Knights & Knaves Alehouse

A question for the sages here...

In the Monster Manual for Giants (I'll use Fire Giants, specifically, as that's what I'm working on right now), under their Hit Dice it says "11 +2-5"

I'd always interpreted that as meaning 11 HD + 2-5 HP but now realize that's not exactly what it says.

So, does it mean "11 HD +2-5 HP" or "11 HD +2-5 HD" (i.e. 13-16 HD for Fire Giants)?

I referred to G-3 but it does not list HD...

Considering the HD expanation in the MM I would think it's additional HPs.

Plus one would hope that they'd just say 13 - 16 HD instead of 11 + 2-5 HD.

I know, I know, too clear, what I'm I thinking...

I'm intrigued to find out what others think too, but the G-Series had the Hill Giant chief who "fights as a frost giant" or whatever it was, so such a spread wouldn't be way out of the ordinary.

I'd always interpreted that as meaning 11 HD + 2-5 HP but now realize that's not exactly what it says.

Actually, it says exactly that!

I suggest you read the paragraph in MM1 p.5 under HIT DICE.

I concur with Mssrs. Redmond and Hammer -- "11 +2-5" means 11 HD + 2-5 hp

T. Foster wrote:I concur with Mssrs. Redmond and Hammer -- "11 +2-5" means 11 HD + 2-5 hp

Yeah, that's always been how I read it. Plus, if it really were to be 13-16, then it should say just that. Also, it would make more sense to say 12 + 1-4 otherwise.

Just an MM quirk, I guess!

it might be written that way because Gary didn't want the max hit points to be 96, but since anything with a +3 hp or better attacks as the next higher hit die creature, he wanted most of them to attack as a 12 hd creature rather than an 11 hd creature.

EOTB wrote:it might be written that way because Gary didn't want the max hit points to be 96, but since anything with a +3 hp or better attacks as the next higher hit die creature, he wanted most of them to attack as a 12 hd creature rather than an 11 hd creature.

Ah, I love insightful nuggets like this.

Solinor wrote:

EOTB wrote:it might be written that way because Gary didn't want the max hit points to be 96, but since anything with a +3 hp or better attacks as the next higher hit die creature, he wanted most of them to attack as a 12 hd creature rather than an 11 hd creature.

Ah, I love insightful nuggets like this.

Well, that is certainly true for any plus (+) above 3, but not from 1 to 3 [DMG p.75]

Good catch! Which makes it very symmetrical; 50% of giants will attack as if 11 HD (+2 or +3 hp) and 50% will attack as if 12 HD (+4 or +5 hp).