Arelith

Humans will get freaky with nearly anything on two legs, this we know. What are the approved limitations of this, in terms of whether a character race is considered acceptable?

Can an Elf or Half-Elf be played as a 3/4 Elf? Can a Human or Half-Elf be played as a 1/4 Elf? Can a Human be played as a 1/4 Orc or a Half-Orc be played as a 3/4 Orc? Or must our character lineages be meticulously planned out to ensure an even split?

Is it acceptable to play other combinations which aren't even partially mechanically supported, but logically possible, like a Halfling with significant Dwarven ancestry, or something more exotic like a Gnome-touched Human? Would these combinations require a 5% roll, as with Planetouched?

1. Half Orc + Half Orc = Half-Orc

2. Orc + Half Orc = Half-Orc

3. Half Orc + Human = Human

The same goes for elves. I believe this is the canon, from a mechanical standpoint. For example #3, would I lean in to the Human child maybe displaying some subtle traits or features of their half-orc parent? Sure. But I wouldn't really call them a "quarterling" or anything of the like. I'd maybe say they have some "orc blood" in their family.

I don't think the DM's want us making characters with special traits without using a reward. So making a halfling with green skin and saying he is half goblin would probably not be allowed without spending a Major Reward. And if you're gonna spend a Major Reward why not do something more fun like a half-dragon or a cambion?

NPC Logger Number 2 wrote: Fri Jun 26, 2020 2:09 pm I don't think the DM's want us making characters with special traits without using a reward. So making a halfling with green skin and saying he is half goblin would probably not be allowed without spending a Major Reward. And if you're gonna spend a Major Reward why not do something more fun like a half-dragon or a cambion?

This isn't what I was asking about.

If you're talking about a character that is a halfling but his great great great great great great grandpappy was a dwarf but he looks like a regular halfling except maybe a bit chubbier then yeah you can probably get away with that. Gnome-touched sounds more iffy. My half-goblin example would be this concept taken to the extreme. If you're not sure about whether a concept would be allowed it is probably best to ask a DM before making the character. I know there are half-dwarves in the lore and a half-orc is not always half-human.

In the past the rule was "you can claim what you like (within reason) but no one has to believe you." I think the DMs have shifted away from that somewhat but I still think if you are not getting any special advantage you could claim something like your half-orc is 3/4 orc, 1/4 human if you otherwise are just rolling up a stock half-orc.

DMs don't want people making special races and you certainly can't claim a human is a githyanki by using the monsterous face model, but saying your otherwise normal looking human has a bit of orc blood and picking an ugly normal human face shouldn't be a problem since you're still mechanically playing a human and it's just for a little "flavor."

If you want to say your hin is "gnome touched" I personally don't think that's a problem and have seen other players do similar things, just know some may not believe you and some will say that is simply not possible and since this is a completely made-up fantasy game you are both right. Half-gnome half-hin would be another matter but playing a hin with a little gnomish affinity and not expecting any mechanical or in-game perks (like accessing gnome-only quarters) isn't harming anybody, though again you might cause some hin to say that's not biologically possible and question your sanity.

Lore aside, you are your character sheet. No need to make it more complex: If it says human, you are a human. If it says gnome, you are a gnome. If it says dwarf, be sad, because you are a dwarf, and not a pixie.

If you claim anything else, your character is lying. The fact will always be what the character sheet says. You can claim orc blood generations apart, or elf blood, but if your character sheet doesn't say half-orc or half-elf accordingly, then no one has to believe you.

DM Titania wrote: Fri Jun 26, 2020 7:20 pm Lore aside, you are your character sheet. No need to make it more complex: If it says human, you are a human. If it says gnome, you are a gnome. If it says dwarf, be sad, because you are a dwarf, and not a pixie.

If you claim anything else, your character is lying. The fact will always be what the character sheet says. You can claim orc blood generations apart, or elf blood, but if your character sheet doesn't say half-orc or half-elf accordingly, then no one has to believe you.

That's not quite as clear an answer as I was hoping for. It alludes to a no, but doesn't actually say the word.

Instead, I'll pose an example: If I play a Human as being partially Orcish in lineage and having small tusks and other minor Orcish features, will it be vetoed by a DM?

We had a long running guard commander dragon thing wannabe with shark teeth who ate gems, and she didn't get vetoed. I don't see the problem, but I'm Not A DM.

I think the DM answer is as clear as you'll get. It's a bit of a "grey area" thing since there is room for creativity but they don't want ridiculousness. You either have enough taste to know where the line is or you don't but it's not something that can be clearly marked, other than that other players are under no obligation to believe you if you claim something not on the character sheet.

Based on my experience I would say do what you want and claim some minor orcish blood in the background on your human if that's the story you want to tell. That would hardly be an unusual thing in FR after all and lots of humans may have some great-grandfather half-orc that's best not spoken of. If you do it well and don't try to use it for some big advantage it will be accepted. If you're using it to get something you otherwise wouldn't you may have a problem, so figure out where that line is.

I would be of the opinion if you want an orcish feature so much, such as tusks, that you play a half-orc and not play the human who gets the extra feat and starting skill points.