Ettin Exile

Ettin Exile (Heavy; CR 8)

Lawful Evil - Large - Humanoid (Giant)

Lore:	Know (Local)
16		32
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

11

Perception:
25	+15
Passive	Active

Ambush:

12+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses
• Low-Light Vision
• Scent 50 ft.

Movement Types:

• Walk 30 ft.

Defense

AC

25

Man Def

27

Monster Health
292	146	13
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+10
Refl:	+5
Will:	+5

Strong Against:

• ER 13/Acid (energy, common)
• (Heavy Role) Immunity (partial 3): Heavies are immune to the first three conditions applied to them during an encounter. If a fourth condition is applied to a heavy, it is resolved normally. A 'condition' is defined as any non-instantaneous harmful effect applied to the monster, other than damage, but is most commonly one of the defined Status Conditions (but it doesn't have to be). Statuses related to damage (such as injured, bloodied, staggered, dying, or dead) are not 'conditions', and cannot be negated or avoided with this ability.

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Large
10 ft.		10 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+13

Man Off

+15

Action

1

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 2x Giant Club +13 (2d8+11/19-20 x2)
  as bludgeoning (physical, common)

Full Attack (Melee):

• 4x Giant Club +13 (2d8+11/19-20 x2)
  as bludgeoning (physical, common)

Standard Attack (Ranged):

• 2x Giant Boulder +13 (2d8+11/19-20 x2)
  as bludgeoning (physical, common)
  (Increment: 50 ft.; Max Range: 250 ft.)

Full Attack (Ranged):

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

50

STR

14

DEX

16

CON

1

INT

1

WIS

1

CHA

Skills:

• Knowledge (Local): 13
• Perception: 15
• Sense Motive: 13
• Stealth: 13
• All other skills: 8 (no ranks)

Languages: Giant, Common, the stupid head speaks only Giant (Pidgin)

Feats:

• Power Attack (EFFECT: This monster may take a -2 to all to-hits in exchange for a +7 bonus damage per attack.)

Special Abilities

Stone Shards (Sp) Swift Action 1/Rnd

Concentration: 1d20 + 15 vs. a DC of 23 (8 needed on the die) Once per round as a swift action, the Ettin Exile can cast Stone Shards, firing three shards of stone at three different targets within 100 feet of the Ettin. This is resolved as a ray attackat 1d20 + 17 vs. AC (always hits on a 17+ on the die), which deals 2d8+11 points of slashing (physical, common) damage to targets successfully struck, and the target is Rattled. If the target makes a successful Fortitude save, DC 19, it is instead only Jostled, however targets take full damage even on a successful save. The Ettin cannot target the same creature with multiple shards with a single casting of this spell (i.e. it must always choose three targets). Stone Shards requires both line of sight and line of effect to its targets. Note that the Ettin's action point can be used to cast this a second time in a round, if the Ettin chooses to do that.

Earthen Smash (Ex) Standard Action

As a standard action, an Ettin may swing its huge club overhead and SMASH! THE GROUND! The ettin's stupid head loves doing this, because it makes them feel smart and effective, just like their smart head. Earthen Smash is a 30 foot cone area of effect that, due to flying debris and concussive shockwaves, will even affect creatures in the air or under the ground. It inflicts 2d8+11 points of bludgeoning (physical, common) damage and knocks all creatures prone. A reflex save versus DC 19 negates the prone effect and reduces the damage by half.

Two Actions (Ex) Always On, Special

In combat, the ettin acts twice in each round, at different initiative numbers. The ettin's stupid head, the hill giant head, takes its full normal action (a standard, move, and swift action) on its initiative. The ettin's smart head gets a special action each round 5 initiative ticks later. During this special action, the smart head of the Ettin controls the entire body of the Ettin, and it can take a 5-foot step and a standard action. This standard action can be used to take any actions the Ettin wishes to make, but in particular, can be used to cast a spell (which the hill giant head isn't smart enough to cast on its turn). If an Ettin's initiative is less than five, it takes its special action in initiative 1. If an Ettin's initiative is moved, its secondary action tick moves as well to remain 5 ticks after the main action. If an Ettin holds its main action, its secondary action also is held. It is possible for an Ettins secondary action to be moved to the top of the next round, but not for a low initiative roll to move it there. Note that ettins also have an action point. The action point may be spent on either of its turns, but the ettin's spell can only be cast during the smart head's special standard action. The bonus 5-foot step of the smart head is only usable if the special standard action is not used to move. However, the 5-foot step can be used even if the hill giant head has already moved or taken a 5-foot step during the Ettin's main turn.

