Caught Between Two Worlds Role-Playing Half-Orcs| What Does Your Race Say About You

[@kyleward3914]

I played a half-orc monk who belonged to the Order of the Sacred Fist, which basically used fancy language to turn punching people in the face until they passed out into an ideology.

[@mikegould6590]

Simply stated, my favorite race ever. I even took the time to write my own version of the Orc language to insert into a broken Common/Orcish dialogue. (Thank a Canadian winter for that kind of time). That was for my latest Half-Orc that I never got to play. He was to be an Eldritch Knight (a Warrior/Witchdoctor type trying to live up to the tradition of being the "mystic" of the tribe like his father, while wanting to be the Warrior his barbarian mother was) When I play a Half-Orc, I generally don't try to "fit in" with a human community. I try to show pride in some facets of Orc life. -Tomorrow never comes. Live for Today. -Be proud of your scars. They define your survival. -Speak your mind. Cowards are silent. -Elves say "Orcs are a problem solved by patience and a few arrows." Orcs say "There aren't enough trees to make enough arrows. >:)" -Beauty is over-rated. A tropical fish can be beautiful in it's colours, but deadly poisonous. Seek beauty in strength, both of body and spirit. -Regret nothing. Doing nothing is regrettable. -Goblins fight like fingers. Orcs fight like fists. Know the difference. If the community can live with that. Fine. If not, so much the better. ;)

[@borisstremlin4577]

"Je ne regrette rien" as a half-orc motto?

[@mikegould6590]

Truly. Or, "Sha nek ma'shaan" in my Orcish. "I have no shame in this."

[@Goblinerd]

Man, I wish I had the time and creativity to develop languages for my games. Props man, truly awesome!

[@citycrusher9308]

That's one of the aspects that made LOTR so loved. Completely fleshed out world and languages.

[@Goblinerd]

Agreed, it's just lots of work, and keep in mind not all DMs are professional writers/poets. It's easy to swap out words or letters. The hard part is actually coming up with your own grammar. For instance, Mikes example doesn't have the same number of words which shows it has a different grammar. As usual, hats off to Mike!

[@opinionpaladin6007]

Right now I am making a half-orc cleric that gives massages for heals

[@dannyzep92]

Currently building my first character. And he is a Half-Orc, Fighter with an Urchin background. I'm really excited to play my first session. Thanks for the break down on the race and how to approach it

[@robertcales8544]

I just rolled a Half-Orc Forge Domain Cleric that I'm gonna start playing in our group on Tuesday, I can't wait! I'm so excited about him thematically. His name is Roego Anvilbreaker!

[@wrathfullcape]

I made a half-orc paladin with the oath of vengeance. he followed a god who was all about vengeance. it worked pretty well

[@cosmic-fortytwo]

Playing a half-orc monk, basically treating him like a Krav Maga instructor. He was abandoned in the forest as an infant and found in the woods by a group of nobles who were out boar hunting. The royal combat instructor (part of the hunting party) took the infant back to the castle and raised him, since his wife had recently had a miscarriage and they really wanted a son. The boy was brought up as an assistant in his father's martial arts classes, learning hand-to-hand combat skills, hence the monk training. He was treated as just another boy growing up in the castle and gets along fine with humans. He is actually very polite and has good manners. He also loves boar huntin' and he's good at it. (grin)

[@Comrade2261]

One of my players are a Half-Orc Paladin that I swear has memory issues, since it wasn't till recently after 3 players died that he remembered he had healing spells. We also have what I refer to as a bi-polar human Barbarian. He can be happy one moment and the next he's cutting off heads the next.

[@JorisVDC]

Lolz, sound like a fun group.

[@chaddixon9764]

My favourite race. Half-Orc rogue, twas lots of fun.

