Gargantua
by Jamie BatyThe gargantua of Mystara are extremely large and powerful specimens of other monstrous species. Such creatures horrify characters chancing upon them due to both their size and their ferocity.
Gargantua strongly resemble normal specimens of a particular monster, differing only in their extreme size. For example, a gargantuan troll is green and way with a long skinny body and grimy claws, just like a regular troll. It also happens to stand approximately 20 feet tall.
The first of these creatures were the extraordinary creations of the wizard Gargantua. Such monsters have appeared across the various lands of Mystara for the past 100 years and more. It is unknown whether Gargantua still lives in some hidden location, creating even larger and stranger beings. It is also unknown whether his gargantuan "children" can reproduce on their own, although many of the most learned wizards and sages fear that this is the case.
Gargantua are solitary, though they may come together for mating purposes.
Gargantua consume the same type of food as do their smaller counterparts, but they require vast numbers of calories to keep their immense bodies functioning. Their tremendous size also means they rarely live anywhere but in the most isolated regions, only occasionally venturing into more civilised lands.
Most gargantua have trouble adjusting to their vast sizes. As a result, they tend to fight and behave in the same manner they would have as a smaller creature. Older gargantua are less awkward in this regard. Additionally, although their physical bodies are much larger, from a mental standpoint, they have not advanced beyond their species norms- thus they gain no new feats and skill ranks for their increased HD (though they will get the benefits /penalties of their new ability scores and size).
Creating a Gargantua Creature
Gargantua is an acquired template that can be added to any non-humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
A Gargantua uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: Creature's type remains the same. It grows four times larger, effectively gaining two size categories.
Hit Dice: Multiply the base creatures HD by 4.
Speed: Double the base creature's movement rates. If the creature can fly, its manoeuvrability drops by one category.
Armour Class: Armour class is adjusted by the creature's new size and Dex modifier. Natural AC bonus is increased by +2.
Base Attack/Grapple: Recalculate based on new HD, ability modifiers and size.
Attack: A gargantua maintains all of the attacks it possessed as a normal creature.
Full Attack: A gargantua maintains all of the attacks it possessed as a normal creature.
Damage: Increase dice damage from a Gargantua's natural attacks by 4 steps (i.e. a 1d4 attack becomes a 3d6 attack).
Special Attacks: A Gargantua maintains all of the special attacks it possessed as a normal creature, with the following adjustments:
• Ranges and area of effects for any special attacks double in size.
• Damage from special attacks is increased by 4 steps, if appropriate (i.e. a 1d4 attack becomes a 3d6 attack).
• Swallow Whole: Gargantua of Huge or larger size with a bite attack gain the Swallow Whole Extraordinary ability.
• Improved Grab: Gargantua of Huge or larger size gain the Improved Grab Extraordinary ability for use with their bite attack.
Special Qualities: A Gargantua's special qualities are identical to the base creature's, except that regeneration and fast healing rates are doubled.
Saves: Calculate based on creature's new HD.
Abilities: Adjust the base creature's ability scores as follows:
Old Size New Size Str Dex Con
Fine Tiny +2 -4 Same
Diminutive Small +6 -4 Same
Tiny Medium +8 -4 +2
Small Large +12 -4 +6
Medium Huge +16 -4 +8
Large Gargantuan +16 -2 +8
Huge Colossal +16 Same +8
Gargantuan Colossal+ +16 Same +8
Colossal Colossal+ +16 Same +8
Skills: Gargantua have the same skill ranks as the base creature. They gain no new skill points from their increased HD.
Feats: Gargantua have the same feats as the base creature. They gain no new feats from their increased HD.
Environment: Same as base creature
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4x the base creature's rating.
Treasure: 2x base creature's treasure.
Alignment: Same as base creature.
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: ---
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