What can stop giants from knocking you backwards?

[brian14]

Worst thing IMO about Aussircauex's Valley is fighting frost giants on or near one of narrow bridges. Two or three times today my bard got knocked backward and into the rift. Does high Balance skill help with it at all? And if not, what does?

[somenewnoob]

I just went into there for the first time the other day and had the same thing, just being knocked all over by them, including down into the canyon. Pain in the rear.

To my knowledge there isn't anything that stops it, I hope I'm wrong though because it stinks! lol

[Jaid314]

kill faster.

[Lithic]

Blocking helps, as does not being in their front arc when they swing.

[Diyon]

Worst thing IMO about Aussircauex's Valley is fighting frost giants on or near one of narrow bridges. Two or three times today my bard got knocked backward and into the rift. Does high Balance skill help with it at all? And if not, what does?

I don't believe there is anyway to prevent the knockback. The knockdown portion can be prevented by a high STR(or DEX?) check, or being a Thief Acrobat II or Air Savant III. Balance helps getting back up from knockdowns and not falling on slippery surfaces and such, and if high enough will prevent WF titans from knocking you down.

So really, the best solution when close up like that is don't let yourself be between the giant and a ledge, position yourself so when you do get knocked back, there's something behind you (a wall or enough space not to fall off of something).

[Diyon]

Blocking helps, as does not being in their front arc when they swing.

Forgot about blocking. That too, although results may vary.

[Letrii]

Not getting hit is best way to avoid getting tossed.

[rimble]

Not getting hit is best way to avoid getting tossed.

Yep. Absolutely SUCKS. Can't even begin to tell you how insane I was after 75+ runs of Prey on the Hunter on my Monk...

[brian14]

On a separate note, I've had experience with these frost giants before (my main is level 19), and they have incredible immunities. AFAIK, they have Deathward, are unaffected by Fear, and cannot be stat-drained, charmed, danced, or fascinated. Either that, or they save on 2 against everything.

[Diyon]

On a separate note, I've had experience with these frost giants before (my main is level 19), and they have incredible immunities. AFAIK, they have Deathward, are unaffected by Fear, and cannot be stat-drained, charmed, danced, or fascinated. Either that, or they save on 2 against everything.

Depending on when that experience was, those immunities got majorly relaxed along with the epic immunities.

[Sarisa]

On a separate note, I've had experience with these frost giants before (my main is level 19), and they have incredible immunities. AFAIK, they have Deathward, are unaffected by Fear, and cannot be stat-drained, charmed, danced, or fascinated. Either that, or they save on 2 against everything.

As of update 9, they no longer have Deathward. They do, however, still have rather high saves.

They have always been resistant to stat drain, like epic mobs. Only about 10% of stat drain attempts will get through. Stat penalties (Ray of Enfeeblement, Waves of Exhaustion, Strength Sapping weapons) do work normally on them, so you can put them into helpless state by applying penalties to their dex.

They were, and remain, immune to enchantment spells. I didn't know about them being immune to Fascinate, though it does make sense.

[jandhaer]

its high level content and should play as such.... stop fighting them on cliffs.... it only makes sense that something 20 feat taller then you and thousands of pounds heavier could knock you back a few feat (if not a country mile) when they tee off on your face with a club that is 10 times your size.

[Missing_Minds]

Nothing stops it. You are always going to be knocked around. Something I think sheild useage should stop.

Also if any giant and a 2 hander is doing that to us, we should be doing the same to kobolds and rats.

[stoerm]

The Rogue Thief Acrobat II PRE gives you "complete immunity to knockdown effects and slippery surfaces".

Balance does not help you stay upright. It only "[i]ncreases the speed with which you get up from a prone position".

The balance item linked above suggests staying upright is a reflex check for slippery surfaces and knockdown / knockback effects.

[somenewnoob]

I also tried using ranged on them a bit with a throwing axe, since their ranged attacks don't do much damage it worked pretty well, they eventually run up to you though and swat you around some more. It's not the fastest way to kill them but not too bad.

[Cauthey]

As of update 9, they no longer have Deathward. They do, however, still have rather high saves.

I can Finger of Death them. Well, sometimes. And that sometimes is after I've already Circle of Death level drained them and Wail of the Banshee level drained them.

But sometimes. Man, I've gotta get muh DCs up!

[Diyon]

Also if any giant and a 2 hander is doing that to us, we should be doing the same to kobolds and rats.

Those proportions aren't remotely the same. If we could do that, then ogres and trolls should be doing that to us too.

[Rodasch]

Wail of the Banshee level drained them.

What?

[protokon]

What really, really annoys me about the giant's attack animation is the fact that there attacks are (as far as I've seen) uninterruptible. I was soloing epic claw on my sorc today and against the first giant, I'd cast irresistible dance. it lands on him almost immediately, I don't even see his attack animation. a second later I get tossed back, even after stepping back from him, and take damage as if he swung at me. irresistible dance wears out, so I throw an icy prison on him. It lands, almost immediately and again I get hit with a rock that the giant picked up and threw at me, which stunned me as well. can it be dealt with? sure, but honestly it feels like very sloppy game mechanics, it would be along the lines of mobs that move around while danced/flesh 2 stoned/ fascinated. very, very annoying.

[Absolute-Omniscience]

If you're attacking the one that's about to knock you back, you can jump towards them at the right moment and then negate 95% of the knockback and thus not miss a single swing.
Requires practice, but once you get used to it, it works like a dream.