New core races or canon half races?

[Roadkill101]

I would prefer new core races. I'm not a big fan of half races, especially half-orcs and half-elves (IMHO a couple of fantasy tropes that can stand retirement).
However, a couple side-bars on how to implement a half-race (one for half human and humanoid, and one for mutually non-human humanoids) would be much more useful IMHO. This way half-breed's don't end up as being a seperate race and remain as the occassional exception. Better yet, instead of side-bars, devote a chapter to creating half-races in the DMG.

 

[Lurker37]

Same here. There was no option to vote for "Keep half-elf. Ditch Half-orc."

 

[Scholar & Brutalman]

Wow. This is what I thought we would see.

148 votes to minimize or reduce the half races and add new races versus 20 votes to keep them.

We need more votes! This is still a sample.

Actually you need another poll with the choices of

- keeping half-elves and ditching half-orcs

- ditching half-elves and keeping half-orcs

added as options. I could get rid of both, but there seem to be some half-elf fans still out there.

 

[Gloombunny]

What I'd really like, and I'm going way off into daydream land here, is to have a flat statement that the various "races" are distinct species and cannot interbreed, but have half-orcs exist as a rare hybrid, like a mule. And sterile, like a mule, so no half-orc lineage or culture. And, like a mule, combining many of the advantages of both parent races - they should be whatever 4e's equivalent of a LA +1 race is. Maybe with some sort of interesting drawback related to the awkward fusing of differing human and orc psychology. Oh man, that would be sweet.

Something similar might work for half-elves, except that elves are already so similar to humans that I can't think of how it would be very interesting.

 

[Ranger REG]

Keep both half-elf and half-orc in.

I've been playing half-elf PCs since 1e. In 3e, I started to play half-orc PCs.

There is something intriguing and beautiful about mixed races. I should know. I live in a place where East meets West.

 

[Baby Samurai]

There is something intriguing and beautiful about mixed races. I should know. I live in a place where East meets West.

Exactly, the most beautiful women I have ever seen are mixed (the best being Blasian).

 

[redkobold]

Well, half-elves are in, so the question seems moot.

The question is NOT moot because the books have not been released. I am sure there are lots of things that are used in playtesting that are left on the editing room floor.

As far as keeping half elves and ditching half orcs, why? What is so appealing about having a lot of space in the rulebook for either of them?

Maybe this is another way of thinking about it...

The full blooded races have a stereotyped culture that goes with them because of the social group they form. Dwarves mining in mountain citadels, Halflings in gypsy caravans, Elves in wooded enclaves, humans in their cities, etc.

Half Elves and Half Orcs are assimilators in that they will be in either a human majority society or the society of their other half. They are a fringe group that does not form a distinct social identity.

Does viewing the issue through this lens alter any opinions?

All of this said, I feel that the best suggestion is to have an XXX blood feat, elf blood, orc blood, draconic blood, etc. because although a template mechanism works, I personally do not like them because all of the tedious fiddling you have to do with them.

 

[delericho]

Drop all races except Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling and (maybe) Gnome.

Add other races in future PHBs or, better still, setting books.

 

[Ranger REG]

Drop all races except Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling and (maybe) Gnome.

I'd rather drop the humans, both from the game and real life.

 

[Aristotle]

Very interesting poll, although I wish it only allowed one choice... to better reflect an exact percentage of people who want the half-races versus those of us who would prefer two full-races and some other treatment of half-races.

When it comes to the halfers, I'm of two minds. Either eject elves to the MM (still playable from there) so that both half-races represent the only core playable versions of their species... or give us orcs in the core (not because of WoW, but rather because of the influences of Shadowrun, Eberron, and settings where orcs are more than just evil humanoids) and relegate the half-races to a side-bar rule or template.