Racial Traits for A Half-Orc Fetchling?

[Palanan]

According to the Advanced Race Guide, fetchlings are descended from humans, so it may not be all that far-fetched to imagine that orcs could breed with them.

Assuming this is feasible, and the offspring is half-orc and half-fetchling, what racial traits would it have?

.

[Florian]

Fetchlings are native outsiders and don't even carry the Human subtype anymore, same thing as with Tiefling or other plane-touched. Note that Humans can mate with Shae to produce Fetchlings.

So nothing will happen, either they can´t mate at all or will produce a Fetchling, outsider type mostly overriding regular biological types, same as with Tieflings.

[Second Arrow]

Well, there is an alternate racial trait called "Behind the Veil" from Blood of Shadows, that I'd imagine would be quite suitable for this - I'd imagine that you could just use the normal Half-Orc racial traits, but enforce that this is in effect?



Behind the Veil
Characters with this trait slyly cover their body language and movements by acting in a shadowed or partitioned areas. These characters gain a +2 bonus on Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks while benefiting from concealment or cover.

Half-orcs can take this trait in place of intimidating, also gaining the shadow blending fetchling racial trait.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Florian
So nothing will happen, either they can´t mate at all or will produce a Fetchling, outsider type mostly overriding regular biological types….

I don’t see this as ruling out an orc/fetchling crossbreed. Even if there’s a specific rule stating that the outsider type is dominant, that would just mean the offspring would have the outsider type, without preventing orc racial traits from being expressed as well.


Originally Posted by Second Arrow
Well, there is an alternate racial trait called "Behind the Veil" from Blood of Shadows, that I'd imagine would be quite suitable for this - I'd imagine that you could just use the normal Half-Orc racial traits, but enforce that this is in effect?

Interesting option, thanks. It seems a little diluted just to apply this to a half-orc without other aspects of the fetchling parent, but this could be one component of a shadow-based mix. It sounds like Shadow Blending could be another option; are there others that would work here?

[Psyren]

I think Second Arrow's trait would probably be the extent of it from a hybrid standpoint, then you would choose from the half-orc stuff like any other half-orc would.

Such a hybrid who really wanted to focus on their shadowy origins could take Racial Heritage, then nab stuff from other shadowy humanoids (like Wayangs, Svirfneblin, Drow etc.) and refluff those as coming from the Fetchling side.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Psyren
Such a hybrid who really wanted to focus on their shadowy origins could take Racial Heritage, then nab stuff from other shadowy humanoids (like Wayangs, Svirfneblin, Drow etc.) and refluff those as coming from the Fetchling side.

Interesting, thanks. I’m assuming that this kind of hybrid would retain the outsider type? And what would the adjustments to stats look like?

I’m pretty familiar with the wayangs; what other shadow-themed racial traits would be especially appropriate here?

[Psyren]

Interesting, thanks. I’m assuming that this kind of hybrid would retain the outsider type? And what would the adjustments to stats look like?

Actually, I would make them a regular half-orc, i.e. humanoid - just like if an Orc had mated with an Aasimar, which are similarly of human descent.



I’m pretty familiar with the wayangs; what other shadow-themed racial traits would be especially appropriate here?

I mean stuff like a Drow's darkness SLA or superior darkvision racial.

I can't really go through every shadowy race for you but a guideline I'd follow is to use a broad definition of "shadowy." They don't have to actually manipulate darkness; consider even checking out races like Ratfolk and Dhampir for inspiration. Anything that might live in darkness.

[upho]

I don’t see this as ruling out an orc/fetchling crossbreed. Even if there’s a specific rule stating that the outsider type is dominant, that would just mean the offspring would have the outsider type, without preventing orc racial traits from being expressed as well.If you want something that blends more of the half-orc and fetchling features, I suggest you simply create a fetchling orc variant, similar to the aasimar, skinwalker and tiefling variants. The only difference to those races would be that a fetchling variant would differ depending on the specific humanoid heritage, rather than the specific outsider/were-creature heritage.

When looking at the half-orc, orc and fetchling racial traits, my first thought for such a "shadow-orc" would be to replace the standard fetchling's ability score adjustments, skill bonuses, the disguise self SLA, and the low-light vision with:

Ability Scores: +2 Str, +2 Charisma, and –2 Wisdom.
Skills traits: +2 to Intimidate
Offense traits: Orc Ferocity and Weapon Familiarity (as half-orc, and treated as half-orc for the purpose of choosing options and gaining benefits which require either of these traits, such as the Ferocious Tenacity feat)

I think this would make for a considerably more orc-ish fetchling, without removing the most unique fetchling racial traits. (And if it matters, this shadow-orc would also end up with 17 RP, just like the standard fetchling.)

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by upho
When looking at the half-orc, orc and fetchling racial traits, my first thought for such a "shadow-orc" would be to replace the standard fetchling's ability score adjustments, skill bonuses, the disguise self SLA, and the low-light vision with:

• Ability Scores: +2 Str, +2 Charisma, and –2 Wisdom.
• Skills traits: +2 to Intimidate
• Offense traits: Orc Ferocity and Weapon Familiarity (as half-orc, and treated as half-orc for the purpose of choosing options and gaining benefits which require either of these traits, such as the Ferocious Tenacity feat)

This is very helpful, thanks—and “shadow orc” is kind of catchy. :smalltongue:

So, with this as a starting point, I’m thinking of something with a little more emphasis on stealth and stalking:


• Ability Scores: +2 Str, +2 Dex, and –2 Wisdom.
• Skill trait: +2 to Perception and Stealth (= the wayangs’ Lurker trait)
• Other traits: Orc Ferocity and Shadow Blending (direct from fetchlings)

Does this seem workable? Is there room for anything else shadow-y?


Originally Posted by upho
…I suggest you simply create a fetchling orc variant, similar to the aasimar, skinwalker and tiefling variants.

This part is a little confusing—are you saying there are aasimar variants of fetchlings? Not quite sure what you mean here.

.

[grarrrg]

This part is a little confusing—are you saying there are aasimar variants of fetchlings? Not quite sure what you mean here.

No, there's the Aasimar (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-aasimar/), and then there are variants of Aasimar, like Agathion-Blooded, Angel-Blooded, Archon-Blooded... that all give different stat boosts, and Skills/Spell-likes, but they all still count as "Aasimar". Tieflings and Skinwalkers also have "Basically the same race, but slightly different" options.
The variants follow a pattern of only changing the Stats, Skill bonuses, and Spell-Likes (maybe not the Skinwalkers...).

So keep all the basic Fetchling stuff, but then say
"Orc-Blooded Fetchlings" have +2 STR, -2 INT, +2 CHA
Their Skill bonus is to Intimidate and Perception instead of Knowledge/Stealth
Instead of Disguise self as their spell like get Darkness or something

[Pyromancer999]

Blood of Shadows has enough selection of alternate racial traits that you could basically swap out pretty much any trait you did not want for a shadow-themed substitute, though specifically which might depend on what sort of character you are making. It also would not be hard to ask your GM to simply swap out the counting as human for counting as Fetchling, or failing that, taking Racial Heritage as previously suggested above. Especially if you are for some reason in a Mythic canpaign, as Mythic Racial heritage gets you a racial trait of your choice. You could also swap out Ferocity for either enhanced Darkvision, or Fey Magic for an appropriately shadowy place.

Alternatively, just use Fetchling stats and refluff, as they suggest for Aasimars of non-human descent.