Big Hero Six [Half Giants]

[Cale_Knight]

So I just got done watching Big Hero Six. It's a wonderful, adorable movie and you should all go see it. About halfway through, though, I had a sudden realization.

"Holy shit. Baymax (the robot) is an Arm half-giant."

Baymax has absorbed a lot of information, but he doesn't really know how to apply any of it. He's dumb but sweet. He forms quick friendships. He's huge and strong, but doesn't really know that he's either of those things. He's pretty much everything that an Arm half-giant should be.

So yeah, you should watch this movie because it's great. But it also happens to have an Arm half-giant in it and that's pretty cool too.

[RogueGunslinger]

The movie was great. But I think the dumb, sweet, confused half-giant is a trope that's too often used. Half-giants should make you fearful, not endear you too them.

I wouldn't mind seeing more mean, bullying half-giants. The sort that uses their strength to get what they want from people.

[Beethoven]

Well, the docs do say they have "astounding degrees of curiosity and kindness." It also follows this up with "(usually)," but you can hardly fault people for going by what the docs say is normal.

[Fujikoma]

The movie was great. But I think the dumb, sweet, confused half-giant is a trope that's too often used. Half-giants should make you fearful, not endear you too them.

I wouldn't mind seeing more mean, bullying half-giants. The sort that uses their strength to get what they want from people.

I had a half-giant that would unpredictably get angry, I got an account note that said I was playing them more like a mul than a half-giant.

[RogueGunslinger]

Well , there's a difference between being a mean bully and being unpredictable. A half-giant should be pretty easy to read. It should be really easy to see what upsets them, what calms them down, and what makes them happy.

I don't fault people for playing the kind, curious, dumb half-giants. It just tends to come off like all half-giants are the same when I see it so often.

[Fujikoma]

Well , there's a difference between being a mean bully and being unpredictable. A half-giant should be pretty easy to read. It should be really easy to see what upsets them, what calms them down, and what makes them happy.

I don't fault people for playing the kind, curious, dumb half-giants. It just tends to come off like all half-giants are the same when I see it so often.

I recall a big dumb thug HG, even though my PCs hated him, the player did an excellent job. It was a pants-shitting good time for all who found themselves being eyed morbidly by this big fellow.

[Reiloth]

It could be assumed that some of the half-giant population has lived around arrogant, violent, or plain old mean people, rather than dumb, curious, and intelligent people. They are sponges and give back what they get -- I can see RGS' line of thinking.

[Patuk]

I'm inclined to think that any half-giant who goes out of their way to be bullying and aggressive is going to be put down like a rabid dog. A human, elf, or even a dwarf can get away with much more than a HG could in this regard, I'd wager.

[Eluin]

Yeaaah, I haven't played all that long but from how I would see it.

Nice, pliable, not tooo bright half giants are useful in their various roles as hunters, in the byn, working with the city guard/army etc and smashing your enemies on command.

Brash unpredictable bad tempered half giants are a gigantic threat not worth the risk that should be gotten rid of ASAP before they decide to smash your skull in on a bad day.

[Patuk]

Self-admitted newb dude illustrates my point nicely.

[Fujikoma]

Self-admitted newb dude illustrates my point nicely.

Even an angry, somewhat unpredictable half-giant could be useful, it's all a question of, well, what exactly pushes them in that direction, so I can avoid it?

[Patuk]

Uh, no. A half-giant is not a buzzsaw, with clear instructions and a good way of use. A half-giant that is not docile is a menace to everyonr around it. It matters not if you're a templar, a soldier, some elf or a lowly grebber: one swat from a giant is going to mean your death. If a giant does not fit into Zalanthan society,  doubt said society is going to give it a pass.

[Fujikoma]

Uh, no. A half-giant is not a buzzsaw, with clear instructions and a good way of use. A half-giant that is not docile is a menace to everyonr around it. It matters not if you're a templar, a soldier, some elf or a lowly grebber: one swat from a giant is going to mean your death. If a giant does not fit into Zalanthan society,  doubt said society is going to give it a pass.

