D&D (2024) The Half Orc. Are they still needed?

[Professor Murder]

Preface: The larger issue of "race" in DnD and how it is changing and will be presented differently in 5+ed is it's own topic. The issue of "mixed race" and how it is presented, such as the half-elf, half-orc, and those of more extended lineage, such as Aasimar and Tieflings is it's own topic. That said, I fully expect this to eventually devolve into just arguments about those issues along a long enough timeline.

Premise: Given the "softening" of Orcs in the mainline documents and likely continued efforts to remove the idea that any given race of playable peoples in DnD are inherently evil, does it make sense to have Half Orcs as a playable option in the next iteration of the PHB? Should instead players just get rules for playing Orcs outright in the PHB?

Thoughts?

 

[Scribe]

Preface: The larger issue of "race" in DnD and how it is changing and will be presented differently in 5+ed is it's own topic. The issue of "mixed race" and how it is presented, such as the half-elf, half-orc, and those of more extended lineage, such as Aasimar and Tieflings is it's own topic. That said, I fully expect this to eventually devolve into just arguments about those issues along a long enough timeline.

Premise: Given the "softening" of Orcs in the mainline documents and likely continued efforts to remove the idea that any given race of playable peoples in DnD are inherently evil, does it make sense to have Half Orcs as a playable option in the next iteration of the PHB? Should instead players just get rules for playing Orcs outright in the PHB?

Thoughts?

In short, no.

I see no point in having it as a distinct entity. Just call it Orc, and assign those floating ASI as you see fit.

Same as Half Elf really.

Those races used to have meaning, at this point, I just don't see how they will continue to have relevance in whatever D&D is turning into.

 

[CleverNickName]

"Needed" is a strong word; they're needed as much as any other race or ancestry option. I mean, I wouldn't artificially create tons of lore for them in my campaign for no other reason than they're in the PHB. But if one of my players is really excited about playing a half-orc, I'd cook up a niche for them, and lots of lore to help them fit.

 

[Professor Murder]

"Needed" is a strong word; they're needed as much as any other race or ancestry option. I mean, I wouldn't artificially create tons of lore for them in my campaign for no other reason than they're in the PHB. But if one of my players is really excited about playing a half-orc, I'd cook up a niche for them, and lots of lore to help them fit.

Well, needed in that they can fill a particular archetype niche, that of a big bruiser, sorta rough around the edges.

 

[Mecheon]

I do reckon Orc'll become the main 'Bruiser' arcetype going forward. We're in a post-Warcraft place of fantasy where the idea of good orcs is well and truly seeded for most people

Half orcs I suspect will become a subrace or the like, so not gone entirely, just an option

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Well, needed in that they can fill a particular archetype niche, that of a big bruiser, sorta rough around the edges.

Then, no. Orcs can easily do that. If you want to be able to play a "Half-Orc" the flavor text of the race in the 5.5e PHB could just say "you can be a half-human, half-orc, but you are mechanically identical to a regular Orc".

And there are plenty of races that fill that niche in D&D. Centaurs, Minotaurs, Goliaths, and a few others.

 

[Charlaquin]

Not really. Until recently they’ve mostly just been playable orcs. Now that orcs aren’t always evil, you don’t really need them for that purpose. They could be fleshed out into their own identity, distinct from being “mostly orcs, but enough not-orcs that your DM will let you play one,” but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re just replaced with full orcs in ‘24.

 

[Charlaquin]

I do reckon Orc'll become the main 'Bruiser' arcetype going forward. We're in a post-Warcraft place of fantasy where the idea of good orcs is well and truly seeded for most people

Half orcs I suspect will become a subrace or the like, so not gone entirely, just an option

I don’t think subraces are going to continue to be a thing.

 

[James Gasik]

Mm, I can't imagine D&D without 37 flavors of Elf.

 

[Charlaquin]

Mm, I can't imagine D&D without 37 flavors of Elf.

Well I’m sure those will still exist, I just don’t think they’ll be categorized as subraces of a single parent race. They’ll just go back to all being “full” races again.