Favoured classes - nature or nurture?

My campaign features a half orc monk who was raised in a monastery of half orc monks. we're playing with the OA monk rules, so he can multiclass, but wants to know if he can use monk as his favoured class as he was raised by monks whose main aim is to eradicate the orcish taint from themselves.

now half of me says "no way! half orcs have a favoured class of barbarian, because that's what half orcs are like!" and the other half says "well, he has a good point!"

So what do you guys think? Help me make up my mind, preferably by next week.

Olive said:

My campaign features a half orc monk who was raised in a monastery of half orc monks. we're playing with the OA monk rules, so he can multiclass, but wants to know if he can use monk as his favoured class as he was raised by monks whose main aim is to eradicate the orcish taint from themselves.

now half of me says "no way! half orcs have a favoured class of barbarian, because that's what half orcs are like!" and the other half says "well, he has a good point!"

So what do you guys think? Help me make up my mind, preferably by next week.

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Going strictly by the rules, a half-orc's favoured class is barbarian, regardless of the character's actual background.

That said, I don't have any problems throwing away the rulebook if that makes the game more fun. What sort of character is he looking to play? What class combo does he have in mind? Remember that prestige classes don't count when it comes to multiclassing limits, so if he's only got a PrC in mind, it doesn't matter.

I'd also consider what the player himself is like. Does he have a history of bending the rules to make things go in his favour? Does he pick quirky combos for its own sake? Is he likely to exploit the hole you open for him, to the detriment of the other players?

well he'll probably read this, and i have a bit more experience with him as a) a friend and b) a fellow player, but i think it's fair to say that he likes to agrue and these arguements in D&D often do work to his advantage...when he wins

Anyway, I know what the book says, but i think the book portrays half orcs as being... raised by orcs. or at least orc like. so what i'm interested in really is what people think the favoured class issue is all about... the designers motivations i guess.

I think I probably will let him as it does have a character justification... but i'd love for someone to give me a reason to say no!

I can think of a couple of good reasons to say 'no.'

1) If he's gonna be a Monk, who cares what his favored class is? He won't be multiclassing anyways.

2) If you say yes, you'll have to let other players do this, too. That would take away one racial advantage of the Human and the Half Elf.

Olive said:

well he'll probably read this, and i have a bit more experience with him as a) a friend and b) a fellow player, but i think it's fair to say that he likes to agrue and these arguements in D&D often do work to his advantage...when he wins

Anyway, I know what the book says, but i think the book portrays half orcs as being... raised by orcs. or at least orc like. so what i'm interested in really is what people think the favoured class issue is all about... the designers motivations i guess.

I think I probably will let him as it does have a character justification... but i'd love for someone to give me a reason to say no!

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Ah, right. Note that it isn't that hard to come up with after-the-fact justifications for most exploits. You just have to be able to see them coming....

In this case, consider that the character's orcish heritage is still present in his blood. He may try to transcend this (which is why half-orcs can be of any alignment), but it will always be with him. Even the purest, most lawful half-orc paladin has to struggle against his chaotic side, striving constantly to quell his desire to break into a violent rage. This spirit of fire is why the half-orc's favoured class is barbarian, regardless of the character's upbringing. It also means that if he takes up the monastic life, the measure of his strength is all the greater, because the challenges he faces and defeats are more than any mere human would have to contend with.

There you go, instant handwave for why the guy shouldn't have the rules bent just for him.

In the real world I believe in nurture over nature. But in D&D I think that nature rules supreme. Most creatures have their alignment 'hardwired' in, and although this might not be correct normally, it is right for fantasy.

Oh, I have a compromise solution to this, too:

I allow players to burn a 1st level Feat to switch Favored Class, no questions asked. The Forgotten Realms campaign setting offered a Regional Feat like that. I thought it was a good idea.

Sorry I didn't mention it before - nobody in my game has ever actually bothered.

I think Mordaxs' Feat idea works although personally I've never used Favoured Class anyway so its not a problem.

I really like Hongs idea of a Disciplined Monk trying had to supress the inherent violence of his Orc blood heritage. However imho this need not be linked to 'Class' - its a biological issue of being an Orc not a cultural issue of being a Barbarian...

So you decide but make sure its roleplayed

Mordax_sighs said:

If he's gonna be a Monk, who cares what his favored class is? He won't be multiclassing anyways.

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/me points to the first post.

Olive said:

We're playing with the OA monk rules, so he can multiclass...

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If I remember correctly, the Forgotten Realms feat ADDS a favored class, it doesn't just change it.

Assuming the player has a good reason, (and it seems like this guy does) I'd allow it. If I remember correctly the DMG talks about switching racial abilites around for good character concepts. This seems to fall under that.