Mountain Giant
A forty-five-foot hunter of high passes, black ravines and lonely peaks.
Mountain Giants are feared not because they are slow walls of muscle, but because something that enormous should not be able to hide as well as they do.
A Mountain Giant is a predator large enough to turn a mountain pass into its hunting ground. It stalks high valleys, deep chasms and broken ridgelines, using darkness, invisibility and sheer familiarity with the terrain to approach prey that assumes anything forty-five feet tall must be easy to spot.
Other giants tell stories about them for the same reason humans tell stories about ogres. A Mountain Giant may eat livestock, travellers, soldiers or other giants, and it is patient enough to frighten prey before closing for the kill. A distant shape on a ridge may be a boulder. A second later it may be gone.
Game Statistics
Use the ruleset in play. These versions represent the same campaign creature at very different mechanical scales.
Mountain Giant
Gargantuan Giant, Chaotic Evil • CR 16
Saving Throws Str +15, Con +10, Wis +8
Skills Athletics +15, Perception +8, Stealth +6, Survival +8
Damage Immunities Cold
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 18
Languages Giant, Terran
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP; PB +5)
Traits
Mountain Ambusher. The giant has Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made among natural stone, scree, snow or mountain shadows. While Hidden in such terrain, its enormous size does not reveal its position.
See in Darkness. Magical Darkness does not impede the giant’s Darkvision.
Innate Magic. The giant requires no components to cast the following spells: at will—Darkness, Invisibility; 3/day—Dimension Door; 1/day—Mislead.
Actions
Multiattack. The giant makes three attacks, using Mountain Club, Impaling Spear or Boulder in any combination.
Mountain Club. Melee Attack Roll: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d8 + 10) Bludgeoning damage.
Impaling Spear. Melee Attack Roll: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one Huge or smaller creature. Hit: 31 (6d6 + 10) Piercing damage, and the target is Grappled (escape DC 20) if the giant has no creature grappled with the spear.
Boulder. Ranged Attack Roll: +15 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (4d12 + 10) Bludgeoning damage, and a Huge or smaller target must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or have the Prone condition.
Bonus Actions
Terrifying Bellow (Recharge 5–6). Each enemy within 60 feet that can hear the giant must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or have the Frightened condition until the end of its next turn.
Reactions
Snatch the Fallen. When a Prone creature within 20 feet tries to stand, the giant can make one Impaling Spear attack against it.
Mountain Giant
Gargantuan Giant, Chaotic Evil • CR 16
Saving Throws Str +15, Con +10, Wis +8
Skills Athletics +15, Perception +8, Stealth +6, Survival +8
Damage Immunities cold
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages Giant, Terran
Traits
Mountain Camouflage. The giant has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky or mountainous terrain.
See in Darkness. The giant can see normally in darkness, magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.
Innate Spellcasting. Wisdom is the giant’s spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast: at will—darkness, invisibility; 3/day—dimension door; 1/day—mislead.
Actions
Multiattack. The giant makes three attacks with its greatclub, impaling spear or rock.
Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
Impaling Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one Huge or smaller creature. Hit: 31 (6d6 + 10) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 20) while the spear remains embedded.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (4d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the giant’s choice within 60 feet that can see or hear it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Mountain Giant
CR 18 • CE Gargantuan Humanoid (Giant)
| XP | 153,600 |
|---|---|
| Initiative | +5 |
| Senses | low-light vision, see in darkness; Perception +29 |
| Aura | frightful presence 60 ft. (DC 24, 10 rounds) |
Defense
| Armor Class | 33, touch 11, flat-footed 28 (+4 armor, +5 Dex, +17 natural, +1 shield, −4 size) |
|---|---|
| Hit Points | 297 (22d8+198) |
| Saving Throws | Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +20 |
| Defenses | rock catching; immune to cold, fear, mind-affecting effects and poison |
Offense
| Speed | 50 ft. |
|---|---|
| Melee | +2 warhammer +27/+22/+17/+12 (4d6+17/19–20/×3), +1 dagger +26 (2d6+16/19–20), or 2 slams +27 (2d6+15) |
| Ranged | rock +18 (4d6+15) |
| Space / Reach | 20 ft. / 20 ft. |
| Special Attacks | devour, impale, rock throwing (160 ft.), swallow whole (3d6+11 bludgeoning; interior AC 18; 29 hp) |
| Spell-Like Abilities | CL 18th; concentration +21. At will—deeper darkness, invisibility; 3/day—dimension door; 1/day—mislead (DC 19) |
Statistics
| Ability Scores | Str 41, Dex 21, Con 29, Int 16, Wis 24, Cha 16 |
|---|---|
| Base Attack | +16 |
| CMB / CMD | +35 / 50 |
| Feats |
Critical Focus, Double Slice, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (warhammer), Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth), Staggering Critical, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, Vital Strike |
| Skills |
Intimidate +25, Knowledge (nature) +25, Perception +29, Stealth +21 (+29 in mountains or underground), Survival +32 |
| Racial Modifier | +8 Stealth in mountains or underground |
| Languages | Common, Giant, Terran |
| Environment | any mountains |
| Organization | solitary or pair |
| Treasure | standard (+2 leather armor, +1 dagger, +2 warhammer, other treasure) |
Special Abilities
Devour (Su). As a full-round action, the giant can consume the corpse of a Large or smaller humanoid. It then gains fast healing 10 for a number of rounds equal to that creature’s Hit Dice. If a swallowed humanoid dies inside the giant, this healing begins immediately without the giant spending a separate action.
Impale (Ex). When the giant makes a single attack with a piercing melee weapon—including an attack enhanced by Vital Strike—that weapon gains the grab ability for the attack. A creature held on the weapon remains grappled until the giant uses that same weapon to attack another target, at which point the hold ends.
Swallow Whole (Ex). A swallowed creature takes 3d6+11 bludgeoning damage each round. The stomach has AC 18 and requires 29 points of slashing or piercing damage to cut a way out. A creature can also attempt to escape the grapple normally. This turns a successful grab into a rescue problem immediately: companions must either force the giant to release its prey or help the victim survive inside it.
Frightful Presence (Ex). Creatures within 60 feet that are affected by the giant’s presence face a DC 24 save; the fear can last up to 10 rounds. The giant often uses this before closing so frightened prey scatters or abandons a strong formation.
Mountain Stealth. The +8 racial bonus to Stealth in mountains or underground raises the giant to +29 in its preferred terrain. That is the mechanical reason a forty-five-foot creature can still function as an ambush predator.
Mountain Giant
CR 26 • Colossal Giant (Earth) • Usually Chaotic
| Hit Dice | 30d8+390 (525 hp) |
|---|---|
| Initiative | +0 |
| Senses | darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +17, Spot +17 |
| Speed | 80 ft. |
| Armor Class | 31 (−8 size, +29 natural), touch 2, flat-footed 31 |
| Base Attack / Grapple | +22 / +54 |
| Attack | mountain giant club +30 melee, 2 slams +30 melee, or rock +15 ranged |
| Full Attack | club +30/+25/+20/+15, 2 slams +30, or rock +15 |
| Damage | club 4d8+24/19–20; slam 2d6+16; rock 4d8+16 |
| Space / Reach | 30 ft. / 25 ft. |
| Saving Throws | Fort +30, Ref +10, Will +10 |
| Ability Scores | Str 43, Dex 10, Con 37, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7 |
| Special Attacks | crush, fling, grapple, rock throwing, trample |
| Special Qualities | rock catching, scent, summon giants |
| Feats | Alertness, Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (mountain giant club), Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Track |
| Skills | Jump +39, Listen +17, Spot +17 |
| Environment | any mountains |
| Organization | solitary or family (2 plus 1–3 noncombatants) |
| Treasure | standard |
Special Attacks
Crush (Ex). If the giant jumps at least 20 feet or drops from that height, it can land on creatures at least two size categories smaller. The impact normally covers a 40-foot square; the giant can instead sit down across a 40-by-60-foot area. A DC 38 Reflex save avoids being pinned. Creatures pinned beneath it take 2d6+24 bludgeoning damage, and that damage continues each round the giant maintains the pin.