If you're not able to keep a leash on a violent, unpredictable monster, I think we're playing different games. Huzzah for massive wisdom scores. Sure, some mob justice could happen, but ask anyone, they don't want to be in front.

[Armaddict]

Mean half-giants are no greater threat than cheerful half-giants.

It's all about whose word they're following.  Yes, there do need to be some darker half-giants.

[Saellyn]

I remember a mean half-giant but he was not spontaneously mean. He was trained to be that way. He was mean to people that he was trained to be mean to, not reactionary mean or mul-rage mean.

[BleakOne]

Half-Giants greatly desire acceptance, and generally will seek it out from wherever they are. They do, however, have personalities of their own which push them one way or another in what they do. Obviously even a HG would work out that being nice to people makes them at least appear to like you, so it's understandable that a lot of giants would make willing helpers of themselves until someone or something stops them.

Some giants might be more timid, avoiding combat, pain and frightening situations. He or she may join a militia if others push him to it, and he'd even fight if others led him to it, but he'd be quick to run, eager to complain (until told to shut up) and would likely eventually just decide to up and leave.

Mean HGs likely exist as well. They would seek out acceptance in ways which fuel their desire to feel powerful. They'd make good thugs, raiders or bodyguards. However, I imagine they'd be unlikely to act alone, since the HG desire to be accepted would drive them to find someone to earn the praise of.

I agree that many HGs are played as the 'kind and dumb' lot, but as others said before, that's just the most comfortable place for most HGs. I also agree that it's cool when someone breaks out of the standard mould, as long as it is with good reason.

[Saellyn]

bleak stop quoting half-elf docs!

[BleakOne]

 

[Fujikoma]

  If you think half-giants only act as trained, or think of them as easily predictable, then you've never seen four HGs shouting directions as part of a wagon escort.

[Saellyn]

Four half-giants shouting directions during a wagon escort is probably how shamim l shamim came to be...

[CodeMaster]

Half-Giants greatly desire acceptance, and generally will seek it out from wherever they are. They do, however, have personalities of their own which push them one way or another in what they do. Obviously even a HG would work out that being nice to people makes them at least appear to like you, so it's understandable that a lot of giants would make willing helpers of themselves until someone or something stops them.

Some giants might be more timid, avoiding combat, pain and frightening situations. He or she may join a militia if others push him to it, and he'd even fight if others led him to it, but he'd be quick to run, eager to complain (until told to shut up) and would likely eventually just decide to up and leave.

Mean HGs likely exist as well. They would seek out acceptance in ways which fuel their desire to feel powerful. They'd make good thugs, raiders or bodyguards. However, I imagine they'd be unlikely to act alone, since the HG desire to be accepted would drive them to find someone to earn the praise of.

I agree that many HGs are played as the 'kind and dumb' lot, but as others said before, that's just the most comfortable place for most HGs. I also agree that it's cool when someone breaks out of the standard mould, as long as it is with good reason.

Good post.

[X-D]

Most my HGs have been perfectly willing to bully to get what they want.

But really never had to.

HG Hey Amos, I REALLY like that sword of yours.

Amos, Oh, well, Here ya go big guy, like to keep you happy.

Most players keep in mind what exactly a HG is, oh sure, there are some newer ones here and there that do not, but normally it only takes one or two emotes to remind them.

Half-Giants greatly desire acceptance, and generally will seek it out from wherever they are. They do, however, have personalities of their own which push them one way or another in what they do. Obviously even a HG would work out that being nice to people makes them at least appear to like you, so it's understandable that a lot of giants would make willing helpers of themselves until someone or something stops them.

Some giants might be more timid, avoiding combat, pain and frightening situations. He or she may join a militia if others push him to it, and he'd even fight if others led him to it, but he'd be quick to run, eager to complain (until told to shut up) and would likely eventually just decide to up and leave.

