Half Orc

Half-orcs are monstrosities, their tragic births the result of perversion and violence—or at least, that's how other races see them. It's true that half-orcs are rarely the result of loving unions, and as such are usually forced to grow up hard and fast, constantly fighting for protection or to make names for themselves. Feared, distrusted, and spat upon, half-orcs still consistently manage to surprise their detractors with great deeds and unexpected wisdom—though sometimes it's easier just to crack a few skulls.


Physical Description:
Both genders of half-orc stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, with powerful builds and greenish or grayish skin. Their canines often grow long enough to protrude from their mouths, and these “tusks,” combined with heavy brows and slightly pointed ears, give them their notoriously bestial appearance. While half-orcs may be impressive, few ever describe them as beautiful.

Society:
Unlike half-elves, where at least part of society's discrimination is born out of jealousy or attraction, half-orcs get the worst of both worlds: physically weaker than their orc kin, they also tend to be feared or attacked outright by the legions of humans who don't bother making the distinction between full orcs and halfbloods. Still, while not exactly accepted, half-orcs in civilized societies tend to be valued for their martial prowess, and orc leaders have actually been known to spawn them intentionally, as the halfbreeds regularly make up for their lack of physical strength with increased cunning and aggression, making them natural chieftains and strategic advisors.

Relations:
A lifetime of persecution leaves the average half-orc wary and quick to anger, yet those who break through his savage exterior might find a well-hidden core of empathy. Elves and dwarves tend to be the least accepting of half-orcs, seeing in them too great a resemblance to their racial enemies, but other races aren't much more understanding. Human societies with few orc problems tend to be the most accommodating, and there half-orcs make natural mercenaries and enforcers.

Alignment:
Forced to live either among brutish orcs or as lonely outcasts in civilized lands, most half-orcs are bitter, violent, and reclusive. Evil comes easily to them, but they are not evil by nature—rather, most half-orcs are chaotic neutral, having been taught by long experience that there's no point doing anything but that which directly benefits themselves.

Adventurers:
Staunchly independent, many half-orcs take to lives of adventure out of necessity, seeking to escape their painful pasts or improve their lot through force of arms. Others, more optimistic or desperate for acceptance, take up the mantle of crusaders in order to prove their worth to the world.

Half Orc Racial Traits


CR+0 Humanoid (Human, Orc)

+2 to an ability score of choice: Half-orc characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their human heritage.

  • Medium: Half-orcs are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Base Speed: Half-orcs have a base speed of 30 feet.
  • Languages: Half-orcs begin play speaking Common and Orc. Half-orcs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, and Goblin.
  • Intimidating: Half-orcs receive a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks due to their fearsome nature.
  • Orc Ferocity: Once per day, when a half-orc is brought below 0 hit points but not killed, he can fight on for 1 more round as if disabled. At the end of his next turn, unless brought to above 0 hit points, he immediately falls unconscious and begins dying.
  • Weapon Familiarity: Half-orcs treat any weapon with the word “orc” in its name as a martial weapon.
  • Darkvision: Half-orcs can see in non-magical darkness out to 60 feet.
  • Orc Blood: Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.
  • Fearless: Half-orcs tend to be stubborn and arrogant, shirking caution when other races might heed such. They gain a +2 to all saving throws against fear effects.
  • Destined: Half-orcs gain a +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
  • Life Bound: Half-orcs gain a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws made to resist death effects, saving throws against negative energy effects, Fortitude saves made to remove negative levels, and Constitution checks made to stabilize if reduced to negative hit points.
  • Gatecrasher: Half-orcs gain a +2 racial bonus on Strength checks to break objects and a +2 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks to sunder.

Alternate Racial Options

Acute Darkvision: Some half-orcs have exceptionally sharp darkvision, gaining darkvision 90 feet. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.

