Half-ogres seem to be all the rage lately, so this is my take on it. I tried to come up with something a little different than the half-orc or goliath, while attempting to keep it competitive. Let me know what you think.
Half-Ogre
A half-ogre
is a crossbreed between a human and an ogre, distinct from an ogrillon, which
is the result of a union between an orc and an ogre. This interbreeding is
almost never, if ever, a happy thing. A half-ogre raised by a human community will
typically find himself mistrusted, possibly pitied, and sometimes outright
hated by his neighbors. A half-ogre raised by his ogre kin will be looked down
on until he has proven himself in battle.
As one might
expect, a half-ogre is typically very large and very strong. They are bigger
and somewhat more bestial in appearance than a half-orc, with skin tones
ranging from pale yellow to dull brown, or even occasionally grey. Warts are
common, and a half-ogre’s hair is usually dark-colored. Eyes are usually
human-like, though some half-ogres are born with the black eyes of their ogre
lineage.
Runts of the Tribe
Ogres look
upon these half-breeds as small and weak compared to a full-fledged ogre. Until
a half-ogre has a chance to prove himself in battle, he will be pushed around
by his full-blooded kin. Once he manages to show the rest of the tribe his fury
in combat, he will gradually gain respect. It’s not unusual for a half-ogre to
be smarter than his tribemates, and it’s not entirely unheard of for a
half-ogre to work his way into a position of leadership. Ogres led by a
half-ogre will tend to fight with a surprising amount of strategy and tactics,
rather than behave like an unruly, chaotic mob which is how ogres usually
fight.
Mistrusted Outcasts
A half-ogre
raised in a human community will find it extremely difficult to find acceptance
amongst his human kin. Many will fear and mistrust him, due to both his size
and bestial appearance. Others will outright hate him, if for no other reason
than that the half-ogre is a constant reminder of a tragic chapter in the
community’s past. The half-ogre learns to be a solitary survivor, untrusting of
those around him.
People
generally view a half-ogre as big, strong and stupid, with impulse and anger
control issues. Some half-ogres can be surprisingly intelligent, though, and
are commonly underestimated. The one group that a half-ogre can expect to find
acceptance from is the half-orcs, who experience some of the same issues in
human society. And the one line of work a half-ogre is always welcome is one
that involves inflicting violence.
Half-Ogre Names
A half-ogre
raised by ogres will have an ogre type of name, usually something short,
simple, and harsh sounding. A half-ogre raised by humans will have a name
typical for that community.
Half-Ogre Traits
Boosted Ability Score. Your Strength score increases by 2
and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Half-ogres have lifespans comparable
to humans. They reach adulthood in their mid teens and don’t usually live
longer than a century.
Alignment. Regardless of where they are brought
up, half-ogres tend more towards chaotic than not. A half-ogre raised among
ogres will almost certainly be evil, while one raised by humans will not
usually be terribly inclined towards good.
Size. Half-ogres are between 7 and 8 feet
tall, and weigh between 300 and 400 pounds. Your size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Your ogre blood gives you superior
vision in dark and dim lighting 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 grey.
Large and Threatening. You gain proficiency in the
Intimidation skill.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when
determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Ogre Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by
1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Languages. You speak, read, and write Common
and Giant. Half-ogres raised by an ogre tribe are rarely literate and may not know Common.
Based on feedback, I've dropped the speed to 30 ft and added the note about literacy if the half-ogre is raised in an ogre tribe.