[@twi3031]

my female half-orc druid, Kari Blackstone, is the daughter of a human druid woman and a male orc warrior. her parents love her very much, and raised her to be a kind, strong, intelligent woman. the rural village she lives in used to shun her father, and by extension the woman who fell in love with him. but over time they gradually came to accept them. still, Kari and her family face racial discrimination. she actually has alot of insecurities, because she feels that she is too hairy and muscular (and has tusks) to be beautiful by human standards, and not strong enough to be beautiful by orc standards. but she doesn't want to show how hurt she is to people, so she hides it from people, becoming grumpy or quiet whenever someone hurts her feelings. this leads people to think that because she's an orc she's stoic and rude and standoffish, so people treat her very insensitively, thus repeating the negative cycle. she even has a crush on someone, but he's totally dense to her feelings of affection toward him. it makes her feel like she's not good enough. probably her best friend is her animal companion, a horse (heavy horse). but while she's generally better at interacting with animals than people, she's not really as good with animals as her mother is. she's excelled at the arts of herbalism and apothecary, though, able to make salves, tinctures, potions, poisons, and oils with the ease of a master. she takes alot of pride in her skill with plants. she's a very spiritual person, very in tune with nature and the gods. she finds peace in faith. I think more orc and half-orc characters need to be given more realistic, relatable, and loving backgrounds. they don't all have to have tragic backstories or be lost in the world. it's ok for your orc or half-orc character to know exactly who they are or where they belong, to have loving parents, or a community that they fit in with, or close friends. it's ok for them to be relatively normal. and at the same time, you can give them insecurities, goals, and regrets just like any other character. the same as any human, or elf, or dwarf. I had another character, a male orc (not half-orc) barbarian name Kar-grim. I played him by thinking of his race and class combination not as "orc barbarian", but as "minority race immigrant". he came to a rather large city that was run by a woman who was basically a half-demon mob boss, and he immediately got off the boat looking for work. he spoke broken common, so I roleplayed him by having him use incorrect verb conjugation and very formal (and limited) vocabulary and a thick accent. he was shy and often had trouble fitting in or communicating because he dealt with alot of culture shock. I mean he came from a small village to a multicultural metropolis. so he ended up finding employment as a security guard at a brothel, and was eventually appointed as personal bodyguard to one of the girls there. he even ended up falling in love with her because she treated him very kindly, and they never judged eachother. but, sadly, she never knew that he was in love with her, even though she liked him too, and he was too late to confess his feelings for her before she was transferred to another branch and later married. I have another male orc character, in a different game, also name Kar'grim. he was an orc rogue. my story for him is that he was very scrawny for an orc, which in his tribe was seen as a birth defect. traditionally, orcs who were born too small or weak would be drowned or left in the woods and neglected, but his parents decided to spare his life and raise him. as he grew up, he never really grew to get very strong (for an orc). he was constantly bullied and picked on, and so in order to win fights he started to fight dirty and use his wits and hit soft targets instead (this is how he learned to use sneak attacks, and certain kinds of skills like bluff and sleight of hand). this was seen as dishonourable, however. he later saw an impoverished orc in his tribe stealing food from a stall. he knew that the poor orc was starving and needed the food to survive, so he didn't rat him out. but when the stall owner noticed that food had been going missing that wasn't accounted for, and alerted the chieftain, Kar'grim knew that it would be bad news for the starving homeless orc. so when warriors were sent into the village to find the thief, Kar'grim took the blame for stealing, and was promptly exiled from his tribe. that's why he's an adventurer. he actually never told the other player characters why he was exiled. he only said it was because he was seen as dishonourable. his deity, the god of death, knows the backstory, but that's it.

[@dannyzep92]

Very detailed. Awesome stuff.

[@saltycanadian2467]

My half-orc was born from a female orc and a male human. His mother was abandoned by her tribe due to the fact that she wasn't as brutal and violent as the rest of her people. His father was a human adventure who was abandoned by his companions in a forest, where the female orc was living. The two fell in love and had a child, my character. At 15 years old he went in exploration and due to his orcish traits, was captured and enslaved in a pirate boat. He spent a few years there before managing to free himself during an attack of a corsair boat and joined them. At first he was discriminated against due to his heritage but he quickly rose the ranks and became a feared and respected warrior

[@casualcommenter9730]

