The Lost City adventure introduces a new encounter for adventurers who brave the harsh environment of the desert: the warlike sand giants. In this sneak peek at Logan Bonner’s new adventure for 4th Edition D&D, we offer two of these titanic foes for your use at the table.
The sand giants were once closely allied with their cousins, the efreet. The efreet and sand giants proudly served their primordial masters for many eons, but the vain efreet lords eventually shamed the giants to gain their masters’ favor. The disgraced and enraged sand giants left the Elemental Chaos for the mortal world, led by their first tribal chieftain, Azhad al-Hani. Determined to serve no master but themselves, the sand giants found solace in the turbulent sandstorms and scorching dunes of the desert.
Shock Tactics: Sand giants prefer shock tactics and sudden ambushes. They often conceal themselves beneath sand drifts and burst forth when caravans and other travelers approach. Survivors of their onslaught are chained and forced to toil in their fortified strongholds beneath the dunes.
Masters of the Dunes: All sand giants have the natural ability to blast their enemies with gouts of hot air and sand that can blind and disorient. The most powerful among them have become so attuned to their surroundings that they can manipulate the ocean of sand around them like a weapon and even transform portions of their bodies into sand.
Sand Giant
Level 16 Soldier
Large elemental humanoid (giant)
XP 1,400
HP 148; Bloodied 74
AC 32; Fortitude 30; Reflex 29; Will 27
Speed 8
Resist 10 fire
Initiative +14
Perception +12
TRAITS
Desert Tactics
Sand giants deal an extra 2d6 of fire damage against flanked targets.
STANDARD ACTIONS
m Glass Scimitar ( weapon) – At-Will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +20 vs. AC
Hit: 3d12 + 10 damage.
r Glass Javelin ( weapon) – At-Will
Attack: Ranged 15/30 (one creature); +18 vs. AC
Hit: 3d10 + 9 damage.
MINOR ACTIONS
C Sand Blast – Encounter
Attack: Close blast 3; +21 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d12 + 4 fire damage, and the target is blinded (save ends).
Skills: Athletics +21, Endurance +18
Str 26 (+16) Dex 18 (+12) Wis 19 (+12)
Con 21 (+13) Int 14 (+10) Cha 13 (+9)
Alignment: evil
Languages: Giant, Common
Equipment: leather armor, scimitar, javelin x4
Sand Giant Sunspeaker
Level 16 Artillery
Large elemental humanoid (giant)
XP 1,400
HP 116; Bloodied 58
AC 28; Fortitude 29; Reflex 30; Will 26 Perception +12
Speed 8
Resist 10 fire
Initiative +15
TRAITS
Desert Tactics
Sand giants deal an extra 2d6 of fire damage against flanked targets.
STANDARD ACTIONS
m Glass Dagger (weapon) – At-Will
Attack: +20 vs. AC
Hit: 2d6 + 9
r Solar Flare – At-Will
Attack: 10 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d8 + 7 fire damage
C Heat Wave — At-Will
Attack: Close Blast 3 (enemies in burst); +21 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d8 + 9 fire damage and target is pushed 1 space.
A Hot Box – Encounter
Attack: Area burst 3 within 20 (creatures in burst); +21 vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d8 + 10 fire damage
Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. Any creature that enters the zone or starts its turn there takes 10 fire damage.
MINOR ACTIONS
C Sand Blast – Encounter
Attack: Close blast 3; +21 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d12 + 4 fire damage, and the target is blinded (save ends).
Skills: Athletics +18, Endurance +18
Str 20 (+13) Dex 24 (+15) Wis 19 (+12)
Con 21 (+13) Int 14 (+10) Cha 13 (+9)
Alignment: evil
Languages: Giant, Common
Equipment: cloth armor (basic clothing), dagger
Dozens of other new monsters populate the Lost City, ready for you to surprise your players, so pick up your copy of the complete adventure in print or PDF today!
A few levels too late for me, but sure looks like fun.
Yep, they are quite entertaining, as the playtests proved. One of the nice things about Lost City is that it uses all-new monsters.
Love the artwork!
The think I like most about 4E is how they do monsters. As a game master its light years ahead of 3.0/3.5. They are fast and fun to make and give great creative freedom to the designer.
Even 4.0 stats often have a bit more info than I really need as a GM, such as the ability scores. These Sand Giants are a great example of how much flavor you can pack into 4E critter design.
Now if only 4E combat was a bit less of a slug-o-thon…
My personal favorite are the Sand Giant Pounders (the one pictured). They are brutes with enormous fists of sand and a wicked uppercut that will send you flying 5 spaces and falling to the ground prone.
Check out the book. It’s a lot of fun.