Dungeons & Dragons - A Guide to Half-Orcs

by James Ryman

I decided to dig through old D&D products to find whatever weird lore and information there was on half-orcs. I didn't really have any idea what was even out there, as half-orcs aren't one of the more popular races to play, at least in the groups that I have been in.

What I found was kind of uncomfortable. Where do half-orcs come from? What are the circumstances in which a half-orc is born and how are they treated growing up? 

Before we start, you might want to read this article by DM David: How D&D Shed the Troubling Implications of Half-Orcs.

1e Player's Handbook

"Orcs are fecund and create many cross-breeds, most of the offspring of such being typically orcish."
One-tenth of orc-human "mongrels" pass for human. This idea lasts for a few editions, but virtually all of the art of half-orcs depicts them as very similar in appearance to orcs.

Can speak common, orcish, and their "alignment language." Someone should bring back alignment languages. They are ridiculous, but fun.

They have infravision up to 60 feet. +1 to STR and CON. -2 to CHA. 

There is a big paragraph discussing multi-classed half-orcs and how to divide XP up between them. "All earned experience is always divided equally between the player's two classes, even though the character might no longer be able to progress upwards in level in one of the two classes." 1st edition was so unforgiving.

1e Monster Manual

Half-orcs are briefly discussed in the orc entry.

"As orcs will breed with anything, there are any number of unsavory mongrels with orcish blood, particularly orc-goblins, orc-hobgoblins, and orc-humans."

Orcs cannot cross-breed with elves.

Dragon Magazine #44 - Half-Orcs in a Variety of Styles

This article is written by Roger Moore, a man who wrote like he really loved his job. Jokes are flying left and right in this piece. He starts off by noting that there are no orc-goats, orc-hamsters, or orc-Balors.

"As a rule, orc crossbreeds involving less powerful creatures may be found in leadership positions in the race they live with, and crossbreeds with more powerful creatures are found in orcish clans as "tough guys" and sergeants." 

He goes into the concept of orcs mixing with different races. It definitely opens the door up to a lot of possibilities. Some of you might remember that Chris Perkins introduced a mysterious NPC on Dice, Camera, Action who was half-orc/half-dwarf.

On the one hand, making half-orc variants by combining them with dwarves, or halflings, or githyanki could lead to a lot of cool things. On the other hand, it might get to be a bit much and confusing, and redundant in some cases.

There are at least a few already out there. Volo's Guide to Monsters has the tanarukk, which is an orc/demon. The demon lord Baphomet "...corrupts an unborn orc of the tribe, transforming it at birth into a creature much more savage than an orc."

There is also the ogrillon, which is the result of an ogre and an orc mating.

Anyway, back to the article. We get stats for a number of half-orc types:

• Orc-Kobold: Can attain high status and leadership positions.
• Orc-Goblin: Can attain high status and leadership positions.
• Orc-Hobgoblin: Can be found as sergeants in orc armies.
• Orc-Gnoll
• Orc-Bugbear
• Orc-Ogre: "...govern with a lot of respect from their troops."

What's the deal with bugbears, anyway? Why do they have that name?  They seem kind of unnecessary, don't they? Maybe I should read up on them some day.

Half + Half Isn't Always Full

In the same issue, we have another article about half-orcs. The way this is written in such a casual manner really threw me.

We start off with an interesting question: Does a half-orc mating with a human produce a quarter-orc? Essentially, do human descendants with orc blood retain orcish traits and if so, how does that manifest in D&D terms if at all?

Then we get this statement: "Presumably a half-orc and a full orc produce quarter humans. Were such creatures to be sold as slaves in the early United States, the Census would reckon them (I assume) as 0.25x0.6, or 15% human."

The author discusses genetics a bit, going over how you can create a pink rose by crossing a white rose with a red rose. From this, he extrapolates the following:

• "A nice little nuclear half-orc family will therefore consist of two half-orc parents, two half-orc children, one orc child and one human child."
• A half-orc mating with a human will produce two half-orcs and two humans.
• A half-orc and orc will produce two half-orcs and two orcs.

Dragon Magazine #62 - Point of View: Half-Orcs

There's a full page just talking about how orcs live. We learn that some orcs have a dislike for "half-humans" among them, because they are aware that they possess more cunning. 

Half-orc adults living among orcs usually attain a position of power.

