Different kinds of Trolls

[Ravellion]

Inspired by this (closed) thread by Magic Rub, it occured to me that Trolls are very different from one fantasy source to the next.

Has anyone ever used a different kind of troll in their D&D game? What did the players do? How did they react to the lack of regeneration etc.

I hope my subject line doesn't invite flames: D&D trolls would die, and pratchett trolls would become really, really stupid.

edit: Oh, one more thing: Do not even mention those blasted dolls with big hair. Those are not Trolls. I am quite sure that that was just a misspelling for dolls.

Rav

 

[roytheodd]

My personal favorites are the ones from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying. I like having the acid gush from their severed tummies and spray on the PCs. I've tried a few types of trolls from different literary sources and the one convention that I really enjoy using is that they turn-to-stone in sunlight. On top of this, I've made up my own types before that was actually one being with two physically distint and seperate forms. The spirit of the troll hopped from body to body as necessary, thus animating it and leaving the body without the soul as a stone shell. My PCs flipped out at this and it took them forever to learn to coordinate and slay it. Hehe.

 

[Davelozzi]

I have to admit, D&D trolls never really did it for me. When I hear troll, I picture a creature with more similarities to an ogre, like the trolls of Middle Earth.

 

[JeffB]

I have to admit, D&D trolls never really did it for me. When I hear troll, I picture a creature with more similarities to an ogre, like the trolls of Middle Earth.

Exactly what I was thinking. In my homebrew Trolls are basically bigger and dumber ogres.

I also like Gloranthas (perhaps some of the best work ever ona race for FRPG's...see TrollPak), and Earthdawn's.

My near 3 year old boy is partial to the yellow one who lives under the bridge on Dora The Explorer

Forest...bridge..Grandmas house..

Forest..bridge..Grandmas house...

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

My trolls live under bridges and eat goats.

Heh..if you replace "trolls" with "kobolds" and "goats" with "adventurers," there was a fun encounter like that back in one of the old Book of Lairs. It even gave rules for kicking a kobold off the bridge

 

[Terraism]

I've always liked the trolls for Terry Brook's Shannara works - large, clannish, and noble barbarians, with simple minds. Much fun. Failing that... well, I can say I've never really liked D&D trolls, but that doesn't add much, does it? Hmm - I don't know, TB's are what I normally think of, but I admit to being intrigued by the Pratchett comment up above - his trolls get dumber when exposed to fire?

 

[Mistwell]

My favorite Troll:

 

[Magic Rub]

Inspired by this (closed) thread by Magic Rub, it occured to me that Trolls are very different from one fantasy source to the next.

Has anyone ever used a different kind of troll in their D&D game? What did the players do? How did they react to the lack of regeneration etc.

I hope my subject line doesn't invite flames: D&D trolls would die, and pratchett trolls would become really, really stupid.

edit: Oh, one more thing: Do not even mention those blasted dolls with big hair. Those are not Trolls. I am quite sure that that was just a misspelling for dolls.

Rav

Thanks for the re-start Rav. The old thread may have been silly in part, but the intent was all the same. Trolls (& to some extent most goblinoid races, heck all creatures, but we're not talking about all creatures) Have been changed & re-changed, sometimes drastically, from one fantasy setting to the next.

My favorite are the trolls from the "Gnome" Books, due mostly to childhood nostalgia, & all those pretty pictures (which are nice when you're young & can't read yet) .

They were evil, greedy, dirty, sub human... & yet still in some way relatable to us .

I'm with Rav, I hate the Troll Dolls!
(I'll spare the picture on this one)
They're useless, market tools! I used them simply to flavour my point.

The idea of PC Trolls has always sparked my imagination in D&D, which is why I made note of the Everquest Trolls.

I would have noted The War hammer trolls, but didn't know they existed. (& They sound different yet again)

Warhammer trolls (there are probably a million more kinds?????)

Here's two that I could find examples of first the "Marsh Troll" & second the "Chaos Troll"

Here's what Warhammer claims to be a "Basic Troll"

Sure it is!

As Dr. Midnight noted, "What, no love for the trolls from Willow???"

They look like nuked wookies, what more can I say.

Anyone remember Troll the movie?

Looks like a nice guy, & a bit like the willow troll

Then there's the "Norwegian trolls"

I've seen these when I was little, a guy who had a cabin near my Grandma's Collected these things. He hid them all around his cabin.

The list goes on & on. If you have more examples, written, stats, or pics, pop them up.

 

[SHARK]

Greetings!

Hmmm...I have simple, primitive, barbarian trolls, that live throughout the wilderness areas, and I also have kingdoms of sophisticated, intelligent trolls that are inspired by a quasi-Celtic/Norse culture, and they have magic ability, cities, sophisticated military forces, as well as great skill with nature spells and druidic abilities. These trolls are an ancient enemy of the elves, and while evil, they are a dignified, noble race.

I think my players like them, because they aren't the stereotype, and they are a distinctly different monstrous culture that they can interact with. These intelligent evil trolls also offer more variety in villains and different plot-lines. I have many of them as highly skilled craftsmen, making famous armour and weaponry, as well as being skilled with engineering and stone-work. They are a large, aggressive, and dynamic culture.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[KnowTheToe]

My favorite troll is my wife

Wait, here she comes, I gotta go.