Storm Giants Are Not To Be Messed With

Storm giants are the toughest giants in most editions of D&D (I think anyway), although some OSR games have even more exotic giant types.  I'll write up at least one of those exotic giant types soon; this is my last entry for the more well-known giant types.

Other Giant Articles
Cloud Giants
Stone Giants
Fire Giants
Frost Giants
Sand Giants

Artist: Jane Li

To make a storm giant more interesting, give it one of these six powers.

1.  The nail that sticks out gets zapped down.  Call down a lightning strike.  The lightning will hit the tallest thing in the general area around the giant, unless there's something a bit shorter but far more conductive.  This will usually be the giant itself, who is immune to lightning.  

The lightning inflicts 6d6 damage on whatever it hits directly, and half that (save for half) on anything within a 10 foot radius.  This power has a 1 in 6 chance of recharging each round.  

2.  Static charge.  The giant's body is electrically charged– does 2d6 lighting damage to anyone who hits the giant with a metal weapon; assume any attack that comes within 4 of the giant's AC hit but didn't penetrate the armor.  Insulating gloves prevent this damage.  

The giant can also conduct this damage through metal objects like railings, or through large puddles or small ponds or pools, and will try to use the terrain to get in sneaky hits like this.  This power is permanently on as long as the giant wants it to be.  

3.  Ride the Lightning.  The giant can cast lightning bolt, as per the spell, with a range of 100 feet.  Immediately after casting, it can teleport to any point along the path of the lightning bolt.  Recharges on a one in six.  

4.  Electrical sense.  Sense electrically conductive objects within a radius depending on the size of the object– a few tens of feet for people, fifty feet for coins, a couple hundred feet for a sword, up to a quarter mile for plate armor.  

5.  Storm Summoning.  As the weather control spell, but can only be used to cause storms.  The giant is unaffected by lightning and storm winds (though not by hail or slippery footing) and can see through any rain, clouds or fog it creates.  

6.  Aquatic.  Can breathe water, swim at running speed, and adjust its buoyancy at will to float even if wearing plate armor.  Can launch itself about twenty feet out of the water, as if jumping on land.