Ogre Blood Racial Trait (Tome of Secrets)

[Quori]

Ogre Blood: Half-ogres count as both humans and ogres for any effect related to race.

O.k., so it's the exact same as Elf Blood, which I know there's been controversy over. I've used search-fu and have come up dry on any errata or official rulings.

If there is no official ruling, can someone quickly summarize what the fan consensus is on the following question:

As a Half-Ogre, when levelling up as say, a fighter, can I choose the human's favored class option when levelling as a Half-Ogre fighter?

Favored classes opening sentence is: "The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race..."

Thanks for any help.

[mplindustries]

No, just as half-elves and half-orcs can't.

[Quori]

Do you have a link to the official ruling, or is that fan consensus.

To be clear, you're stating that despite qualifying for any effect that involves race, the favored class feature that relies on race does not count?

Thank you for clarification.

[Widow of the Pit]

Sorry, no answer for your question, just wanted to comment on Tome of Secrets =) I loved this little sourcebook and have often considered using its classes and backgrounds for a campaign setting all by themselves. (Of course using CRB etc for feats, spells,) Probably wouldnt do for a long run game, but has this odd charm to it. Anyone else have any experience with this 3rd party book?

[Quori]

It is a good book, just requires a little TLC from the user to round it out. It always sucks when new races don't have favored class options.

That's why I'm so curious.

[mplindustries]

I don't know why you expect developer words on this.

You quoted:
"The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race..."

Half-ogres are not humans. They cannot use Human favored class bonuses.

You also quoted:
"Half-ogres count as both humans and ogres for any effect related to race"

You are human and an ogre for effects related to race. Effects. Taking a favored class option is not an effect.

[Quori]

Then what is an effect? It's not a keyword used in spell descriptions, feats, etc...

If I were to look through rulebooks and texts for 'effects', I would find nothing. I have to believe it isn't flavour and meaningless.

I was just wondering if your response was made up or from an errata. Do you have a link to a thorough discussion on the topic to which this conclusion was reached?

I work with a group on an online PBP site and we work through issues like this for others who want to play, so forgive me if I'm looking for substance to any statements made.

[Kazaan]

Racial Heritage: Choose another humanoid race. You count as both human and that race for any effects related to race. For example, if you choose dwarf, you are considered both a human and a dwarf for the purpose of taking traits, feats, how spells and magic items affect you, and so on.

Ogre Blood: Half-ogres count as both humans and ogres for any effect related to race.

Same words for both Elf Blood and Orc Blood. Note the part that comes before the examples in Racial Heritage. Also exactly the same. Then note what examples count as "effects related to race" listed in Racial Heritage.

Moreover:

ARG wrote:

If you are making a half-breed race, it should have the racial type of both parent races. For example, a half-elf has both the human and the elf subtypes. Subtypes are often important to qualify for other racial abilities and feats. If a humanoid has a racial subtype, it is considered a member of that race in the case of race prerequisites.

source under Humanoid.

Lastly:

ARG wrote:

Half-Elves

TYPE
Humanoid (elf, human) 0 RP
SIZE
Medium0 RP
BASE SPEED
Normal0 RP
ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS
Human heritage0 RP
LANGUAGES
Linguist1 RP
RACIAL TRAITS
Defense Racial Traits
Elven immunities2 RP
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Skill bonus (Perception)2 RP
Static bonus feat (Skill Focus)2 RP
Senses Racial Traits
Low-light vision1 RP
Other Racial Traits
Multitalented2 RP
Total 10 RP

Source

The Sample Build for the Half-Elf core race in the ARG. You'll note that Elf Blood isn't even on the list. It's entirely a part of Humanoid (human, elf).

Conclusion: All you need is the racial subtype listed to qualify for any feat, archetype, bonus, anything with a particular race as a pre-req. It's all right there in black and white... well, not white... sort of a beige, parchment tone. But you get what I mean.

If you are a Half-Ogre, you could take any feat, racial preferred bonus, racial archetype, etc restricted to Ogres or Humans. If you were a race that was Humanoid(Orc, Elf), you'd qualify for any Orc or Elf effects. If you were a Half-Orc, you could take the Racial Heritage feat since you have the human racial subtype and choose Elf as your bonus sub-type, resulting in a Humanoid(Human, Orc, Elf) and you'd qualify as human, orc, elf, half-elf, half-orc, and a hypothetical elf/orc hybrid. This is all RAW.

[Quori]

Hello Kazaan,

+1

Thank you very much. This is more than helpful.

Thank you to mpl as well.