Half-orc ranger/berserker, never given a chance as a child born in the cells of an orc tribe. He was tormented and butchered every waking moment for his physically weak nature. Somehow still unable to die he escapes to the woods where animals attempting to eat him is a pleasant respite. Now he’s a hunter, his preferred prey is the Orcs themselves. He’s survived the most unimaginable horrors and is now more scars than flesh upon his skin. He seeks nothing but the complete eradication of the Orc race and holds a special scorn for their leaders. But these horrors of childhood taught him how it is to never be given a chance, and for all others friend or foe, he will only kill in retaliation. Those who claim superiority on race alone are a disgrace, and as such, deserve nothing but his berserker rage

[@brucepowell1139]

I've been running a game lately and the party composition is a Tiefling Rogue, a Dragonborn fighter, a Half-Orc Barbarian and a Half-Orc Ranger. The two half orcs are twin brothers, the barbarian embraces his primal side and the ranger embraces is calm human side and that causes some great RPing between the two of them as well as a lot of conflict! The party rarely received warm welcomes in the towns and cities they visited, so they always aimed to find the roughest tavern and asked around for dirty work!

[@rangerroy641]

Half-Orc wizard casts FIST!

[@Goblinerd]

Is grapple his version of a shield spell? :P

[@twi3031]

no lie, I once made a half-giant wizard who specialized in melee touch spells. XD she mainly had necromancy and evocation spells. think shocking grasp, chill touch, enervation, and the like.

[@chdmann]

I've been playing a half-orc warlock Entertainer named "Lead" who invented, and plays/sings Heavy Metal! Groupies/future baby-mommas in every town, wild nights, almost non-existant mornings due to hangovers, and yet was extremely genre-savvy. He's Literally made a pact with a devil, and has a Guitar-axe fiend blade-pact weapon that he uses as a weapon and instrument. With that character, the entire campaign was him and the party on the road... and he was the one reminding the group of their tour-schedule...

[@DarthSoto78]

I played a Half-Orc Paladin who was a bastard child to a noble woman. He was the families hidden secret, and most of the time was at his temple training to be a paladin. Being he was of noble blood he never was totally exiled, but he was never was totally accepted by his family either. He had the resources of a noble, but not the privileges. I spent most of the campaign trying to prove myself as a Paladin, and that I was worth something to my family.

[@Goblinerd]

_He's a bard!?!?!_ The h-orc barbarian snickers to his friend. H-orc Valor Bard smashes his lute on barbarian's head _I"M A SKALD!!!_ He screams as he continues to pummel him.

[@AzraelThanatos]

The campaign world I've been using shifts away from the normal D&D Orcs already and the half-orcs followed along. They're a tribal, nomadic merchant society that wanders around the main continent with riding birds, mammoths, and whooly rhinos as beasts of burden. They're different in a lot of ways, but more wilderness friendly and still more capable than most settings orcs. Half-orcs tend to come from interactions there since the orcs tend to have a decent supply of cash. Previous one had orcs as essentially romans...

[@MstEli]

I just started playing a half-orc (who is also half-elf for flavour) fighter/barbarian. He fell through a portal into the abyss and fought demons for 160 years prime material plane time, to be released back into an apocalyptic hellscape. Everyone he knew is long dead (except for his elf side of the family, but he's not so sure of that).

[@AyebeeMk2]

ideal candidates for the Knights Watch!

[@ciarandoidge7660]

Hey, I have a question and I hope you can help My players are currently in the Underdark and I now realise that the drow aren't the only race with prejudice against certain surface races such as the Duergar dislike Mountain dwarves. Could you make a video about how a DM could best play out the racial tensions present among the various races?

[@bjorntheviking6039]

I like to play half-orcs kind of like Worf from Star Trek, they're civil on the surface but you're aware of the ferocity they're capable of regardless.

[@darrenbaker4412]

I like that idea. I'm going to suggest it to my players. Clever.

[@Goblinerd]

Yeah, it's been my way of playing them too. When I judged it was difficult for my h-orc to contain "the beast" I'd set a DC for myself and roll a Handle Animal check. Failure meant he lost control and became very aggressive, going as far as to spend Rage if a barbarian.

