Orcs

An orc’s hair usually is black. It has lupine ears and reddish eyes. Orcs prefer wearing vivid colors that many humans would consider unpleasant, such as blood red, mustard yellow, forest-green, and deep purple. Their equipment is dirty and unkempt. An adult male orc is a little over 6 feet tall and weighs about 240 pounds.

Females are slightly smaller.

The language an orc speaks varies slightly from tribe to tribe, but any orc is understandable by someone else who speaks Orc. Some orcs know Goblin or Giant as well.

Orcs are proficient with all simple weapons, preferring those that cause the most damage in the least time. Many orcs who take up the warrior or fighter class also gain proficiency with the falchion or the greataxe as a martial weapon. They enjoy attacking from concealment and setting ambushes, and they obey the rules of war (such as honoring a truce) only as long as it is convenient for them.

What is little known about orcs is that they are some of the greatest singers in the world.  A fact hidden by the fact they only sing for religious and ceremony and not to delight their listeners.

 

Orcs, Brine

This creature looks like some kind humanoid crustacean.  It has jutting tusk and dark delphine eyes and a rocky grey hide.  One arm is actually larger than the other and end in a hand that is as much claw as it is hand.  The brine orc has long webbed feet.

Brine orcs survive on the slopes of cliff sides or undersea drops, far from the warmth of volcanic vents and the nurturing light of the sun. As such, they control access to the secrets of the deep ocean trenches—but are menaced by fell creatures that rise up out of the trenches in search of fresh prey. Brine orcs stand ever vigilant against attackers and thieves when they’re not making preemptive strikes against those foolish enough to settle near their territory. Occasionally an individual orc questions the need for constant battle, or seeks strategies other than brute force. Such iconoclasts often leave their tribes—at least temporarily—to become adventurers.

• +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma.

An orc’s starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.

• Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• The Orc’s base land speed is 30 feet.

• The Orc has a climb speed of 10 feet.

• Aquatic: A brine orc gains the aquatic subtype. A brine orc can breathe underwater. It cannot also breathe air unless it also has the amphibious special quality. A brine orc can hold its breath outside the water for 2 rounds per point of Constitution. After that, it begins to suffocate (see page 304 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).

• Swim speed: A brine orc has a swim speed of 20 feet . It can move through water at its swim speed without making Swim checks. It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

• Armored hide: a brine orc’s body is cover is chitinous plates which provide it with a +2 natural armor bonus.

• The Orc has a claw attack with it chitinous off arm.  The claw deals 1d4+ ½ the orc’s strength bonus.

• Armored off arm: a brine orc’s left is larger than the right (all brine orc’s are right handed because of this) the are is comparatively clumsy but it grants +1 shield bonus to the orc’s AC

• Scent: Orcs can find prey by smell alone.  They also gain a +4 to survival checks made to track when using their prey's scent.  This works only when the brine orc is underwater. 

• Gift of Songs:  the Orc gains a +10 racial bonus to perform (singing) checks.

• Constrict (Ex): A brine orc deals damage equal to twice its normal claw damage plus its Strength bonus on a successful grapple check.

• Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a monstrous crab must hit with its claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

• Brine orcs have a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

• Amphibious (Ex): Although brine orcs are aquatic, they can survive indefinitely on land.

• Skills: A brine orc has a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks.

• Darkvision: Orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and can function just fine with no light at all.

• Stereotypical Alignment:  Lawful Neutral

• Automatic Languages: Aquan and Orc. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.

• Favored Class: Knight. A multiclass brine orc or half-brine orc’s knight class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

• Level Adjustment: +1

 

Orcs, Mountain

Mountain orcs seem bent on endless destruction.  When they stop killing their own long enough they turn their wrath on their nearest neighbor whoever that may be.  They are known for cannibalism.  The skin of this creatures is usually deep purple to black, and their eyes burn red.  They have thick matted manes of grey hair.

• +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, –2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom, –4 Charisma.

An orc’s starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.

• Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Orc base land speed is 40 feet.

