My plan for the campaign im running is that the party ultimately learns enough magical secrets to turn their carriage into a spelljammer and explore the multiverse. They are at Lv6 right now and the carriage is already bigger on the inside (fittingly, they have name it the Retardis), so its basically a portable 5 room apartment. I really hope we get some spelljammer material before they are high level enough to leave the forgotten realms.
dont ask WotC to make cool stuff they always disappoint in this way just take them at face value and deal with what you get WotC never does well with requests
Of all the NPCs I ever created, my Giff Mafia Boss is my favourite; I loved him so much that I played him as a PC for a short campaign just to get to develop him even further. "Col. Quinton X. D. Warwickshire" ready for duty, sir! ...Just kiddin' pal, what'ya lookin' for today? Weapons on the down low? Slaves? Dark secrets? My network of Githyanki has your back!" He lived in Sigil in a "shop" which featured a pair of portals, one permanently connected to the Astral Sea near the Githyanki city of Tu'narath, and an occasionally active portal to Realmspace. What I particularly liked about Quinton was playing around with the standard image of the Giff and imagine what might happen to them if they were to turn from their classic path; Thus he is a Rogue/Barbarian who uses laser-rifles instead of normal firearms (when not raging out that is).
I've inadvertently given one of my players a dnd phobia of hippos several years ago. This would drive him completely insane. I can't wait to read up on them!
Back in AD&D 2nd Edition Giff WERE playable (Complete Spacefarer's Handbook) and that was one of my most memorable PCS ever. Sadly, they are only an NPC race in MToF but it shouldn't be too difficult to reverse engineer a PC race version.
I want to include the Giff in my setting now, if only so I can have the players hear the story of a Giff soldier and how he enticed his beloved down from a nearby hill, with a song and a promise of a dip in the local spa.
Soooo they're like someone sprinkled their Krogans onto my Turians and said "Space Birds and Space Bats sound and look ridiculous!... Space Hippos though..."
Well now a Spelljammer book has to be in the works. Perhaps within that book they might include some other worlds that can be visited like Athas, Abeir, Erberon, Krynn, Oerth, and Mystara
Excellent! Wizardry 7 and 8 are HUGE games with lots of puzzles, some fiendishly hard. Can import characters from 7 to 8 but without their best gear. Graphics aren't great in Wizardry 7 (early 90's; much better in Wiz 8) but the ambiance and encounters, dialogue and themes are captivating. If you ever start to feel overwhelmed it's not hard to keep changing character class frequently to get more skill points to get the best spells in Wiz 7; this cannot be done in Wiz 8.
"We've included a lot of gross monsters." I forgot what the thing was, but it was a 25 Cha floating ball of gross nope that was chained to the floor. Happy to have British Hippofolk with blunderbusses.
Idea for a DnD campaign: A platoon of Giff soldiers leading a rebellion against an oppressive empire of slavers. I call it Githyankis versus Giff Yankees.
I did that once in a campaign, using a homebrew stat block! He was separated from his platoon and joined up with the party's caravan, he was kind of dumb as a box of rocks but very reliable. He played the bagpipes. He did not have proficiency in bagpipes.
I’m been playing in a 5e spelljammer campaign for a while, but we still need to improvise a lot. I really hope we get something official for it eventually.
Mordenkainen's Tome of Monsters from Adventures, teleporting elves and more faerun lore that comes with the same "you can shoehorn this into other settings" side bar
It would be really great if Wizards, in their PR, would identify the creators who originally came up with the material they're resurrecting -- in this case, Jeff Grubb and artist Jim Holloway.
Giff with a HARD G. are amazing. I often use them as soldiers for hire if the bad guy has enough coin. They are neigh unkillable, strong, brave, and follow orders. The only thing "wrong" with them is the common disdain for melee weapons. They will use them if commanded to... but prefer blunderbuss and shot pistol. Things that go BOOM!
speaking of spelljammer I'd love the swordcoast wizards to release a new version of it or a pc adventure based on it or both. I just want to play some spelljammer
So the Giff are the main focus of this video, but they said that Tortles are in this book as well. Will the Tortles appear as monster entry or will it have the rules for making Tortle PCs?
Tortles are already official, +2 Str +1 Wis. They get a d4 unarmed, can hold their breath for an hour, and their AC is 17 (but they can't boost it with dex, armor, or unarmored defense), they also come with proficiency in survival and a special action to duck into their shell.
Just a Lurker I think armour should logically additionally boost if layered in top so just trying to make a game balance rule I guess. I understand the dew bonus restriction... I think they need to release official player character rules for ALL the creatures they release that can possibly be players to give people options. It’s still up to the DJ and players but more options is better.
