[3.5 Subrace] "Hey, don't make me talk to Slick Jimmy 'bout this, punk." [Dreavarr]

[Lord_Gareth]

Dreavarrian Half-Orcs
"You ken outsmart me, clever-boots, but can you outsmart'a bullet?"

The orcish peoples took to ancient Dreavarr easily, like a fish to water, and eventually found much acceptance in the armies of the great city-states. Ironically, this lead to the threat that finally ended their race - popularity. Interbreeding with other species eventually extinguished the pure orcish bloodlines, leaving their half-breed children as the heirs to their legacy. Half-orcs breed true these days, but they aren't quite the fearsome shock troops that their ancestors used to be. Nevertheless, the ingenuity and social graces of their human side has served them well.

Half-orcs are often found on the fields of battle, but they have their place in an urban environment as well. Like elves, Half-orcs are often poor; unlike elves, this is because they tend to undervalue education and end up in menial jobs where they can work with their hands. The ones that gain wealth are often criminals, using their cunning to gain a foothold in the underworld and keeping themselves in positions of power through a delicate combination of diplomacy and force. Half-orcs that do have a degree of education, charisma, or at least vision often become leaders despite themselves, if only because people appreciate following someone who knows what they're doing.

Appearance: Half-orcs are not normally conventionally pretty, but exceptions do exist; features of the race include green, brown, or slightly blue skin, small tusks, thick hair and small eyes. It seems strange to some, but a lot of half-orcs like to dress up when they're not on the job; they wear the finest clothing they can, try to accessorize, and have a positive adoration for jewelry such as bracelets or earrings, and this is all because they enjoy people seeing their success in whatever arena in which they choose to compete.

Though nationality has replaced the ancient orcish tribes, many half-orcs join criminal organizations or gangs that maintain close family-like ties, and indeed they tend to bond fiercely to whatever social group they belong to. Half-orcs often have tattoos, scarification, banners, insignias and other symbols of belonging on their persons, and they take the honor and dignity of such symbols very seriously. Out of respect for this ideal, many half-orcs look down severely on those that desecrate flags and holy symbols and other symbols of communal belonging. Many also shave or braid their hair, paint their face or skin different colors, and carry around flags or banners with them if they're feeling bold or jubilant.

Racial Features
+2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence. Half-orcs are strong and insightful, with a tendency to read situations and people quickly and easily, but lack fine motor control (and other graces) and tend to be uneducated, if not strictly "stupid".

Medium Humanoid: As Medium creatures, half-orcs gain no bonus or penalty for their size.

Base Land Speed: 30 Feet

Darkvision: Half-orcs benefit from the darkvision ability out to a range of sixty feet; see the half-orc racial feature in the system reference document.

Cheap Shot (Ex): Half-orcs are taught from an early age, either from army life or gang life, that the only fair fight is the one you lose; they gain sneak attack +1d6, identical to the rogue class feature. Additionally, half-orcs suffer no penalties for using improvised weapons.

School of Hard Knocks (Ex): Most half-orcs grow up on the mean streets, but even if they don't they tend to have friends and family that did; half-orcs enjoy a +1 racial bonus to fortitude saves, as well as a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (Local) checks made regarding their home city and bardic knowledge checks regarding citizen's guilds or criminal organizations.

Staunch Companion (Ex): Half-orcs bond fiercely with their social groups, treating them like kith and kin. Their race has gained a reputation as staunch allies and worthy friends, and a half-orc's presence grants his allies (not including himself) within thirty feet an additional +1 morale bonus on attack rolls whenever they flank a foe, as well as a +1 morale bonus on Will saves and level checks against the Intimidate skill. These bonuses increase by one at level seven, then again at levels thirteen and nineteen.

Languages: Common, Gutterspeak. Bonus: Any national, Old Draevarrian, Smuggler's Cant, Brattack Code, Old Orcish, Old Elven, Dwarf Cant.

Favored Class: Rogue. A half-orc's rogue levels do not count against her when determining multiclass penalties.

Level Adjustment: +0

[Lord_Gareth]

Bump for critique!

I know it's been a bit, but I've got a player looking to use these folks so I'd like people's thoughts.

[NeoSeraphi]

A race that has Favored Class: Rogue, but takes a penalty to both Int and Dex? Very interesting...

I would suggest, both with the Int and Dex penalty and with the implied stupidity of the class, that you make Cheap Shot apply to melee attacks only, as the blade bravo's sneak attack does. The reason is that the extra damage can come more from delivering more force due to Strength than from finding a target's exact weak point.

[Lord_Gareth]

A race that has Favored Class: Rogue, but takes a penalty to both Int and Dex? Very interesting.

