Frost Giant Ursus
Frost Giant Ursus (CR 17)
| Chaotic Evil - Huge - Humanoid (Giant) |
|---|
| Lore: | Know (Local) | ||
| 34 | 49 | ||
| Basic DC | Full DC | ||
| Initiative |
28 |
| Perception: | |
| 40 | +30 |
| Passive | Active |
| Ambush: |
| 10+ |
| on a d20 |
- Ambush Notes: Note that Polar Bears can be VERY good at Ambushes in snowy terrain, and the Ursus may choose to allow the bear to set up how an encounter begins. At the GM's discretion, roll for ambush using the Bear's numbers.
Senses:
Movement Types:
- Walk 60 ft.
Defense
| AC |
40 |
| Man Def |
|
40 |
| Monster Health | ||
| 611 | 305 | 32 |
| Hit Points | Bloodied | Hit Dice |
| Saving Throws | |
| Fort: | +19 |
| Refl: | +14 |
| Will: | +14 |
Strong Against:
- Immune (no effect): Cold (energy, common)
Offense
| Size: | Huge | ||
| 15 ft. | 20 ft. | ||
| Space | Reach | ||
| To-Hit |
+25 
|
| Man Off |
+30
|
| Action |
| 0 |
| Points |
Standard Attack (Melee):
Standard Attack (Ranged):
- 1x Icicle Javelin +25 (4d8+17/19-20 x2)
as Piercing (physical, common)
(Increment: 100 ft.; Max Range: 500 ft.)
Full Attack (Ranged):
- 3x Icicle Javelin +25 (4d8+17/19-20 x2)
as Piercing (physical, common)
(Increment: 100 ft.; Max Range: 500 ft.)
Siege Damage: Not siege capable
Statistics
| 32 |
| STR |
| 20 |
| DEX |
| 30 |
| CON |
| 12 |
| INT |
| 16 |
| WIS |
| 20 |
| CHA |
Skills:
- Bluff: 28
- Handle Animal: 31
- Perception: 30
- Sense Motive: 28
- All other skills: 23 (no ranks)
Languages: Giant, Common
Special Abilities
| Bitter Challenge (Ex) Swift Action 1/Rnd |
|
Once per round as a swift action, a Frost Giant may challenge a foe to mortal combat. The foe challenged must be within thirty feet of the Frost Giant to issue this challenge, and the Giant must have line of effect to the foe so they may hear them issue the challenge. Deaf foes are immune to Bitter Challenge. The Giant does not have to share a language with the victim, nor is line of sight required. This challenge lasts until the beginning of the Giant's next turn. While Challenged, the victim takes a -2 to-hit penalty on any attacks, and a -2 penalty on any caster checks, when taking any attack or action that does not target or include the Challenging Giant. Note that it is possible for a single creature to be the target of multiple Bitter Challenges from multiple Frost Giants, but the penalty is never greater than a -2 to-hit or a -2 to concentration rolls. In such a case, that creature would suffer the penalty unless its attacks included or targeted each of the Challenging giants. |
| Catch Boulders (Ex) Free Action 2/Rnd |
|
Twice per round as a free action, a Frost Giant may roll a d20 any time a thrown or projectile weapon is fired at them or passes anywhere within their reach. (Note that the additional reach of an Ursus' Icy Lash attack counts, so that they may use this power within twenty feet of their size Huge space!) This applies to giant thrown weapons, siege weapon projectiles, arrows, bolts, bullets, or any other thrown weapon or ammo. Note that catching a projectile this way is a violent action that will set off alchemical bombs and items. If the Giant rolls an 8 or higher on this d20 roll, it successfully catches the attack, it is interrupted and lost unless it is an alchemical bomb or effect, in which case it effects the giant which caught it. Using this ability on a weapon with Returning means the attack is interrupted and lost but the weapon still returns to the wielder. |
| Cold Stare (Ex) Immediate Action 1/Enc |
|
Once per encounter as an immediate action, a Frost Giant Ursus may direct a cold, murderer's stare at any creature who damaged it, or, has damaged any Polar Bear on the field it can see, with any attack from beyond its reach, or the reach of the Polar Bear. Cold Stare inflicts 4d8+17 points of Cold (energy, common) damage and inflicts the Paralyzed condition until the start of the Frost Giant's next turn, as massive ice encases the victim. Making a Fort save against a DC of 27 reduces the Cold damage by half and lowers the Paralyzed condition to an Entangled condition instead, which still expires at the start of the Reaver's next turn. |
| Pet (Ex) Special |
|
A Frost Giant Ursus starts play with one Polar Bear pet. These monsters always have the same initiative as the Hill Giant Beast Tamer, and always grant 1.5 times as much XP and loot when they are defeated in combat. As pets, these beasts only have a single standard action per beast, per round. They may, of course, degrade the standard action down to a move action or a swift action, if they prefer. The Ursus may also 'gift' any of their actions to their beast, if they want the beast to do more in a given round. In this way, the beast tamer can, by giving up their own move action, their beast the ability to make a full attack action (by combining its own standard action with the gifted move action), or perform a double move, etc. Pets may make a single attack of opportunity each round, if provoked. Pets also threaten and provide flanks with any allies. Pets can be moved through by allies, but not by enemies (unless they use a Clamber maneuver, or some similar ability). |
| Goad (Ex) Swift action, 1/Rnd |
|
Once per round as a swift action, an Ursus may goad and urge on its bear. Until the start of the giant's next turn, all of their pets' normal to-hit and damage numbers are replaced with the below:
All special features of any of the pets' attacks remain unchanged, only the to-hit and damage numbers are changed. As part of this same swift action, and combined with use of the Ursus's pets' standard action, the Ursus can enable their bear to make a full attack action, using the Goaded to-hit and damage numbers. Affected pets must be within 50 feet of the giant, and require line of sight and line of effect for Goad to work. Note that, if multiple Ursus's are present, Goad only functions on the pets associated with the goading Giant, not all pets present. Pets are only obedient to their specific masters. |
Frost Giant Ursus
In the world, there are places where summer never comes. There are vast frozen wastelands coated in permanent ice, there are gigantic boreal forests that lie cloaked in eternal winter, there are high, bright deserts where the utter cold of the Deep Dark has settled into the world's bones permanently.