"A few cases are known of half-orc females rising to positions of power within a tribe; usually this female is either a warrior disguised as a male (who must flee or die if her deception is discovered), or a cleric for one of the few orcish religions that permit female shamans or clerics."

Half-orcs who grow up in human communities find themselves to be the objects of prejudice.  Some become neutral or even good-aligned. 

"Most of these retain an unnatural affinity for lawfulness and obedience, but are otherwise acceptable company."

Half-Orc Assassins: Many half-orcs become assassins (which was an actual character class in 1st edition). "Half-orc assassins often come to believe their actions are for the benefit of the world in general; they are culling out the unfit in the most direct way possible."

Some half-orcs create assassin guilds and have a retinue of underlings.

Half-orcs sometimes multiclass, becoming cleric/assassins. They are "invariably" death-worshipers, and try to personally bring death to as many beings as possible.

In 5e terms, does that mean there could be half-orc assassins who worship the Raven Queen?

Orcs and half-orcs dislike smaller humanoids because they are inevitably weaker, and these races are usually employed as slaves.

The article discusses why orcs and elves hate each other so much:

1. Elves see many sides to a problem, while orcs see only one.
2. Elves consider consequences to actions, while orcs are impulsive and rash.
3. Elves live for centuries, while orcs only live to the age of 40.

AD&D 2e Monstrous Compendium Volume I

Half-orcs are discussed in the orc entry. A lot of the info is the same as in 1st edition, except the stat stuff is updated to 2e. We learn a few new things:

• Half-orcs are distrusted by both human and orc cultures.
• They advance in human culture by associating with people who don't care about appearance.
• "Most tend toward neutrality with slight lawful and evil tendencies."
• Some half-orcs have split from both cultures to form their own societies in remote areas.
• "These half-orcs worship their own gods and (like most hermits) are extremely suspicious of strangers."

Dungeon Magazine #4 - Trouble at Grog's

by Daniel Horne

This adventure deals with the Happy Half-Ogre Inn and Tavern, an establishment run by a half-ogre named Grog.

"Grog's doesn't discriminate in the least and has, therefore, become a meeting place for half-breeds, adventurers, and other seedy sorts."

This adventure takes a stab at changing the approach to dealing with half-orcs and "half-monsters" in general.

A crime wave has hit the town of Dagger Rock, and the locals think Grog is responsible.

Many of Grog's employees are half-ogres. 

The bartender, Sevim Ronard, is a chaotic good half-orc. I am amused by the note in his stat block: "Sevim's abilities may be higher than the Player's Handbook allows. Since he is an NPC this can be justified to add to the adventure's flavor." Take that, sticklers!

Sevim is married to Julia, a human waitress. "Julia and Sevim have been married for just nine months and used to work at the Dagger Rock Tavern, before Grog arrived and offered them better pay and no prejudice."

I'm going to have to spoil the story of this one. The villain is the proprietor of another tavern. He has hired a pair of half-orc mercenaries named Grunt (a thief) and Brock (a fighter) who are keeping an eye on the Happy Half-Ogre Inn and Tavern.

Dungeon Magazine 45 - Rudwilla's Stew

by Steve Schwartz

Searching around for anything pertaining to D&D half-orcs, I remembered this old adventure from Dungeon Magazine. I tried to run Prism Keep from this issue when I was a kid and I didn't really get it right.

Rudwilla's Stew is an adventure written by Chris Perkins. The heroes are hired to retrieve some ingredients to be used in a witch brew. The ingredients are in a keep which has been overtaken by a rival witch named Hezra Blacktooth who has four half-orc sons.

Once the brew is made, the heroes need to bring it to some bugbears, where things might go horribly wrong.

Hezra is a human who has four half-orc sons. She was banished for trying to seduce the duke with a love potion. She is a "cruel but loving mother."

Her half-orc sons:

• Theorn: The oldest brother. Tall, short-tempered, protective of his mother.
• Orlec: His face is heavily scarred from battle. He hates most humans because one humiliated him in battle. Orlec owns a book called The Conquests of Julruz Nosepicker: the story of an orcish hero, written in orcish, worth 3 sp.
• Lormax: The smallest brother. He has a morbid sense of humor and looks more orcish than his brothers. He keeps his orc father's skull in a chest, along with a stack of "explicit love letters from a female orc named Gertha."
• Sequius: The youngest, most human-looking and most attractive. Has a +1 short sword that he stole from a halfling merchant.

