Half-Ogres & Half-Giants ?!?

[Infinite_Kydeem]

What's up with these two mongrel races?!?

I think that the Ogre is the smallest creature with the Giant type. But the Half-Ogre is large sized and has reach.

On the other hand, the Half-Giant is medium sized with no reach. But can use weapons as if it was large sized (Powerful Build).

And for some reason, Half-Giants are naturally psionic even though none (or at least not many) of the giants are psionic.

Any one know how/why this got set up like this?

Unless I can find a reason not to change anything, we'll probably switch it so the 1/2Ogre has the powerful build, the 1/2Giant is large, and 1/2 Giant will not be naturally psionic.

 

[Crothian]

Half giants were a race from Dark Sun and psionic there. So, I think that's why. Like many things D&D does with 3e once you remove it from its setting it makes a lot less sense.

 

[Sejs]

They're not two points along a continuum like you think they are, Kydeem. It's like Crothian said, half-giants arn't actually a matter of dad was a hill giant, mom was a human. They're an attempt to recreate the race from the Dark Sun setting.

The half-giants there were a magically created hybrid race from a world in which inherrent psionics was more or less the order of the day. Everyone on Athas was a wild talent of some sort.

Easy way to rectify them if you want to include both in a game setting: half-giants arn't a crossbreed. They're a race unto themselves that breeds true. Change the name of the race to something else - Arloa, say - and go from there. Bam, problem solved.

 

[Thurbane]

Anyone want to take a stab at statting out a non-psionic, non-Darksun half-giant? I would be interested in the results...

 

[glass]

Half giants were a race from Dark Sun and psionic there. So, I think that's why. Like many things D&D does with 3e once you remove it from its setting it makes a lot less sense.

Something that always bothered me about this: Half-giants (and thri-kreen) weren't any more psionic in Dark Sun than anyone else. If they are automatically psionic because they had a 50% chance of a wild talent in Dark Sun, then so should humans, elves, and halflings be!

Its a brain bug -they originated in Dark Sun, therefore thyey must be associated with psionics (even though Thri-kreen actually originated in the Forgotten Realms! ).


glass.

 

[Tetsubo]

Anyone want to take a stab at statting out a non-psionic, non-Darksun half-giant? I would be interested in the results...

So would I. But to really be consider a Half-GIANT the race would need a +6 Strength...

 

[Kapture]

Anyone want to take a stab at statting out a non-psionic, non-Darksun half-giant? I would be interested in the results...

I just use ogres.

In my home game, I did away with orcs. Ogrillions use ogre stas, and are "half giants." Orcs are Hagrillions (one quarter giantish). Half orcs are Quagrillions (1/8th giantish).

Note, none of this is by direct bloodlines. In the twilight years, humans regularly commingled with giants (mechanics unexplored as of yet). Giantish blood resurfaces in various bloodlines every now and then, and giant blooded breed true with each other.

 

[Sejs]

Anyone want to take a stab at statting out a non-psionic, non-Darksun half-giant? I would be interested in the results...

As in crossbred with a proper giant?

At that point you'd start getting into racial hit dice territory, and an LA around +2 or so. Using the ogre stats would be a start. Possibly an ogre with 2 racial hd, instead of the usual 4.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Its a brain bug -they originated in Dark Sun, therefore thyey must be associated with psionics (even though Thri-kreen actually originated in the Forgotten Realms! ).

Yep. Hell, I don't think a played a psionic Kreen until Third Edition. They were about the best race you could play for a single-classed Fighter... especially if you allowed multiple Weapon Specialization.

 

[Sejs]

Yep. Hell, I don't think a played a psionic Kreen until Third Edition. They were about the best race you could play for a single-classed Fighter... especially if you allowed multiple Weapon Specialization.

Plus you had a cultural excuse to eat elves, which is always a bonus.