Goliath Race Guide: D&D 5e (2014)

Introduction

Goliaths are nomadic giant-kin from the highest mountain peaks, a people defined by physical competition, communal code, and the unspoken understanding that the mountain doesn't care about your feelings. For how goliaths fit into true giant society specifically - the Ordning, and which of Annam's children goliath communities tend to revere - see The Ordning in the Glory of the Giants guide. In D&D 5e 2014 (sourced from Volo's Guide to Monsters), the Goliath is the definitive frontline martial race. They don't have the flashiest abilities. Every single trait stacks toward one goal: absorb damage, deal damage, repeat.

The stat line is clean: +2 STR, +1 CON. The traits are focused: Athletics proficiency, short-rest damage mitigation, extra carrying capacity, and adaptation to altitude and cold. No wasted slots, no dead-weight features. The Goliath is the race you reach for when you want to build a Barbarian, Fighter, or Paladin who is simply better at the frontline job than almost every alternative. Stone's Endurance in particular is one of the best defensive racial features in the 2014 race catalog, a once-per-short-rest reaction that reduces incoming damage by an average of 9.5 to 11.5 at mid levels.

There are no subraces. Every Goliath gets the same toolkit, built for one thing.

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Disclaimer

Ratings use a four-color system reflecting overall power in the context of the 2014 rules:

• ● Red - Poor. Avoid or situational at best.
• ● Orange - Situational. Useful in specific builds or campaigns.
• ● Green - Good. Reliable value in most builds.
• ● Blue - Excellent. Best-in-slot or near it for the right build.

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Racial Traits

The Goliath has no subraces. All traits below apply to every Goliath character.

● Ability Score Increase: +2 STR, +1 CON

The ideal stat line for any STR-based frontliner. Strength is the primary attack and damage stat for heavy weapon fighters, and every martial melee class in 2014 prefers STR over DEX when wearing heavy armor (Barbarian's exception: Unarmored Defense uses DEX + CON). Constitution is the universal secondary stat. It increases max HP, improves CON saving throws (which include concentration checks for Paladins), and makes you harder to kill under any conditions.

A Barbarian starting with 15 STR + 2 from race hits 17 STR at level 1, giving +3 to attack and damage before any other investment.

● Natural Athlete

You gain proficiency in Athletics. Athletics is the skill used for grappling, shoving, climbing, swimming, and jumping. A Goliath Barbarian starting with 17 STR has +5 to Athletics at level 1 (+3 from Strength, +2 proficiency), rising as both grow. For a grappler or shoving-based build, this is a flat upgrade. For characters who never grapple, it is still useful for environmental challenges.

● Stone's Endurance

Once per short rest, when you take damage, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d12 + CON modifier.

This is the standout feature of the Goliath race. Average reductions by level:

At tier 2 (levels 5-10), Stone's Endurance averages roughly 10 damage prevented per use. With two short rests in a typical day, that is three uses and about 30 damage negated.

The Rage interaction is the one most guides get backwards. The damage rules apply additions and subtractions before resistance. Stone's Endurance is a subtraction, so it comes off the raw damage, and Rage then halves what remains. On a 40-damage hit, Stone's Endurance for 11 leaves 29, which Rage halves to 14; Rage alone would have left 20. While raging, the trait saves about half its listed value. It is at full strength against damage Rage does not resist (fire, lightning, and most spells for a non-Bear Barbarian) and on every character who is not raging.

The key constraint is the reaction cost. You are choosing between Stone's Endurance, opportunity attacks (Sentinel, Polearm Master builds), and spell reactions. On a pure martial build without reaction-triggered spells, this choice is usually Stone's Endurance versus opportunity attack. On single-enemy encounters, Stone's Endurance almost always wins.

● Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

That is the whole trait. It is often described as letting you grapple Large creatures, but the grapple rules already let any creature grapple a target up to one size larger than itself, so a Medium Goliath could do that anyway. Carrying capacity rarely constrains characters in 2014, so Powerful Build seldom matters.

● Mountain Born

You are acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet, and naturally adapted to cold climates as described in the Dungeon Master's Guide. That means you ignore the DMG's high-altitude exhaustion rules and automatically succeed on saves against extreme cold.

It does not grant resistance to cold damage in the Volo's Guide version. Cold resistance was added when Monsters of the Multiverse reprinted the Goliath. In a mountain or arctic campaign the trait saves real trouble; elsewhere it rarely comes up.

● Languages

Common and Giant. Giant is one of the more useful non-standard languages: giants, ogres, trolls, ettins, and all giant-kin speak it. In any campaign featuring giant threats (Storm King's Thunder), Giant-language comprehension opens roleplay opportunities that other characters cannot access without a spell.

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Ability Scores

Strength (+2): The core engine of a Goliath build. On a Great Weapon Fighter or Barbarian, STR drives attack rolls, damage rolls, Athletics checks (grappling), and STR saving throws. The +2 from race puts you ahead of most competitors at level 1 and lets you reach 20 STR with a single ASI (starting at 17 STR, one +2 ASI).

