Half-Orc

Whether living under the shadow of the same forebear ruin or finding strength in their numbers, orc and human tribes sometimes form alliances, joining forces into a larger horde to help increase their chances of survival. The longer these alliances last, the more blended the two groups become and half-orcs are born. Some half-orcs rise to become proud chiefs of orc tribes, their human blood giving them an edge over their full-blooded orc rivals. Some venture into the world to prove their worth among humans and other city-dwelling races. Many of these become adventurers, achieving greatness for their mighty deeds and notoriety for their adaptability and furious strength.

Scarred and Strong
Half-orcs’ gray-green pigmentation, sloping foreheads, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and towering builds make their orcish heritage plain for all to see. Half-orcs stand between 5 and 7 feet tall and usually weigh between 180 and 250 pounds.

Orcs regard battle scars as tokens of pride and ornamental scars as things of beauty. Other scars, though, mark an orc or half-orc as an outlaw or a disgraced exile. Any half-orc who has lived among or near orcs has scars, whether they are marks of humiliation or of pride, recounting their past exploits and injuries. Such a half-orc living among humans might display these scars proudly or hide them in shame.

Outland Survivors
Because of the need to be constantly alert and ready for battle at the drop of a hat in the ruins, orcs are a race that are always active. They have a fiery passion and a need to be doing something. This often manifests itself as a tendency for excitability or irritability. Half-orcs have this passion to a slightly lesser degree than their orcish ancestors, but they still tend towards active careers such as farming or fighting.

The half-orcs that choose to live away from the orc tribes typically take up residence in human villages, finding good work with construction or farmwork. They get a lot of appreciation for their physical capabilities as the average half-orc is stronger than a human.

Other half-orcs take up residence in feyborn cities, where they find it rather easy to blend in with the varied and diverse crowds that walk those streets. A small population of half-orcs also find kinship with the beastfolk tribes, and find success living in the wild lands.

Half-Orc Variants
In times before humans came into the world, half-orcs were still prevelent. Primarily, half-orcs were formed from the union of an orc and a feyborn, mostly elves, goliaths or dwarves. However, orcs also often fell for beastfolk who would inhabit similar areas to orc tribes. If playing a campaign in this kind of earlier setting, consider what your half-orc's heritage may be and how that effects their appearence and culture. While a half-orc-half-dragonborn may maintain some visual similarities to their draconic ancestor, you will still need to decide between using the half-orc stat block or the dragonborn one. However, you may gain racial feats from both half-orcs and dragonborns.

Half-Orc Names
Half-orcs usually have names appropriate to the culture in which they were raised. A half-orc who wants to fit in among humans might trade an orc name for a human name. Some half-orcs with human names decide to adopt a guttural orc name because they think it makes them more intimidating.

Half-Orc Characteristics
When creating a Half-Orc character, you can use the suggested ability score increases or, as detailed in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, you can instead increase one ability score of your choice by 1 and one different ability score of your choice by 2.

(Str. +2; Con. +1)

Darkvision. 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.

Menacing. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

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.

Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Languages. You understand Common and Orcish.