While half-elves often struggle to be accepted by the societies that reject them, half-orcs rage against them. Their piggish eyes, slightly upturned noses, and slightly greenish skin tone marks them as different from birth. Rejected often by their human kin, the pig-faced semi-humans turn to crime, banditry, and their orcish cousins. Massively built, yet shorter than humans, half-orcs are warriors almost without peer. The strongest humans can match the strongest half-orc, but the average human is little match for the savagery and power of a half-orc.

Those that do not turn against human society often find themselves in a difficult position. Many of humankind’s traditional allies, especially dwarves and elves, have fought against orcs for generations, and are taught to hate orc-kin from birth. Furthermore, half-orcs can rarely count on the support of their human families, since very few are not the product of violence. The life of a half-orc is not an easy one, but those that struggle can sometimes carve themselves some semblance of a normal life.

Like half-elves, half-orcs have little in the way of innate abilities. If raised amongst humans, they will find the skills of that culture no easier to learn than any other…few wish to have a half-orc as an apprentice. Their inclination towards the warrior arts gives them a bonus of 5% to all experience earned as a warrior or a warrior combination class, but they lose 5% from experience earned as a magic-user or magic-user combination class. Those few raised amongst orcs, however, will have certain skills that they can learn easily, including Armorer, Blacksmithing, Blind-fighting, Bowyer/Fletcher, Endurance, Gaming, Hunting, Leather Working, Mining, Mountaineering, Set Snares, Survival, Tracking, and Weaponsmithing. For weapons, the half-orc may learn Battle-Axe, Crossbow, Flail, Hand Axe, Spear, and any bow, pole arm, or sword for one point less than normal.

Because of their orcish heritage, half-orcs are strong, tough, and much more observant than their intelligence would suggest. Thus, they get a +1 to Strength and Constitution, and a +2 to perception. However, they are far from handsome or personable (by human standards, at least) and so get a –2 to Comeliness and Charisma.

Half-orcs get 20 character points to start with. Like half-elves, there is little uniformity amongst them.

Active sense of smell (5): The character’s sense of smell is sensitive enough to give a +1 bonus to surprise rolls, as well as a +1 to all Perception rolls involving scent.

Acute taste (5): The character’s sense of taste is so sensitive he gains a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. imbibed poisons, as well as a +1 to all Perception rolls involving taste.

Attack bonus (5): +1 attack bonus with one weapon of the player’s choice.

Damage bonus (5): +1 damage bonus with one weapon of the player’s choice.

Hit Point Bonus (10): The character gets one additional Hit Point at each level.

Immune to Disease (15): Some very rare half-orcs are immune to all natural diseases, from the common cold to the Black Plague. Magically induced diseases, however, still affect them.

Infravision (5/10): Infravision with a 30' range, or 60’ for 10 CP’s.

Mining Detection Abilities (5): A character with this skill is familiar with mining, tunneling and stonework. By concentrating for one round the character can make a Perception roll to determine the grade or slope of the passage they’re going through, or to determine whether or not a given piece of stonework is of recent construction or not.

Stealth (10): When the half-orc is alone (or with other characters with this ability) and is not wearing metal armor, he gains a bonus to surprise opponents. The opponent suffers a –4 penalty, a –2 if he has to open a door.

Half-orcs are Medium creatures, able to use Large weapons in two hands and Small and Medium weapons with only one. Their base movement rate is 12, and their base defense is 10. Half-orc males average 60+1d12 inches, and 135+6d10 pounds. Females average about 2 inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter. Most half-orcs are True Neutral, though characters may be of any alignment.

Half-orcs tend to be in their physical prime from age 12 to almost 30. If they live to be older than 30, they gain a +1 to Wisdom and Intelligence, but lose one from Strength and Constitution. Around their 40^th year, they lose two points from Strength and Dexterity, and another off of Constitution, but he also gains one of Wisdom. Should the half-orc survive to be 60 years of age, he’ll again lose a point of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, but also gain one of Wisdom and Intelligence. Those that survive this long are very wily, and difficult to kill more for their ability to avoid traps and combat than for any innate toughness. Few half-orcs live beyond 60, and almost none beyond 80.