Have We Seen Half-Orcs Yet?

[Paraxis]

This article talks about building a town as a point of light in 4E. It goes through the races in the PHB and no mention of half-orcs or regular orcs at all, so it doesn't look like we will see them except maybe in the MM.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dudc/20071019

So seven races:
Human
Elf
Dwarf
Halfling (still using this name, how I hate this name)
Eladrin
Tiefling
Half-Elf (how I hate how this is a race and not just a feat for humans called "elf ancestry")

 

[Mad Mac]

Ugh. They kept the Half-elf over the Half-Orc. Not unexpected, but still disappointing. In my experience, I'd say the Half-Orc got a lot more play in 3rd edtion than either the Half-elf or the Gnome, and possibly even the halfling. Oh well...

I guess they really are hoping the Tiefling makes a good replacement, but it just doesn't work for me, for reasons I've already stated in this thread. I don't have a problem with Tieflings, but there's no character concept for Half-Orcs where I would want to swap in a Tiefling instead.

 

[Wormwood]

Ugh. They kept the Half-elf over the Half-Orc. Not unexpected, but still disappointing. In my experience, I'd say the Half-Orc got a lot more play in 3rd edtion than either the Half-elf or the Gnome, and possibly even the halfling. Oh well...

Since 2000, my games have seen a half-dozen half-orcs, one gnome, and zero half-elves.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

I've never been a fan of Gnomes, never understood how they made it into the 3Ed PHB, and wouldn't miss them from 4Ed. However, I'm a huge fan of Half-orcs, so if they get left behind and lost in the Teifling's dust-trail, I guess I know how the Gnome fans are feeling right now. Group hug anybody?

I really like gnomes, although I understand they aren't as popular as other races and can see why

I think half-races offer great opportunity for roleplay. I currently have two active half-orc characters in Living Greyhawk, and chose to play them quite differently:

For the record, I don't think anyone who likes half-races to be "sissies" or otherwise denigrate them. I hope the tone of my first post came through as lightheartedly as I meant it to be, but it may not have come through very well. So apologies if anyone felt insulted.

You're right, half-races can offer good roleplay opportunities. I guess it's just a matter of personal preference - I feel I can do many of the same stories with a full blooded character as with a half-breed. From a game mechanical perspective, I feel like there should be a feat like "Elf Ancestry" or "Human Ancestry" or whatever that you add on to the base race.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

This article talks about building a town as a point of light in 4E. It goes through the races in the PHB and no mention of half-orcs or regular orcs at all, so it doesn't look like we will see them except maybe in the MM.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dudc/20071019

So seven races:
Human
Elf
Dwarf
Halfling (still using this name, how I hate this name)
Eladrin
Tiefling
Half-Elf (how I hate how this is a race and not just a feat for humans called "elf ancestry")

Personally, I would have used the orc as a stand in for half elves.

Whatever race should be there, maybe if we complain enough we can get them to change it.

 

[GreatLemur]

I'd go with:

Human Paladin
Dwarf Cleric
Elf Ranger
Halfling Rogue
Tiefling Warlock
Eladrin Wizard
Half-Elf Warlord
Half-Orc Fighter

Human Paladin's nicely iconic, and it means the (likely) charismatic Warlord is served by the (almost certainly) charismatic Half-Elf.

Yep, that's my list exactly. The Half-Elf Warlord seems inevitable, since they've mentioned some kind of "inspiring presence" effect as a Half-Elf racial ability.

...But, honestly, I'd love to see them go with Baby Samurai's list. I hate archetype enforcement in RPGs.

 

[Aeolius]

...An albacore around the neck of the not very smart

I'd say QFT, but you're full abalone.

I'm just trying to tuna out this conversation...

There's something fishy about the lack of mention of half-orcs. This bass assertion that they won't be included for the halibut is kind of scandalous. But let's not go after every red herring we see, either - could just be that they haven't gotten around to it yet.

I trout it's a fluke. If they were to pike one race to bone, it'd be one that's floundering.

You folks are giving me such a haddock.

 

[BryonD]

Totally baseless prediction:

Half-orcs will get mention in the MM under orcs and will get PC treatment along with gnomes.

 

[Desdichado]

Since 2000, my games have seen a half-dozen half-orcs, one gnome, and zero half-elves.

I've had two or three gnomes, but otherwise that's about right for me too.

I did have a changeling disguised as a half-elf for several sessions, though.

I think the half-orc and orc will both show up as playable races in the MM. I'd be surprised otherwise. Who cares if it's in the PHB or some other source, as long as it's there as an option? What difference does it make?

I do think including elves, eladrin and half-elves as three of the seven or eight PHB races seems like an awful lot of conceptual overlap unless there's actually going to be more than seven or eight PHB races, though.

 

[True_Blue]

Since 2000, my games have seen a half-dozen half-orcs, one gnome, and zero half-elves.

While I can't speak for your group exactly, I think half-elves aren't played a lot because of the options that they are given in the PHB. There just isn't any upside to playing one game-wise.

Sure you get role-playing flavour, but you know most ppl can do that with just about any race. The Half-Elves just brought nothing to the table. Now say the human had the abilities the half-elves did, and vice versa. I would bet a massive amount of money that a lot of people would have been playing half-elves to take advantage of that extra feat, skill points, etc. And then people would be toting how the human is boring and bland.

If the designers would make it cool to be a half-elf, you would see more half-elves and I dont believe as many people would be ready to get rid of them. But its been roughly 7 years of boring half-elves.

I dont think this is the full reason ppl are ok letting half-elves go. I know its not a big deal to me if they got rid of them from the PHB, but I do think this plays a big part.