These monstrous creatures, crafted by the Titans when the world was young, are composed of living stone and stout flora. Benevolent and solitary by nature, the mountain giants have awakened to find that the tranquil world they once helped to shape has become a hectic battlefield of fire and sorrow. Now the mountain giants have pledged their courage and strength to the night elves' cause -- and stand ready to banish the last remnants of the Burning Legion from the world. These massive melee units that can take incredible amounts of punishment from attackers.
Mountain Giants are one of the Night Elves' ultimate melee unit - the other being Bears. Though extremely expensive and taking up a massive amount of food, Mountain Giants are incredibly bulky to make up for this; 1,600 health and several abilities to compliment it.
Taunt prompts the Mountain Giant to perform a yell, forcing all hostile units to target the Mountain Giant and overriding manual attack commands (such as focusing on an enemy Hero). This forces the enemy to reinsert the command again to make their units act the way they wanted them to.
Mountain Giants may also rip a tree from the nearby area and use it as a weapon of their own. The Mountain Giant's attack is temporarily changed to Siege, and also has 200 range. The tree lasts for 15 swings, after which the Mountain Giant discards the tree and attacks with their bare fists.
Make sure to research Hardened and Resistant Skin. Hardened Skin reduces incoming physical damage dealt to the Mountain Giant by 12, and Resistant Skin makes them immune to specific spells and weakens the effects of other spells that would normally last longer on other common units.
Spells and abilities
Taunt
The closest 10 enemies are forced to attack this unit.
Cooldown
Area of Effect
Allowed Targets
Effect
14 sec.
45
Air, Ground, Enemy
Nearby 10 enemies attack Mountain Giant
War Club
Picks up a tree to give the Mountain Giant Siege damage, and increased attack range. Lasts for 15 strikes.
Duration
Range
Allowed Targets
Effect
15 hits
3.2
Tree
Switches to Attack 2.
Hardened Skin (Passive)
Reduces all attacks on the Mountain Giant by 12 damage. Attacks cannot be reduced below 3 damage.
This means that lower units cannot really damage him.
Research Cost
Researched At
Requirements
Upgrade Time
100 175
Ancient of Lore
Tree of Eternity, Ancient of Wonders
40 sec.
This means that lower units can't really damage him. You will need to use Tier 3 units such as Tauren, Knights, Bears, and Abominations.
Resistant Skin (Passive)
Gives Mountain Giants increased resistance to spell damage.
Research Cost
Researched At
Requirements
Upgrade Time
50 100
Ancient of Lore
Tree of Eternity, Ancient of Wonders
75 sec.
This gives the unit hero magic resistance, similar to the resistance that level 6+ creeps have.
Namely, you can't be Polymorphed, Possessed, etc, and all offensive spells have a shorter duration on the target (such as stuns, Ensnare, etc).
It DOES NOT reduce damage dealt to the target, however. That’s an effect of hero armor, not hero magic resistance.
Upgrades
Strength of the Wild
Increases the damage of Druids of the Claw in Bear Form, Druids of the Talon in Storm Crow Form, Dryads, Mountain Giants, Faerie Dragons, Hippogryphs, and Chimaeras.
Research Cost
Researched At
Upgrade Time
Effect
100 75
Hunter's Hall
60 sec.
Normal attack: 29-47 (38 avg) Secondary attack: 35-56 (45.5 avg)
Improved Strength of the Wild
Further increases the damage of Druids of the Claw in Bear Form, Druids of the Talon in Storm Crow Form, Dryads, Mountain Giants, Faerie Dragons, Hippogryphs, and Chimaeras.
Research Cost
Researched At
Requirements
Upgrade Time
Effect
175 175
Hunter's Hall
Tree of Ages
75 sec.
Normal attack: 30-54 (42 avg) Secondary attack: 36-64 (50 avg)
Advanced Strength of the Wild
Further increases the damage of Druids of the Claw in Bear Form, Druids of the Talon in Storm Crow Form, Dryads, Mountain Giants, Faerie Dragons, Hippogryphs, and Chimaeras.
Research Cost
Researched At
Requirements
Upgrade Time
Effect
250 275
Hunter's Hall
Tree of Eternity
90 sec.
Normal attack: 31-61 (46 avg) Secondary attack: 37-72 (54.5 avg)
Reinforced Hides
Increases the armor of Druids of the Claw in Bear Form, Druids of the Talon in Storm Crow Form, Dryads, Mountain Giants, Faerie Dragons, Hippogryphs, and Chimaeras.
Research Cost
Researched At
Upgrade Time
Effect
150 50
Hunter's Hall
60 sec.
Armor: 6
Improved Reinforced Hides
Further increases the armor of Druids of the Claw in Bear Form, Druids of the Talon in Storm Crow Form, Dryads, Mountain Giants, Faerie Dragons, Hippogryphs, and Chimaeras.
Research Cost
Researched At
Requirements
Upgrade Time
Effect
200 150
Hunter's Hall
Tree of Ages
75 sec.
Armor: 8
Advanced Reinforced Hides
Further increases the armor of Druids of the Claw in Bear Form, Druids of the Talon in Storm Crow Form, Dryads, Mountain Giants, Faerie Dragons, Hippogryphs, and Chimaeras.
Research Cost
Researched At
Requirements
Upgrade Time
Effect
250 250
Hunter's Hall
Tree of Eternity
90 sec.
Armor: 10
Ultravision
Gives Night Elves the ability to see as far at night as they do during the day.
Research Cost
Researched At
Upgrade Time
Effect
50 50
Hunter's Hall
45 sec.
Night Sight: 120
Backpack
Gives the ability to carry up to two items. Items carried by the unit will be dropped upon death.
Units can not use or gain benefits of items that they carry.
Research Cost
Researched At
Requires
Upgrade Time
50 25
Townhall-type Structure
Player-built Shop
20 sec.
Patch changes
Patch 1.17 (2004-09-20): Taunt now affects only the 10 closest units. It is also now disabled by Banish.