Some lovin' for da half-orcs

[Parlan]

I was really dissappointed that 3.5 didn't add any more "fluff" to the half-orc race. Even if you assume that the bonus to strength really warrants a penalty to both Int and Cha (a theory I've never bought), half-orcs get NOTHING else.

No bonuses to resist bull-rushes like dwarves. No bonuses to resist certain spells like elves (hmmm... and dwarves)


Heck, they don't even get a racial weapon profficiency!

In three years of gaming, no one would play the standard half-orc.

So I'm wondering what sort of half-orc varients people have created....

 

[glass]

I was really dissappointed that 3.5 didn't add any more "fluff" to the half-orc race. Even if you assume that the bonus to strength really warrants a penalty to both Int and Cha (a theory I've never bought), half-orcs get NOTHING else.

No bonuses to resist bull-rushes like dwarves. No bonuses to resist certain spells like elves (hmmm... and dwarves)

I've always thought they should, at the very least, get weapon familiarity.

Even then they are still weak. I think it is a shame that neither half-orcs or half-elves inherit anything at all from their human parent. I toyed with the idea of giving humans 2 bonus feats and half-orcs and half-elves 1 bonus feat, but it opened all sorts of other cans of worms.


glass.

 

[Stormborn]

I typically give half races either a bonus feat or the extra skill point, but not both. It preserves the human uniqueness and still alows for some improvement, especially on the pitiful half-elf. I like how Eberron portrays half-elves as a seperate race. Perhaps one way to enhance the Half-orc is to make them a seperate species, an intermideate race between human and orc. Of course that gets into the question of specices origin that could go lots of different ways.

 

[Spatzimaus]

Well, in my last 3E campaign we added a custom Half-Ogre race, so there was even less appeal to Half-Orcs. So, in exchange, we did the following:
1> Half-Orcs get both Darkvision (60') and Low-Light Vision (x2).
2> As a Feat, Orcs can take the Minor Scent ability (like Scent, but 1/3rd the range, +5 to all DCs, and can't narrow things down to individual squares unless you're adjacent.) For a second Feat this can be upgraded to the full Scent ability.
3> Favored Class is Barbarian OR Ranger. (We do it as Male=Barbarian, Female=Ranger, but do whatever you want)

This turned them into the best trackers and non-Rogue scouts out there. It worked pretty well, although we ended that campaign and switched to an entirely homebrew world with custom races fairly soon after.

 

[Klaus]

My take on human/orc hybrids: half-orc humans (if raised by humans) and half-human orcs (if raised by orcs).

http://www.fierydragon.com/DB/DB_MAY27_2004.htm

 

[robjh]

I was really dissappointed that 3.5 didn't add any more "fluff" to the half-orc race. Even if you assume that the bonus to strength really warrants a penalty to both Int and Cha (a theory I've never bought), half-orcs get NOTHING else.

Not that it really addresses your issue, but if you want a little Orc/Half-Orc color, try the following site:

http://hiddenway.tripod.com/waaagh/

 

[Someone]

Dat site iz great! Nub bein' Inglish mi furst langwage, mi orkies (an stunties) suffa an unnaceptabul degrey o' normul speakin'. But no more!

 

[evolved]

the problem lies in the orcs them selves since all orcs get is ability mods and dark vision plus weapon familiarity with double axes that all a halh orc gets

now the orcs/half-orcs of azeroth get much better deals

also try making halfe versions of the faurunian orcs

half-grey orc

+2 wis -2 cha
half-grey orcs are just as perceptive and mean as their orcish parents but weaker and smarter

Medium

Base speed is 35

run as bonus feat

weapon familiarity orc double axe

lowlight vision

if wis is 13+ may take scent as a feat

favored class Ranger

half grey orcs are only slightly better of then their half mountain counter parts their proficieny as scouts and tacticians are not lost upon the grey orc tribes but the chieftans and priests keep them at arms length they are not allowed to enter the priest-hood as their impure blood is an affront to the orcish dieties, and they are never allowed to command more than a few warriors lest they gain to much support and attempt to oust the cheiftan.

Half-orog (deep orc)

+2 str -2 wis +2 cha
half orog are signifigantly weaker than full bloods but quicker

medium

base speed 30

+1 natural armor

cold and fire resistance 5

darkvision 60 ft

always prof with hand axes and greatswords

+2 on any one craft skill chosen at character creation

LA +1

favored class - Sorcerer

half orog are bred from captured human slaves to use as soldiers for surface world campeigns. They are kept seperate from the rest of orog society, and obey only the orders of their tribe's chief. They get alon tolerably well with othe full-bloods but do not bear insults as to their parentage. Most of the commanding officers are fighter/sorcerers becoming eldritch knights as soon as possible. Many pick up a few sorc levels just to use arcane strike andone or two low level spells

 

[haiiro]

I stayed conservative when house-ruling my half-orcs: they get a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Survival checks, as they are naturally skilled at survival and know how to use their orcish heritage to their advantage.

 

[EvilGM]

I've added the following to half-orcs in my campaign (in addition to the PHB):
+1 Con
+2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Survival
Intimidate and Survival are racial skills (meaning they are always class skills)
Endurance feat for free
May select the Scent feat

Mind you, I've changed all the races at least slightly.

edit- changed the +1Str to Con, my mistake