Elf blood, orc blood...

[The Sigil]

We know from the PHB that elves and half-elves are considered to have "elvish blood." Half-orcs are considered to have "orcish blood."

What exactly does this mean, in game terms (I KNOW it refers to ancestry ) to you?

I have thought that it probably refers to the use of items that are sensitive to "elves" or "orcs" (in the same way that a Holy Avenger sword is sensitive to "paladin")... and sometimes badly so (instead of performing better, performs worse).

But what do you all think? Why is that put into the PHB? I have seen VERY few things that reference this rules-wise and I wonder if it should even be in the description...

--The Sigil

 

[Umbran]

*shrug* Not everything in the book has to be used often. I think it was put in as an interesting idea that DMs could exploit, if they so desired. Far better to give a hook you can choose to use or not, than to make a big deal of it, use it freqently, but have nobody like it.

 

[Carnifex]

I must admit that I haven't yet seen any magic items that refer to elvish or orcish blood...

 

[BlackMoria]

From a game prespective, it means two things:

1. If a magic item is keyed or proscribed such that only elves can use that item, then half-elves can use the item due to their 'elven blood'. Same goes for orcish blood.

2. If the magic item affects elves (example: a elf-bane sword), then that magic item also affects half-elves due to their 'elven blood'. Ditto for orcish blood.

So you are essentially correct for what its impact is.

 

[KnowTheToe]

*shrug* Not everything in the book has to be used often. I think it was put in as an interesting idea that DMs could exploit, if they so desired. Far better to give a hook you can choose to use or not, than to make a big deal of it, use it freqently, but have nobody like it.

Let me hear an Amen brother!

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I equate it with cultural identification and physioloical differences.

A human looks at an orc double-axe and says "Good grief! What is that thing?"

A half-orc looks at an orc double-axe and has fond memories of rough-housing with other youths and pretending to be the legendary orc hero 'Gromnir Il Kahn' who used such a weapon. The half-orc's arms are just slightly different enough from a human's so the double-axe is easier to use, much in the same way that concert pianist's fingers are slightly longer than average. The half-orc is suited to use the orc double-axe and has a background in its use so he isn't a true neophyte when he goes to learn how to use it for real.

 

[Voadam]

I consider them subject to bane weapons and ranger favored enemy bonuses of their blood types.

 

[Staffan]

Also, a dwarf laying the smackdown on a half-orc would get his racial +1 to hit.

 

[Umbran]

I must admit that I haven't yet seen any magic items that refer to elvish or orcish blood...

How about Boots and Cloak of Elvenkind that require an elf to create them? How about Elf or Orc Bane weapons?

 

[Utrecht]

Or the oil mentioned in a Dragon about a year ago (forgetten its name) that is toxic to elves - coat your weapon with it and instant elf-bane!