Constitution (+1): Each point of CON adds to max HP, improves CON saving throws, and critically improves Stone's Endurance's mitigation value directly. A Barbarian with 20 CON (+5) reduces Stone's Endurance damage by 1d12+5 (average 11.5). Every CON point invested also pays dividends on the race's signature feature.

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Best Classes

● Barbarian

The definitive Goliath build in 2014. Barbarian and Goliath share the same mechanical priorities: STR for offense, CON for defense, durability over finesse. The combination is mechanically extraordinary:

• Rage halves bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and adds advantage on Strength checks, including grapple checks.
• Stone's Endurance subtracts 1d12 + CON before Rage halves the rest, so it is worth about half as much while raging.
• Natural Athlete adds Athletics proficiency, which with Rage's advantage makes a strong grappler.
• +2 STR enables Great Weapon Master at level 4 with minimal stat investment.

Totem Warrior (Bear Totem at level 3) adds near-universal damage resistance while Raging, making the Goliath Barbarian arguably the most durable single character in 2014.

● Fighter

Fighter rewards consistent, repeated attack output. Goliath's +2 STR directly improves every attack roll and damage roll. Stone's Endurance gives a Fighter a defensive tool they normally lack (Fighters have Indomitable for saving throws and Second Wind for recovery, but no damage-reduction reaction). The combination of Stone's Endurance + Indomitable + Second Wind creates a three-layer defensive toolkit. Battlemaster Fighter benefits from high STR (Maneuver DCs scale with modifier) and Parry maneuver reduces damage further.

● Paladin

Paladin wants STR for weapon attacks and CHA for spells and class features. Goliath provides +2 STR (excellent) and +1 CON (excellent for concentration saves on Bless and Wrathful Smite). For a Strength-focused Paladin who wants maximum frontline durability, Goliath is a strong race choice. For a CHA-maximizing Paladin who wants to exploit Aura of Protection to the fullest, an Aasimar or Half-Elf is stronger.

● Ranger

Goliath Ranger works on STR-based melee builds. The +2 STR and +1 CON suit a frontline Ranger using Dueling or Great Weapon Fighting styles. Stone's Endurance supplements the Ranger's mid-tier durability. Mountain Born fits the rugged wilderness scout archetype.

The weakness: most 2014 Ranger builds favor DEX for archery. On a DEX Ranger, the +2 STR is a significant opportunity cost. This build works best if you commit to STR melee from the start.

● Monk

Monk wants DEX and WIS. The Goliath's +2 STR is largely wasted on a Monk's core attack rolls and armor class (Unarmored Defense uses DEX + WIS). Stone's Endurance is useful, and Natural Athlete with Athletics is excellent on a grappling Open Hand Monk. But the stat mismatch makes Goliath a second-tier Monk choice.

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Worst Classes

● Wizard

Wizard needs INT above everything. Neither +2 STR nor +1 CON contributes to Wizard spell save DCs, attack rolls, Arcane Recovery, or Arcane Tradition features. Stone's Endurance helps a squishy Wizard survive a melee hit that would otherwise drop them, but that is a bad-luck safety net, not a build strategy.

● Sorcerer

CHA-primary caster. STR and CON do nothing for Sorcery Points, Spell Save DCs, Metamagic, or Flexible Casting. Half-Elf is strictly better for Sorcerer.

● Warlock

Warlock is CHA-primary, with Eldritch Blast, Spell Save DC, and Invocations all scaling on CHA. STR and CON do nothing for the Warlock's primary toolkit. The Hexblade Warlock (Xanathar's) can use CHA for melee attacks, making STR partially irrelevant, but even then, a Goliath Hexblade gives up a Charisma bonus for Strength that Hex Warrior makes unnecessary.

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Best Feats

● Great Weapon Master

The highest-ceiling damage feat in 2014 for any STR character. On a turn when you score a critical hit or reduce a creature to 0 HP, you can make an additional attack as a bonus action. When you attack with a heavy weapon, you can take a -5 penalty to the attack roll to add +10 to the damage roll. On a Goliath with 20 STR and proficiency, the math on Great Weapon Master becomes increasingly favorable as bonuses stack. Combined with Barbarian Advantage from Reckless Attack, the -5/+10 trade is profitable whenever you have advantage.

● Polearm Master

Polearm Master adds a bonus action attack with the butt of a polearm (d4 bludgeoning) and triggers an opportunity attack when enemies enter your reach. On a Goliath Barbarian or Fighter, the bonus action attack creates an additional chance to trigger Great Weapon Master's bonus attack. Combined with Sentinel, creates one of the strongest crowd-control martial setups in 5e 2014.

● Sentinel

Sentinel modifies your opportunity attacks: creatures struck by them have their speed reduced to 0 until end of turn, you can make opportunity attacks on creatures that disengage, and when a creature attacks an ally adjacent to you, you can make a reaction attack (note: this competes with Stone's Endurance for your reaction). For a Goliath Barbarian or Fighter, Sentinel creates forced engagement: enemies cannot walk past you without paying a severe movement tax.

