D&D 4E 1/2 Orcs in 4E (Rich Baker scoop)

[Rechan]

If someone want to read in that matriarchy is why the drow are evil then I think they are beyond hope and should not be appeased.

It's never spelled out that way, but the Drow are the only matriarchy race and they just HAPPEN to be so in-your-face-evil.

 

[IanB]

It's never spelled out that way, but the Drow are the only matriarchy race and they just HAPPEN to be so in-your-face-evil.

Hey, there's gnolls now too. Hmmm... (Obviously this is a little tongue-in-cheek, since gnolls being matriarchal is based on hyenas being that way.)

 

[The Little Raven]

I'd advise more caution than to impugn the beliefs of Christians who have had the concept of the deal with the devil enter their belief system. While it might be a very good subject for a theological debate, that debate is not one for enworld.

It can be objectively proven that rape exists in our world. It cannot, however, be objectively proven that devils exist, and people can make deals with them. That's why it's called a belief, not a fact.

 

[Mistwell]

I think I'm more disappointed that they are offering up the half orcs in DDI rather then in print. Hopefully that FR race ends up being Half-Orcs or Orcs considering that Gnomes won't appear in print until 2009.

I think you will see both Gnomes and Half-Orcs in both DI and Print format. I think both will be in the DI before they are in print.

 

[Shroomy]

I can see why WoTC would be concerned with the connotations that arise from the half-orc's origin. In the US, awareness and concern about sexual violence has been steadily increasing for sometime now.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Indeed... You should read on hyenas.



Well, I will pipe in that, looking at Warcraft and the fanarts specially, there is some strangely.... attractive... orc girls.... Granted, it's not D&D, but frankly, the greenies can be attractive.

 

[Imaro]

It can be objectively proven that rape exists in our world. It cannot, however, be objectively proven that devils exist, and people can make deals with them. That's why it's called a belief, not a fact.

This has no bearing on whether it's a distasteful or offensive subject to someone.

 

[Rechan]

Hey, there's gnolls now too. Hmmm... (Obviously this is a little tongue-in-cheek, since gnolls being matriarchal is based on hyenas being that way.)

I've not seen a lot of material on gnoll culture.

And when you reference hyenas, it's only the spotted hyena that have the domineering females with the interesting anatomy.

 

[frankthedm]

Seriously? One more reason to avoid 4th Ed. I don't mean to come off as snarky, but really? Are we now to cut out things because of ugly implications? Isn't this a game for adults as well? Is this how 4th ed going to be? Remove anything that hints of the ugliness that can come from various and different groups of people living in the same world? Are demons/devils going to be misunderstood instead of evil now?

Not on your life. Devils will still be Evil.

Heaven forbid there be creatures that are not so nice that they committ murder, rape, pillaging, torture to other sentient beings.
*shakes head*

Does anyone else feel this way?

Rape and torture can be dealt with rationally; sadly not everyone chooses to place rationality over emotions and opinions on such matters. Each persons tastes differ and wotc is betting that the “Rape:Hell NO!” crowd outnumbers the “Rape:Hell yes!” crowd a notable amount, with the middle ground adding in as much back story unpleasantness as they want.

 

[Marnak]

I think players choose the half-orc for two reasons. First, they choose the half-orc because they want to roleplay. They play the character either as an outsider, someone who could either be a noble savage wrongly persecuted by the prejudiced, or as a dark-inclined character. Second, after 3E, they began choosing half-orcs because of the +2 Strength bonus. All of these reasons for choosing the half-orc are covered by other classes in core 4E. Outsider/dark character? Meet the Tiefling. Strong character? Meet the Dragonborn. I am not sure that i like the new races much, but I understand that the main reasons I favor the half-orc is traditional flavor and not mechanical. I remember the half-orc from first edition and have gotten used to him, whereas I can't quite picture towns with Tiefling bartenders yet.

Marnak