Buy me a coffeeSpriggan
This creature is small enough to fit in a pint-pot, but something about its pug-nosed little face tells you wouldn’t like it when it’s angry…
Spriggans were grotesquely ugly, found at old ruins and barrows guarding buried treasure and generally acting as fairy bodyguards. They were also said to be busy thieves. Though usually small, they had the ability to swell to enormous size (they’re sometimes speculated to be the ghosts of the old giants).
Certainly their disposition was poor, and they caused mischief to those who offended them. They sent storms to blight crops, and sometimes stole away mortal children, leaving their ugly changelings in their place. There is a story of an old woman who got the better of a band of Spriggans by turning her clothing inside-out (turning clothing being as effective as Holy Water or iron in repelling fairies) to gain their loot.
Often mistaken for fey or goblinoids, spriggans are in fact the remnants of mighty giants whose meddling in powerful magics left them reduced to the stunted creatures they now are. The arcane powers they foolishly disturbed are not yet cleansed away; every time they call upon their shape-shifting rage, they run the risk of triggering an ancient curse.
In its natural form, a spriggan stands 8 inches tall and weighs about 1 pound. In giant form, it is about 20 feet tall and weighs 20,000 pounds.
Originally Posted by NakedCelt of the Giant in the Playground Forums.
| Spriggan | |
| Diminutive Giant (Shapechanger) | |
| Hit Dice | 14d8+17 (80 hp); giant form 14d8+115 (178 hp) |
| Initiative | +4 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares); giant form 50 ft. (10 squares) |
| Armour Class | 14 (+4 size), touch 14, flat-footed 14; giant form 17 (-2 size, +9 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 17 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +10/-7; giant form +10/+29 |
| Attack | -; giant form slam +19 melee (1d6+11) |
| Full Attack | -; giant form two slams +19 melee (1d6+11) and bite +14 melee (1d8+5) |
| Space/Reach | 1 ft./0 ft.; giant form 15 ft./15 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Berserk, spell-like abilities |
| Special Qualities | Alternate form, ant curse, Low-Light Vision |
| Saves | Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +6; giant form Fort +17, Ref +4, Will +6 |
| Abilities | Strength 1, Dexterity 10, Constitution 13, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 14, Charisma 14; giant form Strength 33, Dexterity 10, Constitution 27, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 14, Charisma 14 |
| Skills | Control Shape +15, Hide +12 (giant form -8), Intimidate +11, Listen +8, Spot +8 |
| Feats | Awesome Blow (giant form only), Improved Initiative, Overrun (giant form only), Snatch (giant form only), Toughness |
| Environment | Temperate forests |
| Organization | Solitary, gang (2-4), band (6-11) or tribe (20-30) |
| Challenge Rating | 9 |
| Treasure | Standard |
| Alignment | Usually chaotic (any) |
| Advancement | 15-19 HD (Diminutive/Huge) |
| Level Adjustment | – |
COMBAT
Spriggans use their spell-like abilities to hamper and mislead their enemies and avoid direct conflict. A spriggan will generally avoid being forced to assume giant form if it can help it.
Berserk: When a spriggan assumes giant form, it goes berserk, attacking the nearest creature or smashing some object smaller than itself if no creature is within reach, then moving on to spread more destruction. It remains berserk until it once again resumes its natural form.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day – cause fear (DC 13), entangle (DC 13), levitate (self + 700 lb), ventriloquism (DC 13). The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Alternate Form: A spriggan that takes damage in combat must succeed on a Control Shape check (DC 25) or expand to Huge size, gaining the alternate abilities noted in the stats block, and go berserk. The spriggan can voluntarily forgo the Control Shape check if it wishes, or indeed assume giant form voluntarily without taking damage (though very few do). After 11 rounds it shrinks back to Diminutive size and is exhausted. This duration is Constitution-based. An exhausted or fatigued spriggan cannot assume giant form voluntarily and need not make a Control Shape check to avoid doing so involuntarily. The usual rules apply for removing exhaustion and fatigue. Once no longer either exhausted or fatigued, the spriggan’s Alternate Form ability functions once again as normal. There is no limit on uses per day other than those imposed by the practicalities of overcoming fatigue.
Ant Curse: Each time a spriggan assumes giant form, there is a cumulative 1% chance that, upon reaching the end of the duration, it is permanently polymorphed into an ant (Fine vermin, 1hp, speed 1 ft., burrow 1 ft., Climb 1 ft., AC 18, Strength and Constitution reduced to 1, Intelligence -). This chance is reduced by 1% for each whole year it spends without assuming giant form.