This was actually done on purpose to encourage rogue dipping; with the way the favored class system works, I decided to try and go for classes that would fit the implied culture and give abilities that the race's natural propensity could augment. A half-orc is probably primarily something else (like warblade, swordsage, fighter, paladin, or w/e) with a level or three in rogue for the skill points and sneak attack.

[Lord_Gareth]

I'm beginning additional work on the races of Dreavarr soon, so I wanted to pump these guys for more critique ^_^

[Cieyrin]

Seems far more flavorful than the original, though Staunch Ally feels odd for being a racial that never benefits them directly. If they get scared off, how are they going to keep applying it to their buddies, who aren't likely to be within 30' of them?

[Lord_Gareth]

Seems far more flavorful than the original, though Staunch Ally feels odd for being a racial that never benefits them directly. If they get scared off, how are they going to keep applying it to their buddies, who aren't likely to be within 30' of them?

Well, the thing is...they aren't. And while it'd be really flavorful for me to put in a clause about it failing if they're scared, the reality is that it'd be a wording nightmare and it's much easier and cleaner to just leave it still working as an oddity of RAW.

[Empedocles]

This is interesting. Would it be accurate to say this is along the lines of a brutish underworld thug type thing? Just wondering if I got the feel correctly.

The penalty to intelligence, to me at least, seems a little out of place dspite the half-orc stereotypes. Could I suggest charisma instead? Also, that would make rogue dips a little less unattractive.

You could add a +2 to survival checks for School of Hard knocks, or a +2 to climb checks...just doesn't feel like you're getting the most out of that ability. Toughness as a bonus feat? (which sucks, indeed, but adds flavor) I dunno. I have no great ideas, but you could definitely get something a little cooler out of the school of hard knocks thing.

Staunch companion - - to me, doesn't fit the flavor at all. Whatsoever.

I like the sneak attack. It feels very appropriate and it makes this race not be weak.

I feel like this has room to grow, mostly in terms of 1) making it stronger in minor ways (like the tiny bonuses a lot of PHB races have) and 2) creating a slight re-alignment between the fluff and class features. You did a mostly good job there, but some things (staunch companion lol) are just out of place or not complete enough.

Overall, you took the half-orc in a very original direction, more so then my own half-orc which still does the whole smashy thing. This is creative and best of all, fits some fantasy stereotypes. Good work

[Lord_Gareth]

I'm having difficulty with understanding why you've got a problem with Staunch Companion. Consider: the pure Orcish tribes were so popular (due to military success) that they got bred out of existence by their groupies in other races. Their descendants have a reputation for being fiercely loyal, as stalwart as their ancestors, and trustworthy - for being someone solid to have at your back. What does Staunch Companion give bonuses to? Things relating to combat, to keeping your morale up, because your buddy is there to hold you up and watch your back.

[Empedocles]

I'm having difficulty with understanding why you've got a problem with Staunch Companion. Consider: the pure Orcish tribes were so popular (due to military success) that they got bred out of existence by their groupies in other races. Their descendants have a reputation for being fiercely loyal, as stalwart as their ancestors, and trustworthy - for being someone solid to have at your back. What does Staunch Companion give bonuses to? Things relating to combat, to keeping your morale up, because your buddy is there to hold you up and watch your back.

That's the thing though: this race feels a little bit more...mobster-esque. I don't think he'd be looking out for someone else's back. If I had these half-orcs, they'd have survived by guile and crime, not friendship and teammwork.

[Lord_Gareth]

That's the thing though: this race feels a little bit more...mobster-esque. I don't think he'd be looking out for someone else's back. If I had these half-orcs, they'd have survived by guile and crime, not friendship and teammwork.

Mobsters operate in teams and criminal organizations are built on the bought or earned loyalty of their members. Aside from which, while many half-orcs are certainly criminals, many are also legitimate businesspeople or soldiers (the soldier's art being the oldest and most revered amongst the ancient Orcish clans), especially since war is one of the few legitimate ways a Half-Orc can take to get out of poverty, debt, or crime if he wants to go legit.

[Empedocles]

Mobsters operate in teams and criminal organizations are built on the bought or earned loyalty of their members. Aside from which, while many half-orcs are certainly criminals, many are also legitimate businesspeople or soldiers (the soldier's art being the oldest and most revered amongst the ancient Orcish clans), especially since war is one of the few legitimate ways a Half-Orc can take to get out of poverty, debt, or crime if he wants to go legit.

Mobsters, or at least the stereotypical aren't exactly loyal. Mostly, they're portrayed as being quite selfish and backstabbing their teammates.

However, I'm not going to push this since it's obviously an argument I'm not going to win, and after all, this is your race. Can I suggest expanding school of hard knocks and adding in maybe one more racial feature?