initiate or escape a grapple. You do not gain this advantage against creatures two or more sizes larger than you.
Level 5 Talents
Hurling Arm. Thrown weapons you use have their normal and long ranges increased by 20 feet. Once per turn, drawing a thrown weapon requires no object interaction.
Giant's Reprisal. Once per long rest after a creature within your reach damages you, use your reaction to shove it.
Level 9 Talents
Towering Advance. Once per long rest, as a bonus action, become Large for 1 minute if space permits. Your reach does not increase, but Powerful Build counts you as Huge. You can end this early as a bonus action.
Unyielding Footing. You have advantage on saving throws and ability checks against being knocked prone or moved against your will.
Level 13 Talents
Earthshaker. Once per long rest, as an action, creatures of your choice on the ground within 10 feet make a Strength save against your Ancestry Save DC or fall prone.
Giant's Recovery. When you use Giant's Endurance, gain temporary Hit Points equal to your proficiency bonus after reducing the damage.
Level 17 Talents
Titanic Form. Requires Towering Advance. It lasts 10 minutes, and your reach increases by 5 feet while it is active.
World-Bearer. Once per long rest when you fail a Strength or Constitution saving throw, treat the roll as a success.
Suggested Ancestry Complications
These optional prompts recover the ancestry-specific burdens and flaws of earlier systems without awarding extra power. Choose one, adapt one, or use a universal complication.
Oversized Ego. Retreating from a smaller or visibly weaker challenger feels like a public humiliation.
Heavy Presence. Furniture, roads, clothing, mounts, and social spaces often fail to accommodate you gracefully.
Ancestral Reputation. Others connect your giant legacy to Beccarack, conquest, or an elemental danger you did not choose.
Roleplaying This Ancestry
- Do you treat the story of Beccarack as ancestry, warning, propaganda, or myth?
- What contest or public challenge does your community use to settle conflict?
- How has your giant legacy shaped how strangers read your body?
Quick Builds
For a defender, choose Stone Giant or Hill Giant with Giant's Endurance. For a mobile striker, choose Cloud Giant with Long Stride.