Fling (Ex). After successfully grappling a creature at least two sizes smaller, the giant can hurl it up to 120 feet as a standard action. The victim takes 12d6 damage, or falling damage if that would be worse. The giant can also throw the victim as a living boulder; in that case the thrown creature takes 12d6+16 and anything it hits takes 4d8+16.
Grapple (Ex). A slam can be used to seize a smaller opponent with a +54 grapple bonus. On later rounds a successful grapple check automatically deals slam damage, or the giant can fling the held creature.
Trample (Ex). As a standard action the giant can trample creatures at least one size smaller, dealing 4d6+24 bludgeoning damage. A target can either make an attack of opportunity at −4 or attempt a DC 41 Reflex save for half damage.
Rock Throwing (Ex). A Colossal Mountain Giant throws enormous rocks as ranged weapons and gains the normal giant racial accuracy bonus. Its size lets it use boulders large enough to function as battlefield hazards rather than ordinary missiles.
Special Qualities
Rock Catching (Ex). Once per round, if the giant is aware of an incoming rock or similarly shaped projectile, it can attempt a Reflex save to catch it instead of being hit. A Colossal giant can catch projectiles up to Colossal size.
Scent (Ex). The giant can locate nearby creatures and follow tracks by smell, making invisibility alone an unreliable defence at close range.
Summon Giants (Sp). Once per day the Mountain Giant can attempt to call reinforcements: 1d8+1 ogres, 1d6+1 trolls or 1d4+1 hill giants. The summoning has a 25% chance of success.
Behaviour
Mountain Giants are solitary hunters rather than keepers of orderly giant halls. They know the routes through their territory, the shelves where goats bed down, the gullies that carry sound and the passes where travellers have nowhere to run.
They Hunt Fear as Well as Flesh
A Mountain Giant often lets prey realise that something is following it. Tracks appear where no creature was seen. A pack animal vanishes. Stones fall from above without revealing the thrower. The giant closes only when the group is tired, divided or trapped.
Other Giants Fear Them
Mountain Giants will eat humanoids, but they are also dangerous to other giantkind. Giant parents use them in warnings to unruly children because the threat is not imaginary. A Frost Giant or Hill Giant meeting one in a lonely pass has reason to be cautious.
Alignment and Individuals
Cruelty and predation are common enough to define their reputation, but individual giants can still differ. A rare Mountain Giant may bargain, keep an old oath or tolerate travellers who bring something more useful than meat.
If Violence Starts
First Move
Attack from concealment. Darkness or invisibility lets the giant choose when the encounter truly begins.
Best Targets
Isolate whoever is slow, wounded or separated. A grabbed or swallowed victim forces the rest of the party to abandon its plan.
Escape Route
Mountain Giants know ledges, fissures and vertical routes that smaller creatures cannot follow safely. If a hunt turns against one, it does not have to retreat along the road.
Hunting and Combat
Make the Size Disappear
The unsettling part of a Mountain Giant encounter is not seeing a forty-five-foot enemy. It is knowing one is nearby and still being unable to see it. Invisibility makes that threat much harder to pin down. Fog, darkness, overhangs, scree fields and deep ravines should break sight lines constantly.
Strike from the Wrong Direction
A Mountain Giant with access to dimension door can move across cliffs and gaps that would normally protect the party. It can vanish from one side of a chasm and appear behind the rear guard, turning a defensible formation into panic.