[@t1sfuzzy]

I play a half-Orc Bard named Frank. He was OK in 3.5 and pretty decent now in 5th. He never really sees the world as bad, just that he doesn't quite fit in, but theres always smiling faces around him when he plays. Yes I know its silly name, but I suck at naming characters.

[@Goblinerd]

Nothing wrong with Frank. Worst case, if you really have trouble, just take 1 or 2 real names and move letters around. Narfk the Half-orc Bard! :P

[@1simo93521]

+Goblinerd good idea right there!

[@Goblinerd]

Simo Thanks!

[@Magnus-Insomnium13]

Half Orc Monk- Scaled Fist instead of denying his nature he channels it into his fighting style nourishing his rage and releasing it in a fight Draconic Fury Style.

[@chrisanderson6950]

I recently played a half-orc monk who had been raised by elves. His goal was to curb the beast inside him so he could achieve acceptance - which ties in nicely with the Monk Tranquillity ability. (we also had a Oath of Vengeance Paladin who was a half orc in the party)

[@crasimia7728]

Chris Anderson I happen to be making something similar but my half orc monk is trying to unchain himself from the presence of grummsh which is slowly making him loose himself to a uncontrollable rage he probably will end up trying to kill grummsh

[@chrisanderson6950]

Luijenp My monk had a similar aim... he'd had been raised by a family of elves but accidentally killed someone when play fighting. Shunned because of his bestial nature he fled into the woods where he met a hermit who taught him. The point when he achieved Tranquillity was what he wanted because then he could return home

[@crasimia7728]

Chris Anderson I originally wanted my monk to eventually find peace but I kinda want him to take the throne of grummsh

[@CaughtDingoes]

Hybreds have to do twice as good(/evil) as a pure breed to be considered half as good(/evil). I kind of want to play a civilised half orc now. Just support with buffs in battles and try to solve problems peacefully first. Half Orc "Apologises for my companions. They are rather ...common." Halfling, elf and human: *try to look intimidating* Also concerning adventurers coming to town: www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0122.html

[@HallowMan1391]

I'm a little behind the curve but I just stumbled upon the channel a few hours ago. But allow me to regale you with the background of my Half-Orc and sorry if this is a bit odd I don't mean to be off-putting. My favorite character period was a Half-Orc Monk named Klursk. His background was his village was raided by barbarians and his mother was raped forcing his conception. He was mostly given easier jobs in the woods like simple firewood gatherings since he was more gentle than others which was rather peculiar than how he was conceived. One day he came back early and seen another raid and when he saw his mother attacked and knocked down he lost it flying into an immediate rage. His Orc blood boiled and his innate savagery and his bloodlines caused him to murder half the barbarians attacking his town in a blind rage. When he regained his senses he realized what he had done, and despite being heralded a great warrior, he turned and ran in a terrified state. After hours and hours of running he collapsed only for a monk to take him in. He was too fearful to go back to the clan the monk taught him the guidance he needed to control his more primal urges. However to truly control them he had to go out and test the bounds as well as attempt to help those in need to atone for what he had done. With the backstory out of the way (Sorry about that) The background selected was the hermit background to give him medicine making and religion. His weapon of choice was, of course, the quarterstaff and he was unarmored to take advantage of the Unarmored Defense and Unarmored Movement perks. Stat lay out was Strength getting 14 (to 16 with Race), Dex going 15, Con going 13 (Bumped to 14 with Race), Wisdom going 12, Charisma the 10, and Intelligence the 8. Admittedly now that I look back at the character if you want better the Strength can get the 8 since you can just use Dex mod on the quarterstaff but it was my first real character so forgive me some hehe ^_^. At 4 I took the Improved Critical Feat so I can Crit more often on my strikes and still be able to take advantage of Savage Attacks (Hey baby steps. He can't control his true nature perfectly by secluding himself for years can he?). Sorry for the long post and if things are not great again It was my first character I really made on my own but I love the concept and will use him again when I can find another game.

[@savysmarty8621]

I play a half orc bard. Basically she’s a low key barbarian with spells and an excuse to be poetic occasionally. She just wants to be loved. But also to punch and eat random thing on occasion.

[@chaddixon9764]

Half-Orc fighters are really Fist Wizards. It's an advanced school of magic that the rest haven't caught up with yet.

