 Giant Stalker
Source Adventurer's Guide pg. 130
Of the dangerous creatures that roam grim peaks and icy steppes, giants are among the most feared. They are cunning and capricious, and their ability to craft weapons and coordinate attacks makes them a constant threat to the nomadic tribes in the region. In the wilds where giants hunt, cleverness isn’t the only thing the people need to survive—they require the fearlessness to confront a challenge, no matter the size.
Elders select the children of the tribe’s fiercest barbarians for the honor of becoming giant stalkers. Through intense training, these children learn to spot and track giants using telltale signs along with more subtle clues (such as giants’ unique scents). They learn the giants’ speech and culture; they study their traditions and brutality; and most importantly, they foster their hatred of these oversized foes.
When Mammoth Lord followings travel, giant stalkers scout ahead, securing safe passage through giant-infested territories. They clear giant hunting parties and ambushes, using gruesome trophies to mark the trails. Sometimes giant hunters send their own raiding parties into the mountains to capture young giants, as most followings keep giant thralls as symbols of status.
Harangue Giant (Ex): While raging, a giant stalker can speak Giant. If the giant stalker already knows Giant, she gains a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks when speaking Giant while raging.
This ability alters rage.
Smell Giants (Ex): A 2nd level, a giant stalker gains the scent special ability, but with regard only to humanoids with the giant subtype.
This ability replaces uncanny dodge.
Giant Baiter (Su): At 3rd level, a raging giant stalker can take a move action to erupt into a violent or vulgar display directed at a single giant within 60 feet. This display is infused with secret magical traditions that draw upon the Mammoth Lords’ ancestral enmities toward giants. A targeted giant must succeed at a Will save (DC = 10 + half the giant stalker’s barbarian level + the giant stalker’s Constitution modifier) or be compelled to focus its attacks on the giant stalker; this ability can also affect non-giant creatures that are Large or larger, though such creatures gain a +4 bonus on the Will save to resist the effect. This compulsion ends if the giant stalker is out of sight or inaccessible to the giant’s attacks. While baited, a giant is distracted and enraged by the insults—a giant stalker gains a +1 dodge bonus to her AC against any giant she has successfully baited. Once baited, a giant remains baited for a number of rounds equal to the giant stalker’s Constitution modifier, or until the giant stalker’s rage ends (whichever comes first). If the giant stalker baits a different giant, any previously baited giant is no longer baited. A giant that successfully saves against baiting is immune to that giant stalker’s giant baiter ability for 24 hours. This is a language-dependent mind affecting effect.
At 6th level, a giant stalker can bait two giants at once, and her AC bonus against baited giants increases to +2. At 9th level, baiting giants becomes a swift action, and her AC bonus against baited giants increases to +3. At 12th level, she can bait up to three giants at once, and her AC bonus against baited giants increases to +4. At 15th level, baiting giants becomes a free action, and her AC bonus against baited giants increases to +5. At 18th level, a giant stalker can bait a number of giants equal to 3 + her Constitution modifier, and her AC bonus against baited giants increases to +6.
This ability replaces trap sense.
Giant Stalker Rage Powers: A giant stalker gains access to the following rage powers.
Giant Stalker Defense (Ex): When raging, a giant stalker does not take a penalty to Armor Class against attacks from giants.
Topple Giant (Ex): When raging, the giant stalker does not provoke attacks of opportunity when she attempts to trip a giant, and can attempt to trip a giant that is up to two size categories larger than she is.
Underfoot (Ex): When raging, the giant stalker can attempt to enter a giant’s space, provided she is at least one size category smaller than the giant. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Doing so takes a move action and requires a successful combat maneuver check against the giant’s CMD. If she succeeds, she enters a square in the giant’s space. If she makes an attack against the giant while sharing its space, the giant is treated as being flat-footed against her. At the end of her turn, she exits the giant’s space into any square adjacent to the giant’s space.
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