Gnome-Orc (Gnorc) looking for advice

[gatewatcher]

First post, part time lurker, google always seems to lead here and it's always a good time, so hi everyone. Love the comic btw

Starting a new campaign DND 5e and one of my players wants to be a half breed gnome-orc Barbarian (a Gnorc).

I like this stuff but I'm faced with handling a new race and I'm looking for advice.

Background being Island of lost souls (1932) where the mad doc was trying to combine the best traits of both races; yes I realize this is an attempt to get gnome cunning on a med sized melee.

I look at Mountain dwarfs and start thinking that's not totally broken. My bigger problem is why play a gnome then? Maybe I'm over thinking it.

Base details - prefer not to change these
* 4ish ft tall
* 25 or 30ft movement; leaning towards 25
* +2 str, +1 con
* Darkvision 60ft

An idea I had was to give him stuff that is on cooldown; as the experiments were successful but unstable. The problem with that is the demand for short rests.

Aggressive 1/short rest (orc trait) - as a bonus action, move up to it's speed toward a hostile creature that it can see
Gnomish Mind 1/long rest - gnome cunning except limited to int/wis?


Thoughts? I feel like it needs some work. Thanks in advance

[Goran]

You first need to think what each race represents in your world and also take real life examples of hybrids.

Generally speaking, hybrids will randomly inherit traits from both parents, not only one. So this needs to be reflected in your ASI's and skill selection. The other condition you need to satisfy is that some hybrids get a trait from neither parent, as happens with ligers were they are reminiscent of bith parents but are also larger than both. You also need to think of what the offsprings of the races look like in this game. Orcs for instance have dominant genes and if they mate with a troll, their offspring will no matter what be a troll.

These conditions are satisfied in the half elf and half orc races.
The half elves take a random stat but retain characteristics from both races. The half orcs on the other side, are dominated by their orc blood - all of their traits are orcish, while they lose their dash to enemy and have their intelligence rectified.

These being said, I will make a follow up post to make my suggestions.

[Wilko]

Base details

Size and speed

Gnomes are 3-4 feet Half Orcs are 5-6+ (No data on full orcs but they are medium so >8ft)

You have him at 4ish feet tall that's right on the border of small and medium, with dwarfs being the exception every medium race has 30ft and small has 25ft, it's a function of leg size I imagine, personally i'd split the difference and have him 4-5+ft tall, medium with 30ft but discuss it with the player, if they want to be small (which does have some advantages) they have to be slower.

Attributes

Gnomes; +2 INT +1 DEX/CON

Half orcs; +2 STR +1CON

I don't see any issue with your idea of +2 STR +1CON, it ends up being the same as the half orc and can be justified as coming from gnomish roots as well.

Darkvision

Yes+Yes=Yes

FEATS

Gnome;

Gnome Cunning. You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.

Then either or;

Natural Illusionist. You know the minor illusion cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

Speak with Small Beasts. Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts. Forest gnomes love animals and often keep squirrels, badgers, rabbits, moles, woodpeckers, and other creatures as beloved pets.


Artificer’s Lore. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological devices, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply.

Tinker. You have proficiency with artisan’s tools (tinker’s tools). Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth o f materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp).

Half Orc;

Menacing. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Now each race gets 3 here so your new race probably wants the same for some balance perhaps one cribbed from each race and something new?

Gnomish cunning is permanent for gnomes I can't really see a reason to make it 1/long rest for the hybrid but limiting it to 2 of the 3 saves seems reasonable...

Orc traits seem to be alternative / early versions of the barbarian abilities, relentless endurance is relentless rage, savage attacks is brutal critical, baring that in mind i don't see an issue giving your hybrid any one of these or Menacing, if they are that kind of barbarian.

As for new traits, the idea of using your bonus action to dash as opposed to your action is not unreasonable but i agree with you that it need to be limited to 1/short rest or it will get overused.
It depends on which orc trait you gave them, other than Menacing, both are combat abilities much like the gnomish cunning, so you may wish to consider some out of combat abilities like;

Mental potential - 1/Long rest, when making any check with an INT based ability you may reroll the dice before the result has been resolved however you must accept the second roll.

Ties in to the gnomish intelligence boost, it's in there somewhere but only comes out in small bursts.

or

Not falling for it - 1/long rest (Or possibly permanent) you have advantage on rolls to see through illusions.

Ties into the gnomish talent for illusion

or looking for a combat trait you could take from the orc section of the MM;

Battle Cry (1/Day). Each creature of the war chief's choice that is within 30 feet of it, can hear it, and not already affected by Battle Cry gain advantage on attack rolls until the start of the war chief's next turn . The war chief can then make one attack as a bonus action.

Possibly loose the bonus attack and that's a nice feature

[Goran]

Reserve post-

[R.Shackleford]

Gnorc
Size: Medium
ASI: +1 Con
Speed: 30
Vision: Darkvision out to 60'

Relentless Endurance (as SRD)

Orc Face: You have proficiency in Intimidate

Gnome Mind: Choose Int, Wis, or Cha. You have advantage on saving throws versus magic with that ability score.

Choose a subrace from the options below.

Orc Raised
+2 Str

Agressive: Bonus Action dash but you must move toward a hostile enemy you can see. 1/SR.

Gnome Raised
+2 Int

Tinker (as SRD)

****
Totally would allow Gnorcs in my world, may need to be balanced a bit but yeah, love the idea.

Gnorc Wizard or Barbarian would be fun to play.

[gatewatcher]

Figured I'd update with what I ended up with.
+2 str, +1 con
Medium Size (about the size of a dwarf; 4ft tall)
25ft base movement
Darkvision
Savage Blows Exactly as per the half orc. Roll an extra dmg dice when you crit
Gnome Like Cunning Gnomish cunning but not for cha saving throws

Having a strong melee with adv on saving throws is powerful but he's a "I want to be powerful and smash things" so sure. I just wish we weren't in different cities so I could wack him upside the head when he wines about something not being "magic" and/or "mind altering". I've known him most of my life; he wines.

Now a Gnorc, in this world, is not a natural birth but the result of a mad scientist Island of Lost Souls style. His background is "experiment" and it has been established that certain noises can control him and trigger his class Barbarian rage.


Now an interesting fact. Reread the RAW says that orcs mate with everything and the result is an orc or half orc. Aparently their god said "go forth and multiply" without all the fine print. So technically a half orc can be half anything.... giant, troll, kobold...

[ZippoMoon]

Of course the biggest weakness all Gnorc's have is a crippling fear of small purple dragons. (http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0-spyro-pose-1_4686.gif)