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The half-orc is a creature born to mixed orc and human parentage in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The half-orc is a playable race for D&D player characters. Half-orcs are typically born in wild frontiers where human and orc tribes come into contact. Half-orcs are between six and seven feet tall and usually weigh between 180 and 250 pounds. Half-orcs have grayish skin, jutting jaws, prominent teeth and coarse body hair.
Traits
Half-orc characters receive a +2 modifier to strength and -2 modifiers to intelligence and charisma ability scores. Half-orcs have darkvision up to 60 feet. They have orc blood and are susceptible to special effects that affect orcs. They can use orc-only items. All half-orcs speak common and orc; they may also speak Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal, and, in the rare cases of half-orcs with high intelligence, the languages of their allies or rivals. The orc language has no alphabet and uses Dwarven script. Orc writing is found most often in graffiti.
The half-orc's favored character class is the barbarian. The half-orc personality tends to be short tempered, sullen, and prone to action rather than thought. Half-orcs prefer simple pleasures: feasting, singing, wrestling and wild dancing. They have no interest in refined pursuits such as high art and philosophy. Half-orcs tend towards chaotic alignments, but have no clear preference towards good or evil. Half-orcs raised and living among orcs are more likely to be evil.
Culture
Half-orcs have poor relations with other races. Relations are particularly troubled with elves and dwarves, due to racial enmity between orcs and these races. Half-orcs adopt different attitudes to gain acceptance from those who are wary of their orcish heritage. Some are reserved, some demonstrate public virtue, while others force acceptance through physical intimidation. Half-orcs living among humans may choose human names in order to fit in, or orcish names to intimidate others.
Half-orcs have no native lands; they most often live among orcs. When not living among orc tribes, half-orcs almost always live in human lands, as humans are more accepting of half-orcs than other races.
Many half-orcs worship Gruumsh, the chief orcish deity. Half-orc barbarians may worship Gruumsh as a war god even if they are not evil aligned. Half-orcs who identify with their human heritage follow human deities, and may engage in outspoken displays of piety to gain acceptance and solidify their bond to humans.
Half-orcs are frequently rejected by civilized society. They are drawn to violent careers suitable to their temperament and physical strength. They often find companionship among adventurers, many of whom are fellow wanderers and outsiders.
References
- Tweet, Jonathan; Cook, Monte; Williams, Skip (2003). Player's Handbook Core Rulebook I v.3.5. Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
"Half-orc"