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does anyone else think half-orcs get gypped?
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<blockquote data-quote="nittanytbone" data-source="post: 3248373" data-attributes="member: 35709"><p>Note that a lot of this reflects the original 1E conception of half-orcs.</p><p></p><p>In 1E, half-orcs could ONLY be the following:</p><p></p><p>-Excellent fighters (capable of reaching Lord status)</p><p>-Excellent assassins (unlimited in advancement)</p><p>-Good thieves (Great climbers; penalties to other skills, no unlimited advancement)</p><p>-Poor clerics (Capped at level 4!!!)</p><p></p><p>That's it. Their racial abilities were quite light as they only got a few bonus languages and infravision.</p><p></p><p>In 3.5, much of this remains. Half-orcs make poor arcane casters (INT and CHA penalties), poor paladins (CHA penalty), good brute-force combat rogues (but not skill monkies) due to mobility and strength, decent battle-clerics at lower levels (no WIS penalty; CHA penalty doesn't hurt until you need to fuel DMM Persistent for Divine Power), and excellent fighters (barbarian favored class, bonus to STR). They make good climbers (Climb is a STR based skill), just as they did in 1E.</p><p></p><p>I think the moral is, don't try to put a round peg in a square hole. Don't expect to play a skill monkey, arcane caster, or shining templar with a half-orc. Expect to be steered mechanically towards a combat brute who is a bit rough around the edges.</p><p></p><p>One quick and easy "fix" is to use the DMG suggested rule for swapping STR for CHA on some intimidation checks, or give the half-orc a circumstance bonus in such situations when he has a big bloody greatsword and is really really mad.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="nittanytbone, post: 3248373, member: 35709"] Note that a lot of this reflects the original 1E conception of half-orcs. In 1E, half-orcs could ONLY be the following: -Excellent fighters (capable of reaching Lord status) -Excellent assassins (unlimited in advancement) -Good thieves (Great climbers; penalties to other skills, no unlimited advancement) -Poor clerics (Capped at level 4!!!) That's it. Their racial abilities were quite light as they only got a few bonus languages and infravision. In 3.5, much of this remains. Half-orcs make poor arcane casters (INT and CHA penalties), poor paladins (CHA penalty), good brute-force combat rogues (but not skill monkies) due to mobility and strength, decent battle-clerics at lower levels (no WIS penalty; CHA penalty doesn't hurt until you need to fuel DMM Persistent for Divine Power), and excellent fighters (barbarian favored class, bonus to STR). They make good climbers (Climb is a STR based skill), just as they did in 1E. I think the moral is, don't try to put a round peg in a square hole. Don't expect to play a skill monkey, arcane caster, or shining templar with a half-orc. Expect to be steered mechanically towards a combat brute who is a bit rough around the edges. One quick and easy "fix" is to use the DMG suggested rule for swapping STR for CHA on some intimidation checks, or give the half-orc a circumstance bonus in such situations when he has a big bloody greatsword and is really really mad. [/QUOTE]
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Community
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does anyone else think half-orcs get gypped?
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