Frost Giant
Jötunn raiders of the frozen north: deadly at range, brutal in close combat, and dangerous because they fight as a warband rather than as lone brutes.
Frost Giants are cold-born giantfolk of the northern mountains, glacial valleys and the roads that lead toward Jötunheim. They are not mindless brutes. They build halls, remember lineages, bargain over tribute, raise warbands, keep ancient grudges and follow jarls whose authority rests on strength, reputation and the ability to protect the clan.
At a Glance
Game Statistics
Frost Giant
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (+6) | 9 (−1) | 21 (+5) | 9 (−1) | 10 (+0) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +3, Cha +4
Skills Athletics +9, Perception +3
Damage Immunities Cold
Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages Giant
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP; PB +3)
Multiattack. The giant makes two attacks, using Frost Axe or Great Bow in any combination.
Frost Axe. Melee Attack Roll: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) cold damage.
Great Bow. Ranged Attack Roll: +9 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage, and the target’s Speed decreases by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
War Cry (Recharge 5–6). The giant or one creature of its choice that can see or hear it gains 16 (2d10 + 5) Temporary Hit Points and has Advantage on attack rolls until the start of the giant’s next turn.
Habitat: Arctic, Mountain
Treasure: Armaments
Frost Giant
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (+6) | 9 (−1) | 21 (+5) | 9 (−1) | 10 (+0) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +3, Cha +4
Skills Athletics +9, Perception +3
Damage Immunities Cold
Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages Giant
Multiattack. The giant makes two greataxe attacks.
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (3d12 + 6) slashing damage.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Frost Giant
XP 6,400
Init −1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +10
AC 21, touch 8, flat-footed 21 (+4 armor, −1 Dex, +9 natural, −1 size)
hp 133 (14d8+70)
Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +6
Defensive Abilities rock catching; Immune cold; Weaknesses vulnerability to fire
Speed 40 ft.
Melee greataxe +18/+13 (3d6+13) or 2 slams +18 (1d8+9)
Ranged rock +9 (1d8+13)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks rock throwing (120 ft.)
Str 29, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11
Base Atk +10; CMB +20; CMD 29
Feats Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Martial Weapon Proficiency (greataxe), Power Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth)
Skills Climb +13, Craft (any one) +7, Intimidate +7, Perception +10, Stealth +2 (+6 in snow); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in snow
Languages Common, Giant
Environment cold mountains
Organization solitary, gang (3–5), band (6–12 plus noncombatants and a low-level adept or cleric), raiding party, or tribe
Treasure standard (chain shirt, greataxe, other treasure)
Frost Giant
Hit Dice 14d8+70 (133 hp)
Initiative −1
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class 21 (−1 size, −1 Dex, +9 natural, +4 chain shirt), touch 8, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple +10/+23
Attack greataxe +18 melee (3d6+13/×3) or slam +18 melee (1d4+9) or rock +9 ranged (2d6+9)
Full Attack greataxe +18/+13 melee (3d6+13/×3) or 2 slams +18 melee (1d4+9) or rock +9 ranged (2d6+9)
Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks rock throwing
Special Qualities immunity to cold, low-light vision, rock catching, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +6
Abilities Str 29, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11
Skills Climb +13, Craft (any one) +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +17, Spot +12
Feats Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack
Environment cold mountains
Organization solitary, gang (2–5), band, hunting or raiding party, or tribe
Treasure standard
Advancement by character class; Level Adjustment +4
Rock Throwing (Ex). A Frost Giant has a 120-foot range increment with thrown rocks.
Cold Subtype. A Frost Giant is immune to cold and vulnerable to fire.
Behaviour
Frost Giants are proud, territorial and organised. A jarl keeps authority by feeding the hall, winning plunder, protecting the clan and looking strong in front of rivals. A weak jarl will eventually be challenged.
On Their Own Ground
They usually warn, threaten or demand tribute before attacking unless the intruders have already stolen, trespassed after warning or harmed the clan.
On a Raid
Violence has already begun. The giants want livestock, metal, captives, supplies, revenge or prestige, and they expect resistance.
What They Respect
Strength, courage, useful bargains, returned property, honoured oaths and an enemy willing to stand by their word.
Alignment: cruelty, raiding and domination are common among Frost Giant warbands, but no clan produces identical people. Individual giants may be pragmatic, loyal, treacherous, honourable, merciful or openly opposed to their own jarl.
