Habololy Forum

Habololy Books => Guide to Rangers => Topic started by: Asinjin on December 09, 2016, 11:33:25 AM

Title: Favored Enemy List - Giants
Post by: Asinjin on December 09, 2016, 11:33:25 AM
Here is the current Habololian List:

Aberration   Aboleth, Cloaker, Roper

Animals   Dog, Horse, Bear, Boar, Cat

Birds   Roc, Falcon, Giant Eagle

Beasts   Griffon, Wyvern, Bulette, Pegasus

Constructs   Golems

Demi-Human*   Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Gree, Nipit

Dragon*   Red, White, Gold, Green, Blue

Giant*   Fire, Frost, Ogre, Ettin, Formian

Human*   Horarian, Common, Barbarian

Humanoid*   Orc, Bugbear, Goblin, Vishtoo

Insects   Giant Wasp, Ants, Ankheg

Lizardfolk*   Vass, Kobald, Troglodyte, Sandoo

Lycanthrope   Werewolf, Werebear, Wererat

Magical Beasts   Doppleganger, Umber Hulk

Oozes   Puddings, Oozes, Slimes

Organization*   Cult, Guilds, Prestige Classes

Outsider*   Fire, Air, Good, Evil, Lawful

Sea Creatures   Shark, Octopus, Dolphin, Squid

Spiders   Drider, Ettercap, Giant Spiders

Undead(Corporeal)   Skeleton, Vampire, Zombie

Undead(Incorpor)   Ghost, Shadow, Spectre
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 09, 2016, 11:34:01 AM
An asterisk means that you have to pick one from the list, no asterisk means you get the whole category.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 09, 2016, 11:42:29 AM
Clearly, you have to pick an organization, so that one stays.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 09, 2016, 11:42:49 AM
Same is true of Demi-human.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 09, 2016, 11:43:27 AM
Lizardfolk?
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 09, 2016, 11:44:00 AM
The giant list, we have already decided that Cloud and Storm will be grouped together.

Other groupings?
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Malchia on December 09, 2016, 03:05:18 PM
The giant list, we have already decided that Cloud and Storm will be grouped together.

Other groupings?
Any chance we could group other giant types with Ettin's or just multiple giant types in general?  I only ask because, after our discussion last night and reviewing the Giant Killer class, it seems underpowered that a full 10th level Giant Killer would only have 4 types of Giants he would be effective against (1 type as a pre-req to the class and 3 more through 10 levels of the prestige class). 

Throwing it out there to get everyone's opinion.       
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 09, 2016, 03:21:36 PM
For giants, here is a list (probably not complete yet) of creatures with the giant type on Habololy.  Here is a link to a compiled list:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?226311-All-the-Different-Types-of-Giant

- Cloud Giant
- Storm Giant
- Frost Giant
- Fire Giant
- Hill Giant
- Stone Giant
- Ettin
- Troll (all types that exist, which is probably only 5 on the big list)
- Firbolg
- Spriggan
- Ogre (all types that exist, which is probably only 3 on the big list)
- Fomorian
- Voadkyn
- Desert Giant
- Fog Giant
- Jungle Giant
- Fensir

Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 10, 2016, 02:55:22 PM
Here are some possible groupings:

- Cloud and Storm Giant (large giants that live in the sky)
- Voadkyn and Firbolg (good giants that have a fey connection)
- Frost Giant and Fog Giants (closest one that seems to fit with Frost)
- Fire Giant and Desert Giants (closest one that fits with Fire)
- Hill Giant and Ogres
- Stone Giant
- Trolls
- Jungle Giant
- Ettin
- Fomorian and Spriggan (evil fey tainted giants)

Thoughts?
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Windblade on December 10, 2016, 04:47:33 PM
I would move troll out of the giant category all together and maybe put ettin, with hill giant, ogres and maybe throw in stone giant also.  It doesn't matter that there are 4 in a group especially when you look at magical beast which has a ton monsters.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 10, 2016, 05:34:51 PM
Trolls move to magical beasts?
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Windblade on December 10, 2016, 07:37:05 PM
No I wasn't saying move troll to magical beast I was just saying out of the giant maybe an abberration.  I was just saying I wouldn't worry about how big a category is and I was using magical beast as an example.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 10, 2016, 07:59:46 PM
I understood, I just wasn't sure where to move it and made a suggestion.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Hero on December 11, 2016, 12:07:57 AM
Here are some possible groupings:

- Cloud and Storm Giant (large giants that live in the sky)
- Voadkyn and Firbolg (good giants that have a fey connection)
- Frost Giant and Fog Giants (closest one that seems to fit with Frost)
- Fire Giant and Desert Giants (closest one that fits with Fire)
- Hill Giant and Ogres
- Stone Giant
- Trolls
- Jungle Giant
- Ettin
- Fomorian and Spriggan (evil fey tainted giants)

Thoughts?
What's the motivation for breaking down favored enemy(giants) into that many subcategories? WotC just has them as 1. Maybe we're over-complicating? I think this is a slippery slope - animals are a single category, but tigers aren't very similar to bears. Same issue with Aberrations, magical beasts, lycanthropes...

