Half-elves and Dual Talent

[Tiemmothi]

Half-Elf or Half-Orc: Can a character of either of these races select human racial favored class options?

Yes. Half-elves and half-orcs may select racial favored class options, archetypes, traits, and so on, as if they were a full member of both races (a half-elf can select elf and human rules elements, a half-orc can select human and orc rules elements).

Edit 9/26/13: This is a reversal of an earlier ruling. This resolves a discrepancy between this FAQ, another APG FAQ, and a Core Rulebook FAQ.
posted Sep 26, 2013 | back to top

I am assuming a Half-Elf would not be allowed to take Dual Talent because they don't have the bonus feat to give up? I have been looking on the forums for a specific yes or no answer and either i cant word the question correctly or its just too simple of a question.

[Java Man]

Okay, this seems to be a common mistake. The word trait is used in two places with two meanings and should not be confused. This FAQ refers to race traits from the optional rule for character creation in APG and Ucampaign. Dual Talent is a Racial Trait, this is not what the FAQ refers to and is exclusive to humans.

[downerbeautiful]

I know Hero Lab is not perfect, so don't yell at me for that.

Some of this confusion regarding racial traits and race traits stems from Hero Lab giving half-elves and half-orcs the ability to take focused study, dual talent, et cetera.

See Java Man for the rest.

[Majuba]

downerbeautiful wrote:

Hero Lab giving half-elves and half-orcs the ability to take focused study, dual talent, et cetera.

Seriously?

[Physically Unfeasible]

Java Man covered it. To give an example of a race trait right off the prd;

Quote:

World Traveler: Your family has taken the love of travel to an extreme, roaming the world extensively. You've seen dozens of cultures and have learned to appreciate the diversity of what the world has to offer. Select one of the following skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (local), or Sense Motive. You gain a +1 trait bonus on checks with that skill, and it is always a class skill for you.

Note it is no something you have for being human (by looking at the page on humans) or does it reference replacing anything humans have baseline.

It is sort of like half a feat that you can take.

[downerbeautiful]

Majuba wrote:

downerbeautiful wrote:

Hero Lab giving half-elves and half-orcs the ability to take focused study, dual talent, et cetera.

Seriously?

I'm Super. Duper. Serial.

[Lovesmasher]

Java Man wrote:

Okay, this seems to be a common mistake. The word trait is used in two places with two meanings and should not be confused. This FAQ refers to race traits from the optional rule for character creation in APG and Ucampaign. Dual Talent is a Racial Trait, this is not what the FAQ refers to and is exclusive to humans.

As of September 2013, this edit was made to the FAQ:

Half-Elf or Half-Orc: Can a character of either of these races select human racial archetypes (such as from Advanced Race Guide?

Yes. Half-elves and half-orcs may select racial favored class options, archetypes, traits, and so on, as if they were a full member of both races (a half-elf can select elf and human rules elements, a half-orc can select human and orc rules elements).

Edit 9/26/13: This is a reversal of an earlier ruling. This resolves a discrepancy between this FAQ and two Advanced Player's Guide FAQs.

Half-elves can select all elf and human rules elements and a half orc can select human and orc rule elements. That includes Alternate Racial Traits.

[Protoman]

Lovesmasher wrote:

As of September 2013, this edit was made to the FAQ:

Half-Elf or Half-Orc: Can a character of either of these races select human racial archetypes (such as from Advanced Race Guide?

Yes. Half-elves and half-orcs may select racial favored class options, archetypes, traits, and so on, as if they were a full member of both races (a half-elf can select elf and human rules elements, a half-orc can select human and orc rules elements).

Edit 9/26/13: This is a reversal of an earlier ruling. This resolves a discrepancy between this FAQ and two Advanced Player's Guide FAQs.

Half-elves can select all elf and human rules elements and a half orc can select human and orc rule elements. That includes Alternate Racial Traits.

Half-Elves & Humans, and Half-Orcs & Humans don't share any racial traits for that ruling to even apply for Alternate Racial Traits to swap out between the races.

[Nefreet]

Lovesmasher wrote:

Java Man wrote:

this seems to be a common mistake. The word trait is used in two places with two meanings and should not be confused. This FAQ refers to race traits from the optional rule for character creation in APG and Ucampaign. Dual Talent is a Racial Trait, this is not what the FAQ refers to and is exclusive to humans.

Half-elves can select all elf and human rules elements and a half orc can select human and orc rule elements. That includes Alternate Racial Traits.

It does not, but I understand your confusion. There are two types of "traits" in Pathfinder, and new players often get them mixed up. A quick search of this forum (and others) will show many, many threads asking these sorts of questions.

[Pupsocket]

Guys, seriously? This is not a thread about the Race Trait/Racial Trait confusion. Stop answering questions that no-one is asking.

To the OP: You are correct, half-elves can't take Dual Talent because they have no Bonus Feat Racial Trait to exchange; the option would be valid if they had the ability to pay for it.

[Nefreet]

Pupsocket, I was not replying to the OP, I was replying to the poster who legitimately is getting the two confused.

Edit: in case you didn't notice, the person I was replying to necro'd the thread. The OP likely already has his answer.

[Pupsocket]

Nefreet wrote:

Pupsocket, I was not replying to the OP, I was replying to the poster who legitimately is getting the two confused.

Edit: in case you didn't notice, the person I was replying to necro'd the thread. The OP likely already has his answer.

Derp, disregard :-)