Would you allow half-races?

[BiggusGeekus]

What really gnaws at me is the vast array of half-species that are the product of a sexual assult. In the case of the half-orc it's even written into the PHB. Maybe I overdosed on my political correctness pills, but I really don't think that's a necessary solution to explaining the origins of the half-races.

Whatever happened to insane wizards? Those guys never go out of style.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I embrace all halfbreeds.

But, then, I run Planescape.

 

[DragonLancer]

Why should an orc be able to impregnate a human female or elf? For that matter why should elves and humans be able to mate when their biologies are so radically different?

I wouldn't say that they are so radically different. In theory they are the same race just down slightly different directions. Not so odd to think that they could combine DNA.

If you were creating a new world, would you allow for the birth of half races?

Yep. I have no problem with them when they make sense (IE: No half-illithid-half-dragon-half elves).

 

[lukelightning]

Maybe there is some mysterious orc woman who's learned the Seductive Dance of the Seven Veils who *ahem* takes advantage of wandering minstrels and adventurers.

What really gnaws at me is the vast array of half-species that are the product of a sexual assult. In the case of the half-orc it's even written into the PHB. Maybe I overdosed on my political correctness pills, but I really don't think that's a necessary solution to explaining the origins of the half-races.

 

[lukelightning]

The whole "no half-breeds in nature" argument doesn't hold water for me. I'm assuming you've all heard of mules, mixed-breed dogs and cats, wolf-dogs and so forth?

But there are no dog-cats, which is what I see a half-elf or half-orc as. Elves and Humans are separate species in my mind. I can accept a wood elf mating with a high elf, or a blue-nose hobgoblin mating with a red-nose hobgoblin.

Even if you allow for magical genetics, in which the species boundry is indistinct, I don't think there would be enough cross-race mating to warrent its own race in the PhB; half-elves and half-orcs are just Tolkeinisms that were grandfathered in.

 

[Kanegrundar]

I've use half-races since the beginning and will continue to do so. I understand the arguement against them, but IMC there's a lot of magic and all sorts of stuff that doesn't exist in the real world, so I throw most science right out the window.

Kane

 

[Wombat]

This is not a simple "yes/No" dichotomy for me.

IF half-elves and half-orcs are allowed in a campaign, THEN any half-and-half combination should be allowed in that campaign. Thus half-dwarves, half-halfling-half-gnome, etc.

IF no such "core" reaces are allowed in a campaign, THEN no other half-races should be allowed.

Personally, I am not overly fond of half-races and have not allowed them in two out of last three campaigns. The one where I did allow them was more or less a joke campaign, anyway, so I really didn't care.

 

[painandgreed]

Why should an orc be able to impregnate a human female or elf? For that matter why should elves and humans be able to mate when their biologies are so radically different? If you were creating a new world, would you allow for the birth of half races?

IMC, there are only male orcs. They can impregnate anything as a racial ability and the offspring are always half-orcs (with the birth killing the mother a large part of the time). The child of two half orcs or an orc and half orc is a full orc. This is because that is the way Grummsh wants it. He wants (nay, commands) his children to prey upon the other races for their survival so they will not become weak. It's was a way to make the race especially evil and feared and ties in with the origions I came up with for my campaign.

Similarly, elves and most fey can breed with other races as a racial ability because they are magical and their gods allow it.

For other thigs like dragons, feinds, trolls, etc. I usually use bloodline rules from UA instead of half- templates.

 

[Aeolius]

Cross-breeding critters is half of the fun of DMing. After all, if we have tigons, ligers, zorses, zonkeys, and so on in reality, it's not that big a stretch, in a world with magic, to allow all sorts of half-breeds.

Besides, without hybrids, my Night Hag Family Tree would be entirely less dramatic.

 

[ForceUser]

I dig the half-races, and I allow them. Just not the ones in the PHB. Here are mine.

Aelfborn are humans with traces of fey heritage, and are often magical, mysterious, and secretive. Their favored class is bard.

Anhardd are cunning survivors with little binding them to the expectations of their human or hobgoblin kin. Their favored class is fighter.

The Weretouched are loners from the far north, animalistic humans whose lycanthropic lineage has marked them for all to see. Their favored class is ranger.