[@gregoryfloriolli9031]

After watching this video, I totally want to make a half Orc wizard who puts on airs acting posh and sophisticated. Give him the Charlatan background. You could put the 15 in Int and give him one of the feats like Keen Mind, Linguist, or Observant. That way, he'd have a mind capable of doing things normal people couldn't yet he'd still be looked down on. Not an optimal character, but he'd be fun to play.

[@Goblinerd]

Screw "optimal". Min-Maxers will disagree, but optimal is, as anything, subjective. To me, a fun character concept is way more optimal. I play to have fun, not to "win" the game with my infallible munchkin char.

[@elminster298]

Two characters come immediately to mind from fiction... The show Critical Roll Scanlan's past troupe leader is an half-orc charlatan with an undoubtedly high intelligence and charisma. Forgotten Realms included a mostly half-orc village with a traveling circus leader named Wingham who fits your theme as well.

[@averageo2343]

Or go Mastermind Rogue. Wouldn't that be a fun Half-Orc to play? Maybe he's an acrobat who moonlights as a spy for a human court.

[@DatsVatSheSaid]

Half orc Ranger..he used harpoons and grappled with monsters

[@Zephant001]

My Half-Orc Barbarian only show his true savage side in battle. When he isn't traveling or fighting he makes traps and hunts for food to eat and gave to his companions or the people in which ever town or village he's staying in. He keeps to himself making traps or just drinking quietly in the tavern. If he's not hungry that means he's angry and he's usually just hungry. He has a very non human apatite. Rats are his most common choice of snack. He's rather freakishly short for a half orc, at 5' 11" So he isn't usually treated like a monster but people still don't mess with him other than to do business with him.

[@benzo28lerenzo]

In my current campaign I am playing a half-orc/half-elf cleric of life! Breaking the mold

[@Xtra_Medium]

Half orc paladin of Vengeance Grimjaw the gregarious

[@seanl.9998]

I'm putting together a half-orc paladin raised by human priestesses of Dol Arrah. Taught to embrace his physical strength and temper it with faith for the force of good. Finds out the theocracy became a bit corrupt and was breeding half-orcs to wage Holy wars against the faith's enemies.

[@PenDragonx]

How does the Keen Mind feat which states I can remember everything I have seen or heard for the last month pair with the Knowledge Cleric ability which says I become proficient with any skills or tool for 10 min. On the most powerful after I use a tool I can always use that tool in that way because I remember exactly what I did. I suppose I am already proficient with every tool with Jack of All Trades because I am 4 Lore Bard/6 Knowledge Cleric. I want something well thought out to take back to my DM.

[@JorisVDC]

Well it doesn't. Knowing what to do is not the same as muscle memory. It takes a lot of practice, more than 10 minutes with a certain tool.

[@unit18nate]

I've gone against type and played a half orc paladin before. No one even knew he was a half orc for the first few sessions because I was so careful with my identity. I was either fully kitted out with my visor down or I was off someplace praying or something. I can't remember all the ways I hid my identity but it was an interesting moment when I finally lifted my visor and showed the party who I was. Oddly enough though I prefer to play half orcs and orcs (in Shadowrun) to type. Usually tribal barbarians or honor less mercenaries. My current half orc barbarian character is a Bear totem barbarian raised by orcs with a half orc barbarian wolf totem warrior partner who were raised by an orc tribe and who want to be seen as orcs. In our tribe we were the middle men for our tribe when they wanted to trade with humans but of course we were considered lesser so yes we have to be more cunning and brutal to maintain any level of respect with our tribe and among humans, and the so called civilized races, we have to reign that in. However it is interesting that the non orcs we are adventuring with need our orc side while our tribe needs our human side. We gain acceptance by proving our value to in both worlds though we "fit" into neither. I find playing half orcs to type harder then playing half orcs against type. Anyone can play half orcs against type. You just play a human and get the good orc stats. Most people who do this are just murder hobos regardless of their class and alignment. Like all the elf murder hobos out there who are not the least bit wise, graceful, or noble but always play elves because of their buffs. Trying to fit your monster into a village or a party who sees themselves as "good" is much harder.

