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will orcs be a playable class?

QayinQayin Member Posts: 29
edited September 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
im in not mistaken, BG1 + expansion had orcs only if u installed something extra, any idea if we'll be able to roll orbs now?
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Comments

  • leyshjonoeleyshjonoe Member Posts: 59
    half orcs, yes. I think they were added in BG2, but this uses all the extras from BG2 so half orcs, yes.
  • The_New_RomanceThe_New_Romance Member Posts: 839
    Don't make fun of him.

    Orcs as such were never part of BG, and if anything they would be a race, not a class. Half-Orcs will be included, though.
  • QayinQayin Member Posts: 29
    lol its fine, never really cared about people making fun of typos or miss placed words.. i find it funny but thanks =)

    i too will prolly roll a half elf/half orc myself

  • XavianXavian Member Posts: 5
    Generally if you roll a half-elf, or a half-orc you don't get to decide what the other half is going to be. It's presumed that the unsaid half is human. Of course you can always say that the other half is whatever you like, but you won't get any mechanical benefits from the other "half" (unless you're playing pen and paper and have a really lenient DM)
  • KouTheMadKouTheMad Member Posts: 77
    Xavian said:

    Generally if you roll a half-elf, or a half-orc you don't get to decide what the other half is going to be. It's presumed that the unsaid half is human. Of course you can always say that the other half is whatever you like, but you won't get any mechanical benefits from the other "half" (unless you're playing pen and paper and have a really lenient DM)

    i always found that kinda strange, why WOULDN'T there be cross breeds that didn't consist of Humans?
  • JalilyJalily Member Posts: 4,681
    KouTheMad said:

    i always found that kinda strange, why WOULDN'T there be cross breeds that didn't consist of Humans?

    There are a few, like ogrillions (ogres + orcs). And while possibly an oversight, in BG2
    male gnomes can still get Aerie pregnant.


    As for why most crossbreeds are half human, because D&D is very human-centric (guess why <_<) and to keep the combinations to a manageable level. Any lore-based explanation of fantasy genetics would really come down to these two factors.
  • SilenceSilence Member Posts: 437
    What if a halfling and a half-orc had a baby? You'd have a quarter-quarter-horcling?

    Okay, but seriously. I'd love to see a few of the player's options races - including orc - available.
  • The_New_RomanceThe_New_Romance Member Posts: 839
    Silence said:

    Okay, but seriously. I'd love to see a few of the player's options races - including orc - available.

    You'd be the only orc on the whole Sword Coast, though. If memory doesn't fail me, there aren't any orcs at all in BG. They've made appearances in Icewind Dale, but not farther down south.
  • KouTheMadKouTheMad Member Posts: 77
    Jalily said:

    KouTheMad said:

    i always found that kinda strange, why WOULDN'T there be cross breeds that didn't consist of Humans?

    There are a few, like ogrillions (ogres + orcs). And while possibly an oversight, in BG2
    male gnomes can still get Aerie pregnant.


    As for why most crossbreeds are half human, because D&D is very human-centric (guess why <_<) and to keep the combinations to a manageable level. Any lore-based explanation of fantasy genetics would really come down to these two factors.</p>

    it kind of irks me, as i find humans in Sci Fi or Fantasy settings highly boring, and granted a crossbreed of one is less boring, its only just so (i find half elves to be only less boring then humans)

    i can see trying to make it manageable, but they couldn't have come up with a at least 1 (playable) non human combo? cause in the end, i don't see why not.
  • KalindorKalindor Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2012
    KouTheMad said:


    There are a few, like ogrillions (ogres + orcs). And while possibly an oversight, in BG2

    male gnomes can still get Aerie pregnant.
    Gnelfs!
  • ST4TICStrikerST4TICStriker Member Posts: 162
    KouTheMad said:

    Jalily said:

    KouTheMad said:

    i always found that kinda strange, why WOULDN'T there be cross breeds that didn't consist of Humans?

    There are a few, like ogrillions (ogres + orcs). And while possibly an oversight, in BG2
    male gnomes can still get Aerie pregnant.