• Immunity to non-magical Diseases, +4 on saves against Magical Disease.

• Scent: Orcs can find prey by smell alone.  They also gain a +4 to survival checks made to track when using their prey's scent. 

• Gift of Songs:  the Orc gains a +10 racial bonus to perform (singing) checks.

• Stereotypical Alignment:  Chaotic Evil

• Darkvision: Orcs can see in the dark up to 120 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and can function just fine with no light at all.

• Automatic Languages: Undercommon and Orc. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.

• Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass orc’s fighter class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

• Level Adjustment: +1

 

Orcs, Wasteland

Wasteland orcs live in harshest environment on Meirdyyn, the Infernal Wastelands.  While human, elves, dwarves, and the like are slowly pushed by the infernal hoards.  The Wasteland orcs dedicate their lives to fighting the evil.  They have learned to accept death as an every day part of life and fight the creature that Shea’hol vomits forth with every breath.  They are taught to hate evil from birth, and few ever falter from that path.  Wasteland orcs have skin ranging from blood red to deathly grey, their hair is always black and their eyes are usually green or gold.

• +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma.

An orc’s starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.

• Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Orc base land speed is 30 feet.

• Scent: Orcs can find prey by smell alone.  They also gain a +4 to survival checks made to track when using their prey's scent.

• Gift of Songs:  the Orc gains a +10 racial bonus to perform (singing) checks.

• +2 on saves against Diseases.

• Low-Light vision: Orcs (and half-orcs) can see twice as far in low light as normal.

• Darkvision: Orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and orcs can function just fine with no light at all.

• Stereotypical Alignment:  Lawful good

• Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.

• Favored Class: Knight. A multiclass half-orc’s knight class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

 

Orcs, Wilderness

Wilderness orcs are hideous brutes who eat anything they can find.  They kill with out mercy and eat anything they can catch, sometimes not bothering to wait for it to die, unless it is mating season (in which case what they catch only wishes it had died first).  Often other smarter, bigger, or bigger and smarter creatures attempt to control these brutes.  This has little success.  A portions of wilderness orc are no smarter than animals.  The orcs make up the lowest station in orkish society; eternally last to feed and rare obtaining mating rights.

• +6 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, –6 Intelligence, –4 Wisdom, –6 Charisma.

• Barely sentient: A wilderness orc’s starting Intelligence score is almost always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.  If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 0 or –1, his score is 2 and his subtype changes from humanoid to animal. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to –2 or –3, his score is 1 and his subtype changes from humanoid to animal.  If later penalties such as by a spell would lower the intelligence an orc with 3 or higher intelligence at creation to below 3 he is treated the same as any other humanoid so affected and does not become an animal.

• Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Orc base land speed is 20 feet as a bipedal & quadruped (all four limbs and thus can not be wielding a weapon at the time) 40 feet.

• Scent: Orcs can find prey by smell alone.  They also gain a +12 to survival checks made to track when using their prey's scent.

• Easily Entertained: Wilderness orc can become fascinated by the simplest of things.  When a wilderness orc witnesses a performance it must make a will save DC equal to the performance check or become dazed.

• Gift of Songs:  the Orc gains a +8 racial bonus to perform (singing) checks.

• +2 on saves against magical Diseases.

• Immunity to non-magical Disease

• Natural AC bonus +3

• DR 1/- this stacks with the DR from barbarian

• Illiterate no matter what class a wilderness orc takes it is Illiterate unless it spends 2 skill points to learn to read and write.

• Sprint (Ex): Once per hour, a wilderness orc can move ten times its normal speed (400 feet) when it makes a charge.  The orc must be using its quadrupedal movement.

• Ferocity (Ex): A wilderness orc is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.

• Slam Attack: A wilderness orc may make to slam attacks with it’s fists, this counts as its primary attacks for multi weapon fighting.  The attack deals 1d4+strength modifier.

• Bite Attack: A wilderness orc have powerful bone crushing jaws.  Any bite attack counts as its secondary attacks for multi weapon fighting.  The attack deals 1d6+ ½ strength modifier.