[@WillMcc_WriterGoblin]

This video has really helped me. Making a half orc for a friends game (finally not the DM) and this has really helped me dial in his personality. He's going to be in the "Screw humans and screw orcs too" mind set. And yes he's going pure champion fighter 😂🖒

[@IronSmith358]

I am currently playing a half Ork warlock. with bases of messing with people's minds

[@Nyrufa]

I like the idea of a scrawny Half Orc, who tries to make himself useful to the tribe by studying the ways of magic, instead of warfare. Eventually slipping into the role of shaman or wiseman to assist the tribe with magical problems.

[@Ramschat]

Need inspiration? B'Elanna Torres

[@acm4bass]

I reskin half orcs into a primitive man, like the vendo from 13th Warrior.

[@metalmansteel]

I play a half-ord paladin

[@Andrew-fv7cu]

I have the same shirt

[@calennesten9995]

Yep. The Half Orc Paladin in my game is shamed by Orcs...so much so that he is now considering denouncing his god in favor of the Orcs'.

[@mikeg5616]

why do many rpgs not have just orcs. WHY HALF?!?!

[@cosmic-fortytwo]

It's like having a dog. Dogs are great. Now, having a wolf is a bad idea. They are wild and untameable. However, you might just get away with raising a half-wolf if you can train it right.

[@Whysoshort]

plays a half-orc cleric qwq

[@Greg5560]

I cast FIST!

[@ElrohirGuitar]

I don't.

[@borisstremlin4577]

In a game with fire-breathing dragonborn, and tieflings with horns, is there a need for a half-orc anymore? The race was introduced when it was considered inappropriate for players to be "monsters", so the "monster" was tamped down into a "half-monster". But now, why not just play orcs? You'll have to fix a few mechanical discrepancies (orcs are "Aggressive", but half-orcs are "Resilient"). For the most part, orcs don't care about your heredity, so long as you can act the orc. Racial purity and labeling someone as "half" - that's a human thing. For some humans. The other thing that's worth trying is to see what's it's like on the other side. I have a half-orc ranger in my game with the usual identity issues. He started out hating orcs (to assert himself as a defender of human civilization), but for a variety of reasons, he has gone over to the orcs, and brought the rest of the party with him. What's happened for the time being is that the orcs are still skeptical of him, but they like the non-orc spellcasters, because they can blow stuff up real good.

[@Mprokess]

:( You didnt talk about the most important... all half-orcs doesnt have to be human+orc... what about other races? orc+elf, orc+dwarf...? Why not? Why it always have to be humans? Same with half-elfs... every time its human+elf? WHY? Its so wierd and stupid in the same time...

[@darrenbaker4412]

How are Half-Orcs "made" in your world people? Have you gone with the new "Disney" version or, like how we are doing in our World, where most Half-Orcs are the product of brutality?My players and I came to this choice by having a quick little vote before play started. 5 to 0. All the players laughed at the new "lovey dovey" version, and we are even wondering if they are delivered by storks.

[@thefracturedbutwhole5475]

i just go with whatever the player wants . . . if they want to be a product of a consensual and happy union that is fine but if they want to be a rape baby that got abandoned and left under a rock that is also fine

[@Goblinerd]

"Disney" version?

[@clericofchaos1]

Well if you're min-maxing it means you've picked one of two races ideally suited to being a barbarian. as far roleplaying goes, I have never been in a game where half-orcs were treated differently, even when playing with random people on roll20. I think racism is mostly gone (not all gone, don't hate) in the real world and that kind of transfers over to dnd.

[@grimjudgment6527]

HAHA Actually, in a decent amount of campaigns I run, race plays an important part about being unfairly judged or ridiculed by NPCs. It sorta enriches the roleplay when you take in flaws of NPCs as something that may or may not be visible. Reminds me of the time a half orc beat a blacksmith to near death because his character got tired of paying 100 gold more than people.

[@clericofchaos1]

Grim Judgment yea that's great, not for me or my group though.

[@grimjudgment6527]

clericofchaos1 Yeah. it's not for everyone. It's just a good way to explore the human condition.