Big characters have always been a problem in Dungeons & Dragons. Not "big" as in important, but big as in towering, mountain-crushing, lightning-tossing giants. For years, if you wanted your Fighter or Barbarian to feel like they actually belonged in a world of Titans, you were basically stuck picking the same three feats or just hoping your Dungeon Master gave you a cool sword. Then came Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants. Inside that book, tucked away like a hidden gem, is the Strike of the Giants 5e feat. Honestly? It’s probably one of the most underrated additions to the game’s mechanics in years, mostly because it finally gives martial players something they’ve been begging for: options that aren't just "I hit it again."
It’s not just a feat. It’s a gateway.
Most people look at the feat and see a little extra damage. That’s a mistake. If you’re just looking at the d6s, you’re missing the point entirely. This feat is the "prerequisite" hurdle you have to jump to get to the really broken stuff later on, like Guiding Strike or Soul of the Storm. But even on its own, it changes the math of a standard combat encounter. You aren't just swinging a piece of metal anymore. You're channeling the literal primordial energy of the Ordning.
What Strike of the Giants 5e Actually Does (And Why It’s Weird)
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way first. You can’t just "be" a giant-striker. You have to earn it through your background—specifically the Giant Foundling background—or by burning an Ability Score Improvement (ASI) at level 4. Once you take it, you pick a flavor of giant. There are six. Each one keys off your Proficiency Bonus, meaning it scales as you level up without you having to do anything. That’s huge. Scaling is usually the death of early-game feats, but this one stays relevant even when you’re fighting literal gods at level 20.
Cloud Giants let you turn invisible. Hill Giants knock people prone. Stone Giants... well, they push people. It sounds simple, right? It isn't. Because these effects trigger on a hit, and they usually require a saving throw from the enemy. In the 5e action economy, forcing a saving throw without spending a spell slot is basically gold. You’re taxing the DM’s luck every single turn.
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The Fire Giant Option is a Trap (Mostly)
Everyone loves fire. It’s the classic D&D damage type. If you pick the Fire Giant strike, you deal an extra 1d10 fire damage. It sounds great on paper. In reality? Fire resistance is one of the most common traits in the Monster Manual. If you’re playing a campaign like Descent into Avernus, this choice is basically a dead feat. You’re much better off looking at the Frost Giant option. It only deals a 1d6, but it reduces the enemy's speed to zero. Think about that for a second. You hit a dragon, it fails a Strength save, and suddenly it can’t move. It’s stuck on the ground with you. That’s utility you can’t buy with a standard Greatsword.
Breaking Down the Six Ancient Paths
The variety here is what makes it feel human. You can tell the designers at Wizards of the Coast were trying to move away from the "static bonus" design of the Player's Handbook.
- Hill Giant: This is the brawler's choice. You deal an extra 1d6 and try to knock them prone. If you're a Rogue with a dip into this feat, knocking someone prone gives you automatic advantage on your next strike if you have extra attacks, or it helps your Paladin buddy get those sweet, sweet smite crits.
- Stone Giant: Honestly, this is the weakest one unless you’re fighting near a cliff. It pushes a creature 10 feet. It’s situational. But in a theater-of-the-mind game? Your DM is going to hate you for constantly shoving their bosses into pits.
- Frost Giant: My personal favorite. Cold damage is rarely resisted compared to fire, and the "speed becomes 0" effect is a massive crowd control tool for a class that usually doesn't have any.
- Fire Giant: 1d10 damage. Simple. Boring. Effective if you just want to see big numbers, but watch out for those Red Dragons and Elementals.
- Cloud Giant: This one is weirdly tactical. You deal 1d4 thunder damage, but you also become invisible to the target until the start of your next turn. It’s a defensive feat disguised as an offensive one. If they can’t see you, they have disadvantage to hit you.
- Storm Giant: 1d6 lightning damage and the target has disadvantage on attack rolls. This is statistically the best way to keep yourself alive in a 1v1 duel.
The Secret "Tax" Nobody Mentions
Here is the thing no one tells you about Strike of the Giants 5e: it is a resource drain. You only get to use these strikes a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus. At level 4, that’s only twice per long rest. That is nothing. It feels bad. You want to be the guy who hits like a mountain every turn, but you’re actually more like a guy who hits like a mountain twice and then needs a nap.
This is why you don't take this feat for the feat itself. You take it because it unlocks the 4th-level "Giant" feats in the Glory of the Giants book. If you have Strike of the Giants, you can later take Vigorous Knight or Guile of the Cloud Giant. Those feats are where the real power lies. You’re playing the long game here. If you're building a character for a one-shot, Strike of the Giants might feel a bit thin. If you're playing a 1-to-20 campaign? It’s the foundation of a god-tier martial build.
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How to Optimize Without Being "That Guy"
If you want to make this work, don't just slap it on a generic Fighter. Pair it with a Barbarian. Barbarians already want to be in the thick of it. If you’re a Path of the Zealot Barbarian and you add the Divine Fury damage on top of a Storm Giant strike, you’re basically a walking thunderstorm.
Another smart play? The Echo Knight. Because your Echo can deliver the attacks for you, you can trigger these giant strikes from 30 feet away while you stand safely in the back. Imagine a Stone Giant strike pushing a boss away from your Wizard while you aren't even standing next to them. It’s hilarious. It’s effective. It makes the DM have to actually think about positioning for once.
A Note on Saving Throws
The DC for these effects is $8 + \text{Proficiency Bonus} + \text{Strength or Constitution}$. This is a huge win for Barbarians and Fighters who usually have high scores in both. It means your "spell" DC is actually going to be higher than the party Wizard's for the first few levels. You aren't just a meat shield; you’re a controller.
The Flaws You Need to Know
Let's be real for a second. This feat has competition. If you’re a Variant Human or using the Custom Lineage rules, you’re usually looking at Great Weapon Master or Sharpshooter. Those feats provide a flat +10 to damage. Strike of the Giants provides a 1d6 or 1d10. Mathematically, it doesn't even come close to the raw damage output of the "Big Two" feats.
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If your goal is purely to end the fight as fast as possible by draining the HP bar, Strike of the Giants is probably not for you. But if you find the "I hit it for +10" gameplay loop boring, this is the remedy. It adds flavor. It adds a "rider" effect to your hits. It makes the combat narrative more interesting. "I hit him and he's on fire" is always better storytelling than "I hit him slightly harder than usual."
Final Verdict on the Giant Meta
Is it the best feat in the game? No. Is it the most fun? Maybe. If you’re playing a character with a connection to giants—maybe you were raised by them, or you found a rune-etched axe—this feat bridges the gap between lore and mechanics perfectly.
Don't just pick it because it's new. Pick it because you want to control the battlefield. Pick it because you want your level 8 ASI to be something truly spectacular that requires this as a prerequisite. D&D 5e is slowly moving toward a world where martials have "maneuvers" as standard features, and this feat is a big step in that direction.
Next Steps for Your Character Build:
- Check with your DM if they allow the Giant Foundling background, which gives you this feat for free at level 1.
- If you're already level 4, look at the Frost Giant strike first—the speed reduction is the most consistent tactical advantage in the set.
- Map out your level 8 feat ahead of time; if you aren't planning to take one of the specialized giant "evolutions" like Soul of the Storm, you might be better off with a standard stat boost or Sentinel.
- Coordinate with your party; if you have a Rogue, the Hill Giant prone effect is basically a direct buff to their Sneak Attack reliability.
Ultimately, the power of a giant isn't just in the size of the club—it's in what happens to the ground when that club hits. Use this feat to make the ground shake.