Mean HGs likely exist as well. They would seek out acceptance in ways which fuel their desire to feel powerful. They'd make good thugs, raiders or bodyguards. However, I imagine they'd be unlikely to act alone, since the HG desire to be accepted would drive them to find someone to earn the praise of.

Um, This entire post is NOT backed by the docs, I have to give it a thumbs down.

"A" half-giant may be that way, but as a race, no, not in the least.

No where does it say or even hint that they desire acceptance, not greatly or otherwise. In fact, being that the concept itself is rather abstract, I would have to argue that you would have a very hard time getting a HG to even understand what it is. The docs do state that HGs readily adopt other cultures/customs, but in that, they do not know they are doing it, they just do, that is part of being a HG. And they can switch to new ones just as easily, depending on who they might be around.

[BleakOne]

My post was just my opinion on HGs, although since they generally identify with a 'group' or friend they want to act like or be part of, I'd imagine most would be quite upset if their chosen people to be like rejected them. Similar to how a fame-worshipping person would feel if their favourite celebrity insulted them. Only a HG would only be upset for a short time before he either tried again, or went looking for greener pastures.

HGs don't understand concepts at all, but they still are driven by them. They might not understand bloodlust as a concept, but that doesn't stop them smashing heads when they feel it.

[X-D]

The point is, they do not "want" to act like them...they just DO act like them...there is a difference.

[Harmless]

I thought bleakone's post was reasonable. The desire for belonging/acceptance/approval is basic, subconscious, and instinctual. I like to use Lord of the Flies as an example. Kids in that story were made to do great evil by the dominant power structure that formed in their society. Not a single kid realized they were doing what they were for acceptance and belonging. They simply did what was natural.So both xd and bleak are correct

[Spoon]

I agree with X-D here. Half elves are the ones who get messed up by rejection. I imagine trying to reject a half giant would be very difficult. Picture someone shouting at their dog to go away, who curls his ears back and ducks away at the noise, only to follow on with the same doting grin as soon as the master's back is turned. However these dogs are about as loyal as cats; the best way to get rid of a half giant would be to wait for anything else to grab their attention. I feel if any part of the half giant persona is underplayed, it's their complete lack of loyalty. Any loyalty 'trained' into a half giant should be an illusion. They are the complete opposite of elves in this respect, whom are extremely picky and loyal thereafter.

P.s The dog example here is where the dog simply does not comprehend the rejection. I am not saying half giants are completely like dogs. I think X-D hits the nail on the head, half giants don't want to be like other people, they just inevitably mimic because they are too stupid to do anything else.

[DANCE COMMANDER]

Oh, wow.

[CodeMaster]

There's lots of room to argue semantics but I think overall BleakOne and X-D are agreeing in spirit, if not in phrasing.

I think what it boils down to is that half-giants are wired to (or have an innate but subconscious "desire" to) follow to whoever has a social advantage over them.  

People are like this too; it's why propaganda works (much as each of us likes to believe it wouldn't work on himself).  Half-giants are just much, much more susceptible to it, and have high flexibility [in this regard].

Spoon's contrast with elves is apt.

[edits]

[nauta]

I agree with X-D here. Half elves are the ones who get messed up by rejection. I imagine trying to reject a half giant would be very difficult. Picture someone shouting at their dog to go away, who curls his ears back and ducks away at the noise, only to follow on with the same doting grin as soon as the master's back is turned. However these dogs are about as loyal as cats; the best way to get rid of a half giant would be to wait for anything else to grab their attention. I feel if any part of the half giant persona is underplayed, it's their complete lack of loyalty. Any loyalty 'trained' into a half giant should be an illusion. They are the complete opposite of elves in this respect, whom are extremely picky and loyal thereafter.

P.s The dog example here is where the dog simply does not comprehend the rejection. I am not saying half giants are completely like dogs. I think X-D hits the nail on the head, half giants don't want to be like other people, they just inevitably mimic because they are too stupid to do anything else.

