Half-Orc 5e: The Complete Species Guide

Half-Orcs are the species for players who want the physical advantages of orc ancestry without committing to being a full orc. They're strong. They're tough. They have the most terrifying racial feature in the game: the ability to not die.

Mechanically, Half-Orcs are a Strength-based powerhouse with the best survive-a-killing-blow feature in D&D.

Base Half-Orc Traits

Half-Orcs get:

• +2 Strength, +1 Constitution.
• Age: Reach adulthood at 14, live to about 75.
• Size: Medium.
• Speed: 30 feet.
• Darkvision (60 feet).
• Menacing: Proficiency in Intimidation.
• Relentless Endurance: When reduced to 0 HP (but not killed outright), drop to 1 HP instead. Once per long rest.
• Savage Attacks: On a critical hit with a melee weapon, roll one additional damage die of weapon damage.
• Languages: Common + Orc.

Relentless Endurance is a once-per-day "don't die" button. Savage Attacks makes your crits scarier.

Relentless Endurance

This is the best single-use racial trait in the game. The math:

• You take damage that would drop you to 0 or below.
• If the damage exceeds your HP but isn't massive enough to kill outright (damage = max HP + current HP), you'd normally be at 0 and dying.
• Relentless Endurance: you go to 1 HP instead.

Once per long rest, you get a free "don't fall unconscious." This is huge for solo play. Every adventuring day, you have one extra life.

Note: "Massive damage" that exceeds your max HP by more than your max HP still kills you outright. Relentless Endurance doesn't save you from that.

Savage Attacks

On a critical hit with a melee weapon, add an extra weapon damage die.

Example: Half-Orc Barbarian with a greataxe. Normal crit: 2d12 damage. Half-Orc crit: 3d12 damage.

Combined with Barbarian's Brutal Critical (more dice on crits) at level 9, a Half-Orc Barbarian at level 9 crits for 4 damage dice instead of 2.

Class Combos

Half-Orc + Barbarian. The canonical build. Str + Con + Savage Attacks stacks with Reckless Attack (advantage, more crit chance) and Brutal Critical (more crit dice). This is the crit-fishing solo Barbarian dream.

Half-Orc + Fighter. Great Weapon Master + Half-Orc Savage Attacks = devastating crit output. Champion subclass especially.

Half-Orc + Paladin. Strength + some Constitution. Oath of Vengeance (non-SRD) or Devotion. Divine Smite crits get even more dice because of Savage Attacks.

Half-Orc + Ranger. For a melee Ranger with a greatsword or two-handed weapon. Hunter's Mark + crits work well.

Half-Orc + Monk. Strength-based Monk isn't ideal (Dex-based is better), but possible for crit-stacking with Way of the Open Hand.

Half-Orc in Solo Play

Half-Orcs are S+ tier solo. Why:

1. Relentless Endurance. One free "not dead" per day. In solo, one extra life is huge.
2. Savage Attacks. Crit damage matters more solo (you're often fighting tough enemies with high HP).
3. Str + Con bonus. Perfect for melee self-sufficient builds.
4. Menacing. Free Intimidation proficiency helps social encounters.
5. Darkvision. Dungeon standard.

For more, see our classes ranked for solo play.

Final Verdict

Half-Orc is the best species for solo melee characters. Relentless Endurance alone justifies the pick for any high-risk character.

Start a Half-Orc on The Endlessness, pick Path of the Berserker Barbarian with a greataxe, and never actually die.