  • Beastmaster: Some half-orcs have a spiritual kinship with fantastical beasts, capturing them for sport or living and hunting with them. A half-orc with this trait treats whips and nets as martial weapons and gains a +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.
  • Bestial: The orc blood of some half-orcs manifests in the form of particularly prominent orc features, exacerbating their bestial appearances but improving their already keen senses. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.
  • Cavewight: Some half-orcs live far below the surface, seeking freedom in winding cave complexes. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) and Survival checks made underground. This racial trait replaces the intimidating trait.
  • Chain Fighter: Some half-orcs have escaped from slavery and reforged the chains of their imprisonment into deadly weapons. Half-orcs with this racial trait are proficient with flails and heavy flails, and treat dire flails and spiked chains as martial weapons. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
  • City-Raised: Half-orcs with this trait know little of their orc ancestry and were raised among humans and other half-orcs in a large city. City-raised half-orcs are proficient with whips and longswords, and receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (local) checks. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
  • Forest Walker: More at home in the forests and jungles of the world, these half-orcs are well adapted to their surroundings. Half-orcs with this trait have low-light vision and gain a +2 racial bonus on Climb checks. This racial trait replaces darkvision.
  • Rock Climber: Half-orcs from mountainous regions are excellent climbers, and sometimes ambush prey by leaping down from above. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks. This racial trait replaces the intimidating trait.
  • Sacred Tattoo: Many half-orcs decorate themselves with tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarification, which they consider sacred markings. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.
  • Scavenger: Some half-orcs eke out a leaving picking over the garbage heaps of society, and must learn to separate rare finds from the inevitable dross. Half-orcs with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks and on Perception checks to find hidden objects (including traps and secret doors), determine whether food is spoiled, or identify a potion by taste. This racial trait replaces the intimidating trait.
  • Shaman's Apprentice: Only the most stalwart survive the years of harsh treatment that an apprenticeship to an orc shaman entails. Half-orcs with this trait gain Endurance as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces the intimidating trait.
  • Skilled: Second- and third-generation half-orcs often favor their human heritage more than their orc heritage. Half-orcs with this trait gain 1 additional skill rank per level. This racial trait replaces darkvision.
  • Toothy: Some half-orcs' tusks are large and sharp, granting a bite attack. This is a primary natural attack that deals 1d4 points of piercing damage. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.

Alternate Favored Class Options

  • Alchemist: Add +1/2 to the alchemist's bomb damage.
  • Barbarian: Add +1 to the barbarian's total number of rage rounds per day.
  • Bard: Add +1 to the bard's total number of bardic performance rounds per day.
  • Cavalier: Add +1 hit point to the cavalier's mount companion. If the cavalier ever replaces his mount, the new mount gains these bonus hit points.
  • Cleric: Select one domain power granted at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the cleric's Wisdom modifier. The cleric adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power.
  • Druid: Add +1/3 to the druid's natural armor bonus when using wild shape.
  • Fighter: Add a +2 bonus on rolls to stabilize when dying.
  • Gunslinger: Add a +1/3 bonus on attack rolls when using the pistol whip deed.
  • Inquisitor: Add a +1/2 bonus on Intimidate checks and Knowledge checks to identify creatures.
  • Magus: Add +1/2 point of fire damage to spells that deal fire damage cast by the magus.
  • Monk: Add +1 to the monk's CMD when resisting a grapple and +1/2 to the number of stunning attacks he can attempt per day.
  • Oracle: Add one spell known from the oracle spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast.
  • Paladin: Add +1/3 on critical hit confirmation rolls made while using smite evil (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
  • Ranger: Add +1 hit point to the ranger's animal companion. If the ranger ever replaces his animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points.
  • Rogue: Add +1/3 on critical hit confirmation rolls made while using sneak attack (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
  • Sorcerer: Add +1/2 point of fire damage to spells that deal fire damage cast by the sorcerer.
  • Summoner: Add +1 hit point to the summoner's eidolon.
  • Witch: Add +1 skill rank to the witch's familiar. If the half-orc ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar gains these bonus skill ranks.
  • Wizard: Add a +1 bonus on concentration checks made due to taking damage while casting wizard spells.
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