If Violence Starts
First Move
Open at range from a ridge, pass or snowfield. Great bows and hurled boulders let the giants punish enemies long before the axe line is reached.
Best Targets
Hit mounts, exposed spellcasters and anyone separated from the group before closing with the axe.
When They Stop
A fight can still end through surrender, ransom, returned goods, a stronger common enemy or an outcome the jarl can present as a victory.
Hunting and Combat
Own the Range
Frost Giants want the enemy exposed before melee begins. Great bows and hurled boulders let them batter travellers across open snow, while steep ground and narrow approaches make closing the distance costly.
Use the Mountain
Frost Giants choose ridges, narrow passes, broken ice, deep snow and steep approaches. A snowfield is not scenery to them; it is part of the weapon.
Break the Formation
They pressure exposed spellcasters, mounts and isolated adventurers while allied Winter Wolves pursue anyone forced away from the group.
War Cry and the Decisive Exchange
A giant with War Cry uses it just before a decisive charge or exchange of blows, strengthening the warrior expected to break the enemy line.
Snow Ambushes
A prepared band may disappear against snow and broken stone, allow intruders to enter an exposed basin, trigger an avalanche or rockfall, then descend once the easiest escape routes are cut off. Frost Giants do not need magical stealth when the mountain itself hides them.
When They Retreat
Pride makes retreat difficult, but intelligent giants do not throw away a whole clan for no reason. A lone raider may fight to the death rather than return humiliated, while a jarl protecting children, stores or an ancestral hall may withdraw to a stronger choke point and force the attackers to come deeper into giant-sized ground.
Frost Giants in the Present Age
Northern giant traditions trace their ancestry to Ymir, born where the killing cold associated with Niflheim met the primal heat of Muspellheim. Among giant clans this is more than distant mythology: it is a claim of ancestry older than many mortal kingdoms and a reason some jarls regard later rulers as temporary occupants of ancient land.
The strongest frost-blooded giant realms lie along the routes toward Jötunheim. On Midgard, smaller clans and raiding bands appear wherever ancient giant roads, mountain passes and planar crossings bring those territories close to the mortal world.
Thrym and the Frost Giant Courts
Thrym is one of Jötunheim’s great giant kings and is especially important to frost-associated giant lineages. Frost Giants and Frost Giant Jarls serve in his warbands and courts, and some raiders honour him as a divine patron of winter, giant kingship, strength, war, ransom and vengeance.
Thrym is not king of every jötunn. Independent jarls, ancient houses and rival giant powers may bargain with him, oppose him or ignore his claims entirely. A Frost Giant warband bearing Thrym’s authority therefore represents a political allegiance as well as a religious one.
The high country of Norway remains one of the places where giant cairns, oversized tracks and old territorial marks can still mean exactly what they appear to mean.
Appearance and Life in the North
An adult Frost Giant stands roughly fifteen feet tall and can weigh around 2,800 pounds. Skin ranges from frost-white to glacial blue; hair is often white, pale blue or dirty yellow and is commonly worn long or braided. Warriors favour hides, heavy belts, chain and enormous axes. Trophies, clan marks and worked metal reveal victories, loyalties and rank at a glance.
Frost Giants thrive in cold mountains, glacial valleys, tundra and high northern plateaux. Some clans follow great herds and use caves, ice shelters or abandoned ruins as temporary bases. Others occupy permanent halls, cyclopean fortresses or old strongholds whose stairs, doors and furniture immediately reveal that they were built for giant occupants.
They consume enormous quantities of meat, roots and grain where it can be obtained. Elk, reindeer and other large game may support a travelling band. Permanent settlements supplement hunting with stores, tribute, trade and raiding.
Warriors of exceptional standing may be buried beneath cairns with weapons and grave goods. A favoured jarl can receive a much richer burial, while a failed challenger may be denied the honours given to a respected enemy. Their long lives make such customs politically important: living giants may personally remember the deeds of individuals whose human contemporaries have been dead for generations.
Winter Wolves are common hunting partners, scouts and war-beasts. Mammoths, young white dragons, remorhazes and other creatures of the high cold may appear around a powerful hall, though the relationship can be partnership, training, tribute or dangerous temporary alliance.
Advanced Encounter — Frost Giant Jarl
A jarl is a Frost Giant who has proved strong enough to command other giants. Jarls lead raids, judge disputes, guard the wealth of the hall and answer challenges to the clan’s status. Use the rules tab that matches the campaign.
