Half Orcs!!

[Stygofthedump]

Never been a fan of half orcs. Now 5th ed has changed my mind. WOW! Stats in right places for melee + 'I get knocked down but i get up again" ability and more crit damage!
Loving the orc ancient pally lv 15 stacking with native ability, no to mention the goodness of the saves.
(kind of a Warf character)

[Rusty Killinger]

Yeah the 3rd edition half orcs where underwhelming and 4th skipped them entirely. The new ones are both interesting and balanced.

[Yorrin]

They are certainly a strong contender for best Str based race in the game. Mountain Dwarves edge them out for those more concerned with pure ability scores, but Half Orcs get more bells and whistles (ironically?). Nothing else really comes close, except for builds where Dragonborn can shine (Str based Paladins being the primary). Goliaths are almost there, but Half Orcs just seem better to me.

[Inevitability]

Yeah the 3rd edition half orcs where underwhelming and 4th skipped them entirely. The new ones are both interesting and balanced.

That's just not true. 4e had half-orcs in the second PHB.

And I've said this before, but why couldn't WotC just follow 4e's example and give half-orcs bonuses to Strength and Dexterity, instead of Strength and Constitution? We have enough mindless brutes already.

[Joe the Rat]

Not sure how Dex makes them less mindless...
Did they really do Str + Dex in 4e? It's an odd combination - I mean, it makes sense to have both, but generally they (WotC, and game designers in general) seem to avoid "Lightning Bruiser" as a race profile.


'I get knocked down but i get up again" abilityThus is born the story of Chumba, the CN Half-Orc Bard o' Valor.

[Mrglee]

Yeah the 3rd edition half orcs where underwhelming and 4th skipped them entirely. The new ones are both interesting and balanced.

False, half orcs came out in PHBII, just weren't PHB. They were also very good, though not one of the favorite races of 4e's dev team.

[Inevitability]

Not sure how Dex makes them less mindless...


It indirectly does. A strength-constitution combo encourages half-orcs to take classes such as barbarian and fighter, which are often roleplayed as mindless brutes. Dexterity-strength, however, is useful for rogues, rangers, and monks, classes which are less likely to dump intelligence.


Did they really do Str + Dex in 4e? It's an odd combination - I mean, it makes sense to have both, but generally they (WotC, and game designers in general) seem to avoid "Lightning Bruiser" as a race profile.

To be completely precise, you could either go strength/dexterity or constitution/dexterity. All 4e races had one fixed ability boost and one flexible.

[Dimolyth]

It indirectly does. A strength-constitution combo encourages half-orcs to take classes such as barbarian and fighter, which are often roleplayed as mindless brutes. Dexterity-strength, however, is useful for rogues, rangers, and monks, classes which are less likely to dump intelligence.



To be completely precise, you could either go strength/dexterity or constitution/dexterity. All 4e races had one fixed ability boost and one flexible.

Well, half-orcs are designed to resemble mindless brute. Such as elves are designed to resemble graceful spellcasters. If Half-Orc doesn`t make great fighters or barbarians in 4e - they are designed bad (in 4e - there was STR/DEX fighters as well as STR/DEX barbarians and rogues).

As a player who roleplays fighter/rogue tactical genuis half-orc, who just "can handle everything without your spells". Jewelers` kit, thieves` tools, insight and history proficiency. Well, he pretends to be a mindless brute "just like any other half-orc". He wears a tusk esspecially for this. And it is awesome.

In the times of 3e, I believed half-breeds were made unoptional to have them a rare choice for PC, as they are rare race. I did not understood this logic (PC are always exeptional by their role in society, mechanics just doesn`t matter).
5e half-orcs are great, and a tough half-orc is more archetypic then a quick half-orc. So +1 Con is at the place.

[Belksworth]

I have a stereotypical dumb Half-Orc fighter named Thog. All coincidental, of course. :thog:
Anyway, I've found that with his racial power and Str + Con bonus he is a strong contender in combat. I have seen the 4e Half-Orcs, and like the Str + Dex combo. Ultimately, though, I prefer Str + Con, as a fighter generally only needs either Str or Dex anyway, depending on your build.

[ShikomeKidoMi]

I have a stereotypical dumb Half-Orc fighter named Thog. All coincidental, of course. :thog:
Anyway, I've found that with his racial power and Str + Con bonus he is a strong contender in combat. I have seen the 4e Half-Orcs, and like the Str + Dex combo. Ultimately, though, I prefer Str + Con, as a fighter generally only needs either Str or Dex anyway, depending on your build.

Is he a Champion? It's not the most flashy of archetypes, but I always thought it would synergize really well with Half-Orc racial abilities (savage attacks and superior critical-- especially with the Great Weapon Mastery feat, relentless endurance and survivor).

[Madbox]

I felt goofy one day and made a half-orc cleric of Hathor. I figured I'd make the least orc-like half-orc possible, for comedy purposes. She's mainly a healer, with guidance and mending cantrips for utility. Dump stated dex, decent int, con, and char, and high wis and str. First fight we entered, she went all Jehova's Witness on a goblin. Only to nail him with sacred flame next round for daring to blaspheme.

[Nu]

While I agree that I felt like 4th edition got the stats "more right", the half-orc's Relentless Endurance feature that lets them stay conscious with 1 HP when they would otherwise be dropped is invaluable at low levels and is a great addition to the race. I kinda wish more races had special neat "power" like abilities like that. Especially dwarves! Pure "passive" races with nothing active/triggered bores me a little.

[djreynolds]

Half Orc wizards are great. How many times has your wizard been splattered with one hit? He can get up. Actually very useful. Bonus to strength, athletic is great for wizard's to have a chance to stay straight up. So strength is not a total waste if you select the sailor background.

[Dimolyth]

Is he a Champion? It's not the most flashy of archetypes, but I always thought it would synergize really well with Half-Orc racial abilities (savage attacks and superior critical-- especially with the Great Weapon Mastery feat, relentless endurance and survivor).

No, he is a battlemaster/tavern brawler/athlete monster tactician. At my 6th level (fighter5/rogue1), when I frightened, tripped, grappled, disarmed and THEN took my weapon and stabbed the BBEG in first round of combat... well, DM was disappointed a little))) that was even better, when next round I rolled a successful wisdom saving throw.
Martial. Versatile. Awesome.

Yeah, he lacks hp a little, but AC 19 and a lot of options to turn attacks on him to disadvantage... so worse against mobs, but against one powerful foe... a lot of joy.