Half Orcs can't be monks?

[NotMeth]

New to the game but just wondering why.

[fauxpas]

Probably the same reason that only humans can be palis, humans duel classed, and demies multi classed; ADnD had some odd racial restrictions.

[wendigo211]

In the first and second edition of D&D (Baldur's Gate is 2nd Ed.) there were a lot of restrictions on what race could be what class. Only Humans could be Monks and Paladins. Only Humans and Half-Elves could be Bards, etc. There were also level limits on some of the races, i.e., some characters were capped at a certain level if they picked a particular class. There really wasn't any reason for any of it, other than to ensure there were more human characters than other races in parties (the idea was that adventurers from other races should be rare).

Fortunately when Wizards of the Coast took over D&D they got rid of all that nonsense in the third edition.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Only humans can become monks: http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Monk

[Hello darkness]

does anyone know the design concept behind this? I'm kinda curious

[Shackler316]

Originally posted by Hello darkness:

does anyone know the design concept behind this? I'm kinda curious

Google Gary Gygax and 1st/2nd rules.

[Flashburn⌛]

Technically because the other races don't have the monk animations.

[Saelune]

Originally posted by Hello darkness:

does anyone know the design concept behind this? I'm kinda curious

DnD is based heavily on both mythical lore of real cultures, and of established fantasy settings, like Lord of the Rings. Most likely Gygax and those he worked on DnD with tried too hard to emulate such things. Halflings were originally straight up just Hobbits.

[fauxpas]

Originally the nonhuman races were classes as well.

[Shackler316]

Originally posted by fauxpas:

Originally the nonhuman races were classes as well.

I never played the original game like Chainmail etc, but you are correct in that the Basic D&D (Basic, Expert, Companion, Master and Immortal) had races that were classes, Like Elf, Dwarf, Halflings.