    As for why most crossbreeds are half human, because D&D is very human-centric (guess why <_<) and to keep the combinations to a manageable level. Any lore-based explanation of fantasy genetics would really come down to these two factors.</p>

    it kind of irks me, as i find humans in Sci Fi or Fantasy settings highly boring, and granted a crossbreed of one is less boring, its only just so (i find half elves to be only less boring then humans)

    i can see trying to make it manageable, but they couldn't have come up with a at least 1 (playable) non human combo? cause in the end, i don't see why not.
    Human+ Dwarf= Mules (infertile)

    Elf+Dwarf = (Half)lings

    Halflings+Dwarf= Gnomes.

    Gnomes+Dwarf =Dwarf

    That is how D&D genetics work :)

  • SceptenarSceptenar Member Posts: 606
    Xavian said:

    Generally if you roll a half-elf, or a half-orc you don't get to decide what the other half is going to be. It's presumed that the unsaid half is human. Of course you can always say that the other half is whatever you like, but you won't get any mechanical benefits from the other "half" (unless you're playing pen and paper and have a really lenient DM)

    Orcbearpig, half-orc, half-bear, half-pig. Excelsior!
  • KouTheMadKouTheMad Member Posts: 77
    ST4TICStriker said:

    KouTheMad said:

    Jalily said:

    KouTheMad said:

    i always found that kinda strange, why WOULDN'T there be cross breeds that didn't consist of Humans?

    There are a few, like ogrillions (ogres + orcs). And while possibly an oversight, in BG2
    male gnomes can still get Aerie pregnant.


    As for why most crossbreeds are half human, because D&D is very human-centric (guess why <_<) and to keep the combinations to a manageable level. Any lore-based explanation of fantasy genetics would really come down to these two factors.</p>

    it kind of irks me, as i find humans in Sci Fi or Fantasy settings highly boring, and granted a crossbreed of one is less boring, its only just so (i find half elves to be only less boring then humans)

    i can see trying to make it manageable, but they couldn't have come up with a at least 1 (playable) non human combo? cause in the end, i don't see why not.
    Human+ Dwarf= Mules (infertile)

    Elf+Dwarf = (Half)lings

    Halflings+Dwarf= Gnomes.

    Gnomes+Dwarf =Dwarf

    That is how D&D genetics work :)

    the gnomes and dwarf one is odd..........although i can see where the other 3 come in (wonder why the Mules are infertile)
  • MoomintrollMoomintroll Member Posts: 1,498
    @KouTheMad With mules (of the horse variety, see this is already a great post!) they are normally infertile due to issues with chromosomes from parental DNA: 64 from the horse and 62 from the donkey, giving the mule 63.

    The mule is regarded as infertile because it produces eggs and sperm that are normally inviable due to structural and pairing problems with the chromosomes that I do not fully understand.
  • KamigoroshiKamigoroshi Member Posts: 5,870
    @ST4TICStriker, you forgot the most important and mainstream one in every D&D setting:

    Elf+Orc= Human



    :P
  • RazorRazor Member Posts: 436
    edited September 2012
    I would say, not going into 3/3.5e because it might have messed a bit things, (and excluding dragons etc) There are the following possible cross breeds.

    Human-Elf - Half Elf
    Human-Orc - Half Orc
    Human-Dwarf (rare) - Mules (infertile) Results in taller dwarf not different enough to be a dif race.

    There are also these less known that make sense:

    Orcs+Ogre - Ogrillons
    Orcs+Quaggoths - Boogins
    Gnomes+Dwarf - result: probably just a stronger gnome.

    The following are false but use it in your own world if you feel like it...

    Elf+Dwarf = (Half)lings
    Halflings+Dwarf= Gnomes.
    Elf+Orc= Human... / The Orlf - Seem to me its just to please some folk in pnp.

    Tell me if I missed anything so I can change it. But in the end each DM allows or not ANY cross breed...
    Post edited by Razor on
  • Tr_ondTr_ond Member Posts: 496
    edited September 2012
    @Sceptenar : @Dave gross almost did that, His Sembia book Black wolf had a character named Balin in it,a half-orc wereboar. That`s some scary shit.
  • Roller12Roller12 Member Posts: 437
    Dual class to an orc like a boss.
  • XavianXavian Member Posts: 5
    sure. I agree that "half-" races shouldn't necessarily be half human by default. And why should they always be called half-elves? Why shouldn't some people consider them to be half-humans?

