Cloud Giant	Firbolg	Fire Giant	Fog Giant	Fomorian Giant
Frost Giant	Hill Giant	Mountain Giant	Stone Giant	Storm Giant
Verbeeg	Antaeus	Enceladus	Mist Giant	Giants and Jotunheim

Giants are huge humanoids. <technically, not humanoids, in theory>
There are six major races of giants, <referred to as a race: cf. DMG.21>
each race having some similarities and many differences from the others. <FF, MM2: revise>

Common characteristics will be given here, while the unique features of each race will be detailed under the heading appropriate to each.

All giants are very strong, with strengths ranging from 19 to 25 as compared with humans.
Because of this STR, they are able to pick up cocks
and hurl them as if the missile were shot from a catapult, but without the min. range restrictions of the device.

Most giants are cave dwellers.
Whenever they leave their lair giants of all
sorts will always have a huge sack with them. Giant's bags contain various
odds and ends of things precious only to the giant: a large rock or two, and
from 1,000 to 6,000 coins of some type -- usually gold.

Although giants are often stupid, they are usually cunning, too. They can
sometimes be tricked and will be likely to bargain if approached from a
position of strength. It is not unusual for giants to agree to share in on
undertaking with a group of creatures of similar alignment to that of the
giant, for these huge monsters are eager for treasure.

Young giants will have HP and do damage according to the
percentage of a normal adult male indicated by the dice roll.

Each race of giants speaks its own particular dialect which is unintelligible to other races.
They also speak their appropriate alignment tongue.

Q: Does a giant or other large monster
get strength bonuses?

A: No, not unless the creature?s description
says it does. Monsters? strength bonuses
are usually subsumed in their damage
ranges. For special encounters, you can
assign monsters weapon types and damage
ranges (DRAGON issue #109 contained an
article on giants' strength bonuses and
weapons), but be sure to alter their
XP value if you do.
(131.63)

Q: Most giants can catch missiles;
what missiles can they catch?

A: Giants have a chance to catch boulders
hurled by other giants or by siege engines.
They cannot catch arrows, ballista bolts,
or other compact and streamlined missiles.
(131.63)

Joe Maccarrone wrote:
Thank you -- that clears it all up, and I do hope these ratings become 'official' C&C.
In any event, they will be official at my table. 

Joe
 

I did send that on to those that are concerned at TLG.

The HD and damage bonus system does make humanoids a good deal more in the "worthy opponent" class...
and gives the ranger PC a good deal more value to the PC party facing such antagonists.

When fighting giants my PCs want cloaks of displacement,
AC of at least 0,
and rings of regeneration along with girdles of giant strength and weapons enchanted to at least +3. 

Cheerio,
Gary

I say that as barbarians get d12 for HPs, then clearlly extrapolation of the same principle must apply to large and vigorous creatures.
This mitigates the potential increase in PC prowess.
As a matter of fact, adult critters were assigned 7-12 HPs per HD in my AD&D campaigm--have been given the same in what I have designed for the C&C game system.
Also, with increase in damage due to Strength, all large and powerful monsters, including ogres and giants, gain a damage bonus equal to their number of HD.