Oh!  Someone good with those gif meme things should have a picture of a cowboy herding halfgiants like cats.

[X-D]

Snicker, They should, I had a HG in the Byn once when there was 3 other HGs...the sarge would have fits as Hgs just wander off here and there....half the time one would then each of the others would wonder what the first one found interesting and follow along.

Always wondered if the player of the sarge was having fits like his PC or if he was laughing along with us.

Best part is when the sarge tried to yell at us and all the HGs decided it must be talk really loud time.

[MeTekillot]

I think half-giant soldiers should occasionally release you on the way to dragging you to the jail because they get bored.

[Fujikoma]

Snicker, They should, I had a HG in the Byn once when there was 3 other HGs...the sarge would have fits as Hgs just wander off here and there....half the time one would then each of the others would wonder what the first one found interesting and follow along.

Always wondered if the player of the sarge was having fits like his PC or if he was laughing along with us.

Best part is when the sarge tried to yell at us and all the HGs decided it must be talk really loud time.

OMG, LMAO, that sounds HILLARIOUS! I know I only saw one instance of "Too many HGs", when the Sarge had them guiding the wagon because they're loud, but they all just kept shouting "West!", the next would follow suit, and soon, the Sergeant was like, um, no, ok, you big guys did a great job, you walk with the group ahead of the wagon, and someone else gets to try and do as good a job as you do on the shouting.

They continued to shout "west" on contracts at random. Another funny thing was saluting, wow, it's like, they keep copying one another until the Sergeant has a shit fit.

[Culinary Critic]

One of my half-giants (my favourite) was fairly smart for the race but went into wild fits of rage over pretty small issues.  Made to feel dumb (even unintentionally), and suddenly furious because she didn't quite understand what was going on and that confusion sparked spontaneous anger.  Perhaps because she suddenly didn't feel like she fit in.  It was an emotional immaturity issue rather than a low intelligence issue or a not-fitting-in issue. 

Everything going smooth and dandy, life is good.  Little hiccup and BLAM!  Temper tantrum with kicking, screaming, swearing, breaking things.  And I loved being forced to pay attention to just about everything going on around her and sort through them to see if anything would set her off.  That's fine...that too...good over there...What?  You just insulted her boots???  em grabs something big and heavy and smashes a wall with it

[Fujikoma]

Honestly, if you have a half-giant in your employee and you're not babysitting them at all times, you'd be lucky if your favorite statues weren't accidently toppled in a cleaning accident, or the wagon weren't taken on a joyride off the shield wall... twice.

EDIT: I actually played a HG as too dumb to follow the schedule because I knew if he -did- follow the schedule, shit was going to get broken on maintenance day.

[CodeMaster]

Honestly, if you have a half-giant in your employee and you're not babysitting them at all times, you'd be lucky if your favorite statues weren't accidently toppled in a cleaning accident, or the wagon weren't taken on a joyride off the shield wall... twice.

EDIT: I actually played a HG as too dumb to follow the schedule because I knew if he -did- follow the schedule, shit was going to get broken on maintenance day.

Check out the story "The Templar's Sons"
http://www.armageddon.org/original/author/Sanvean/type/Stories
(a fun story about failing to babysit the half-giants)

[Aruven]

The movie was great. But I think the dumb, sweet, confused half-giant is a trope that's too often used. Half-giants should make you fearful, not endear you too them.

Um... I keep seeing this.

I get that people play this game for years, and the role gets played out sometimes. It can be added.

I DON'T LIKE seeing 'smart' half-giants. And by smart I don't mean that they have no common sense. I mean smart. Half-giants aren't supposed to be smart in my opinion.

Inhuman strength and massive size have their drawbacks. And I still thoroughly enjoy a well-played half-giant.