Frost Giant Jarl
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 (+7) | 10 (+0) | 21 (+5) | 11 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +5, Cha +7
Skills Athletics +11, Intimidation +7, Perception +5
Damage Immunities Cold
Senses Passive Perception 15
Languages Giant
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP; PB +5)
Multiattack. The jarl makes three attacks, using Jarl’s Frost Axe or Great Bow in any combination.
Jarl’s Frost Axe. Melee Attack Roll: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (2d12 + 7) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) cold damage.
Great Bow. Ranged Attack Roll: +12 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage, and the target’s Speed decreases by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
Jarl’s War Cry (Recharge 5–6). The jarl and up to two allies of its choice within 60 feet that can see or hear it each gain 16 (2d10 + 5) Temporary Hit Points. Until the start of the jarl’s next turn, the chosen creatures have Advantage on their next attack roll.
Hold the Pass. When a creature the jarl can see enters a space within 10 feet of it, the jarl makes one Jarl’s Frost Axe attack against that creature.
Frost Giant Jarl
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 (+7) | 9 (−1) | 21 (+5) | 10 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 15 (+2) |
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +5, Cha +6
Skills Athletics +11, Intimidation +6, Perception +5
Damage Immunities cold
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Giant
Multiattack. The jarl makes three greataxe attacks.
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (3d12 + 7) slashing damage.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (4d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Commanding Roar (Recharge 5–6). Up to three allied giants within 60 feet that can hear the jarl can each use their reaction to move up to half their speed without provoking opportunity attacks. The next weapon attack each of those allies makes before the end of its next turn has advantage.
Frost Giant Jarl
XP 153,600; Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +29
AC 33, touch 11, flat-footed 31 (+11 armor, +2 deflection, +2 Dex, +11 natural, −2 rage, −1 size)
hp 305 (23 HD; 14d8+9d12+184)
Fort +23, Ref +9, Will +11
Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +3, rock catching; DR 3/—; Immune cold; Weaknesses vulnerability to fire
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +2 icy burst greataxe +35/+30/+25/+20 (3d6+23/×3) or 2 slams +32 (1d8+14)
Ranged rock +20 (1d8+21)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks rage (26 rounds/day), rage powers (increased damage reduction +1, rolling dodge +2, ground breaker, smasher), rock throwing (120 ft.)
Str 39, Dex 15, Con 26, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 13
Base Atk +19; CMB +34 (+36 sunder); CMD 46
Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (greataxe), Furious Finish, Raging Brutality
Skills Climb +28, Intimidate +27, Perception +29, Stealth +4 (+8 in snow), Survival +14; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in snow
Languages Common, Giant; SQ fast movement
Combat Gear 2 potions of cure serious wounds; Other Gear +5 breastplate, +2 icy burst greataxe, amulet of natural armor +2, belt of physical might +2 (Str, Dex), cape of the mountebank, ring of protection +2
When not raging: AC 35, touch 13, flat-footed 33; hp 259; Fort +21, Will +9; Melee +2 icy burst greataxe +33/+28/+23/+18 (3d6+20/×3) or 2 slams +30 (1d8+12); Ranged rock +20 (1d8+18); Str 35, Con 22; CMB 32, CMD 46; Climb +26.
Frost Giant Jarl
Hit Dice 14d8+84 plus 8d10+48 (231 hp)
Initiative +5
Speed 30 ft. in +2 full plate; base speed 40 ft.
Armor Class 29 (−1 size, +1 Dex, +9 natural, +10 +2 full plate), touch 10, flat-footed 28
Base Attack/Grapple +18/+33
Attack +2 frost greataxe +30 melee (3d6+18/×3 plus 1d6 cold) or slam +28 melee (1d4+11) or rock +18 ranged (2d6+11)
Full Attack +2 frost greataxe +30/+25/+20/+15 melee (3d6+18/×3 plus 1d6 cold) or 2 slams +28 melee (1d4+11) or rock +18 ranged (2d6+11)
Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks rock throwing, smite good, sneak attack +2d6
Special Qualities aura of despair, aura of evil, command undead, dark blessing, detect good, immunity to cold, low-light vision, poison use, resistance to fire 10, rock catching, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +25, Ref +13, Will +13
Abilities Str 32, Dex 12, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18
Skills Climb +17, Hide +2, Jump +17, Knowledge (religion) +2, Ride +11, Spot +5
Feats Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Quick Draw
Environment cold mountains; Organization solitary or with tribe; Treasure standard
Aura of Despair (Su). Enemies within 10 feet take a −2 penalty on saving throws.
