Half-orc: What to add?

[BartD]

This is a simple question, and while I know it has been brought up before, I can't find it within the open posts

I want give the half-orc a little boost because I find it to be a little on the weak side and would like to hear what others have done?

 

[Arkhandus]

I'll just direct you to the current RPGnet thread on the exact same subject. It's not terribly long but a few short pages.

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=348246

 

[Li Shenron]

Just use a little bit of imagination

Think of the vision you have for Orcs in your campaign, and see for example if one or more of the following would fit with that.


Skill bonuses (either +2 or +4) are always safe because they are hardly game-breaking, consider:

Intimidate, if you want violent scary orcs
Ride+HandleAnimal, if you want nomadic tribes of orcs
Hide+MoveSilently, if you want more sneak orcs


Specific saving throw bonuses to certain things:

+4 Fort saves vs Poison or Disease, perhaps they live in filth and grow resistant to them
+2 all saves vs a specific school of magic, perhaps the orc race was originally bred by wizard and now is resistant to Transmutations, or maybe they were enslaved for ages to live with undead and now they're resistant to Necromancy


A specific bonus feat, or some bonus proficiencies / weapon familiarity, hardly break the balance too:

Track, all orcs are natural hunters
Toughness / Improved Toughness, all orcs are tough, 'nuff said
free proficiency with Morning Star and Light/Heavy Flail, or familiarity with Orc Double Axe / Dire Flail /Whip, perhaps in their culture these weapons are very common.


Special features, which usually are a much bigger benefit than the above:

Scent, orcs are more like animals
Rage 1/day, every orc is barbaric by nature (even the lawful ones)
Aura of courage: orcs are fearless, particularly when they form a group

 

[Terraism]

In my game, I dropped the Charisma penalty - looking at it as sense of self, I decided not to have any core races with a Charisma penalty - and added a +2 bonus to Jump, Intimidate, Swim, and Survival. Topped it off by granting Endurance as a bonus feat. It's gotten them to a place where people find them reasonably useful, and not just for fighter/barbarians. If you're worried it's too much, just keep the Charisma penalty, and they're certainly not overpowered.

 

[el-remmen]

I give them Endurance as a free feat and give them human's preferred class: any ability.

 

[Exen Trik]

I find +4 on saves vs fear to be nice and themey (but then I like to run full orcs as fear immune). For something stronger, a bonus feat from the fighter list works well.

 

[AbeTheGnome]

IMCs, there's no such thing as half-orcs, but orcs get their stats, plus scent and a +2 to intimidate.

 

[green slime]

Half-Orcs are able to take both the Half-Orc Paragon Racial class, and either the Human Paragon Racial class or the Orc Paragon Racial class. The Half-Elf is the only other race that has this characteristic.

Just another interesting aspect of Unearthed Arcana.

Otherwise:

You could allow orc-blood to grant them use of Orcish weapons as martial weapons, akin to the Dwarves use of their Waraxe.

 

[Mark Chance]

You could allow orc-blood to grant them use of Orcish weapons as martial weapons, akin to the Dwarves use of their Waraxe.

I second this (and would also add the same ability re: elf weapons for half-elves). Likewise, I'd grant half-orcs a +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks as well as Favored Class: Any.

 

[green slime]

I second this (and would also add the same ability re: elf weapons for half-elves). Likewise, I'd grant half-orcs a +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks as well as Favored Class: Any.

Yes, I löike these ideas. And you still aren't left with a race that outshines the Dwarf. So, all in all, just a more interesting, flavourful race to help make the decision more difficult.