Liberating Injury (Ex; Heavy Role) Auto Upon Death

The first time the Ettin Exile is reduced to zero or fewer hit points, instead of dying, the hill giant head of the ettin is instead slain, as the Ettin uses that head as a shield to deflect the killing blow. During the time between being reduced to 0 points of damage for the first time and the start of the Ettin's next turn, the Ettin remains standing and all damage and effects dealt to it are completely ignored. At the start of the Ettin's next turn, it shrugs off any status conditions affecting it and its hit points are immediately restored to 50% of its normal maximum (146). Since only the smart head survived, it gains full control over the body at all times, but loses the Two Actions ability (i.e. it no longer gets the special standard action or the special 5-foot step five initiative ticks after its main action). However, it can continue to use Earthen Smash, and may now use Stone Shards more than once per round, if it wishes (assuming it has enough actions to do so). Ettins see this event as a joyous side-effect of the battle, since they no longer have to battle with their half-witted other head over every single thing.

Ettin Exile

This creature possesses the Heavy role, and therefore counts as 2 monsters for purposes of encounter size, XP award, and treasure.

This monster frequently has the Heavy role, but may be set to other roles if desired.

Ettins are hill giants that have some fleshy quirk giving them two heads, instead of merely one. This is a surprisingly common mutation, occurring in about 10% of all hill giant births. Also surprising is the fact that the mutated head, nearly always smaller than the 'dominant' head, is both intelligent, and magically attuned. That is, they are spellcasters.

The reason that ettins are comparatively rare, despite their high birth rates among the hill giant population, is that the mutated intelligent head tends to be an intolerable smart-ass all the time. As a result, most ettins fail to reach adulthood, either because their parents, neighbors or peers club them to death before they reach maturity, or they club themselves to death as a result of one of their many arguments with their stupider head.

Encountering an ettin is often a pretty funny encounter, because of the constant self-bickering (and self-abuse). However, a wise party will not underestimate these ungainly behemoths. Ettins are terrible opponents, capable of massive feats of brute strength, as well as spellcasting. Ettins have a strong affinity with the earth, and their spells reflect this.

Ettin Exiles are outcasts from society, much like Hill Giant Scroungers. In fact, they can often be found in the company of Scroungers. Exiles are almost uniformly made up of those ettins in which the smart head as completely dominated or subdued the hill giant head, taking command full time. As their first action, they got the heck out of giant society, where their days were clearly numbered. It is not unusual for ettin exiles to keep their hill giant heads knocked out, drugged or otherwise unconscious all the time.

Combat Tactics

Ettin Exiles will prefer to stay at range if they can, hurling boulders and casting spells for as long as they can. Once enemies close to melee with them, they will use their clubs to attack or use Earthen Smash to disrupt the enemy's front line. They are happy to combat cast when they need to, the smart head is a very capable spellcaster.

Exiles will cast their Stone Shards spell every round if they can, and will also use their action point early on to cast it again.

If the combat goes poorly, they are smart enough to try to disengage if they think they can get away. If the Exile is in an area it is familiar with, it may have set up a trap ahead of time, like a deadfall of rocks, that will let it block its escape route against pursuers. Of course, if it's clear to the Exile that running will only mean getting cut down before it escapes, it will stay and fight.

Out of Combat

Ettins are still extremely strong, but unlike Hill Giants, can't just casually pluck the tops off mountains outside of combat. Note that an Ettin's prodigious strength does not translate to any benefits (other than those listed above) inside of combat. We didn't forget to add the damage in, the absurd strength is an out-of-combat thing.

That said, Ettins can be found in a lot of places. Their smart heads naturally want their idiot flat-mates to be more civilized, so its possible to find small groups of Ettins living in well-designed but crudely built keeps, often with some ogres around to keep the place running nice. Ettins are not terribly popular as henchmen, however, since their constant internal bickering wears on the nerves of even the most patient.

That said, Ettins are VERY powerful, and if you can put up with them, they have all the benefits of a Hill Giant coupled with scary amounts of ranged firepower. It is not unusual to find powerful evil warlords with small squads of Ettins...that are generally kept away from others as much as possible.

Rewards

XP: 9,600 (Heavy role included.)

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 7,750 gp.

Weight: 160 lbs.     Volume: 6.4 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 - 8	Nothing Found
9 - 12	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
13 - 15	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
16 - 18	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
19 - 20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 3	4 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
4 - 7	4 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
8 - 11	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
12 - 15	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
16 - 18	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
19 - 20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 3	4 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
4 - 5	4 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
6 - 8	4 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
9 - 11	4 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
12 - 15	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
16 - 18	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
19 - 20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)