ValasaFantastic I think it's specifically because armor doesn't fit them as well as balance, the trade-off is high natural armor at low levels for no stat investment (compared to no armor, light/med armor, or unarmored defense); but their max possible AC is 19 (with a shield) compared to like 20 for plate+shield, Max unarmored defense, ect.
I love the concept of the Giff. But when are centaurs ever going to become official? I've had a Centaur build made and ready ever since I learned about the game back in January. 😞
Giff NPC that regularly meets the PCs with free loot.
The Giff that keeps on giving.
But the big question here is if you got that thing they sent you
OHHHH NO. Worst joke ever.
Now I wanna play a Giff Gunsligner
That is actually my next character. When I said I wanted to play a Giff my DM suggested gunslinger.
Do I have good news!
Don't just sprinkle that Spelljammer. Pour it on. Bury me in powder that makes me say "phlogiston". C'mon, ya'll. WE GONNA SPACE.
nO
My plan for the campaign im running is that the party ultimately learns enough magical secrets to turn their carriage into a spelljammer and explore the multiverse. They are at Lv6 right now and the carriage is already bigger on the inside (fittingly, they have name it the Retardis), so its basically a portable 5 room apartment.
I really hope we get some spelljammer material before they are high level enough to leave the forgotten realms.
If you kill one and cast animate dead is it a reanimated GIF?
1PROFITPROPHET1 and that's probably the best use for them.
Just remember in that case it would be pronounced "JIF."
Bryan Wegner no
🤣
Bryan Wegner you’re just wrong
HIPPOS
IN
SPACE
Thats Twilight Imperium level animals in space.
WITH
GUNS
Shortly followed by...
HAMSTERS
IN
SPACE
We're zooming along
protecting the whippomorpha race.
I so want to force my players into a "most dangerous prey" situation with the giff hunting them across a remote island
Andrew Stone Van pelt from jumanji but as a 9ft tall hippo. “Nowhere to run, sonny jim”
Great idea.
"The time has come" the hippo said
"to shoot some other things"
Love the Giff. Really like the fact so many peoplr have homebrewed them for PCs. We just need an official version now.
I shake my jowls at you sir! BLGHGHGHGHGHGHG!
Please just give us Spelljammer 5e already!
Seriously, I want to play my Giff again!
I know!
One month and we get Spelljammer 5e!
GUN TOTING HIPPOS ARE BACK BABY
Who's dumb idea was this?
NitroCharizard The madmen behind Spelljammer. I love it.
Can't argue with that logic.
Me(an ignorant pleb): The hell is Spelljamer?
10 minutes of internet searches later...
OHMYGOD INEEDTHIS!!!
Please make this WoTC!
Spelljammer is Starfinder before paizo existed.
Welcome to a obsession that everybody will have the same reaction you did initially when they hear about it.
dont ask WotC to make cool stuff they always disappoint in this way just take them at face value and deal with what you get WotC never does well with requests
I did the exact same thing haha
Hippo space marines?
... alright, I'm in.
I only just found out these existed and I may not have been around back in the day but I love them already
Of all the NPCs I ever created, my Giff Mafia Boss is my favourite;
I loved him so much that I played him as a PC for a short campaign
just to get to develop him even further.
"Col. Quinton X. D. Warwickshire" ready for duty, sir!
...Just kiddin' pal, what'ya lookin' for today?
Weapons on the down low? Slaves? Dark secrets?
My network of Githyanki has your back!"
He lived in Sigil in a "shop" which featured a pair of portals, one permanently connected to the
Astral Sea near the Githyanki city of Tu'narath, and an occasionally active portal to Realmspace.
What I particularly liked about Quinton was playing around with the standard image of the Giff
and imagine what might happen to them if they were to turn from their classic path;
Thus he is a Rogue/Barbarian who uses laser-rifles instead of normal firearms
(when not raging out that is).
Awesome
I've inadvertently given one of my players a dnd phobia of hippos several years ago. This would drive him completely insane. I can't wait to read up on them!
Back in AD&D 2nd Edition Giff WERE playable (Complete Spacefarer's Handbook) and that was one of my most memorable PCS ever. Sadly, they are only an NPC race in MToF but it shouldn't be too difficult to reverse engineer a PC race version.
oh that's right they did appear in 2nd as well... I thought they first started in 3rd for some strange reason.
Well you could work with your dm they can make them.
But is it pronounced Giff or Jiff?
jiff
simplify it. call them Judoon and it will be ok
I came here to make this exact joke.
is your audio muted?
yiff
I want to include the Giff in my setting now, if only so I can have the players hear the story of a Giff soldier and how he enticed his beloved down from a nearby hill, with a song and a promise of a dip in the local spa.
I really need them to release a tortle package style publication for the Giff.
