What core 3.5 race is the weakest?

[snarfoogle]

Well, I saw the class topic and I figured -- why not a race topic?

I know the races all are suited for different classes, but in general, which race has the best abilities?

 

[Thanee]

If the name of a race starts with a Half-, that cannot bode well.

Only the halflings have mastered the art of being half.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

It makes me wonder...

I know that the half-breeds are sub-par, but for the life of me I can't figure out why this should be so. A half-elf is like "elf lite" with no ability score mods, less elfy bonuses, and no favoured class. But there's no unique niche that it fills, and the bonuses it loses aren't made up for by the lack of a favoured class. The half-orc is good at hitting people, but that's about it. Darkvision is nice, but the dwarf gets that, and more...and doesn't have to take two mental ability penalties.

But why? Why should these poor, mistreated halfbreeds suffer so. The real reason that half-orcs and half-elves are ostracised isn't because of their mixed lineage. It's because they suck so hard that nobody wants them in their party, and it's easier to just pretend to be a racist than to explain it to them. Ah, the tragedy...

 

[Thanee]

The half-races do have a niche, half-orcs are the dumb brutes and half-elves are the diplomates.

The problem is, that the 'other' half tends to be forgotten in the process.

They receive half the bonuses from their nonhuman heritage, but nothing from their human heritage. Now this is, of course, not entirely true, but to some degree at least, it is.

IMC I give both half-elves and half-orc more bonuses (half-elves get +1 skill point/level (their human side makes them better at picking up new knowledge) and half-orcs a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate (their human side gives them more control over their scary looks and how to use it to their advantage)).

Bye
Thanee

 

[d4]

Only the halflings have mastered the art of being half.

i want to play a full-blooded ling. they must be a stupendously powerful race.

wow, i know it's only 19 votes so far, but it looks all over for the half-elf and half-orc... (not that that should come as a surprise to anyone.)

 

[Dalamar]

There's a pretty strong consensus on this one, it seems.

But it's really hard, when it comes to the half-elf, to give it abilities so that it doesn't surpass either of its halves in efficiency. If I was upping them (the need hasn't been there, nobody wants to play a half-elf due to the fact that they like being elves, dwarves or halflings more), I'd prolly give them all elf abilities except for ability modifiers, sleep immunity, secret door detection, and proficiency in rapier and longsword, and give them the free favored class as compensation. And even that might be stepping on the elf's turf a bit too much.

 

[burnrate]

It's almost a toss-up between the half races, but a half-orc can really shine in combat roles. The half-elf is never at the top of the heap. Half-elf.

 

[snarfoogle]

So, what fixes do you apply to the weakest races, if any in your campaign?

 

[d4]

So, what fixes do you apply to the weakest races, if any in your campaign?

well for me, i just don't even use the hybrid races.

 

[Gort]

I hit half-elf to begin with, but realised a moment later that it is in fact the elf that is the weakest race. Let's look at what they get:

-2 con, +2 dex
A lot of other stuff that doesn't really matter too much.

+2 dex does NOT make up for -2 con. Elves seem to drop left right and centre when I see them played, and every class can always use more con.

It's the main reason that elves are the weakest race and dwarves are the strongest race.