[Clearsighted]

It's interesting that a half-giant can be a stablemaster with control over hundreds of mounts, controlling them and handling the tickets and payments of numerous strangers, a soldier (even up to sergeant rank in one instance), the bodyguard to a templar, or to guard a city gate and check passerbys for contraband (with shocking efficiency)...but some (who are great players) believe good RP demands they turn into a Benny Hill skit, falling into holes repeatedly and such, if given the tiniest responsibility, as a player.

I don't agree that good HG RP is them acting as imbecilic as possible. That makes as little sense as them being comic relief constantly. There should be misunderstandings, and a half-giant should be flippant about some things that are serious, and serious about some things that are flippant...but riding out on a patrol and riding back should be routine. If not, there wouldn't be a thousand patrolling half-giant guards in every city-state, and stationed at every gate. They'd be getting lost and dying of starvation in some alley or poking around the rinth.

It's a hard role to play, but there is a medium to be found between imbecile, sidekick, and a creature that both city-states make extensive use of in sensitive positions. A half-giant generally knows which side their bread is buttered on, or they wouldn't be worth having as soldiers. (Here's a steak, go attack your templar!)

Half-giants as expected by the majority of players in Arm are far away even from Arm's own documentation, and the various Dark Sun rpgs and novels.

The best rp advice for HGs is to just STFU. It's hard, because everyone wants you to be the center of attention or entertainment, but a HG should mostly be in a supporting role, outside the occasional amusement of misunderstandings or misapplied attention. A half-giant that's been a soldier, mercenary, raider or whatever where brutality and discipline was common, is likely to be more similar to The Mountain, than Chris Farley. But it's easy to get drawn into bad habits from other players and their often palpable expectations. Some people play HGs so incredibly, laughably stupid, that it's amazing to think the HG species can even manage to self-propagate or raise its young, and instead of flourishing (at least according to the Dark Sun source material), hasn't gone extinct like the dodo.

EDIT: Basically, HGs need a lot of reinforcement, and are vastly tilted to the nurture side of the nature vs nurture scale. The farther they get away from their 'rut', the more unpredictable or irrational they might become. If completely divorced from their support network, then they can mentally reset and be impressed upon something new (if done by someone they find interesting and charismatic enough). Like a half-giant farmer that gets captured by raiders, but then takes on the raider's ways. But if they have a reinforcing support network, and if your duties are common on a daily or weekly basis, then an HG should have no problem carrying them out.

A half-giant if asked to lead a patrol, is more likely to just do it the way he always does, with the others having to keep up. He's not going to change his tactics because someone is carrying a bow, and the usual guy is an axe and board man. He'll do what he knows best. But he won't magically get stupider and more incompetent. He just won't improvise well, if improvisation is called for. That's the MAIN reason that HGs shouldn't be leaders. If something TOTALLY NEW happens that requires initiative and wits to respond to on the fly, they are not equipped to succeed.

tl;dr - playing the HG as egregiously stupid when carrying out his job is as creatively lazy an RP shortcut as making them a complete fucking goofball. They're just not lateral or quick thinkers.

[Quell]

While I have no problem with how the various half-giants are played and think most that I've met are entirely within the scope of what a half-giant should be, I've never really been happy with the implied boundaries of that scope.

I remember a while back in one of these threads someone asked the honest question "Do Half Giants have their own personalities." As I recall, no one was really able to answer that question. I think a bigger question that I'd like answered, and that would make the half-giant psyche a lot more tolerable to me, is "Do half-giants have their own goals, separate from those around them?"

If the answer to that is "no", then it's going to make giants painfully dull for most people to play and will pretty well prohibit any genuinely notable giants from ever being played.

For this reason I think the answer should be: "Yes, but..." with everything after that being a description of how a giant with a specific goal of their own would pursue that through the half-giant mindset.

[Rhyden]

I really like some of the great long-lived HG's of the past few years. Seems they set a pretty good example for the current/future half-giants.

[Jihelu]

To the question of 'do they have goals'. I think "yes but" works pretty well.

