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

[Kobold Avenger]

Stout Halflings are implied to be part Dwarven, and I see that still stands in 5e. There was a Halfling subrace called Tallfellow which were implied to be part Elven.

 

[Yaarel]

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?

The half-orc and the half-elf are no longer useful race concepts.

However, there needs to be rules for representing the offspring of any two races, such as drow and rockgnome, and so on.

In this case, the human-orc and the human-elf can be readymade examples for how to use the new rules.

 

[Oofta]

I don’t think that the existence of half-orcs necessarily means humans and orcs have to be related species; ditto for half-elves (and in fact elves’ fae ancestry would seem to suggest they are not related to humans at all). However, if they aren’t related, it does raise the question of why there are half-human-half-orcs (and half-human-half-elves) but not other half-and-half combinations.

The real answer of course is that half-orcs and elves were created long ago in a century far, far away because Tolkien decided they could mix. Half elves apparently were also a thing in Nordic lore. Tolkien did have half-goblins but his goblins were really just orcs.

There are basically two solutions to this: either there are other half-and-half combinations, in which case there should be some way to make PC stats for them, or there’s something special about humans, orcs, and elves that makes them more sexually compatible than other races. The related species thing is simply one possible answer to this. Another is the size difference thing I jokingly brought up earlier in the thread.

I think the custom lineage option from Tasha’s does present a handy way to make your own half-dwarf-half-dragonborn or whatever.

It's easy enough to justify if you want, it's magic. Magic doesn't have to apply equally to all races. For elves it's because their adaptable, for orcs it's to spread influence. Dwarves are are perfect the way they are (unless you're in Athas of course), half halflings would just be confusing. Half gnomes? The less people know about gnomish mating rituals the better.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

In Tolkien's lore orcs were corrupted elves. It's implied that Tolkien's half orcs are humans corrupted by Saruman in imitation of Sauron. Trolls are corrupted ents.

 

[Alzrius]

I don’t think that the existence of half-orcs necessarily means humans and orcs have to be related species; ditto for half-elves (and in fact elves’ fae ancestry would seem to suggest they are not related to humans at all). However, if they aren’t related, it does raise the question of why there are half-human-half-orcs (and half-human-half-elves) but not other half-and-half combinations.

I'm guessing it's because ring species are a thing (and that's not a Tolkien joke, ironically enough).

 

[Vaalingrade]

So we had a discussion and came up with the idea that orcs are probably largely vegetarian.

Those big, strong manly jaws are usually a sign of something built for bite force suitable for crushing grains and nuts and probably housing powerful, coarse plant grinding molars similar to those of real life Swole Humanoid, P.Bosei.

This is even supported by some world building as whenever orcs aren't just rank and file things to kill, they are usually farmers without seeming to perform animal husbandry.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

So we had a discussion and came up with the idea that orcs are probably largely vegetarian.

Those big, strong manly jaws are usually a sign of something built for bite force suitable for crushing grains and nuts and probably housing powerful, coarse plant grinding molars similar to those of real life Swole Humanoid, P.Bosei.

This is even supported by some world building as whenever orcs aren't just rank and file things to kill, they are usually farmers without seeming to perform animal husbandry.

I like this. I my head cannon elves are big meat eaters. They really don't do agriculture as we do but more forestry management. They remove trees to ensure there is good grazing on the forest floor for animals they hunt and that nut/berry bearing bushes can thrive.

 

[Bill Zebub]

but at the actual table when facing the hordes of the Underdark, your character genetics should not be the main focus of the rules.

QFT.

 

[Bill Zebub]

So we had a discussion and came up with the idea that orcs are probably largely vegetarian.

Those big, strong manly jaws are usually a sign of something built for bite force suitable for crushing grains and nuts and probably housing powerful, coarse plant grinding molars similar to those of real life Swole Humanoid, P.Bosei.

This is even supported by some world building as whenever orcs aren't just rank and file things to kill, they are usually farmers without seeming to perform animal husbandry.

Definitely this.

We're talking CR 8, sentient plants, though. Right?

 

[MGibster]

Those big, strong manly jaws are usually a sign of something built for bite force suitable for crushing grains and nuts and probably housing powerful, coarse plant grinding molars similar to those of real life Swole Humanoid, P.Bosei.

They look pretty good at cracking bones to get to the sweet, sweet marrow. But orc herbivores sounds hilarious so I'm going to go with that.