Half orcs. A breakdown.
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Consider how half orcs are made.
Humans and Orcs are hardly likely to fall in love and have kids. Over 90% of Half Orcs are a result of rape. The result of male orcs raping human women, because, lets face it, how many guys are going to want to rape an orc?
So. Where are these kids brought up?
Orcs aren't known for keeping humans around, yes, some tribes keep human slaves, but not all that many, and why would they bother with human women when there are orc women in the camp? So the vast majority of half orcs are born in human societys.
So these Half Orcs born and brought up among humans, are brought up to BE humans. Most will have trouble with low self esteem because of the way they are treated, and because of the way they were brought into being.
Now lets consider the very small handful brought up amongst the tribes of the orcs. They are not in anyway cleverer or more likeable than the full blood orcs, they are, however, weaker, in a society that values strength above all else. Further more they are not true orcs.
They are runts, almost worthless and treated far worse than any half orc in a human society.
Of course, some will manage to rise above the handicap of their human blood but only very few.So why is it, that this small minority of half orcs who a) think orc blood is a good thing, b) are brought up by orcs and c) are proud strong and self assured, are 99% of the half orcs in Arabel?
Half orcs are not orcs. Virtually every half orc you will ever come across in human society is brought up by humans, thinks like a human, and lives like a human.
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Its because players like to play their own idea's and characters, and what they think an orc is. Sure, perhaps thats how orcs -should- be, but players will play what they want anyways!
Edit: Oh, and 100% of orcs on our server are adventurers, not the commoner orc. :D
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I can't see a reason why orcs wouldn't bother with human slaves. Our chicks are so hot! :D
On a more serious note, I think we call someone with 25% orc or human blood a half-orc. you didn't take this into account. Okay, it's a second order correction, let's discard it!
But two half orcs can still 'fall in love', and that would result a proud, happy, cute little moster, wouldn't it?
(allright, second order correction again… you might be right in some of those... ;) ) -
People like to play their own ideas?
Then why are 90% of half orc chars the same carbon coppy of the last? "Me orc. Humies stoopid, me kill?"
And i'm not sure about the mechanics of half orcs mating, its not covered as far as i know, but even so, the results of half orcs having kids would be roughly the same as orc - human. Still the same split between human and orc society.
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Are you outraged because people want to play a half orc with low int/cha?
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Is this an attempt to understand why people play their characters the way they do, or an attempt to complain about the way things are going. If it is the later, then make your own half-orc that should be played how you think it should and change everyone's mind. If it is the prior, then its just because who wants to play a demotivated, weak willed, disgusted with themselves character? Surely not more than that 1% you left aside.
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On this server, halforcs are moronic brutes, halflings are evil thieves and moon elves are haughty and aloof. Oh and druids often talk in the third person.
The stereotypes have been out of whack with what they should really be for so long Hinty, I don't think theres much chance of changing things to the traditional stereotypes of DnD.
But then, this isn't cannon DnD anyway, so it isn't that hard to think that things are different on Arabel.
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Pretty sure half-orcs are sterile. I read that somewhere at some point, therefore it must be true.
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I agree with Hinty that the predominance of players who have half-orc characters are played as brutish oafs with rude and often misplaced low charisma characteristics. I personally don't care for this representation. I'd prefer to see the more human side of half-orcs portrayed, mostly because they are adventurers and not monsters with an excuse to adventure.
And yes, while people can play what they wish on this server for the most part (although I will admit I tend to shy away from giving attention to ridiculously boring and overgeneralized characters…read: childlike halflings, oafish orcs, and scottish dwarves), it is still a welcome breath of fresh air to have someone raise the flag and say "hey, what are we really doing as a community and player-base here?" in representing a new perspective (or an old one that has been buried by false stereo-types).
Rock on Hinty. Rock on. Good points all around though, keep the discussion friendly.
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Is this an attempt to understand why people play their characters the way they do, or an attempt to complain about the way things are going. If it is the later, then make your own half-orc that should be played how you think it should and change everyone's mind. If it is the prior, then its just because who wants to play a demotivated, weak willed, disgusted with themselves character? Surely not more than that 1% you left aside.
I know why. Although I'd like to think that i am wrong and its my natural cynicism and not people just using it as an excuse to play a min maxed low int/cha half orc.
And for the record, i have my own half orc, he's been around for a good month or so now, maybe longer.
I never bitch about people playing something until i've proven to myself i can do it too.
They don't all have to be weak willed and disgusted. not by a long shot.
But they realy realy realy realy realy shouldn't all be orcs.
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@Cunning:
On this server, halforcs are moronic brutes, halflings are evil thieves and moon elves are haughty and aloof. Oh and druids often talk in the third person.
The stereotypes have been out of whack with what they should really be for so long Hinty, I don't think theres much chance of changing things to the traditional stereotypes of DnD.
But then, this isn't cannon DnD anyway, so it isn't that hard to think that things are different on Arabel.
We managed to get away from the evil theiving halflings lately. is it too much to ask that maybe the half orcs can be next? :p
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Pretty sure half-orcs are sterile. I read that somewhere at some point, therefore it must be true.
I thought those were Supermutants.
It's been visible for a while, all those superdumb superbrute half - orcs. Might be a reason why I stay away from the race.
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yeah i remember reading the same thing.
I think the sterility was a AD&D thing, 3rd and 3.5 seem to just kinda… skirt around the concept of half orcs reproducing.
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Please don't bring up rape IG or on the Forums.
It's a sensative subject for some people.