Half-Ogre Level Adjustment

[smootrk]

Half-Ogres are great, and even moreso if LA buyouts are allowed (from UA, or other houserules). Beware the Half-Ogre Pikeman (large with enlarged sized reach weapon), especially if polearm feats are used (from Dragon Magazine and such).

 

[frankthedm]

Further, I know you, Frank, of all people, will claim you never go to war with 20 hp, when you could go to war with 40. True, or not true?

True, the first few levels will be rough, as all ECL are.

 

[Darklone]

IME, the reach and devastating damage helps a lot to keep halfogres alive in low levels.

 

[Seeten]

Yet a couple of arrows will easily breach their terrible AC, and a couple of arrows with decent rolls can drop a half-ogre at this level.

 

[Cam Banks]

I prefer the Dragonlance Campaign Setting half-ogre (which is also in the upcoming Races of Ansalon), a Medium race with a +1 LA.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[werk]

I prefer the Dragonlance Campaign Setting half-ogre (which is also in the upcoming Races of Ansalon), a Medium race with a +1 LA.

Cheers,
Cam

Why do you prefer it?

Seems like the large one would be the way to go to me...

 

[frankthedm]

Why do you prefer it?

Seems like the large one would be the way to go to me...

Less extreame. Only one level given up means less need to use kid gloves if the DM is the type to avoid killing PCs. Large size is a pain if you want the party to travel by mount without the only mount available being brutal in combat.

 

[werk]

Less extreame. Only one level given up means less need to use kid gloves if the DM is the type to avoid killing PCs. Large size is a pain if you want the party to travel by mount without the only mount available being brutal in combat.

OH, you mean preferred by the DM...

I read that totally wrong I guess.

Did I miss where the OP said what level he's playing at? Everyone keeps saying low level, but I didn't see that.

I'm assuming player perspective, decent level.

 

[Cam Banks]

OH, you mean preferred by the DM...

I read that totally wrong I guess.

I don't like big level adjustments as a player, either. I would much rather play something close to the actual character level if possible. LA of +1 is about my limit. The Dragonlance half-ogre gets many of the benefits without the problem of Large size, and since there's a feat called Hulking Brute in DL that duplicates the powerful build racial feature of half-giants etc it makes it even more of a draw.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[IanB]

As an aside, I would encourage house ruling reach weapons to be "five feet farther than normal reach" instead of "double reach."

It makes enlarged half-ogres with reach weapons and the like a lot more manageable.