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Warden of Runes (Rune Giant)

This giant’s skin is black and pitted, like roughly cast iron, and etched with glowing red runes.

Warden of Runes CR 17

XP 102,400
LE Gargantuan humanoid (giant)
Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +29

DEFENSE

AC 38, touch 9, flat-footed 38 (+14 armor, +3 deflection, +15 natural, –4 size)
hp 270 (20d8+180)
Fort +18, Ref +9, Will +23
Immune cold, electricity, fire

OFFENSE

Speed 35 ft. (50 ft. without armor); air walk
Melee mwk longsword +27/+22/+17 (4d6+22/17–20) or 2 slams +26 (2d6+15)
Ranged mwk spear +12/+7/+2 (4d6+15/×3)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Special Attacks command giants, runes, spark shower
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +24)

Constant—air walk
At will—charm person (DC 15), suggestion (DC 17)
3/day—mass charm monster (DC 22), dominate person (DC 19)
1/day—demand (DC 22), true seeing

STATISTICS

Str 41, Dex 11, Con 28, Int 14, Wis 23, Cha 18
Base Atk +15; CMB +34 (+36 on bull rush); CMD 47 (49 vs. bull rush)
Feats Awesome Blow, Critical Focus, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (longsword), Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Staggering Critical, Vital Strike
Skills Acrobatics +15 (+23 jump), Craft (any one) +25, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge (nobility) +12, Perception +29
Languages Common, Giant, Terran
Gear +5 full plate, star ring

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Command Giant (Su)

A rune giant gains a +4 racial bonus on the save DC of charm or compulsion effects used against giants.

Runes (Ex)

As a free action, whenever a rune giant uses its spark shower or spell-like abilities, it can cause the runes on its body to flash with light. All creatures within 10 feet of the giant must make a DC 24 Fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round. The saving throw is Charisma-based.

Spark Shower (Su)

As a standard action, a rune giant can cause a shower of sparks to erupt out of one of the runes on its body. These sparks function as a breath weapon (30-ft. cone; 10d6 fire and 10d6 electricity damage; Reflex DC 29 half; usable once every 1d4 rounds). The save DC is Constitution-based.

ECOLOGY

Environment cold mountains
Organization solitary, pair, patrol (3–6), squad (7–12), or company (13–30 plus 2–4 fighters or rogues of 2nd–4th level, 1 oracle or sorcerer of 5th–8th level, 1 ranger or monk commander of 5th–6th level, 10–20 yetis, 1–4 cloud giants, 8–12 frost giants, 10–16 stone giants, 4–8 lamia matriarchs, and 1–2 adult blue dragons)
Treasure standard (+5 full plate armor, masterwork longsword, 3 masterwork spears, star ring)

Magically crafted and crossbred from taiga and fire giant slaves by ancient wizards, rune giants are anathema to their own kind. Given power to command and magically control other giants, the rune giants themselves served their even more powerful masters, and in so doing granted ancient empires armies of giants to command. In the eons since these ancient empires collapsed, rune giants have persisted as a race of their own, little more than bogeymen, horrors whispered of late at night by superstitious giants.

Rune giants’ charcoal flesh is decorated by dozens of runes—manifestations of their eldritch powers. Rune giants are 40 feet tall and weigh 25,000 pounds.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Adventure Path: Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Wolfgang Baur, Stephen S. Greer, James Jacobs, Nicolas Logue, Richard Pett, and Greg A. Vaughan.

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Warden of Runes (Rune Giant)

Command Giant (Su)

Runes (Ex)

Spark Shower (Su)

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