The aelfborn are my own creation, having jettisoned elves and half-elves (though the name comes from the Shadowbane MMOG). The anhardd appeared in Relics & Rituals: Excalibur, though my version is heavily modified. The weretouched are shifters from the Eberron Campaign Setting, modified culturally to fit my homebrew. Click the spoiler block for the full monty.

[sblock]AELFBORN
Aelfborn are humans with fey ancestry that manifests itself in a variety of startling ways. An aelfborn descended of a dryad might have bark-like skin or green hair, while another with a sidhe ancestor may have pointed ears and lavender eyes; a third born of a satyr’s lust could have a single cloven hoof, small horns, and a six-fingered hand. Whatever their heritage, the aelfborn tend to share the fey susceptibility to cold-forged iron and the fey predilection for magic and music. They are often striking in their deformities, with charisma unmatched by other mortals. Indeed, although they have fey ancestry, the aelfborn are as mortal as any other player character race.

Among the Old Faith practitioners of the Ulvmann and Vangal tribes of the north, the aelfborn are seen as blessed with gifts from the Faire Folk of old, which the humans of northern Eriador once had a close relationship with. But with the conquest by the Thrycians from the south and their Celestine religion over the Old Faith peoples of the north, new converts began to actively hunt and kill any creatures that were considered unholy – including aelfborn. Since the time of the Redeemer, however, those born with fey traits are tolerated, but are considered cursed or disadvantaged by the spiritual descendants of the old Celestine faith. Thus, many aelfborn, feeling marginalized in or distrustful of human society, seek a greater understanding of their Faerie heritage in an effort to find their place in the world. Often looked down upon as throwbacks at best and demon-possessed at worst, some aelfborn, individualistic as they tend to be, find kinship among those with similar heritage. Although their fey ancestry often complicates their lives, it is not without its benefits.

AELFBORN RACIAL TRAITS
• Fey: Aelfborn are humanoids with the fey subtype.
• +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution: aelfborn are alluring but frail.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, aelfborn have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Aelfborn base land speed is 30 feet.
• Immunity to magic sleep effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment and illusion spells or effects.
• Low-Light Vision: An aelfborn can see twice as far as a normal human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Grace: An aelfborn can always choose to take 10 on a Balance check, even if distracted or endangered. Aelfborn are possessed of unearthly poise, a legacy of their fey ancestry.
• Crossroads Sensitivity: Being children of Faerie, the aelfborn are intuitively aware of the presence of the fey crossroads that dot the landscape of Eriador. When an aelfborn comes within 60 feet of a Faerie crossroad, she becomes instinctively aware of its location relative to herself. When viewing a crossroad, she recognizes it for what it is, and won’t be fooled by a false or illusory crossroad. This ability gives an aelfborn no information on where the backroad connected to the crossroad leads.
• Faerie Friend: Aelfborn are recognized by fey for what they are, and as such gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks when interacting with them.
• +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks. Aelfborn are naturally persuasive, which helps them stay alive in a world that is sometimes harsh to those who are different.
• Weakness to Cold Iron: Aelfborn take 1 extra point of damage per attack from cold iron weapons. Like all creatures of Faerie, the aelfborn are susceptible to weapons forged of this material.
• Automatic Language: Regional human language, usually Arbonnesse, Genovan, or Sturmmen. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwer, Faerie, Giant, Gobbledygook, Gurgumund, and regional human language (Arbonnesse, Eloi, Genovan, Sturmmen, Tiamni, Ulvmann, Vangal, and Vistani). Aelfborn sometimes learn the language of their fey forebears, as well as the language of dragons. They feel a certain kinship with the magically adept gnomes and the marginalized goblins, and so often learn their tongues as well.
• Favored Class: Bard. A multiclass aelfborn’s bard class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing (see XP for multiclass characters, page 60 of the Player’s Handbook). The magic of heart and song comes naturally to those born of Faerie.

ANHARDD
“So, sir knight, you will not remove your helmet?” asked the king. “Even if it is considered disrespectful?”

“No, your majesty,” replied Sir Tavok. “I mean no disrespect, but if I were to doff my helm, babies would be crying while people hid their faces and ran to their homes.”

