Firbolg

This burly, eight-foot-tall humanoid, dressed in a bearskin and equipped with a massive axe, has long, red hair and a bushy beard.

Firbolg CR 4

XP 1,200
N Large humanoid (giant)
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+2 armor, +1 Dex, +5 natural, –1 size)
hp 39 (6d8+12)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +6

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.
Melee Huge greataxe +8 (3d8+7/×3)
Ranged rock +5 (2d6+10)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks oversized weapons, rock throwing (120 ft.)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8)

At will—reduce person (DC 13)
1/day—alter self, confusion (DC 16), detect magic, know direction

STATISTICS

Str 20, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 14
Base Atk +4; CMB +10; CMD 21
Feats Deflect Arrows, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Climb +12, Knowledge (nature) +6, Perception +8, Sense Motive +5, Stealth +1, Survival +8
Languages Common, Giant

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Oversized Weapons (Ex)

A firbolg can wield weapons sized as if the firbolg were one size category larger.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate hills or forests
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3–8), clan (9–16), or enclave (10–40)
Treasure standard (leather armor, greataxe, sack with other treasure)

Although they are giants, firbolgs are crafty, cautious, and reclusive. They have learned to distrust most other humanoids except elves, and dwell only in remote places far from civilization’s encroaching grasp, amidst fey and spirits of nature. They live in small, close-knit clans that tend to occupy one large, wooden house surrounded by a field kept for harvest. To supplement the food they grow, they wander the surrounding territory in small gangs hunting and gathering.

Unlike most giants, they do not raid indiscriminately and do not solve all their problems with force and violence.

If pressed into battle, they are cunning combatants who make good use of the terrain, and generally do not kill unless provoked. While they rarely raid, firbolgs love duping smaller creatures out of their food and treasure. Alone or in small groups, they disguise themselves as hapless mountain folk, comely youths, or foreign wanderers to engage in confidence schemes and practical jokes against humanoid neighbors. Firbolgs back up their trickery with their natural magic and incredible strength. Most who encounter a firbolg are never aware of the giant’s true nature.

In their normal form, they look like oversized humans. They wear their hair long and free, and many decorate their skin with intricate designs picked out in blue woad.

Most firbolgs carry their possessions with them in great sacks. Typically, a firbolg’s sack contain several throwing rocks, the firbolg’s personal treasure, and a selection of mundane items stolen, bartered, or otherwise acquired from those the firbolg has recently encountered.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Creighton Broadhurst, Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Joe Homes, James Jacobs, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, Thom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, Wes Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Mike Shel, James L. Sutter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.

FIRBOLG SOCIETY

Firbolgs live in remote forests and hills. These giant-kin distrust most other civilized races, and stay well away from them. They keep on even terms with druid and the faerie creatures, including elves, neither asking nor giving much, but avoiding insult or injury. Strangers are met with caution, frequently in illusionary disguise as one of their own race. They do not attack or kill without reason, but do enjoy pranks, particularly those that relieve strangers of treasure.

Their society is close-knit and centered around the family or clan. The clans live apart from each other, existing as gatherers and sometimes nomads. Their homes are huge, single-story, wooden houses with stout walls and a central fireplace opening in several directions in the common room. When great decisions are needed, the clans involved meet in an enclave. This happens at least once a year at the fall solstice, just to celebrate if nothing else. The shamans preside over these events, and settle any disputes between clans.

They live off the land and with it. Their homes are built from trees cleared from around the house. The clan does keep a field for harvest, but only enough to supplement their diet. They trade tasks involving great strength for food, usually with other peaceful folk in the forests or hills. Gathering and hunting an area up to 20 miles from their homestead is how they obtain the rest of their food. Meat is used in small quantities for most meals, although major celebrations always include a large roast of some sort.

Although many creatures are capable of killing a firbolg, none hunt them exclusively. They are stronger than most forest beasts, and intelligent creatures know better than to mess with them.

FIRBOLG’S IN FAERIE

Songs of the Sidhe by David Ross

Unlike the fomorian, the firbolg is a being of grace as well as might. Their culture is well-regarded by the fey and mortals alike for its musical and magical accomplishments, and they pay great reverence to their druid and cleric religious leaders as well as their warrior-poet kings and talented magical craftsmen.

The firbolg race is native to both Faerie and Terra, tracing its roots back to giants who took refuge in Faerie from genocidal dragons during the conflict between dragons and giants at the dawn of the Mortal Coil. Most firbolgs display a very fey-like pragmatism and aloofness. They share the fey’s appreciation for the myth of Queen Gloriana and most revere the Wild Hunt.

FIRBOLG CHARACTERS

The favored class of the firbolg is fighter. Most chieftains are fighters. Firbolg clerics are called shamans and can choose two of the following domains: Animal, Earth, or War.

The Firbolg first appeared in the 1e MM II (Gary Gygax, 1983).