Half Orcs

[Mengu]

I think half-orcs will make excellent strikers, barbarian, ranger, rogue, maybe even sorcerer. They should also make decent defenders, fighter, paladin, or warden. Of course their racial feats may strengthen or diversify these options.

 

[Eldorian]

+2 Strength, +2 Dexterity (or maybe Wisdom instead of Dexterity)
Half-orc Resilience: First time you are bloodied in an encounter gain 5 hit points (possibly 10 at 11th level, and 15 at 21st level).
Swift Charge: +2 to speed when charging.
+2 Endurance and Intimidate
Furious Assault: Encounter power; free action; when you hit enemy, the attack deals 1[W] extra damage if it's a weapon attack or 1d8(?) extra damage if it isn't.

Definitely dex, not wis. The characters we've seen are built with the standard array, wis is the primary stat for avengers, and the half orc only had a 16. Not to mention, in the article describing half orcs, it said that they make better rogues and fighters than barbarians, both classes with dex as a stat, vs a class without.

I think it's a very good race. Half-orc Resilience in particular is awesome. Like a better version of toughness.

 

[Alabast]

half orcs are much better to play a old school paly or monk. always irks me when people insist on playing stereo type roles. If i wanted to play a big dumb fighter i would play a fat gnome.

I am the opposite. I hate characters that are deliberately anti-stereotype. I had a new player in one of my campaigns once actually as me if it was okay if he played a dwarf fighter, for fear that it was too common. I told him that it was entirely appropriate. Too many players nowadays think that a race-class combo is what makes a character interesting or boring, when in fact, it is less than 10% of it. Characterization (or lack thereof) is what makes good or bad PCs, and a Dwarf fighter or elf ranger has every bit as much chance to be interesting as an half-orc paladin or eladrin barbarian.

 

[Byronic]

Definitely dex, not wis. The characters we've seen are built with the standard array, wis is the primary stat for avengers, and the half orc only had a 16. Not to mention, in the article describing half orcs, it said that they make better rogues and fighters than barbarians, both classes with dex as a stat, vs a class without.

I think it's a very good race. Half-orc Resilience in particular is awesome. Like a better version of toughness.

It's strange that no matter what racial bonuses I try, I can't seem to get to 22 point buy. Strength/Dex comes up to 20, which is two points short.

Not that that says much, since Str/Wis seems to come 1 short as well.

 

[Bleoberis De Ganis]

I am the opposite. I hate characters that are deliberately anti-stereotype. I had a new player in one of my campaigns once actually as me if it was okay if he played a dwarf fighter, for fear that it was too common. I told him that it was entirely appropriate. Too many players nowadays think that a race-class combo is what makes a character interesting or boring, when in fact, it is less than 10% of it. Characterization (or lack thereof) is what makes good or bad PCs, and a Dwarf fighter or elf ranger has every bit as much chance to be interesting as an half-orc paladin or eladrin barbarian.

I agree, and disagree. The thing I don't like about 3.5 is that all the characters people make are some sort of min maxed gish thing that can do everything.

As for the Half-Orc, I can't think of many classes that wouldn't fit them really well in a RP way.

Fighter, perfect
Barbarian, perfect
Warlock, good
Warlord, good
Rogue, good
Wizard, not very good
Sorcerer, okay
Cleric, okay-good (orphan taken in)
Paladin, good (working hard at being better than people see he is capable)
Bard, not very good

Half-Orcs are excellent if you want a simple hack and slasher with a good role-playing reason for it rather than just laziness.

Sometimes everyone would love to just get drunk, stuff the consequences, and smack their boss in the face with a shovel. That is the Half-Orc inside all of us. Bless 'em.

Just think of all those low charisma evil buggers we all love. House, Shark, the one out of Californication, the list is endless. Now just imagine a Half-Orc like that and remove a little of the intellect.

 

[Eldorian]

It's strange that no matter what racial bonuses I try, I can't seem to get to 22 point buy. Strength/Dex comes up to 20, which is two points short.

Not that that says much, since Str/Wis seems to come 1 short as well.

Standard array is 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10.

The sample half orc is

12 +2 str
13 con
14 +2 dex
11 int
16 wis
10 cha

The array also works if you use str/wis, but his class would want a 18 wis if possible. Also, the fact that it has been stated that half orcs make better rogues than barbarians is a strong indicator that they have a dex bonus.

12 +2
13
16
11
14 +2
10

 

[Snotboy]

This may be the WoW player in me speaking, but I never really understood what could be accomplished flavorwise with a half-orc that you couldn't do with a plain old orc.

 

[Eldorian]

This may be the WoW player in me speaking, but I never really understood what could be accomplished flavorwise with a half-orc that you couldn't do with a plain old orc.

Orcs are monsters. Half-orcs are misunderstood.

 

[Byronic]

Standard array is 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10.

The sample half orc is

12 +2 str
13 con
14 +2 dex
11 int
16 wis
10 cha

The array also works if you use str/wis, but his class would want a 18 wis if possible. Also, the fact that it has been stated that half orcs make better rogues than barbarians is a strong indicator that they have a dex bonus.

12 +2
13
16
11
14 +2
10

Hmm, I'm still hoping for Str/Wis. One of my players is counting on it for her character.

 

[Eldorian]

Hmm, I'm still hoping for Str/Wis. One of my players is counting on it for her character.

Longtooth shifter. It'll also be in PhB2.