Half Ogre
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[Adapted from the articles by Gary Gygax in The Dragon #29 (Sept. 1979) and by Roger Moore in Dragon #73 (May1983)]
The offspring of a human male and a female ogre (see ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, MONSTER MANUAL), half-ogres are a rare crossbreed, both the largest physically and the most limited in abilities and advancement prospects of all playable character races. Half-ogres tend to have low standing in human society and are most commonly employed as bodyguards, mercenary soldiers, manual laborers, or occasionally as gamekeepers at magical academies. Their complexions tend to be swarthy and dull, and their hair to be lank and dark.
Half-ogre characters may only become fighters, clerics (maximum of 4th level), or they may choose to pursue both classes simultaneously and become multi-classed cleric/fighters. In the latter case the character is not restricted to the clericʼs normal allowed weapons. However, earned experience is always divided evenly between the two classes, even when the half-ogre is quickly no longer able to progress upward in the cleric class. (See CHARACTER CLASSES for more information regarding this subject.)
Half-ogres are able to speak the “common tongue” of
humanity and their alignment language. If raised in the presence of their ogre parent they will also speak ogrish, orcish, and troll, but not otherwise. Half-ogres with sufficient intelligence scores may learn a maximum of one additional language.
Half-ogres have infravision, so that they can detect varying degrees of heat radiation up to 60' distant in the dark.
Due to their exceptionally large size, half-ogres have two regular hit dice (as appropriate to their class, or combination of classes) at 1st level, thereafter progressing normally by class, so that for example at 9th level (Lord) a half-ogre fighter will have ten 10-sided hit dice rather than the usual nine. Half-ogres may wield a bastard sword one-handed and still get the full benefit of the weaponʼs damage and other modifiers, and may use a large shield with equal
facility as a normal shield. However, there are also
downsides to their great size: clothing and armor for halfogres costs double or triple that for humans (and magic armor sized to fit half-ogres is extraordinarily rare); halfogres may not ride any mount smaller than an exceptionally large heavy war horse; half-ogres are treated as size L when determining weapon damage; half-ogres have a penalty of -2 “to hit” dwarfs and -4 “to hit” gnomes in melee combat. Half-ogres are never psionic, and neither are they able to be affected by the raise dead or resurrection spells.
Half-ogre characters have a bonus of +2 to their initial rolled strength score and a +1 to their initial rolled constitution score. In neither case may the bonus bring the score above 18, but if the strength bonus would lift the score above 18 and the character is a fighter or cleric/fighter, then a +25% bonus is added to the exceptional strength rating (up to a maximum of 18(00). Half-ogres also have a -1 penalty to their initially rolled intelligence and wisdom scores and a -2
penalty to their rolled charisma score when dealing with any character who is not an ogre or half-ogre (cf. dwarfs),
ABILITY SCORES
Strength: Minimum 14 / Maximum 18(00)
Intelligence: Minimum 3 / Maximum 12
Wisdom: Minimum 3 / Maximum 12
Dexterity: Minimum 3 / Maximum 12
Constitution: Minimum 14 / Maximum 18
Charisma*: Minimum 3 / Maximum 9
*Effective score is doubled with respect to ogres and other half-ogres
RACIAL PREFERENCES
Half-orcs rate a T,
humans an N,
and half-ogres a P.
All others are H both ways
CHARACTER AGE
Young Adult: 12-18 years
Mature: 19-40 years
Middle Age: 41-80 years
Old: 81-110 years
Venerable: 111-140 years
Starting Age:
Cleric: 20 + 1d4 years
Fighter: 15 + 1d4 years
HEIGHT: 80 + 4d4 inches (7ʼ to 8ʼ)
WEIGHT: 305 + 10d12 pounds (315 – 425)
