What trolls are
Trolls are among the largest and most dangerous creatures in Albion. They are enormous, hulking monstrosities that form from the surroundings they emerge from. A Forest Troll has thick vegetation growing across its back. An Ice Troll has a glacial carapace. The environment literally becomes part of the creature.
They are confirmed to return in the Fable reboot. Trolls have appeared in every mainline Fable game and are one of the franchise's most imposing enemy types.
Varieties
Fable lore includes several troll varieties, each tied to a specific environment:
Forest Troll: Covered in thick vegetation, moss, and bark. Found in wooded areas.
Rock Troll: Armored in stone and earth. Typically found in mountainous or cave environments.
Swamp Troll: Formed from marshy terrain. Associated with wetland regions.
Ice Troll: Encased in a glacial shell. Found in cold, frozen areas.
Platinum Troll: Extinct in Fable lore. The rarest variety, no longer found in the wild.
Which varieties appear in the reboot has not been fully confirmed. The game's open world includes forests, marshlands, and mountains, so multiple troll types would fit the geography.
Weak points
Trolls have a defining combat mechanic: exposed nerve endings. When a troll hauls itself out of the ground, it leaves nerve endings exposed on its body. These are the creature's major weak spot. Hitting them deals increased damage and can stagger the troll.
This fits the reboot's design philosophy where each enemy type has "unique behaviours and weak points that cause specific reactions when hit." Trolls are the clearest example of this. You do not just hack at a troll's legs. You target the nerve endings.
Weapon effectiveness
In previous Fable games, Piercing and Sharpened weapon augmentations were particularly effective against trolls. Bladed weapons that could cut into the exposed nerve tissue dealt bonus damage. Blunt weapons were less effective against their thick natural armor.
Whether the reboot keeps this augmentation system or handles weapon effectiveness differently is unknown. The style weaving combat system may change how players approach troll fights. Ranged attacks could be used to hit nerve endings from a distance, Will spells might expose or target weak points, and melee could deliver the finishing damage up close.
Emergence
One of the most memorable aspects of troll encounters in the franchise is how they appear. Trolls do not simply walk toward you. They haul themselves up from the ground, rising from the earth in a dramatic emergence sequence. The ground shakes. Debris flies. It is a set-piece moment every time.
This emergence is what creates the nerve ending vulnerability. The act of pulling free from the terrain leaves parts of the creature exposed. It is both a spectacle and a gameplay setup: the troll is at its most vulnerable right after emerging.
Combat approach
Trolls are not swarm enemies like Hobbes. They are singular, powerful opponents. Fighting a troll is more like a boss encounter than a regular combat engagement. You need to read the creature's attacks, find openings, target the weak points, and avoid its massive sweeping strikes.
The style weaving system should make troll fights more dynamic than in earlier games. In the original trilogy, troll fights could become repetitive: dodge, hit the glowing spot, repeat. With the ability to freely blendmelee, ranged, and magic, players have more options for approaching each phase of the fight.
In Fable lore
Trolls are ancient creatures in Albion. They predate human civilization. Their connection to the land is literal: they are made of it. Some Fable lore suggests trolls are a natural defense mechanism of Albion itself, rising when the land is threatened. Whether the reboot incorporates this deeper lore or treats trolls as straightforward monsters is unknown.