Homebrew Elf-Orc Hybrid Species Details
The Simic Combine uses magic to fuse different life forms together. In recent years, the Simic Combine has extended this research to humanoid subjects, magically transferring the traits of various animals into orcs, elves, and vedalken. The goal of the Realm Guardian Project is to build a Simic army of soldiers perfectly adapted to a variety of combat situations. These hyper-evolved specimens are called Elf-Orc Hybrid, though they sometimes refer to themselves as Guardians. But shortly after the creation of their first "batch", they realized the Elf-Orc Hybrid could not be controlled.
Elf-Orc's are blessed with the beauty of elves, marred only by jutting jaws, prominent teeth and a slight hunch to their build. Elf-Orcs stand between 6 and a half to 8 feet tall yet lack the broad, bulky bodies of their orc genes, instead having slim builds with their natural muscle wrapped tightly beneath the flesh. Their skin tones tend to reflect that of their elven genes tinged with a grayish, dulling hint.
There is an almost elegant quality to their purposeful movements, reminiscent of lion or tiger—powerful, yet precise and fluid. Elf-Orc's are not as strong as full orcs, nor as agile as pure elves, they instead embody a near-perfect balance between might and speed. They are impulsive and erratic, making them all but impossible to anticipate in battle; a trait which earns the respect of some of their parent races, if not their acceptance.
The Elf-Orcs are a people that not only struggle with others, but also conflict with themselves. The whispers of the orc god Gruumsh do not directly reach their minds, kept at bay by their fey ancestry, yet his influence still burns in each and every Elf-Orc. It's this influence with amplifies their already chaotic tendencies, a gift also of their elf blood, and sees them act on instinct—unpredictable but often reckless, with little regard for law and order. It drives them to violence, and only the fine control granted by their elven blood allows them to—mostly—rein in these urges.
Likewise, their Elven blood steers them toward doing good—a task made difficult by the fact that they are widely shunned, along with their vicious cravings and aloof nature. These often futile desires commonly lead to frustration, and see more Elf-Orcs maintain a neutral or evil alignment than any form of good.
Misunderstood by their parents and almost every other race, including other part-Orc people, Elf-Orcs feel most at ease among Tieflings who know what is to be scorned by the masses. The few Elf-Orcs in existence often find a home among the slums of human cities or wander the lands as lone drifters. Those with power who come to accept Elf-Orcs find them to be both capable and efficient, often employing them as personal bodyguards, lethal assassins, bounty hunters or shock troops.
Elf-Orc Hybrid Traits
Your hybrid character has the following racial traits.Animal Enhancement
Your body has been altered to incorporate certain animal characteristics. You choose one animal enhancement now and a second enhancement at 5th level.
At 1st level, choose one of the following options:
- Gorilla Fist - You have thickened knuckles that you can use as weapons when unarmed. When you make an unarmed strike, you can deal 1d4 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage instead of the normal damage.
- Jaguar Pad - You are expert at slinking through shadows. You gain half proficiency in stealth.
- Underwater Adaptation - You can breathe air and water.
At 5th level, your body evolves further, developing new characteristics. Choose one of the options you didn’t take at 1st level, or one of the following options:
- Silverback Shoulders - You gain the Feat Charger - When you use your action to Dash, you can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack or to shove a creature.
- Jaguar's Balance - You learn the pass without trace spell, which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast this spell in this way when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
- Underwater Vision - You double the range of your Darkvision, up to 60 feet.
Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 1, your Constitution score increases by 1 and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Age
Elf-orcs combine the strange mixture of maturing quickly and yet living long lives. They reach adulthood by the age of 15, yet live up to 150 years. The Guardian Project has not been operating long enough to observe the full effect of this phenomenon.
Alignment
Nearly all Elf-Orcs are wildly chaotic, inheriting traits of chaos from both sides of their parentage. Elf-Orcs can be of any alignment but they are almost always conflicted; their Orc blood drives them towards violence and evil, whilst their Elven heritage exerts a strong influence toward good.
Size
Elf-Orcs are much taller than humans but nearly as slim, ranging from 7 to 8 feet tall. Your size is Large.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision
Thanks to both your Elven and Orc blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Elven Gift
The type of Elf your Elf-Orc was created from will determine what they have inherited:
• An Elf-Orc of aquatic heritage can choose a swimming speed of 30 feet and resistance to cold damage.
• An Elf-Orc of High or Drow descent can choose Drow Magic.
• An Elf-Orc of Moon Elf or Sun Elven descent can choose Fey Ancestorys' perk: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
• An Elf-Orc of Wood Elven descent becomes Fleet of Foot.
Orc Gift
The type of Orc your Elf-Orc is descended from will determine what they have inherited:
- Bone Breaker Clan descent provides Powerful Build - You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Plus 1 to Strength.
- Cave Bear Clan descent provides Aggressive - As a bonus action, you can move up to your speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can see or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy than you started.
- Wet Blades Clan descent provides Undying Ferocity - When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you remain conscious, but are limited to only one move or standard action per turn, and continue making death saving throws as normal.
- Yellow Rune Clan descent provides Menacing - You are trained in the Intimidation skill. Plus 1 to Charisma.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish and Orc. Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Orc is a harsh, grating language with hard consonants.