Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants is the latest sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons, adding new character options, monsters, and more to D&D 5e.
Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants is the latest sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e. The book includes over 70 new monsters, new character options, magic items galore, and plenty of ideas for a party’s next big D&D campaign. And while the new Path of the Giant subclass for barbarians is one of the focal points, there’s more on offer here than just giant-related character options.
Admittedly, Glory of the Giants feels a bit more targeted and niche than some D&D sourcebooks with broader appeal, but upon checking out everything offered, it was easy to be impressed. For those interested in roleplaying giants, new backgrounds and the barbarian subclass make it easier than ever – and the newly introduced giant enclaves in Bigby Presents (18 total) offer a diverse range of settings and magic properties. To name a few, there’s a burial ground in a seaside cave (Ashen Grotto), a tower of solidified clouds inside a storm (Gale’s Eye Tower), and an iceberg created by demon lord Kostchchie’s cultists (Howling Iceberg). And – par for the course for 5e – DMs are also free to add enclaves into any adventure they wish, offering a side quest to a longer campaign or as a fun one-shot.
D&D: Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants’ Biggest Character Creation Additions
The new subclass in Glory of the Giants is for barbarians, and after toying around with the Path of the Barbarian quite a bit, highlights include being able to grow in size when raging (the main selling point here), using Mighty Impel for mob control and ally protection, and having access to cantrips that other barbarians may not be able to use.
New character backgrounds for D&D provided in Glory of the Giants include Giant Foundling (proficiencies in Intimidation and Survival) and Rune Carver (proficiencies in History and Perception). There are also 8 new feats, which are clearly meant to be used with the two new backgrounds. And while these feats could theoretically be applied to other backgrounds, they are so fine-tuned to correspond with Giant Foundling (almost all of them) and Rune Carver (the Rune Shaper feat) that right now it’s unclear just how effective these might be outside their intended purpose.
New D&D Monsters & Magic Items In Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants
Another big selling point of Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants is the number of new monsters for 5e. From dinosaurs and bag jellies (a personal favorite) to a giant goose and a death giant reaper, there’s an eclectic mix of enemies for DMs to use. In fact, the additional monsters provided here may be the standout section of the entire sourcebook. There are even high-level enemies that somewhat fix 5e’s problems with high-level monsters.
The Scions of the Giant Gods are high-level enemies that should provide an actual challenge for parties. With CRs in the 20s, many with multiple uses of Legendary Resistance, and hard-hitting AoE moves, the Scions provide arguably the biggest challenge for high-level parties in recent memory. The Scions aren’t perfect, but for players used to steamrolling through final confrontations, a Scion offers great options for DMs to give their adventurers a high-level encounter that can let them feel as though they’ve accomplished something by bringing it down.
The new magic items are enjoyable too – and quite simply, they’re cool. The Thunderbluss is a blunderbuss that essentially shoots lightning (no ammo required) and the Lash of Immolation is a whip with a bonus action and fire damage that can also restrain enemies. The Adze of Annam give players a taste of the All-Father’s power once per day, and the Helm of Perfect Potential offers bonuses for Charisma and Wisdom while its bonus action offers an elemental attack with five different options. These are simply a few of the standouts, but the new magic items here are a lot of fun.
DM Resources & More In Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants
While Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants offers many options for PCs, there are also plenty of DM resources available. There is a lot of giant-related lore to delve into, and Appendix B offers various adventure hooks to get a party started. With so much history and lore, monsters, and magic items to choose from, DMs should have a lot they can use here. And for those not wholly interested in roleplaying giants or taking advantage of the new feats, backgrounds, and subclass – the monsters and Scions provided within are excellent.
Ultimately, Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants may be a hard sell for anyone uninterested in its main subject matter, but the sourcebook provides plenty of content that should keep parties (and DMs) engaged. And there are plenty of additions that anyone can enjoy. While new monsters and magic items were personal standouts, this new sourcebook is a great addition to Dungeons & Dragons 5e and well worth checking out.
A copy of Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants was provided to Screen Rant for the purpose of this review.
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