Can someone help me make a half orc half dwarf homebrew race? I know half orc exists but it seems all half races are human/??? but I want to do something not so human which is the issue and why humans annoy me so much since they are so basic and shoved down my throat lol.
I am thinking either 2con/1str or 2str/1con obviously and I want to get a few traits that push the sturdy and strong aspect. I was thinking of making them tall and wide so maybe average 6ft tall and thick like dwarves but green skin and large beards due to that added testosterone. Also maybe a charisma penalty if needed to get some cool traits and balance out the race with some fun stuff.
then maybe a social rp based trait that is based around alcohol intake since I feel a half dwarf/orc could really handle it’s booze.
This is going to be my two cents, so take it as you will, but I would go with the +2 to con +1 str because being dwarf/orc, I would see them as being hardier than a human/orc. You can do a +2, +2 like a mountain dwarf, but then you'd have to be very careful on what features you give them. Though the minus stat could off set this like you were suggesting. For size, I'd say that they'd stand somewhere between 5-6ft, which is taller than dwarves, but potentially shorter than the base half-orc though they would be thicker.
Most features that you would need would be within both the dwarf and orc/half-orc stats. I'd start from looking at both of them and comparing which of those features would be innate vs learned via culture. Like both would have darkvision, but I doubt they would have the dwarven weapon proficiencies.
So what would you say to something like this since it's a variant?
Replace ability score with +2str, +2con, -1int, -1cha Replace savage attacks with Dwarven toughness and powerful build?
I feel this would add that tough feeling they should have as a half dwarf half orc and balance it out. idk I feel if further balance would be needed we could increase the int/cha to -2 just brainstorming here atm. I want powerful build to keep the fact that both races are stronger than a normal human at base average and the fact that full orcs get powerful build. i don't know about dwarven toughness though maybe replace that with something else or keep it but I am thinking powerful build should just be added since it is more of an rp out of combat thing to the most part. I wanted powerful build since there really is a lack of fun races using powerful build that are DM accepted since loxodon are very setting dependent, orcs are iffy as playable a lot of the time, furbolgs are iffy as well depending on setting and world, then you have the one really accepted goliath lol.
I hate giving penalties to stats - unless they are designed to screw with the basic classes. Str +2, Con +2, Int -1, Cha -1 means MELEE WARRIOR. No one ever plays that as Wizard. I would accept a +2 Strength, +2 Dex, -1 Con - at least that is a penalty that might actually hurt someone
This is what I would do for a Half-Orc, Half Dwarf:
+1 St, +2 Con
Speed = 25, but like with full dwarves, "Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor."
Darkvision
Dwarven Resilience. (You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.)
Powerful Build (missed this originally)
Your choice of ONE of the following
Relentless Endurance. (When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest. )
Savage Attacks. ( When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.)
Languages: Common and your choice of either Dwarvish or Orcish.
Proficiency in either Athletics or Survival (had a hard life, neither Orc or Dwarf society respected you as a child)
1: why 25 speed? that is harsh for melee like can be crippling more so than a minor stat decrease like -1. Like as a wizard or warlock i would rather have -1 int or char than -5ft movement since you can't even escape the most basic melee enemy now most of the time when they get into your face.
2: I did mention i wanted to add the powerful build for two reasons 1) not enough DM acceptable races with it 2) pure orc starts with it and dwarves are stronger by default compared to humans physically which would make sense for them to be more capable.
Otherwise no issues with this idea for balance you came up with, I just didn't know if I should or shouldn't give a negative to stats for powerful build since I am not experienced balancing things myself and wanted to check with others..
Dwarves are 25 speed, aren't they? But I forgot to add their caveat "Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor."
You are totally right that 25 speed is worse than penalty to intelligence. A penalty to your dump stat is not a penalty. That's how they counter the fact you are adding bonuses to both con and st.
I missed the powerful build, I will add that on.
First post is edited to add on speed caveat and powerful build.
with the decrease to speed and that lame "not slowed by armor" which only applies if you don't meet the str requirement for said armor which i doubt you would ever end up in that situation. This should definitely either toss that out the window or make 2str 2con just to balance out that horrible lack of 5ft on the movement speed. Like getting kited as a martial class focused on melee would be super crippling wouldn't it or am I wrong? Please correct me if I am since I actually don't know. I do know the dwarf gets a ton of racials thought which I feel balances out their -5 speed but yeah just wanting to make sure I am not wrong on things is all.