It can be thought of in a way that I saw Beserk from (Beserk is best manga 2018 btw)

In Beserk I think it talked about how some people can be 'born' into a profession and have no control over it what so ever. The main character was born as a warrior. And as such, he never fucking stops fighting. Even when he wanted to die, he kept fighting. Same with a black smith later in the series. He just made shit. He didn't know why. He just did.

A Half-Giant, depending on his upbringing, could just do shit (Related to how they were raised) I think. That could be his goal.

Or maybe I'm over complicating shit and are just wrong (Which is a huge possibility) but I feel like it fits the whole 'half giants are reflections of the society around them' idea.

[CodeMaster]

I'd be scared to attempt a half-giant.

No matter whether he's smart or dumb, somebody will probably think he could be a bit dumber or a bit smarter.  "They should be like the Mountain!"  "No, they should be like Scooby Doo or the Professor from Futurama!"

And then there are those situations where you're obviously more knowledgeable about the game than someone and have to "help" them through the filter of a half-giant (telling a newbie to hold his weapons before riding out the gates, for instance).

(In any case, I think I like all the half-giants I've seen... but they're a karma class so there's that inherent bias)

[Clearsighted]

No matter whether he's smart or dumb, somebody will probably think he could be a bit dumber or a bit smarter.

That is the exact heart of the problem with playing half-giants.

[Shoka Windrunner]

I've always seen Half-Giants as being half child/half adult.

They have a curiousity about things and want to see and learn.  And in fact they are capable of learning anything really.  And things they learn well will eventually turn into things they are proud of, simply because people see them as complete buffoons.  Because of this they are often complimented on how well they did X.  This makes anyone feel good, and Half-giants, being no exception will realize, if I'm good at something, then people like it and like me.  That being said, I don't believe they are stupid.  Ignorant and slow to learn perhaps.  But not ignorant.

Half-giants can learn to be soldiers, follow orders, the nuances of wielding a sword, axe, mace, spear, shield.  The nuances of how to knock a sword from the hands of a "much smarter" little guy.  (I will say knocking someone over and kicking them might be easier due to their size than the nuances of the others)  They can be magickers...speaking funny words and doing amazing things.  They can be Rangers...know all the tracks of all the animals and sounds animals make, and what is tasty and what is poisonous and how to deal with the poison and...(I won't go on because Rangers can do a billion things)  They can learn to ride.  They have learned an entire language, could learn more.  Can craft and put things together into baskets and make rings and armor and weapons and rings and make clothes. 
OPINION BELOW:

I think Half-giants personally will often find that doing X well makes people think I'm 'special' or makes people say nice things to me.  So I will be good at X.  Wait, someone said I'm really good at Y and now they are nice to me about that, and want to pay me sid.  Sid gets me food.  What about Z?  Yeah they like Z too.  Okay, I think if I do good with something people like me!  I'll do good and learn this stuff.

Because seriously.  If all the Half-Giants in the world are part of the extended Three Stooges family, they would all be dead.  Or very carefully and kindly, with kid gloves, told to come follow the super-nice and happy Templar out of the city.  "Why are we walking so far?"  "Because the candy is this way."  "Oh.  Good."  And then left in the farthest corner of the known world as possible and very carefully herded back into their valley or whatever when they start to wander to much. 

TLDR:  Half-giants may be ignorant because they learn slowly.  But they can learn.  And they can learn a lot.  Maybe slower.  And maybe without much Outside The Box thinking.  But even that should happen.  Because sometimes, two plus kalan really does equal tembo.  (it doesn't always have to make sense)  Otherwise they would all live in a Half-giant asylum where we put all the dangerous creatures, or would never be capable of raising their young.



On a side note:  Raising young would make a half-giant really bored, and people seem to think half-giants wander from one shiny thing to the next, forgetting the previous shiny thing when they leave.  Lots of dead half-giant babies then.

