Giant (Dungeons & Dragons)

Giant
An illustration of a giant
Characteristics
Alignment	Varies by type
Type	3rd and 3.5 editions: Giant 4th edition: Humanoid (origin varies)
Image	Wizards.com image
Stats	Open Game License stats
Publication history
Mythological origins	Giant Jötunn

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, giant is a type of creature, or in third edition, a "creature type." Giants are humanoid-shaped creatures of great strength and size.

Giants were some of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game.

Giants were among the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), including the hill giant, the stone giant, the frost giant, the fire giant, and the cloud giant. The storm giant first appears in the original Greyhawk supplement (1975), where it is described as an intelligent giant found only in out-of-the-way places.

A number of unique giants appear in Supplement IV: Gods, Demi-gods & Heroes (1976), including Antero Vipunen, Hymer, Hyrm, Mimir, Mokkerkalfe, Sterkodder, Surtur, and Vafthrunder, as well as the mist giants of Melniboné.

Giants appear in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), including the cloud giant, the fire giant, the frost giant, the hill giant, the stone giant, and the storm giant. The stone giant appeared as a character class in White Dwarf #17, by Lewis Pulsipher. The fog giant and the mountain giant are introduced in the first edition Fiend Folio (1981). The fomorian, the firbolg, and the verbeeg appear in the first edition Monster Manual II (1983).

The wood giant appears in the "Dragon's Bestiary" column in Dragon #119 (March 1987).