They could call it somethibg like Naturally Giff-ted or The Gifd that keeps on giffing.
Welp...found my D&D Sontaran equivalent!
Spelljammer ... We need it ...Now
I never knew I needed Giff in my life. I LOVE THEM!!
Soooo they're like someone sprinkled their Krogans onto my Turians and said "Space Birds and Space Bats sound and look ridiculous!... Space Hippos though..."
This race was back in 3rd edition as well. Great fun to play both with and against.
Well now a Spelljammer book has to be in the works. Perhaps within that book they might include some other worlds that can be visited like Athas, Abeir, Erberon, Krynn, Oerth, and Mystara
Athas please, Thri-Kreen PCs would be so great.
I would love 5e Kyrnn
The Simpsons’ world
Oh man, with Eberron and the Planescape world we might be getting these after all :D
Hey you were right
Richard Scarry's Treasure Planet
If Giffs get a PC race, I could imagine a Giff bard who only sings Modern Major General 😂
why is this not a pc race
Alpha MCG homebrew
But you cant always homebrew
Same reason WotC will never give us playable Flumphs, because they hate fun.
Tyler Blackford it's because it would completely kill the tone of a more serious campaign when that one player goes "I WANNA PLAY A FLUMPH (or Giff)"
I so want one as a player race because I just love the imagery
for the love of god make this a playable race for sheer hilarity sake
Why do I instantlly imagine seeing Giff sitting around a Hunting Lodge in Chult or Sigil. (I need Sigil to use with the Plane Shift's)
so looking forward to this book!
Reminds me a lot of the Umpani in those old PC games, Wizardry 7 and 8. Same in every way except being Rhinoceros people.
steelshade was looking for this comment that was my first reaction
Probably a reference, surprised I never heard about that.
important fact: this comment got me to get wizardry 7 on steam
Excellent! Wizardry 7 and 8 are HUGE games with lots of puzzles, some fiendishly hard. Can import characters from 7 to 8 but without their best gear. Graphics aren't great in Wizardry 7 (early 90's; much better in Wiz 8) but the ambiance and encounters, dialogue and themes are captivating. If you ever start to feel overwhelmed it's not hard to keep changing character class frequently to get more skill points to get the best spells in Wiz 7; this cannot be done in Wiz 8.
With all the spelljammer references, are we ever going to see a book for it. I loved it growing up
This is now the only reason I'm purchasing Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. ^_^
ditto
I can see one saying "Did you get the thing i sent you?" (birdman attorney at law)
I cant wait getting both the dnd beyond version and physical copy
good to see an old (2nd ed) monster entry come back
Schweeet! I hope we'll also eventually get the Dracon as well. Plus let's not forget Hamstersaurus Rex.
Oh my god, you brought back the space hippos.
I am totally throwing Giff in my game, that all try to one-up each other with stories like Commander McBragg from Underdog.
"We've included a lot of gross monsters." I forgot what the thing was, but it was a 25 Cha floating ball of gross nope that was chained to the floor. Happy to have British Hippofolk with blunderbusses.
So a new reader picks up the Tome, turns to Giff, and says “ ‘spacefaring race’ WTF?”
If these aren’t playable better bet I’m going to make a house homebrew of these guys, but won’t everyone
I like having the Giff be part of "The Grey Accord" in my game, between Giff, Rhox, and Loxodons.
Methinks Wizards has invoked the Gamma World SRD and is slowly blending the two universes into this multiverse tome.
Back in the 80 - 90s that was exactly what we did in some of our homebrew campaigns.
Ken Sanderson I remember those days!
Congrats, these guys are getting added to my Yoon-Suin campaign.
Idea for a DnD campaign: A platoon of Giff soldiers leading a rebellion against an oppressive empire of slavers. I call it Githyankis versus Giff Yankees.
i neeeddddd to play one of thoseeeeeeee!!!!!! this is just AMAZING!!!!
I want to play a party of Giffs now
I can't wait to see a homebrew campaign with someone playing as these things.
I did that once in a campaign, using a homebrew stat block! He was separated from his platoon and joined up with the party's caravan, he was kind of dumb as a box of rocks but very reliable.
He played the bagpipes.
He did not have proficiency in bagpipes.
Please give us a supplement similar to the Tortles so we can have Giff PC’s without needing to homebrew!!
Love this race 😀. On a side note would love to have them in DDO
BRING BACK SPELLJAMMER!!!
The space hippos are making a return!
They never left.
This Giff is basically the personality of my Dm
Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy.... We get it.... Spelljammer campaign this fall... We can't wait!
If Spelljammer 5e happens, you can bet your sweet Giff I'll be purchasing all the supplements.
Looking forward to Spelljammer in 5e!