Many races with the Spark of Civility can tolerate the cold very well, most notably the rocky Oreads, the deep-dwelling Dwarves, and the well-furred Gata, Kitsune, Nagdyr and Tengu. Humans, of course, live everywhere, and thrive.
But in the deepest and most bitter of the Cold Lands, there are no civilized races. Not because they cannot bear the numbing cold. But because there is something much older, much colder, much, much worse that already lives there.
The Cold Lands are the natural home of one of the coldest, cruelest races of Giants imaginable. They call themselves Aesir, or Frostborn, or even sometimes the Rimed Ones. To all other races they are known as the Frost Giants.
Frost Giants control vast areas of territory, cold, hard places, inhospitable lands where food is hard to find. Unfortunately for the world, Frost Giants have an eerie magical metabolism and they can survive, even thrive, on nothing but a diet of ice. In places where there is plentiful ice, Frost Giants are discouragingly common. In cold, dry places such as bright deserts, Frost Giants find ice, imported from their own territory, or stolen as water from warmer climes, is a long-lasting food store that never goes bad.
Frost Giants have many styles of 'civilization' in their lands. There are roving bands of barbaric cannibals, there are vast mountaintop fortress cities of blue, bitter ice, there are vast glacier-born towns of wrackwood and tusks sprawling down the sides of mountain ranges, there are vast log fortresses in dark, cold forests, there are entire plains sculpted into lost, empty Igloo Ruins. Frost Giants live in all these places and more, sometimes in hordes, sometimes as single wanderers and hunters.
One unifying feature of the Frost Giant 'culture' is the fact that Frost Giant hearts are as cold and unforgiving as their territory. Frost Giants do not understand such concepts as friendship, love, mercy, or compassion. Every Frost Giant, from the most exalted to the lowliest, truly cares about only one thing, which is themselves. Frost Giants are capable of working together to raise mighty works, create vast fortresses and cities, and march in terrible armies, but the driving motivation behind every one of them in the masses is pure selfishness.
Another feature of Frost Giants is their pure, unrelenting evil. The cold that drives them and makes up so much of their mindset leaves no room for kindness or gentleness or weal. There is no such thing as a kindly Frost Giant, they are every one as vicious, nasty, and unfeeling as the worst monster ever spawned.
Some Frost Giants are berserkers, a cold rage driving them to maddened heights of murder. Others are cowards and connivers, seeking allies and pets to do the hard work of making them enriched. Some Frost Giants are twisted by terrible cold magic, their bones fuming with hoarfrost, and others are as patient and unforgiving as a frozen sea.
Frost Giants delight in owning slaves, and use them in every low, demeaning way possible. They especially value Stone Giants and any of the Civilized races as slaves, both for their valuable skills and abilities as well as the way they provide a fun and easy outlet for their basest urges toward rapine, torture, murder, and cannibalism.
In addition to slaves, Frost Giants count many creatures as allies and pets. Trolls and ogres, of course, delight in Giantish company. Remorhazes, winter wolves, yetis and even wendigoes are valuable pets, chattel, and allies. Frost Giants also frequently have Hill Giants as serfs, the hardy creatures enduring the cold without trouble and providing a cheap source of unending labor. Frost Giants have even been known to capture and enslave White Dragons, much to their own delight and the chagrin of such proud creatures, although anyone who crosses the Dragons must be careful indeed.