I might have missed it, but I don't see an explanation as to the story of the orc father, other than that he is dead and they have his skull.

3e Player's Handbook

by Jim Nelson

Now we have a shift. Orcs and humans actually work together in some instances: "In the wild frontiers, tribes of human and orc barbarians live in uneasy balance, fighting in times of war and trading in times of peace."

Some half-orcs travel to civilized lands and bring with them "the tenacity, courage, and combat prowess that they developed in the wilds." 

Half-Orc Traits:

• Short-tempered and sullen.
• Love fighting, drinking, boasting, singing, wrestling, drumming, and wild dancing. A half-orc is a liability at the duchess's grand ball.
• They have grayish skin.
• Any half-orc who has lived among orcs likes scars.
• They reach adulthood at age 14 and live to the age of 75.
• Many worship Gruumsh even if they are not evil.
• +2 STR, -2 INT, -2 CHA.
• Darkvision 60 feet.
• Favored Class: Barbarian.
  

Races of Destiny

by Jim Nelson

This book has a whole section on half-orcs. It's really good. The insight isn't earth-shattering, but they were able to perfectly depict the life situation and resultant mindset of the half-orc. When I read it, it felt so obvious, but I'd never seen it actually put into words.

Half-orcs don't fit into society and they don't want to fit into society. They have a stubborn independent streak that they use to keep everyone and everything at a safe distance.

"The typical half-orc is abandoned at birth, bullied throughout childhood, and cast out into the wilderness as an adolescent."

Most half-orcs learn to channel their anger into focused rages while still striving to attain the elusive goal of a contemplative state of mind. This is why many end up as barbarians (because the barbarian class has a rage mechanic). 

Many half-orcs grow up to be bullies, intent on paying back the other children for years of humiliation. 

Deep down, every half-orc feels that they embarrasses both of his parent races, and that people treat them as a monster because they are one.

Loud music, dangerous brawls, and copious quantities of alcohol have the same effect on a half-orc: They can momentarily lose themselves in sensation and forget the pain and cruelty of existence.

Enemies and Allies

This supplement is full of NPC stats. It includes statistics for the "iconics" - the 3rd edition NPCs that appeared in a lot of the artwork in the 3e books. Some of the iconics even had novels written about them. The most famous iconics are probably Regdar and Mialee (both of which I included in my DMs Guild adventure The Ooze Chambers of Emirikol).

There is a half-orc iconic: Krusk. In the book, we see that he is a standard barbarian with a pile of magic items. Just stats, no story at all. 

Krusk has his own miniature.

City of Fire

Krusk did indeed get his own novel! Written by T.H. Lain, which is a pseudonym. Apparently this book was actually written by Ed Stark.

From what I can tell, this book involves Krusk, Regdar, and a few other heroes fighting gnolls and sealing a portal to a "City of Fire."

I am interested in finding out Krusk's backstory, but I can't find much out there on it.

4e Player's Handbook 2

by Steve Argyle

4th edition was pretty skimpy on lore in these books, but they did come up with a new origin of the race:

"An obscure legend claims that when Corellon put out Gruumsh's eye in a primeval battle, part of the savage god's essence fell to earth, where it transformed a race of humans into fierce half-orcs."

We also learn: "Half-orcs combine the best qualities of humans and orcs..."

Stats:

• +2 STR, +2 DEX
• They gain temporary hit points when bloodied (bloodied = once you lose half your hit points or more)
• They gain a bonus to speed when charging
• They get a free extra attack once per combat.
• They live to the age of 60.
  

5e Player's Handbook

Half-Orc Stats:

• +2 STR, +1 CON
• They live up to 75 years.
• Darkvision 60 feet.
• Proficient in Intimidation.
• When reduced to 0 HP, they drop to 1 HP instead (once per long rest).
• Do more damage on a critical hit.
  

Here's where we are at now:

"Whether united under the leadership of a mighty warlock or having fought to a standstill after years of conflict, orc and human tribes sometimes form alliances, joining forces into a larger horde to the terror of civilized lands nearby. When these alliances are sealed by marriages, half-orcs are born."

Some half-orcs hear the whispers of Gruumsh in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them.

They feel emotion powerfully.

Volo's Guide to Monsters

"...orcs mate with non-orcs only when they think such a match will strengthen the tribe." When an orc meets a human of great prowess and ferocity, they strike an alliance and mingle bloodlines.

Half-orcs often end up leading orc tribes.