If you want to split them up, how about categorizing based on size?
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Malchia on December 11, 2016, 12:51:40 AM
What's the motivation for breaking down favored enemy(giants) into that many subcategories? WotC just has them as 1. Maybe we're over-complicating? I think this is a slippery slope - animals are a single category, but tigers aren't very similar to bears. Same issue with Aberrations, magical beasts, lycanthropes...

If you want to split them up, how about categorizing based on size?
The discussion came up because I had some questions regarding the effectiveness of the Giant Killer class.  It feels weak for a character who specializes in combat against giants to only be effective versus a small number of them over the course of a ten level career.  You need one type of giant as a favored enemy as a prerequisite for the class and you get three more types of giant through 10 levels.  To be able to use your abilities against four types of giants after all that training seems a little off.

Ideally, giants wouldn't be split up at all.  I'd like to see the prerequisites become simply Favored Enemy (Giants), then every time the Giant Killer gains the flavored enemy ability, he has to increase the bonus versus giants by +2 and can put the other +2 into another favored enemy he already has or a new favored enemy as per the normal Ranger ability.  This way, the Giant Killer would have an additional +6 versus all giants after the final favored enemy increase at 9th level in the prestige class. 

Rangers are a little underpowered to begin with.  To further dilute their abilities by separating their favored enemies as part of a specialist class is tough.  What does everyone else think?
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 11, 2016, 08:56:05 AM
What's the motivation for breaking down favored enemy(giants) into that many subcategories? WotC just has them as 1. Maybe we're over-complicating? I think this is a slippery slope - animals are a single category, but tigers aren't very similar to bears. Same issue with Aberrations, magical beasts, lycanthropes...

If you want to split them up, how about categorizing based on size?

I have a list of categories for favored enemies on Habololy in the ranger handbook.  It is notably different from the D20 3.5 list.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Windblade on December 11, 2016, 09:22:36 PM
The discussion came up because I had some questions regarding the effectiveness of the Giant Killer class.  It feels weak for a character who specializes in combat against giants to only be effective versus a small number of them over the course of a ten level career.  You need one type of giant as a favored enemy as a prerequisite for the class and you get three more types of giant through 10 levels.  To be able to use your abilities against four types of giants after all that training seems a little off.

Ideally, giants wouldn't be split up at all.  I'd like to see the prerequisites become simply Favored Enemy (Giants), then every time the Giant Killer gains the flavored enemy ability, he has to increase the bonus versus giants by +2 and can put the other +2 into another favored enemy he already has or a new favored enemy as per the normal Ranger ability.  This way, the Giant Killer would have an additional +6 versus all giants after the final favored enemy increase at 9th level in the prestige class. 

Rangers are a little underpowered to begin with.  To further dilute their abilities by separating their favored enemies as part of a specialist class is tough.  What does everyone else think?

I agree.  Ideally we should just have them split up like WotC did but DM didn't like it and created one for Habololy.  I think it under powers ranger a bit and I havent played one because of it and it is one of my favorite classes.  So this conversation started with the players trying to bring it back closer to where WotC had it.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 12, 2016, 09:53:04 AM
I agree.  Ideally we should just have them split up like WotC did but DM didn't like it and created one for Habololy.  I think it under powers ranger a bit and I havent played one because of it and it is one of my favorite classes.  So this conversation started with the players trying to bring it back closer to where WotC had it.