Dark Blessing (Su). The jarl adds its Charisma modifier to saving throws.
Smite Good (Su). Twice per day, the jarl can add its Charisma bonus to one melee attack roll and deal 8 extra damage against a good target.
Typical Blackguard Spells. 1st—cause fear, doom, magic weapon; 2nd—bull’s strength.
Possessions +2 frost greataxe, +2 full plate, cloak of Charisma +2, minor fire-resistance ring, and poison.
Encounter Ideas
The Cairn Above the Pass
A warband has closed a mountain road after travellers robbed an ancestral cairn. The giants demand every object back and want the thief handed over. One of the grave goods has already been sold to a noble collection.
The Jarl’s Winter Hunt
A jarl grants safe-conduct to anyone willing to help kill a creature preying on giant children. The hunt is genuine. The danger comes afterward, when rival chieftains argue that no promise to smallfolk should bind the hall.
Wolves on the Snowline
Winter Wolves are driving travellers toward a gorge. The wolves are the first trap. Frost Giants wait above the gorge to take prisoners from whoever survives.
The Giant Road Opens
A supernatural thaw exposes a road sealed for centuries. Giant scouts appear almost immediately, insisting the route marks the return of territory promised to their ancestors.
Treasure and Giant Bags
Frost Giant wealth travels in belts, sacks, chests, sledges and hidden ice chambers. Objects are kept because they are useful, valuable, trophies, ransom goods or simply interesting enough not to discard. Permanent halls may contain worked metal, giant-sized weapons, furs, preserved food, gems and magical equipment taken from defeated enemies.
A giant’s bag is rarely tidy. Roll or choose from the table below when a raider, hunter or fallen warrior has been carrying personal loot.
| d% | Frost Giant Bag |
|---|---|
| 01–07 | Large masterwork greataxe |
| 08–15 | Preserved mammoth tusk (750 gp, 50 lb.) |
| 16–20 | Charred Small humanoid corpse |
| 21–23 | 1d6 bars of rare mineral ore: 40% worth 150 gp each, 30% worth 300 gp, 20% worth 500 gp, 10% worth 1,000 gp |
| 24–28 | Large ice pick |
| 29–34 | Large broken leather armour |
| 35–37 | Sack of salted tubers |
| 38–43 | 1d6 oversized pitons |
| 44–47 | Ring of sustenance |
| 48–51 | +1 warhammer |
| 52–56 | Box containing 1d4 potions of cure serious wounds |
| 57–61 | Winter Wolf pelt (200 gp, 30 lb.) |
| 62–67 | Huge leather belt hung with 1d6 humanoid skulls |
| 68–74 | 1d3 high-quality adamantine ingots (750 gp each) |
| 75–76 | +1 full plate |
| 77–83 | Ruined cold-weather outfit |
| 84–88 | Scroll of secure shelter |
| 89–92 | Masterwork composite longbow (+3 Strength) |
| 93–95 | Matching pair of +1 short swords |
| 96–98 | Boots of the winterlands |
| 99–100 | Cloak of resistance +2 |
Related Creatures, Places and Rules
Giant Subtype • Jötunheim Frost Giant • Winter Wolf • Frost Drake • Grýla • Ymir • Thrym • Norway
Other Giants
Pathfinder 1e Rules
Perception • Stealth • Cleave • Power Attack • Skill Focus
Rules Sources and Licensing
- D&D 5.5e / 2024: System Reference Document 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available from D&D Beyond and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Frost Giant Jarl conversions: the 5.5e and 2014 Jarl blocks are advanced campaign builds derived from their respective base Frost Giant statistics; they are not separate SRD statblocks.
- D&D 5e / 2014: legacy statistics from the fifth-edition Basic Rules / SRD 5.1 material.
- Pathfinder 1e: base Frost Giant rules released as Open Game Content. Advanced jarl material: Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Giants Revisited © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jesse Benner, Ryan Costello, Brian R. James, Jason Nelson, Russ Taylor, and Ray Vallese.
- D&D 3.5e: statistics follow the 3.5 System Reference Document giant rules released as Open Game Content under the Open Game License 1.0a.
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