What's the deal with half-orcs?

[scott-fs]

Can't beat a half-orc and half-elf half brothers!

PS

Or Half-Orc* and Dwarf brothers. :\

* Well, more specifically, the Half-Orc was part Orc and part Dwarf (rather than Human).

The weird part about the relationship was that the Half-Orc wanted to be accepted by society, and be good an honorable. The dwarf just wanted to fight, touch shiny stuff, fight, be obnoxious, fight, and last but not least, fight. Of note, the dwarf had the lower intelligence.

In the campaign I've started, I've erased Half-Orcs out of existence. Just might do the same with Half-Elves. I've been contemplating the idea of developing bloodlines from Unearthed Arcana for many of the common races, rather than having mixed breed races. For instance, there would be a Dwarf bloodline, Elf bloodline, Orc bloodline, etc. Players would then select a base race and select a bloodline from an available list.

 

[Wombat]

Despite the GM Hold Music, I want to know why more campaigns don't have half-dwarves...

 

[Goobermunch]

Or Half-Orc* and Dwarf brothers. :\

* Well, more specifically, the Half-Orc was part Orc and part Dwarf (rather than Human).

Would that be a dwork?

Can't beat a half-orc and half-elf half brothers!

PS

Unless you're playing in a party with a half-orc monk (brother), a tiefling sorceror (brother), and an aasimar paladin (sister).

Dad got around a whole lot!

--G

 

[Feathercircle]

I use them.. coincidentally, they're one of only two cross-breed species (aside from half-dragons, of course...) and the only common one.

The fact that humans can have offspring with orcs IMC, and moon elves with dark elves, but that no other crossbreeds are possible, is VERY significant and tells a lot about the origins of the elves and humans.... and it's also related to how two perfectly normal kobolds can give birth to a half-dragon... but my players don't know anything about that yet.

 

[Endur]

Both half-orcs and barbarians were in earlier editions of D&D.

The Barbarian class was introduced in Dragon #63, to represent Conan, Ghengis Khan, and other types of barbarians. This was a non-raging, non-magic using barbarian who was in many ways more powerful than the other classes in AD&D at the time.

The half-orc was introduced in the AD&D PHB, and was most often used for assassins and fighters (pre-barbarian class). The half-orc was really seen as the skulking killer, not the incredible Hulk of warcraft/3e D&D.

 

[Particle_Man]

One advantage of half-orcs is that they are simple to play for beginners. Not too many racial abilities to remember. And the darkvision means they don't have to worry about holding a torch. So a half-orc fighter only has to know about feats (and power attack/cleave is a pretty good way to start, and the cleave part is easy to remember, anyway) and (usually) one skill. So give them a greatsword and they are good to go.

In 1st ed., there were interesting features of half-orcs. Only multiclassed thieves that were half-orcs (vs. other multiclassed races) could use any weapon (as opposed to thief only weapons) to backstab. Also, half-orcs had a bonus to str and con, but there were str. caps to races (and genders) back then, and the strongest possible human was slightly stronger than the strongest possible half-orc (but the strongest possible female half-orc was stronger than the strongest possible female human). And half-orcs were shorter than either humans or orcs. There were level limits back then too. half-orc clerics had the worst limit, but so few races could even be PC clerics that it might have been worth it occasionally. Of all races, only half-orcs had level limits as thieves, and no racial level limit as assassins. They had penalty to charisma but not intelligence.

 

[JeffB]

Both half-orcs and barbarians were in earlier editions of D&D.

The half-orc was introduced in the AD&D PHB, and was most often used for assassins and fighters (pre-barbarian class). The half-orc was really seen as the skulking killer, not the incredible Hulk of warcraft/3e D&D.

If you go through some of the old 1E mods you will also basically see them as more human-like than orc-like..in fact they were often meant to seem like humans to PCs until they got real close, and then..SUPRISE...

I always preferred that approach, compared to thre big dumb brutes they've become in recent years..

In my campaigns however, there are no half-races...orcs and even elves cannot breed with humans...

 

[Faerl'Elghinn]

Personally, I find the idea of half-orcs to be absolutely great. It is highly reasonable for female humans to have been assaulted by orcs and then rescued premortem somehow, or afforded the opportunity for escape when kept as slaves. The race is quite playable, and actually quite fun to use with classes other than Barbarian. I have a half-orc character who, although he does have one level in Barbarian, is also a 6th-level Sorcerer. He is absolutely great fun to play, and his personality really stems from the fact that he is a character of a race with a tendency for chaos and barbarism in such an unusual role.

 

[Taneel BrightBlade]

half orcs are good the cha decrease bugs me though. Also I want a race like this:str+2wis-4 bonus feat
Is this a race? and is it fair

 

[Taneel BrightBlade]

I agree with Faerl'Elghinn