Half-orc revision?

[AuraSeer]

Where did they say that all races will get a weapon familiarity? Does anyone have a link on that? And will the elves get something else, since thier proficiencies were part of their advantages (and if they give some races exotic weapon proficiencies, like a dwarven waraxe or orc double axe, this better be worthwile for elves..)

The change is that racial weapons will count as martial for the associated race, but exotic for everyone else. If you're a dwarf, then the Dwarven Waraxe is a martial weapon for you (and you can wield it normally if you're a fighter), but if you're any other race you still need EWP to use it.

Just about everything that's know about the revised rules is listed on this page

 

[Darklone]

If you want to sneak attack someone with scent... sneak against the wind.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Why does Scent help against Sneak Attacks?

If you`re flat footed and lose your Dex Bonus to AC or if you`re flanked by the Rogue, smelling the rapier penetrating your vitals won`t help you much...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Darklone]

Why does Scent help against Sneak Attacks?

Agreed with Mustrum here. Uncanny dodge (bbn2) is much easier to get and most halforcs have it anyways... and it protects against ranged sneak attacks very nice.
IMHO, Scent is much more dangerous in play cause you can locate invis enemies with a ME action. (partial charge, here I come! If you allow that in that situation, of course!)

 

[Kae'Yoss]

AFAIK, scent has only half range against the wind. It is not totally defeated. And while you have to put levels into the barbarian first to get uncanny dodge, scent will be free for all, so the clerics will have it, the straight fighters, and everyone else, not just barbarians and rogues.

 

[Felix]

Perhaps you can have the prereq to Scent be Wild Lore (Or Survival, I guess): 6 ranks. That would keep the 1-2 level characters from having it and restrict it to Druids, Rangers, and Barbs.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Scent might allow you to detect the position of invisile opponents, but it doesn help with your Dex Bonus lost to AC. Blind Fight is much better here (locating the field doesn negate the 50% miss chancei, and the field might as well be located by someone else than you - maybe the Wizard with Detect Magic,or the Cleric with True Seeing

Most Clerics, Druids, Fighters, Rogues and whatever else you will find have better Feats to take than Scent, and if Scent is only available (as feat) to Gnomes and (Half)Orcs, there is no real reason why most characters should have the feat. (And do you thing suddenly gnomes and Halforcs become more common, just because of this pathetic feat?).

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Darklone]

Mustrum, don't underestimate the usefulness of this feat in many low magic campaigns and mid magic campaigns with lower levels. Detect magic takes three rounds to locate someone who's invisible (if he does not move outside of that area) and True Seeing... well. Below 10th level and you cleric has already used his invis purge... what then?

And as I said... combine the halforc barbarian with Uncanny Dodge with Scent and he has no problem anymore with invisible mages.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Well, I do not think "no problem" is the correct expression - he will probably have a bit less problems with them.
(The mage can still throw Fireballs, Disintegrates or what ever nasty spell he still might have.)

Would this be a Gamebreaker? Especially considering that we talk typically about a Half Orc, who seems to be weak (I will not use the bad "sh.ft" Word) because of his net -2 ability modifiers?

What if he had Blind Fight instead of Scent?
What if he had Cleave and fought two visible Mages?

There are two sides: A Feat shouldn`t be to powerful, but a Feat should also be of some use...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Andion Isurand]

My Existing Revision

Here is my existing revision as it stands now...

It gives them a skill point total, half way between that of a full human and a full orc...
...without cherry picking between Intelligence and Charisma...
...and gives them Any favored class so they can feel more like a human.

/////////////// HALF-ORC ///////////////

# +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
A half-orc's starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character's score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.
# Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
# Half-orc base land speed is 30 feet.
# Darkvision: Half-orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-orcs can function just fine with no light at all.
# For the purpose of determining the skill points gained at each level, treat the half-orc's intelligence score as being 2 points higher than its actual value.
# +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
# Orc Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered an orc.
# Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Speak Language skill.
# Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-orc takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.

/////////////// HUMAN ///////////////

# For the purpose of determining the skill points gained at each level, treat the human's intelligence score as being 2 points higher than its actual value.

Loses
the old wording for their bonus skill points