Frost Giants spend much of their time raiding, warring, and murdering among themselves, in their dark, cold fastnesses. Unfortunately, those Giantish lands that lie close to the lands of the Civilized races are considered to be Giantish lands as well, just momentarily too hot for comfort. Frost Giants delight in raiding into civilized territory, and they have developed a type of magically chilled glacier which serves as their preferred vehicle for such depredations.
A Frost Giant Glacier is a vast block of ice, easily the size of a Civilized Galleon that has been scaled up to size Huge, and each one has a full complement of Frost Giants, siege weapons, and looting/pillaging space. Such Galleons can 'sail' across dry land for up to a year before melting, and provide the Frost Giants aboard a comfortable place from which to kill and raid to their hearts content.
The Glaciers hearken back to the ages of Frost Giant glory in the past, the so called Ice Ages, when glaciers covered the world, carrying utterly victorious Frost Giant hordes to the ends of the world to crush and rule everywhere. In a Frost Giant's mind, it is just a matter of time until the next Ice Age begins, and when it does, the world will belong to them once again.
A Frost Giant Ursus is more of a formal title than most Frost Giant distinctions, because the presence of their dire pet makes them stand out. Frost Giants can have many pets and chattel, but there is a special place reserved in a Frost Giant's bitter heart for Polar bears. If there is anything in existence that can be said to inspire fondness in a Frost Giant, it is a Polar bear. As a resuslt, some Frost Giants raise Polar Bear cubs and train them into savage attack pets, and such Frost Giants are part of a loose federation of like-minded Giants, known as the Ursus.
A Frost Giant Ursus is a terrible menage in their own right, but the titanic wall of death-white fur they have as a loyal vassal and pet...makes them a whole lot worse.
Combat Tactics
A Frost Giant Ursus treasures their pet...but they are still a Frost Giant, one of the coldest and cruelest beings imaginable. In combat, they will send their pet into harm's way without a thought, utterly uncaring for its safety or well-being. The Ursus will usually follow a bit behind, looking to set up flanks with their pet using their long, deadly Icy Lash attacks, whipping and thrashing enemies with their massive ice-infused flail-whips. Flanks are fairly easy to establish this way, since Icy Lash is treated as a reach attack.
If their bear (or themselves) are targeted with a ranged attack, spell, etc, from beyond the reach of the giant or the bear, the Ursus will not hesitate to retaliate instantly with their terrible Cold Stare ability. Incautious ranged attackers can find themselves facing the brunt of several giants at once if they hit multiple targets, triggering this bitter-cold retribution.
An Ursus will usually Goad their bear as much as they can, as long as the bear has a target. This is especially powerful if a Bear has several foes within reach, and their Goaded attacks hit VERY hard.
An Ursus will use their Bitter Challenge sparingly, usually to disadvantage a foe for their Goaded bear to maul.
If combat is going poorly, an Ursus will abandon the conflict promptly, even if it means leaving their Bear behind. They can always raise another one.
Out of Combat
An Ursus is a considerable foe, with their long-reach Icy Lash and pet able to confound many attackers. Frost Giant bands like having one or several Ursus's around, for their powers and the muscle their Polar Bears bring to combats. A goaded Polar Bear is remarkably effective, and nearly impossible to put down quickly, allowing many Frost Giants to flee a losing fight if they have too...although no Frost Giant will admit to cowardice, they like having the insurance if it's available.
An Ursus or three in a band is a useful addition, and they are quite commonly seen in all aspects of Frost Giantish 'culture'.
Rewards
XP: 102,400
Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 51,444 gp.
- Weight: 170 lbs. Volume: 6.8 cu. ft.
Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.
| Table 1: Remnant(s) Found | |
|---|---|
| 1 - 10 | Nothing Found |
| 11 - 14 | 1 Languid Remnant (tier 1) |
| 15 - 17 | 1 Pale Remnant (tier 2) |
| 18 - 19 | 1 Bright Remnant (tier 3) |
| 20 | Roll on Table 2 |
| ### | Nothing to see here! |
| ### | Or here. Move along. |
| Table 2: Remnant(s) Found | |
|---|---|
| 1 - 5 | 3 Languid Remnants (tier 1) |
| 6 - 10 | 3 Pale Remnants (tier 2) |
| 11 - 14 | 1 Intense Remnant (tier 4) |
| 15 - 17 | 1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5) |
| 18 - 19 | 1 Vital Remnant (tier 6) |
| 20 | Roll on Table 3 |
| ### | Or here. Move along. |
| Table 3: Remnant(s) Found | |
|---|---|
| 1 - 5 | 3 Bright Remnants (tier 3) |
| 6 - 8 | 3 Intense Remnants (tier 4) |
| 9 - 11 | 3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5) |
| 12 - 14 | 3 Vital Remnants (tier 6) |
| 15 - 17 | 1 Prime Remnant (tier 7) |
| 18 - 19 | 1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8) |
| 20 | 1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9) |