Goliath (Dungeons & Dragons)

Goliaths are a race related to the giants, in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

Publication history

Goliaths were introduced as a playable race in the 3.5e book Races of Stone (2004).^[1]

Goliaths appeared as a playable race in the 4th edition Player's Handbook 2.

Goliaths appeared as a playable race in the 5th edition Elemental Evil Player's Companion.^[2]

Description

They are the largest and heaviest of the playable races (but still classified as Medium-sized creatures), standing over 7 feet tall and weighing over 300 pounds. Goliaths have blueish-grey skin, which is covered in mottled blue markings; most Goliaths believe that the shape of these markings reflects the destiny of an individual. Male Goliaths are bald, while females have long hair, usually brown, which they grow and braid to a great length. Goliaths generally live in mountainous areas, sometimes in small tribes atop the mountains, sometimes in caves alongside Dwarves. They can choose either Giant or Dwarven as a second language to reflect these two possible backgrounds.

Despite their relationship to Giants, the two races share a great deal of enmity. Giants often make slaves of Goliaths, on the grounds that Goliaths are tougher than humans, and the Giants do not need to travel as far away from their mountain homes to find them. This is presumably one of the factors which drove Goliaths underground. Goliaths are generally considered to be a rare and isolationist race in any campaign setting other than Dark Sun.

Goliaths have bonuses to a number of physical skills and statistics, such as Strength and Constitution, as well as a number of racial skills that boost their health and armor. As such Goliath adventurers generally play as classes such as Wardens, Fighters, Barbarians, and other classes that rely on heavy melee combat.

D&D Miniatures

The goliath barbarian appeared in the Deathknell set (2005), and the goliath cleric of Kavaki appeared in the War of the Dragon Queen set (2006).

References