Malapterus
2018-10-20, 10:15 AM
I need to add something to the orcs and half-orcs to help balance them out in the wide world of 3.5 where Strength is not such a big deal. I am going to give my suggestions and I want you guys to help me pick one or two of them to help balance out these green boy. First, the base stats - then I'll put my suggestions for add-ons to these two races.
-Orcs - I decided to keep the double penalty. It's tradition, and it gives me room to work on the bonus.
+4 Strength, -4 Intelligence, -4 Charisma.
Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
orc base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: 60 feet.
Orcs may treat orc double axes ad martial weapons and greatclubs as simple weapons.
Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.
Half-Orcs
-A Half-Orc is a hybrid of an Orc and another Medium Humanoid. The Orc half is dominant in their breeding.
+2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Half-orc base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: 60 feet.
Half-Orcs may treat orc double axes ad martial weapons and greatclubs as simple weapons.
Unsavory Hybrid: For any effects or rules that specify, a half-orc counts as an orc and a human.
Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.
ORC UPGRADES - Help me tack some of these on to what I already have.
Orcs are tough - Half-orcs get 2 extra HP at level 1 and 1 extra HP per level after that; full-blooded orcs get double that.
Orcs are study - Half-orcs get +2 natural armor, full orcs get +4
Orcs are strong - A half-orc or orc wielding a weapon in one hand adds 1.5x his Strength bonus to it instead of the normal 1x. In two hands, he gets 2x his Strength bonus added to damage. He can wield a two-handed weapon in one-hand without penalty, but this does not allow him to wield weapons that would be too large for a Medium humanoid. An Orc can use both hands to throw a two-handed weapon or a small object, but he has no racial proficiency to do so.
Orcs are strong, I said - a half-orc's carrying capacity is increased by 50%. A full orc's carrying capacity is doubled.
Orcs are powerful - When a half-orc wears armor he is proficient with, the Maximum Dexterity Bonus increases by one and the Armor Check decreases by one, to a minimum of 0. These bonuses are doubled for full orcs.
Orcs are savage - When a half-orc or orc makes only one attack in a round, be it either a standard action or a full round action, he gets a damage bonus equal to half his level, minimum 1.
Orcs are heavy - Orcs and half-orcs get a +2 bonus to making and resisting maneuvers such as Trip, Grapple, and Bull Rush. (basically any check where being a size bigger gives you +4, orcs and half-orcs get +2)
Orcs are scary - an orc or half-orc can add half his Strength bonus to Intimidation checks.
Orcs are hungry - this is actually an additonal penalty I thought would be interesting. Half-Orcs consume twice as much food as a normal Medium Humanoid; Orcs consume three times as much.
Orcs are dangerous - Orcs and half-orcs do not have an unarmed strike. They may take Improved Unarmed Strike and gain lethal and nonlethal unarmed strikes per a Medium Humanoid, but with or without that feat they have a natural Slam attack. This is 1d4 Bludgeoning for a half-orc and 1d6 for a full orc. The tusks of an orc give them a clumsy but better-than-nothing bite attack; 1d3 piercing for a half-orc and 1d4 for a full orc, critical 19-20x2. Half-orcs cannot make multiple natural attacks like monsters can, but may use both hands to Slam under the rules for Two-Weapon Fighting. Full-orcs can make a full natural attack like a monster, with their bite being the primary weapon - though they are almost always better off using a manufactured weapon.
so, yeah, give me some ideas on groups of those that would go well with what I already have. I can't decide! If you think some of them should be powered up or powered down, by all means say so.
-Orcs - I decided to keep the double penalty. It's tradition, and it gives me room to work on the bonus.
+4 Strength, -4 Intelligence, -4 Charisma.
Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
orc base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: 60 feet.
Orcs may treat orc double axes ad martial weapons and greatclubs as simple weapons.
Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.
Half-Orcs
-A Half-Orc is a hybrid of an Orc and another Medium Humanoid. The Orc half is dominant in their breeding.
+2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Half-orc base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: 60 feet.
Half-Orcs may treat orc double axes ad martial weapons and greatclubs as simple weapons.
Unsavory Hybrid: For any effects or rules that specify, a half-orc counts as an orc and a human.
Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.
ORC UPGRADES - Help me tack some of these on to what I already have.
Orcs are tough - Half-orcs get 2 extra HP at level 1 and 1 extra HP per level after that; full-blooded orcs get double that.
Orcs are study - Half-orcs get +2 natural armor, full orcs get +4
Orcs are strong - A half-orc or orc wielding a weapon in one hand adds 1.5x his Strength bonus to it instead of the normal 1x. In two hands, he gets 2x his Strength bonus added to damage. He can wield a two-handed weapon in one-hand without penalty, but this does not allow him to wield weapons that would be too large for a Medium humanoid. An Orc can use both hands to throw a two-handed weapon or a small object, but he has no racial proficiency to do so.
Orcs are strong, I said - a half-orc's carrying capacity is increased by 50%. A full orc's carrying capacity is doubled.
Orcs are powerful - When a half-orc wears armor he is proficient with, the Maximum Dexterity Bonus increases by one and the Armor Check decreases by one, to a minimum of 0. These bonuses are doubled for full orcs.
Orcs are savage - When a half-orc or orc makes only one attack in a round, be it either a standard action or a full round action, he gets a damage bonus equal to half his level, minimum 1.
Orcs are heavy - Orcs and half-orcs get a +2 bonus to making and resisting maneuvers such as Trip, Grapple, and Bull Rush. (basically any check where being a size bigger gives you +4, orcs and half-orcs get +2)
Orcs are scary - an orc or half-orc can add half his Strength bonus to Intimidation checks.
Orcs are hungry - this is actually an additonal penalty I thought would be interesting. Half-Orcs consume twice as much food as a normal Medium Humanoid; Orcs consume three times as much.
Orcs are dangerous - Orcs and half-orcs do not have an unarmed strike. They may take Improved Unarmed Strike and gain lethal and nonlethal unarmed strikes per a Medium Humanoid, but with or without that feat they have a natural Slam attack. This is 1d4 Bludgeoning for a half-orc and 1d6 for a full orc. The tusks of an orc give them a clumsy but better-than-nothing bite attack; 1d3 piercing for a half-orc and 1d4 for a full orc, critical 19-20x2. Half-orcs cannot make multiple natural attacks like monsters can, but may use both hands to Slam under the rules for Two-Weapon Fighting. Full-orcs can make a full natural attack like a monster, with their bite being the primary weapon - though they are almost always better off using a manufactured weapon.
so, yeah, give me some ideas on groups of those that would go well with what I already have. I can't decide! If you think some of them should be powered up or powered down, by all means say so.