[AdamBlue]

Half-giants can be, and should be portrayed like someone who is childishly ignorant of the world around them. By this, I mean that half-giants should listen to the people they trust and accept what they say with little to no resistance or questioning, while they will demandedly question things that annoy or frustrate them. Half giants are listed as 'curious' and 'kind,' and perhaps this is because they are born in a world that isn't build for their size. It is like living in a world where everything was the size of a child's fun house. Nothing is built for them, and because of this it is difficult for them to associate anything together. However, they should be able to learn anything they wish much like a normal person, and with the intensive world around them. Things will be harder to grasp. When they talk, they might use incorrect grammar or have poor word usage, but will be entirely capable of eloquence given the knowledge of what the word means and given a little time to sound it out.

However, this childishness is not without it's drawbacks. There can be 'wise children', such as there can be 'wise half-giants', but they are prone to fits of sadness and rage, much like a child. This can be caused from genuine sources (friend died, important thing stolen, got in trouble) or relatively minor things, (got called a mean name, put their pants on backwards, ect)
Imagine an angry child getting upset and throwing a tantrum. That is what could happen to a half-giant that is fairly ignorant of the world around them.

Now, what is a smart half-giant? I've been talking about this throughout this little post of mine, and many will scoff. 'Half-giants are idiots. They're gullible, and have no thoughts or ideas of their own.'
Half-giants are listed as easy to fool. And that may be true. But if you tell a half-giant who knows his color that the sky is blue, he or she will deny it, and insist it is instead Red. The difference between a normal person and a half-giant is that if you made  god-certain effort, you may be able to convince a half-giant he is wrong, while a normal person will call you stupid and walk away.
This is probably in part due to the nature of half-giants that they -will- sit and listen to your bullshit, most of the time, because they will entertain any possibility, for they know of their own ignorance. They are aware that they are not as fleetfooted or fleetminded, and that a whole the world is a much slower place for them.
However, much like in the story, the turtle will always reach the end of the race, the hare will just get there faster.

[Aruven]

Being curious and childish in mannerisms doesn't always speak to a particular level of intelligence.

He might sound like a five year old, but maybe he's learned that smashing your skull in gets better ends than trying to talk. Nothing stupid about that, just brutal.

I think my one comment on this, is: No, I don't think half-giant MUST be played like that. I would have a problem if suddenly half-giants were discussing the finer nuances of Oashi wine and elements of philosophy, though with a largely expanded vocabulary.

From an OOC perspective its like:

Ok I get everything i've ever wanted but my one trade off is I am not as smart as I probably want to be.

Otherwise everyone would... probably just play half-giants all the time because humans would be dead by now.

[Clearsighted]

From an OOC perspective its like:

Ok I get everything i've ever wanted but my one trade off is I am not as smart as I probably want to be.

Otherwise everyone would... probably just play half-giants all the time because humans would be dead by now.

Half-giants get massive trade-offs coded wise, over just about every other race, in return for being able to get hit by a salt worm a couple more times than the average dwarf. Agility and wisdom are very forgiving stats in other races, but can literally make a half-giant nearly unplayable. It's not fun to only be able to hold 1-2 items in your inventory or take 3x as long to raise a skill as anyone else. And sometimes an entire combat can go by before you're allowed to swing (especially if multiple people are involved). You're also the subject of everyone's attention, and everyone will be judging you.

If you play a half-giant reasonably well, only about half the playerbase will hate you at any given time. People are more wary around giants than they are around gickers.

Playing a good half-giant requires both a strong vision for the character and how to articulate it (and to win the lottery by articulating it within the parameters that rightly or wrongly, the majority of the playerbase expects) and to be willing to subvert your OOC ego.

There's a TON of things that happen or get said, that with any other character, you'd love to speak up on, address, or convince someone why what's going on isn't perfectly optimal. With a half-giant, unless it's like life or death, you pretty much just shut up and go with it.

Playing a half-giant without a good boss can be exhausting. With a good boss, you can at least switch off now and then and just do whatever they say.