The amount it underpowers it is small.  Depending on the enemies you take, it is exactly the same.  Any race, any outsider, construct, animal, and about half of the categories are the same as WotC.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 12, 2016, 09:58:20 AM
How about his for giants:

- Ogre-kin (all types of Ogres and Ettin)
- Fey touched Giants (Voadkyn, Fomorian, Firbolg, Spriggan)
- Earth and Fire Giants (Fire, Hill, Stone, Desert)
- Water and Air Giants (Storm, Cloud, Fog, Sea Giant [if any still exist])
- Frost Giants (there are more of them than most of the rest combined)

That leaves Jungle giants
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Malchia on December 12, 2016, 01:04:23 PM
How about his for giants:

- Ogre-kin (all types of Ogres and Ettin)
- Fey touched Giants (Voadkyn, Fomorian, Firbolg, Spriggan)
- Earth and Fire Giants (Fire, Hill, Stone, Desert)
- Water and Air Giants (Storm, Cloud, Fog, Sea Giant [if any still exist])
- Frost Giants (there are more of them than most of the rest combined)

That leaves Jungle giants
This seems a bit more balanced.  Would it be reasonable to throw Jungle Giants in with Earth and Fire or do they warrant a separate category?

Are trolls still being considered giants or did they get moved to something else?  If still considered giants, would it make sense to throw them in with Ogre-kin?   
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Zunder on December 12, 2016, 04:52:18 PM
This seems a bit more balanced.  Would it be reasonable to throw Jungle Giants in with Earth and Fire or do they warrant a separate category?

Are trolls still being considered giants or did they get moved to something else?  If still considered giants, would it make sense to throw them in with Ogre-kin?   


Might make sense to combine Trolls and Jungle.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Windblade on December 12, 2016, 05:37:12 PM
How about his for giants:

- Ogre-kin (all types of Ogres and Ettin)
- Fey touched Giants (Voadkyn, Fomorian, Firbolg, Spriggan)
- Earth and Fire Giants (Fire, Hill, Stone, Desert)
- Water and Air Giants (Storm, Cloud, Fog, Sea Giant [if any still exist])
- Frost Giants (there are more of them than most of the rest combined)

That leaves Jungle giants

This does seem better and Frost Giants are almost a major race on your planet so it make sense to separate them out.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 13, 2016, 12:12:34 PM
Are there any other categories that anyone has an issue with?
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Malchia on December 13, 2016, 12:48:06 PM
Where do Dusk Giants fall into?
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 13, 2016, 01:33:59 PM
Good catch, they would go into Fey-touched Giants.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Malchia on December 13, 2016, 02:28:10 PM
So, what's your thoughts on making Trolls and Jungle Giants another category?  Should we do that or just add them into something else on your list.  I think it's shaping up nicely at this point.  Should be able to have this resolved before game time on Thursday night.


- Ogre-kin (all types of Ogres and Ettin)
- Fey touched Giants (Voadkyn, Fomorian, Firbolg, Spriggan, Dusk Giants)
- Earth and Fire Giants (Fire, Hill, Stone, Desert)
- Water and Air Giants (Storm, Cloud, Fog, Sea Giant [if any still exist])
- Frost Giants (there are more of them than most of the rest combined)
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 13, 2016, 02:30:56 PM
I am thinking trolls will be moved to aberrations or magical beasts.  Jungle Giants will have to join one of those groups.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Malchia on December 13, 2016, 04:10:02 PM
I am thinking trolls will be moved to aberrations or magical beasts.  Jungle Giants will have to join one of those groups.
So, I guess either Ogre-kin or the Earth and Fire group.  Thoughts?   
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: whitesword on December 20, 2016, 03:51:50 PM
The amount it underpowers it is small.  Depending on the enemies you take, it is exactly the same.  Any race, any outsider, construct, animal, and about half of the categories are the same as WotC.

Given how powerful many of the Habololy prestige classes are I think it just balances the ranger and gives them a little more character.  Rangers should be intimately familiar with their home turf and it's native beasts etc. If anything the categories are overbroad.

If I were doing this from scratch I'd give rangers a list based on where they trained (not type grous) and only allow them to go to another list at higher level.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: whitesword on December 20, 2016, 03:53:37 PM
How about his for giants:

- Ogre-kin (all types of Ogres and Ettin)
- Fey touched Giants (Voadkyn, Fomorian, Firbolg, Spriggan)
- Earth and Fire Giants (Fire, Hill, Stone, Desert)
- Water and Air Giants (Storm, Cloud, Fog, Sea Giant [if any still exist])
- Frost Giants (there are more of them than most of the rest combined)

That leaves Jungle giants

I like this list and would move trolls to aberrations.
Title: Re: Favored Enemy List
Post by: Asinjin on December 20, 2016, 05:53:06 PM
I like this list and would move trolls to aberrations.

It seems we have a winning list, with the only question as to where to put Jungle Giants.