– From the bard’s tale “Story of the Good Knight”

The anhardd (pronounced a-NARD, singular and plural), created from a union of humans and hobgoblins, face a hard life from the day they are born. Still, being strong and cunning, most anhardd look for ways to improve their position and get revenge on those who mistreat them. While many try to gain acceptance of their human or hobgoblin parents, most end up understanding that it seldom happens. To survive, anhardd often have to create their own place in society using not only force, but their intellect as well.

Naturally disciplined and strong-willed, some anhardd rise to positions of prominence in feudal societies through guile or bravery in battle. They are well-suited to feudal roles such as councilor, reeve, and knight. The most powerful anhardd are often feared, yet respected.

ANHARDD RACIAL TRAITS
• +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma: Anhardd inherit a sinister grace from their hobgoblin parent, but have difficulty expressing themselves and being accepted.
• Medium: Anhardd are medium creatures, and gain no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Anhardd base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Anhardd can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and anhardd can function just fine with no light at all.
• Discerning: Sense Motive is always a class skill for an anhardd. From an early age, anhardd learn to be suspicious of the motives of others, usually those that claim to be one’s ally or friend.
• Disciplined: Anhardd gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural powers, and extraordinary abilities. Anhardd are focused, strong-willed survivors.
• Hobgoblin blood: For all effects related to race, an anhardd is considered a hobgoblin. Anhardd, for example, are just as vulnerable to special effects that affect hobgoblins as their hobgoblin kin are, and they can use magic items that are only useable by hobgoblins. (See the Monster Manual for more information about hobgoblins, and the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more on magic items.)
• +2 racial bonus on Listen and Sneak checks. Anhardd are unusually crafty, a trait inherited from their hobgoblin parent.
• +2 racial bonus on Concentration checks. Anhardd are particularly good at ignoring distractions to focus on a task.
• Automatic Language: Regional human language, usually Arbonnesse, Genovan, Sturmmen, or Ulvmann. Bonus Languages: Faerie, Giant, Gobbledygook, Gurgumund, and regional human language (Arbonnesse, Eloi, Genovan, Sturmmen, Tiamni, Ulvmann, Vangal, and Vistani).
• Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass anhardd’s fighter class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing (see XP for multiclass characters, page 60 of the Player’s Handbook).

WERETOUCHED
Long ago, humans native to the harsh northern lands of Eriador and Rothland lived in harmony with the spirits of nature. A wise few went further, allowing certain animal spirits to guide them along their spiritual paths—according to the ulvmann, these were the first lycanthropes. From subtle swanmays, mystic werewolves, and raging berserkers (berserk a word that comes from “bear shirt”—to wear the skin of a bear) can the weretouched trace their lycanthropic heritage. Today, most true lycanthropes of Eriador have faded into legend or retreated into the remote places of the world, as a result of the centuries of persecution by followers of a new religion that has swept up through the north since the coming of the Thrycians—the Celestine faith.

Weretouched are the descendants of the offspring of humans and true lycanthropes. They are similar to the aelfborn in that they are not a true race, but throwbacks born with lycanthropic blood dominant in their veins. Once persecuted by followers of the Celestine Church, they are no longer molested outright, but they suffer suspicion and prejudice wherever they travel outside the lands of the ulvmann and vangals; in those cultures, they are revered. Many weretouched fight against the minions of the Troll King in the Hagenwald, or against the Celestine incursions into Rothland. Most live simple, itinerant lives of solitude at the frontiers of human civilization.

WERETOUCHED RACIAL TRAITS
[Read Eberron Campaign Setting for full disclosure of weretouched traits]
• Riastarthae (Su): Called the warp-frenzy by the ulvmann and hamfarir by the vangals, the torturous, animalistic state called riastarthae allows a weretouched to tap into her lycanthropic heritage to gain short bursts of physical power. Once per day, a weretouched can enter riastarthae, which is superficially similar to a barbarian’s rage. (continued)
• Automatic Languages: Regional human language (usually Sturmmen, Ulvmann, or Vangal). Bonus Languages: Regional human language (Arbonnesse, Eloi, Genovan, Sturmmen, Tiamni, Ulvmann, Vangal, and Vistani). Weretouched often speak the dominant language of the region, as well as their ulvmann or vangal ethnic tongue.[/sblock]