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Can someone help me make a half orc half dwarf homebrew race? I know half orc exists but it seems all half races are human/??? but I want to do something not so human which is the issue and why humans annoy me so much since they are so basic and shoved down my throat lol.
I am thinking either 2con/1str or 2str/1con obviously and I want to get a few traits that push the sturdy and strong aspect. I was thinking of making them tall and wide so maybe average 6ft tall and thick like dwarves but green skin and large beards due to that added testosterone. Also maybe a charisma penalty if needed to get some cool traits and balance out the race with some fun stuff.
then maybe a social rp based trait that is based around alcohol intake since I feel a half dwarf/orc could really handle it’s booze.
any advice or help here?
This is going to be my two cents, so take it as you will, but I would go with the +2 to con +1 str because being dwarf/orc, I would see them as being hardier than a human/orc. You can do a +2, +2 like a mountain dwarf, but then you'd have to be very careful on what features you give them. Though the minus stat could off set this like you were suggesting. For size, I'd say that they'd stand somewhere between 5-6ft, which is taller than dwarves, but potentially shorter than the base half-orc though they would be thicker.
Most features that you would need would be within both the dwarf and orc/half-orc stats. I'd start from looking at both of them and comparing which of those features would be innate vs learned via culture. Like both would have darkvision, but I doubt they would have the dwarven weapon proficiencies.
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So what would you say to something like this since it's a variant?
Replace ability score with +2str, +2con, -1int, -1cha
Replace savage attacks with Dwarven toughness and powerful build?
I feel this would add that tough feeling they should have as a half dwarf half orc and balance it out. idk I feel if further balance would be needed we could increase the int/cha to -2 just brainstorming here atm. I want powerful build to keep the fact that both races are stronger than a normal human at base average and the fact that full orcs get powerful build. i don't know about dwarven toughness though maybe replace that with something else or keep it but I am thinking powerful build should just be added since it is more of an rp out of combat thing to the most part. I wanted powerful build since there really is a lack of fun races using powerful build that are DM accepted since loxodon are very setting dependent, orcs are iffy as playable a lot of the time, furbolgs are iffy as well depending on setting and world, then you have the one really accepted goliath lol.
I'm not the best when it comes to balancing, but I feel like that's a good starting point.
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I hate giving penalties to stats - unless they are designed to screw with the basic classes. Str +2, Con +2, Int -1, Cha -1 means MELEE WARRIOR. No one ever plays that as Wizard. I would accept a +2 Strength, +2 Dex, -1 Con - at least that is a penalty that might actually hurt someone
This is what I would do for a Half-Orc, Half Dwarf:
+1 St, +2 Con
Speed = 25, but like with full dwarves, "Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor."
Darkvision
Dwarven Resilience. (You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.)
Powerful Build (missed this originally)
Savage Attacks. ( When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.)
Languages: Common and your choice of either Dwarvish or Orcish.
Proficiency in either Athletics or Survival (had a hard life, neither Orc or Dwarf society respected you as a child)
I like this but two questions
1: why 25 speed? that is harsh for melee like can be crippling more so than a minor stat decrease like -1. Like as a wizard or warlock i would rather have -1 int or char than -5ft movement since you can't even escape the most basic melee enemy now most of the time when they get into your face.
2: I did mention i wanted to add the powerful build for two reasons 1) not enough DM acceptable races with it 2) pure orc starts with it and dwarves are stronger by default compared to humans physically which would make sense for them to be more capable.
Otherwise no issues with this idea for balance you came up with, I just didn't know if I should or shouldn't give a negative to stats for powerful build since I am not experienced balancing things myself and wanted to check with others..
Dwarves are 25 speed, aren't they? But I forgot to add their caveat "Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor."
You are totally right that 25 speed is worse than penalty to intelligence. A penalty to your dump stat is not a penalty. That's how they counter the fact you are adding bonuses to both con and st.
I missed the powerful build, I will add that on.
First post is edited to add on speed caveat and powerful build.
with the decrease to speed and that lame "not slowed by armor" which only applies if you don't meet the str requirement for said armor which i doubt you would ever end up in that situation. This should definitely either toss that out the window or make 2str 2con just to balance out that horrible lack of 5ft on the movement speed. Like getting kited as a martial class focused on melee would be super crippling wouldn't it or am I wrong? Please correct me if I am since I actually don't know. I do know the dwarf gets a ton of racials thought which I feel balances out their -5 speed but yeah just wanting to make sure I am not wrong on things is all.