Half Human Hybrid
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Human: Hey elf, you look like a girl.
Elf: To a human, everything must look like a girl.
Human: What?
Elf: Half-orcs, half-ogres…
Human: …shut up.
Dwarf: Half-dragons, half-kobolds.
Human: I said shut up!
Elf: …
Dwarf: …
Human: …
Elf: Centaurs…
Anonymous Troper

Basic Information

A Half Human Hybrid is a being that is half human, half… something else. This is a frequent occurrence in mythology and the fantasy genres. In science fiction, it is generally implausible without massive genetic engineering. The only thing that you hardly ever find is the half-dwarf. And even that has been tried at least once.

In most fantasy settings, fantastic racism is usuallyaverted - but not always.

See Also

Sources

Bibliography

Game and Story Use

  • This is a frequent trick to justify more player character races (with their own stat bonuses) without having to write up an extended cultural background.
  • Being a half-human hybrid can be a source of Angst if one or both parents' cultures don't accept the hybrid.
  • Disturbingly enough, while the typical Island of Doctor Moreau depiction is pretty goofy, the notion of human hybridization itself has some scientific basis. See Hybrid (biology), Historical and cultural perspectives on zoophilia, and Humanzee. Be prepared for a little squick.
  • Note that, as per the flavour text, these hybrids always seem to be half-human
    • Somewhat averted in D&D 3.5 with various hybrid templates (such as "half dragon") which can be slapped onto virtually anything.
  • Subverting this and removing the endless hybridisation from your setting could be a vast improvement.
    • Introducing a single hybrid in a setting where they don't exist could be plot worthy … or just cause metagame whining from players unable to spot the hook…
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