    In 3rd edition dungeons & dragons, we did have half-dragon as a template which could be applied to any race. But this was the exception rather than the rule.

    Why is it that D&D has half-elves but no half-dwarves? Another valid question. Though in my opinion, the answer is "because dwarves have standards."

    I don't think that D&D is really trying to limit the options but rather presenting readily-available stats for LIKELY choices. If I'm the DM, and you want to play the unusual offspring of a kobold and an ogre, hey we can work with that. Pick out a playable race that's most similar to how you envision your new race, and we'll make a couple cosmetic swaps in racial abilities/powers to give it some unique flavor and you're good to go. After all, this is a world where owlbears make sense (they don't, really). And there's far stranger things best forgotten about.

    But Baldur's Gate is a game that was written in the 90s for 2nd edition Dingeons & Dragons. we've come a long way since, but you can't expect all the flexibility of pen and paper. If you think your character is half-elf, half-orc then it is. the game can't take that from you. but your mechanical advantages come from one side of the family or the other. At least until the modders give us a bizarre buffet of unbalanced races that is. Then you're welcome to enjoy your fire-breathing tiefling with natural armor and at-will spell effects. Wheeee.
  • GoodSteveGoodSteve Member Posts: 607
    edited September 2012
    The_New_Romance said:

    Silence said:

    Okay, but seriously. I'd love to see a few of the player's options races - including orc - available.

    You'd be the only orc on the whole Sword Coast, though. If memory doesn't fail me, there aren't any orcs at all in BG. They've made appearances in Icewind Dale, but not farther down south.
    This is actually not true. Mulahey (the boss guy in the nashkel mines) is a Half-Orc Cleric of Cyric. So, you would be the only OTHER orc in the whole sword coast... or I guess since you're both only half TOGETHER you'd be the only orc in the sword coast. Yeah.

    As for cross-breeds besides those listed above here are a few more:

    Human + Dwarf = Mulls (not mules) which are prominent in the Dark Sun setting.
    Orc + Tanar'ri = Tanarukk from Forgotten Realms.
    Sun Elf + Tanar'ri = Fey'ri from Forgotten Realms.
    And then there's Mongrelfolk which basically consist of most other things interbreeding with each other... instead of getting a new half-breed race you get these ugly dudes: http://crpp0001.uqtr.ca/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Races_Destiny/Mongrelfolk by Eric Polak.jpg

    The hills... they have eyes methinks.
  • MilochMiloch Member Posts: 863
    I see a lot of jabs about orcs and mixed parentage in this thread. I take exception to them and wield a massive axe.

    -Miloch (the half-orc/half-drow)
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    Why are we restricting lineage to 1/2orcs? Why not 1/4 or 1/8?
    If a human can breed with an orc, surely a half elf can too - making the offspring a quarterelf-quaterorc .(asuming the human percentage always remains silent)
  • fighter_mage_thieffighter_mage_thief Member Posts: 262
    Miloch said:

    Miloch (the half-orc/half-drow)

    Yer one hella ugly
  • ScarsUnseenScarsUnseen Member Posts: 170
    I had a character once that was half elf, half drow elf. Does that count?
  • LadyRhianLadyRhian Member Posts: 14,694
    @GoodSteve It may be written Mul, but it's pronounced Mule.
  • jolly_bbjolly_bb Member Posts: 122
    edited September 2012
    ScarsUnseen said:

    I had a character once that was half elf, half drow elf. Does that count?

    That makes your char an... elf :)

  • KouTheMadKouTheMad Member Posts: 77
    such interesting creatures you all speak of.
  • GoodSteveGoodSteve Member Posts: 607
    LadyRhian said:

    @GoodSteve It may be written Mul, but it's pronounced Mule.

    Indeed it is. I was pointing out the proper spelling, not correcting any mispronunciations since, well, it's text. :)

    Funny that in correcting the spelling I still added an extra L on the end. Hurray for me!
  • JolanthusJolanthus Member Posts: 292
    Razor said:

    Elf+Orc= Human... / The Orlf - Seem to me its just to please some folk in pnp.

    I'm pretty certain Elves and orcs can't interbreed.
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