Re-balancing the 1/2 Orc for my own campaign (II)

[Mighty Halfling]

I've long toyed with changes to the half-orc. Here's what I will house rule the next time it's my turn to be the DM ...
Of course a half-orc would have its typical abilities, as described by the Player's Handbook:

+2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma. A half-orc's starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character's score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.
Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Speed: Half-orc base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Half-orcs (and orcs) can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-orcs can function just fine with no light at all.
Orc Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered an orc.
Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.
Favored Class: Barbarian. A multiclass half-orc's barbarian class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

THEN I ADD THESE TWO THINGS ...

Iron Stomach: Half-orcs can eat any plant or organic matter to avoid starvation, including rotten meat, spoiled milk, boiled leather, leaves, saplings and even dung. This material must be broken down into small enough portions to fit in their mouth and down their throat. Typically, they can make a Survival check (DC 5 plus environmental modifiers) and they find enough material to sustain them for a day. Additionally, they are immune to all food-borne diseases and infections, but not poisons applied to their food.

Selective Bonus: Because half-orcs are a varied race with a diverse heritage, at 1st level a half-orc selects one of the following traits.

• Intimidator. Intimidate becomes a class skill and it is thereafter based on Strength, rather than Charisma.
• Free Feat - Alertness. Like their orcish parent, this is now a bonus feat.
• Free Feat - one Exotic Weapon Proficiency. Orcs love strange and bizarre weapons, and often train with them from an early age.
• Disease resistant. The unique resistance a half-orc develops because of his dual parentage provides him with amazing immunities. A disease-resistant half-orc earns a +6 resistance to any disease, even magical ones.
• Extended Darkvision. Some orcs who live underground have especially powerful darkvision. As such, some half-orcs have a 90-foot range on their darkvision.

Now I wrote that more than a year ago. The only thing I might change is lowering the +6 vs. disease -- it's a little too high.
Any thoughts?

 

[Darklone]

Give a +4 bonus vs. disease.

I like this list of bonus feats. Though I'd love to have some more. Perhaps Minor Scent (Char can track with Scent but doesn't notice the presence of invisibles and stuff)?

 

[The_Ditto]

I voted fine as is ... I think the fact it's one of the few races with Darkvision balances it just fine ...

 

[frankthedm]

I do this for the half orc because hobgoblins and orcs are to breeds of the same race in my game.

Half Orc: Choose at character creation: You may take your +2 ability score bonus to STR, DEX, or CON. You may take your -2 ability score penalties to 2 different stats. Choose if you are disciplined [favored class Fighter], or degenerate [Favored Class Barbarian]

 

[szilard]

How about this:

• +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
  A half-orc’s starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Half-orc base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Half-orcs (and orcs) can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-orcs can function just fine with no light at all.
• +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
• +1 racial bonus on saving throws against poison and disease.
• Mixed Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered either an orc or a human, whichever is more beneficial with respect to the effect.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.
• Favored Class: Barbarian. A multiclass half-orc’s barbarian class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

 

[Nifft]

• Mixed Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered either an orc or a human, whichever is more beneficial with respect to the effect.

I like this mechanic much better than the usual "orc blood" trait, since (as has been pointed out by many others) most magic items that apply to orcs are "bane" or "slaying".

It's effectively immunity to Bane and Favored Enemy bonuses, most of the time, unless someone is specifically out to get half-orcs and buys the same bonus against both orcs and humans. But that's hopefully rare.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

Voted fine as is.

Half-orcs are not lacking in game balance in my opinion, but it would not hurt to give them some conditional bonus to skills that all other races have. I'd go with +2 to intimidate and survival, and maybe even a +2 to saves vs. poison, but I'm afraid that would be too much. As someone already pointed, darkvision is a great advantage they already have.

Cheers,

 

[BRP2]

Drop -2 Charisma, +1 Skill Point each level.