I WISH THIS WAS A PLAYABLE RACE!! It would be awesome hahaha
Oh so they finally got that thing. That thing I sent ya!
I’m been playing in a 5e spelljammer campaign for a while, but we still need to improvise a lot. I really hope we get something official for it eventually.
Mordenkainen's Tome of Monsters from Adventures, teleporting elves and more faerun lore that comes with the same "you can shoehorn this into other settings" side bar
Congrats wizards of the coast you sold me on your book you only needed to say the magical words
Reminds me of the rhino-race of Doctor Who's first season.
This just reminds me of the Judoon or the Sontaran from Doctor Who.
I wish there was a Giff PC. My #1 character I want to play
You walk into a brothel and roll to see what race is ... available ... female Giff. *walks out *
Sounds like the Thraddash from Star Control 2...
It would be really great if Wizards, in their PR, would identify the creators who originally came up with the material they're resurrecting -- in this case, Jeff Grubb and artist Jim Holloway.
Giff with a HARD G. are amazing. I often use them as soldiers for hire if the bad guy has enough coin. They are neigh unkillable, strong, brave, and follow orders. The only thing "wrong" with them is the common disdain for melee weapons. They will use them if commanded to... but prefer blunderbuss and shot pistol. Things that go BOOM!
My old nemeses - *_space hippos._*
Spelljammer!
I want to play a giff gunslinger now.
Bury me in spell jammer! I bought the tome it's great!
l totally picture these guys as the elephants from jungle book.
Dr Who would like their space large Mammals back.
Sir Hippolock
Spacefaring hippos? They remind me very much of the Umpani, spacefaring rhinos from Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant.
will this be a PC race? I really want to play one
you can purchase the race separately on dnd beyond if you want to play it.
Orceh where do you perhaps mean the homebrew section?
They were a PC race in 3rd edition back in the day, can't remember which add on book it way tho.
Army, Army Hip-PO!
I don't think I've ever found an NPC race more fitting to a campaign I've been planning yet! British Hippos shall Rule the Waves!
look like the umpani of "Wizardry." Same make-up, but actually space rhinoceros people rather than hippo people.
Ah yes, the Jif
speaking of spelljammer I'd love the swordcoast wizards to release a new version of it or a pc adventure based on it or both. I just want to play some spelljammer
It's easy to use it as a race... Just see "El Resurgir del Dragon" and look for "Hipotidos"
+1 Pith Helmet
Monocle of Foolhardiness
Cudgel of Late Night Drunken Wagers
+1 Tin of Top Quality Snuff
Is it a new race, cause i would love to be a space hippo in a campaign ?
Yeeeeeesss!
hipótidos from Resurgir del Dragon :D
So the Giff are the main focus of this video, but they said that Tortles are in this book as well. Will the Tortles appear as monster entry or will it have the rules for making Tortle PCs?
There are already AL rules for making Tortle characters. (I only learned that an hour ago.)
As monsters *Tortle* and *Tortle Druid*
That is too bad, having the PC rules in a book would have been very convenient
I must run a campaign with 4 monk Tortle pc's.
John Free just Google "the tortle package". It was an addendum PDF. It has the rules for PCs.
Hippos are extremely aggressive and dangerous irl, maybe incorporate that when running them in adventures
One month and we get Spelljammer 5e!
So... does this mean we'll get Giff and Tortle stats in the same way we got goblinoid and orc stats for player races? Maybe? Hopefully!?
One can only hope
For player races? Pretty sure we won't. But shouldn't be difficult to create a playable Giff or Tortle based on their traits on the statblock.
Tortles are already official, +2 Str +1 Wis. They get a d4 unarmed, can hold their breath for an hour, and their AC is 17 (but they can't boost it with dex, armor, or unarmored defense), they also come with proficiency in survival and a special action to duck into their shell.
Just a Lurker I think armour should logically additionally boost if layered in top so just trying to make a game balance rule I guess. I understand the dew bonus restriction... I think they need to release official player character rules for ALL the creatures they release that can possibly be players to give people options. It’s still up to the DJ and players but more options is better.
ValasaFantastic
I think it's specifically because armor doesn't fit them as well as balance, the trade-off is high natural armor at low levels for no stat investment (compared to no armor, light/med armor, or unarmored defense); but their max possible AC is 19 (with a shield) compared to like 20 for plate+shield, Max unarmored defense, ect.
I love the concept of the Giff. But when are centaurs ever going to become official? I've had a Centaur build made and ready ever since I learned about the game back in January. 😞
Not a fan of this one but love the book overall, keep up the great work!
My nickname is hippo now i wanna play the race real bad
Steampunk fantasy hippos with guns. What’s not to love?
I want to do a steampunk giff artificer.
I call em jeff