Use Height as a Weapon
Thrown rocks become far more dangerous when the target is also balancing on a narrow path. A hit need not kill to matter if it knocks a mount loose, breaks a bridge or sends debris down onto those below.
Close Only When the Prey Is Ready
Once the party is divided, the giant moves in. Its reach lets it dominate a wide area, while grappling, impaling and swallowing attacks turn a single failed defence into an immediate rescue problem.
Mountain Giants in the World
In the northern traditions, Mountain Giants are counted among the wider peoples of the jötnar, but they make poor subjects. Their solitary habits and appetite for other giants mean even powerful courts treat them cautiously.
Some wander the routes that lead toward Jötunheim; others remain on Midgard in remote ranges where settlements are sparse enough for disappearances to become stories before they become investigations. Giant kings such as Thrym may bargain with one, threaten enemies with one or point a particularly destructive hunter toward a rival—but that does not make the creature a reliable vassal.
Their ancestry ultimately belongs to the same immense giant story that reaches back toward Ymir, though Mountain Giants are shaped less by courtly giant politics than by isolation, hunger and the brutal geography of the high peaks.
Appearance and Mountain Lairs
A typical Mountain Giant stands about forty-five feet tall and weighs roughly thirty thousand pounds. Its exposed skin is grey and warty, and many wear bloodstained leather garments, rough hides and ragged masks.
Despite that size, a Mountain Giant can move with alarming care through broken ground. Its lair may lie in a chasm, cavern or shelf reachable only by climbing. Bones, discarded gear and dragged carcasses often reveal the route before the lair itself comes into view.
Mountain Giants favour places with several approaches at different heights. A good lair lets the giant watch a pass from above, vanish into darkness, cross to another ledge and return from a direction prey believed was inaccessible.
Encounter Ideas
The Empty Pack Train
Mules, wagons and cargo remain scattered along a pass, but every traveller is gone. The tracks suggest the missing people left the road one at a time.
The Giant-Eater
A Frost Giant warband offers payment for help killing something that has been taking its hunters. The thing in the ravine has learned that giants make excellent bait for smaller rescuers.
The Mask Above the Road
A huge leather mask has been nailed to a cliff face. Local guides refuse to pass beneath it after sunset. The mark is not a warning left by humans; it is a claim.
Thrym’s Unwanted Weapon
A Mountain Giant has been driven toward a rival route by agents of Thrym. The creature does not know it has been used, and it is now hunting anyone who enters the valley—including the king’s own messengers.
Deep Links
Giantkind
Giant Subtype •
Frost Giant •
Hill Giant •
Stone Giant •
Storm Giant
Pathfinder Skills
Intimidate •
Knowledge (nature) •
Perception •
Stealth •
Survival
Pathfinder Feats
Critical Focus •
Great Fortitude •
Improved Critical •
Improved Vital Strike •
Power Attack •
Skill Focus •
Staggering Critical •
Two-Weapon Defense •
Two-Weapon Fighting •
Vital Strike
Magic and Equipment
Invisibility •
Dimension Door •
Warhammer •
Dagger •
Greatclub
Rules Sources and Licensing
- Pathfinder 1e: Mountain Giant, Bestiary 6, presented in the Pathfinder Reference Document and Archives of Nethys. The Pathfinder statistics are the primary rules reference for this entry.
- D&D 3.5e: Mountain Giant appears in Monster Manual II with the 3.5 update. Because that creature is not an SRD monster, this tab gives an abbreviated compatibility reference rather than reproducing the source text.
- D&D 5.5e / 2024: the Mountain Giant block on this page is a campaign conversion built from the creature’s established Pathfinder identity and scaled for modern fifth-edition play; there is no separate SRD 5.2.1 Mountain Giant statblock.
- D&D 5e / 2014: the Mountain Giant block on this page is a campaign conversion for 2014 fifth edition; it is not an official SRD 5.1 creature.
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