I'm playing with an idea for a half-ogre playable race. I don't like the version in the Races of Destiny. How does this look?
HALF-OGRES
Giant
Half-ogres usually come in two varieties, battling brutes or gentle giants. Rare is the half-ogre who can reconcile the violent circumstances that typically surround their birth. Half-ogres usually inherent the social customs of their dominant parent. The culture of this guardian will be readily embraced, if for no other reason than to fit in somewhere. Half-ogres are a valued commodity among ogres, who task them to make all the important decisions for a tribe. Among humans, half-ogres are often reviled until such time as they can prove their worth to a fearful community.
Half-ogres make excellent adventurers that provide an imposing archetypal warrior for their party. They are not so bright or socially adept as to be great arcane spellcasters or strategists, but not so dim or socially inept as to be gagged during verbal encounters.
HALF-OGRE BASE TRAITS
+4 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma.
Medium: As Medium creatures, half-ogres have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
A half-ogre has the giant type.
Half-ogre base land speed is 30 feet.
Powerful Build: Their giant heritage grants a half-ogre the Powerful Build racial ability (see Races of Stone).
Intimidating: A half-ogre has a rather intimidating presence. They gain a +2 bonus to the Intimidate skill and may substitute their Strength bonus for this skill rather than their Charisma bonus.
Darkvision: Half-ogres can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-ogres can function just fine with no light at all.
Giant Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-ogre is considered a giant. Half-ogres, for example, are just as vulnerable to special effects that affect giants as their giant ancestors are, and they can use magical items that are only usable by giants.
Automatic Languages: Common and Giant. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Draconic, Gnoll, Goblin, and Orc.
Favored Class: Barbarian. A multi-class half-ogre's barbarian class does not count when determining whether an experience point penalty is taken for multi-classing.
Level Adjustment: +1.
I think you should consider the effects of half-ogres being highly prized among ogre tribes: mainly that they would try to make more by any means necessary.
The other thing is that a lot of powers that have to do with giants, like say the dwarf bonus to fighting them, assumes that a giant will be large. In my opinion anyway.
Otherwise, looks good.
I hate powerful build. My suggestion is to either make them Large with no reach, or Medium, maybe with oversized wielding.
Quote from: pawsplay;357400I hate powerful build.
Why is that?
I suggest removing the Intimidate bonus (they are already getting +2 from their Strength) and giving them +1 Natural Armour. One of their parents had +
5, after all. Also, most of what gets the +1 LA treatment really isn't, in my opinion. I would
at least add that much.
Quote from: rezinzar;357401Why is that?
Why should a creature that is not quite Large get an ability that is, "Like Large, only better?" It gives you the same size bonuses, but none of the penalties, oversized wielding, grappling benefits, and you get to occupy one square.
Quote from: pawsplay;357408Why should a creature that is not quite Large get an ability that is, "Like Large, only better?" It gives you the same size bonuses, but none of the penalties, oversized wielding, grappling benefits, and you get to occupy one square.
Reach is the most easily abused benefit, and they don't get that. So it isn't "like Large, only better" at all.
Just wanted to let you know I like this idea.
I use a lot of cross breeds, and orcs and Bugbears are playable races in my system, so I like to see other interesting divergences from the typical.
I have played a half-ogre, using the Dragon Magazine rules for them. Unfortunately for you, they do include that 'powerful build' mechanic you hate. I do agree its rather cooler than just being large, but since I never planned on using half ogre's as random monsters I'm not sure I care. I mean: PC's? Its cool that they get to be better than a monster in some ways... since monsters don't have to worry about xp grinding or getting the right magic items to remain 'balanced' vs encounters and so forth.
And I can still pull out 'powerfully built' NPC's as character style bad guys.
Anyway: THe Dragon Magazine article (one of two or three I keep for use in D&D games... of course, I was never a big reader of the mags) included half minotaurs, half nymphs and half raksasha among others. All high-ecl races but rather interesting. I'm trying to recall if that was the same magazine that had the horrifically laughable 'half undead' races or if that was another one I kept for its howler potential.
Quote from: rezinzar;357419Reach is the most easily abused benefit, and they don't get that. So it isn't "like Large, only better" at all.
Reach is a separate issue from size. It
is like Large, only better. It's just not like Large, with Reach, only better.
Quote from: pawsplay;357450Reach is a separate issue from size.
That is incorrect. Please do look up the rules -- it might even help you to understand, if you're not just arguing or defending for the sake of it now.
Might I suggest the online d20 SRD (http://d20srd.org), should books be unavailable to you? :)
Quote from: rezinzar;357479That is incorrect. Please do look up the rules -- it might even help you to understand, if you're not just arguing or defending for the sake of it now.
Might I suggest the online d20 SRD (http://d20srd.org), should books be unavailable to you? :)
Maybe you should take your own advice.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm#horseHeavy
Quote from: pawsplay;357483Maybe you should take your own advice.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm#horseHeavy
Oh, I did. Long ago. :)
Actually read, rather than spewing out totally irrelevant links. It will help you understand. Again, if
and only if you are willing to, and aren't just in it for teh winz.
edit: and you are putting out Pathfinder products? oh dear...
Quote from: rezinzar;357484Oh, I did. Long ago. :)
Actually read, rather than spewing out totally irrelevant links. It will help you understand. Again, if and only if you are willing to, and aren't just in it for teh winz.
For those in the audience, that is a link to a heavy warhorse, a Large creature with no reach.
Quoteedit: and you are putting out Pathfinder products? oh dear...
You betcha! Tastes like candy. You should try some.