A few rules questions

[Starblade]

I just recently picked up Fantasy craft main book and was wondering about a few things.

What is the advantage on playing a Giant? It doesn't really seem balanced with no attribute mods and penalty to defense for size doesn't seem fair when the drake not only gets attribute mods but breath attack and flight. Also I didn't really see any giant only species feat. It doesn't seem like the giant gets much support.

Why is hide armor only partial armor? Shouldn't it be moderate or full since hide pretty much covers everything. Also is there anyway to improve hide armor 4 that a hardy human with Draconic heritage would get?

Does Zweihander get Guard+3 with Greatsword basics feat? I am not really clear on on when to apply stacking rules or highest +1 or no stacking.

What does always armed with knife basic actually mean or do?

Why is that only humans have a option of gaining 1 wound per level? Shouldn't it be a feat? 

[Krensky]

1) Giants benefit from being Large with a reach of two, a move of 50 (a giant can walk faster the a dragon can fly), that they're considered huge for carrying capacity, trampling, bull rushes, and tripping. The also get a trample attack and therefore largely ignore adjacency for movement.

There big advantage over the othe Large, Reach 2 race (the drake) is that they're folk and not beasts. They don't need the beast upgrade on everything they own and they have opposable thumbs.

All of the species/talents used the same list of abilities and have the same cost.

2) Because it is. If it was moderate or full it would be too good. You're not paying for it, you can't loose it, it only seems fair that you present the lowest penalty to called shot.

3) Everytime I answer, I seem to get this wrong, but they don't stack. Guard +2 gives a +2 gear bonusk and Guard +1 gives a +1 gear bonus, so you get a +2 gear bonus to defense.

4) What it says. You are always considered to be armed with the knives on your person. Think of it as a super quick draw. It also means if you're fighting with two daggers with a main gauche on your hip and a sickle in your belt you get the guard bonus and don't have to change weapons to get the trip bonus on a trip attempt.

5) I assume you mean the Grizzled talent? Because none of the ofther talents (including species) used that benefit. It's a pricey one, wnich is why that talent has fewer abilities then the rest. If you want a feat for more wounds there's Great Fortitude.

[Starblade]

3) How did you determine Guard +2 is also a gear bonus? I saw under items that Guard +1 was a gear bonus but not sure what type of bonus was from the feat.

5) Both Grizzled and Svelte talents have it. I know it's just two talents but it just seems weird that only humans are the only ones capable of getting so many wounds as opposed to Dwarfs or Orcs. I mean everyone else is only limited to 4 bonus wounds from the feat and up to 5 bonus from attributes points to con while humans can get that in addition to 20 more.

[Krensky]

It's in the description of the Guard quality. The feat grants the Guard +2 quality to the weilded weapon.

Rock Solid is a three point benefit, what should be removed from the Dwarf orc Orc talents to fit it in?

In thoery, it's suitable for a first level only species feat, but that's only in theory. I'd be suspect of a Orc or Dwarf feat to allow it since already have so much going for them for combat centered characters. Making it a open feat would make the issue you have with humans worse.

Also, it's a powerful ability in the right build, but not as strong as you think. A good GM will just use subdual and stress on the wound tank if needed. Also, remeber at 20th level a "average" (Con 13 with no boosts) PC will 140 to 260 Vitality. 20 extra wounds at that point really isn't that big a deal.