Get rid of the half-races, except halflings ;o)

[redkobold]

I started this new topic after reading the "mystery race" thread.

I dislike the whole half race notion and think it is a waste of space. And why do they all have to be half-human? Why not dwarf-gnomes, or elf-halflings, or dwarf-goblins? What about 1/4 races? Because it is too silly to be a significant part of the core rules.

If someone wants to play a half race, then use one of the racial halves to be the main one expressed and roleplay the rest or have some BRIEF rules (a la sidebar) for the basic core race listing features that half breeds will have or that can be exchanged with the other racial half's features.

I love orcs and I love half-orcs but I would rather have a corebook orc pc racial entry or a new race entry in the core rulebooks rather than rules for the stereotype half-orc who is ostrasized from the human community and has become a paladin to prove them all wrong or has become an assassin to prove them all right or has used his human cunning to survive and thrive in his orcish community and comes to town as a barbarian. Blah, blah, boring. Then there is the half-elf diplomat. Sick the half-orc barbarian on him.

Let's start a revolution and give the half-races the boot!

If the PHB 2 or online Dragon needs some content, that would be a good place for half race elves, ogres, orcs, and sheep.

Lets add a new core race from the canon like kobold, or gith, or lizardman (like the DAT illustration from 1e, sweet), a beastman/gnoll, a bugbear, a goliath, a tiefling (oops, they got that one, good) or some other common anthropomorphic standard type.

Alternately, what about a race that adds some twist or brings to the table some feature or roleplaying opportunity that no other races has had brought to the game like limited flight, phasing, blinking, multi-limbs, pseudopods (think Dralasites or an awakened/extraplanar ooze)? What features / roleplaying opportunities would an awakened undead (think Deadlands) type or template bring to the table?

Just my thoughts and call to arms. Am I alone?

 

[Wormwood]

Just my thoughts and call to arms. Am I alone?

Nope, you're not alone.

Half-races are a big 'meh' as far as I'm concerned.

But you can go ahead and kill the halfling while you're at it.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

I'm with you, but I think we're a fairly small group.

 

[Exen Trik]

How about rolling all half races together as a single half-human race? Give it a few different options to represent the kind of bloodline it has (without being too specific about the actual parentage) give it some special paths, and leave it at that.

 

[Crashy75]

I can't say I care for half races either. I never used half elves and I use half-orcs as orcs.

 

[KingCrab]

I'm with you, but I think we're a fairly small group.

Sounds like time for another poll. My guess is that at least half of EN World agrees. Nothing we can do about it though since they already guaranteed half-elves for 4ed.

 

[KingCrab]

And why do they all have to be half-human? Why not dwarf-gnomes, or elf-halflings, or dwarf-goblins? What about 1/4 races? Because it is too silly to be a significant part of the core rules.

This is exactly what I hate most about the half races. Why do they have to be mixed with human? Also, why does the sudden mixture of elf and human suddenly give some sort of charismatic new get-along-with-everyone powers (as was sort of mentioned for the 4e half elf)? You combine the genetics of a human and an elf and suddenly new powers appear that neither of them had before? Doesn't feel right to me.

 

[redkobold]

"Sounds like time for another poll."

Here it comes!

And it is never to late until it is sent to the printers!

 

[Aldarc]

This is exactly what I hate most about the half races. Why do they have to be mixed with human? Also, why does the sudden mixture of elf and human suddenly give some sort of charismatic new get-along-with-everyone powers (as was sort of mentioned for the 4e half elf)? You combine the genetics of a human and an elf and suddenly new powers appear that neither of them had before? Doesn't feel right to me.

Why do half races exist? So players can play Elf Lite, Diet Orc, and Dragon Zero (all dragon and none of the carbs) with the same amount of shallowness as a 15-year-old bi-polar girl on expired anti-depressants and armed to the teeth with razor blades and posting YouTube videos about how the world does not understand her.

In every campaign, I house rule half-races out of existence.

 

[Jhaelen]

You combine the genetics of a human and an elf and suddenly new powers appear that neither of them had before? Doesn't feel right to me.

Well, you never heard about recessive traits, I guess?

But, yes, half-races are lame. At the very least they could call them something different...

Or go the half-dragon route: create a generic half-breed template similar to the lycanthrope one.