● Grappler

On a Goliath with Athletics proficiency and +2 STR, Grappler adds advantage on attack rolls against creatures you are grappling and lets you pin a creature (both of you are restrained) with a second check. With Natural Athlete and a Barbarian's Rage advantage on Strength checks, a Goliath is one of the strongest grapplers in 2014 without multiclassing.

● Tough

Adds +2 max HP per level (retroactive). On a Goliath Barbarian with a d12 hit die and 20 CON, Tough pushes your HP to extraordinary levels. Useful if your table runs extremely lethal encounters, but in most games Barbarian HP is already a non-issue and the feat opportunity cost is high.

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Multiclassing Considerations

Barbarian + Fighter: The classic brute multiclass. Barbarian 5 (Extra Attack, Fast Movement, Uncanny Dodge) + Fighter 3 (Action Surge, Battle Master Maneuvers) creates an action-economy powerhouse. Goliath's stats serve both classes identically. Action Surge on a Barbarian gives you 4 attacks in a single turn at level 8, and with Great Weapon Master active, each hit adds +10 damage.

Fighter + Rogue: Goliath Fighter 11 / Rogue 9 is a high-performance Sneak Attack + Extra Attack combination. Rogue contributes Uncanny Dodge (note: competes with Stone's Endurance for reaction, so choose wisely) and Sneak Attack damage. Goliath's Athletics proficiency enables grappling for Sneak Attack setup.

Paladin + Barbarian: Requires careful stat planning. You can't cast spells while raging, but Divine Smite spends a spell slot without casting a spell, so it works in Rage. Goliath's +2 STR serves both classes for weapon attacks. The combination gives Lay on Hands + Rage resistance + Stone's Endurance for a fortress of a frontliner.

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Example Build: Goliath Barbarian (Levels 1-10)

Race: Goliath (+2 STR, +1 CON) | Class: Barbarian (Path of the Totem Warrior, Bear) | Background: Outlander

Starting Stats (Point Buy): STR 15 (+2 = 17), DEX 14, CON 15 (+1 = 16), INT 8, WIS 10, CHA 8

Key Tactics:

• Every combat: Rage (bonus action) + Reckless Attack for advantage on all attacks, which makes Great Weapon Master's -5/+10 consistently profitable
• Stone's Endurance on the biggest single hit of each encounter
• Bear Totem resistance (level 3) halves all non-psychic damage while raging; Stone's Endurance comes off first, so save it for the biggest hits
• Grapple Large creatures with Athletics proficiency and Rage's advantage on Strength checks to hold key enemies while allies focus them down

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FAQ

Is Goliath the best Barbarian race in 2014?

Goliath is one of the top Barbarian races in 2014 alongside Half-Orc. Goliath offers +2 STR +1 CON (ideal stats), Stone's Endurance for extra damage mitigation, and Athletics proficiency for grappling. Half-Orc provides Relentless Endurance and Savage Attacks for more spike survivability. Goliath is more consistent; Half-Orc has a higher ceiling on critical hit turns.

Does Stone's Endurance stack with Barbarian Rage damage resistance?

Yes, but reductions apply before resistance. Stone's Endurance comes off the raw damage and Rage halves the rest: a 40-damage hit reduced by 11 becomes 29, then 14. That is about 6 points better than Rage alone.

Can Goliath grapple Large creatures with Powerful Build?

A Goliath can grapple Large creatures, but so can any Medium creature: the grapple rules allow targets up to one size larger. Powerful Build only affects carrying capacity.

Is Goliath good for Ranger?

Goliath Ranger works on a STR-based melee Ranger build. The +2 STR and +1 CON support frontline melee, Stone's Endurance helps with durability, and Mountain Born fits the rugged wilderness archetype. However, most Rangers in 2014 lean DEX for archery. On a DEX Ranger, the +2 STR is largely wasted.

How often can Stone's Endurance be used?

Stone's Endurance recharges on a short rest. In a standard 4-encounter day with two short rests, you use it three times. Reserve each use for the highest single-damage hit in an encounter.

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Final Notes

Hot Take: Stone's Endurance is worth less on a Barbarian than on any other class. The damage rules subtract it before Rage halves what is left, so a raging Goliath gets about half the listed reduction against weapon damage. The class that gets full value from every use is a heavy-armor Fighter or Paladin, who has no Rage to halve it and takes the full blow.

Goliath is the most straightforward race in Volo's Guide to Monsters, and that directness is a virtue, not a limitation. When you pick Goliath, you know exactly what you are getting: +2 STR, +1 CON, Athletics proficiency, and a once-per-short-rest damage reduction that scales with your CON investment. No complicated interactions to memorize, no missed-window abilities, no features that expire. Every trait contributes to the same mechanical identity: a frontline warrior who is harder to kill than anyone else at the table.

The ceiling on Goliath is lower than some races in creative terms (no spells, no transformation, no social tools), but the floor is extremely high. If your campaign involves extended adventuring days, Stone's Endurance value compounds dramatically: three uses across a full day at mid-levels can represent 30+ HP in prevented damage. If you want to play a warrior who does not go down, Goliath is the race that delivers.