Homebrew Half-High Elf/Half Orc Species Details

Seemingly Opposite Worlds

To humans, half-high elves/half orcs look like muscle-bound orc-skinned elves, to elves, they look orcish, and to orcs, they look elvish. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as stocky as orcs. They range from 6 to about 7 feet tall, and from 150 to 350 pounds, with males sometimes slightly taller and heavier than females. Male half-high elves/half orcs do not have facial hair, and tusks can vary between sexes. Both half-elven and orc coloration and features lie somewhere between their orc and elf parents, and thus show a variety even more pronounced than that found among either race. They almost always have golden eyes, and sometimes have smaller tusks than their orc parent. They tend to be intelligent.

Societal Inclusion

Some Half-high elves/half orcs are welcome in elvish or orcish society, depending on which parent they take after the most, being accepted more by orcs than elves. Some are shunned from both societies, and instead turn to settlements of other races, such as humans and even, amusingly, Dwarves, who seem to be fairly accepting of the mixed breed that incorporates everything they respect in their two enemies with none of the pomp or savagery

Naming

The half-high elf/half orcs are named as per their parents wishes, sometimes giving their children human or dwarvish names, but typically choosing a mix between elvish and orcish.

Portrait by Zhang QiPeng

Half-High Elf/Half Orc Traits

This character has some qualities in common with elves and some that are unique to orcs.

Trance

High elf parentage gives the half-high elf/half orc the ability to trance for 4 hours instead of an 8 hour long rest.

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.

Ability Score Increase

Charisma, strength, and dexterity all increase by 1.

Age

Half-high elves/half orcs mature at the same rate orcs do and reach adulthood around the age of 14. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 200 years.

Alignment

Half-high elves/half orcs share the chaotic bent of both their elven and orcish heritages. They value both personal freedom and creative expression, demonstrating neither love of leaders nor desire for followers. They chafe at rules, resent others’ demands, and sometimes prove unpredictable.

Size

Half-high elf/half orcs range from 6 to 7 feet tall. Size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your elf 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.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Skill Versatility

You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and Orcish.