• Bonus feats: Track, Wield over sized weapon

• Low-Light vision: Wilderness orcs can see twice as far in low light as normal.

• Stereotypical Alignment:  Chaotic Evil

• Automatic Languages: Orc. Bonus Languages: Common, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin.

• Favored Class: Barbarian. A multiclass wilderness orc’s Barbarian class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

• Level Adjustment: +1

 

Orcs, Woodland

Woodland orcs are cunning hunters.  They guard their woods jealously and so little is know about their culture.  It is known that they are shamanistic and do not worship the patrons or demons.

• +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence, –4 Charisma.

An orc’s starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.

• Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Orc base land speed is 30 feet.

• Scent: Orcs can find prey by smell alone.  They also gain a +10 to survival checks made to track when using their prey's scent.

• Gift of Songs:  the Orc gains a +10 racial bonus to perform (singing) checks.

• +2 on saves against Diseases.

• Low-Light vision: Orcs (and half-orcs) can see twice as far in low light as normal.

• Arboreal: Woodland orcs can climb trees at their base speed so long as the limbs of the two trees are within 5ft of each other woodland orcs may move at their base move speed.

• Stereotypical Alignment:  Chaotic neutral

• Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.

• Favored Class: Ranger. A multiclass half-orc’s Ranger class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

 

AGE

You can choose or randomly generate your character’s age. If you choose it, it must be at least the minimum age for the character’s race and class (see Table: Random Starting Ages). Your character’s minimum starting age is the adulthood age of his or her race plus the number of dice indicated in the entry corresponding to the character’s race and class on Table: Random Starting Ages.

Alternatively, refer to Table: Random Starting Ages and roll dice to determine how old your character is.

 

Table: Random Starting Ages
Orc Race	Adulthood	Barbarian Rogue Sorcerer	Bard Fighter Paladin Ranger	Cleric Druid Monk Wizard
Brine	13 years	+1d4	+1d6	+1d10
Mountain	10 years	+1d3	+1d4	+1d8
Wasteland	12 years	+1d3	+1d4	+2d4
Wilderness	84 months	+2d12 mo	+3d12 mo	+6d12 mo
Woodland	10 years	+1d3	+1d4	+1d6

With age, a character’s physical ability scores decrease and his or her mental ability scores increase (see Table: Aging Effects). The effects of each aging step are cumulative. However, none of a character’s ability scores can be reduced below 1 in this way.

When a character reaches venerable age, secretly roll his or her maximum age, which is the number from the Venerable column on Table: Aging Effects plus the result of the dice roll indicated on the Maximum Age column on that table, and records the result, which the player does not know. A character who reaches his or her maximum age dies of old age at some time during the following year.

The maximum ages are for player characters. Most people in the world at large die from pestilence, accidents, infections, or violence before getting to venerable age.

 

Table: Aging Effects
Orc Race	Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
Brine	25 years	38 years	50 years	+2d10 years
Mountain	27 years	42 years	55 years	+1d20 years
Wasteland	30 years	45 years	60 years	+1d20 years
Wilderness	18 years	27 years	36 years	+1d10 years
Woodland	25 years	38 years	50 years	+1d10 years
1 At middle age, –1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
2 At old age, –2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
3 At venerable age, –3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

 

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

The dice roll given in the Height Modifier column determines the character’s extra height beyond the base height. That same number multiplied by the dice roll or quantity given in the Weight Modifier column determines the character’s extra weight beyond the base weight.

 

Table: Random Height and Weight
Orc Race	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Brine, male	4´ 9˝	+2d12	140 lb.	× (2d8) lb.
Brine, female	4´ 4˝	+2d12	120 lb.	× (2d8) lb.
Mountain, male	5´ 8˝	+2d12	150 lb.	× (2d8) lb.
Mountain, female	5´ 4˝	+2d12	135 lb.	× (2d8) lb.
Wasteland, male	5´ 3˝	+2d12	140 lb.	× (2d6) lb.
Wasteland, female	4´ 10˝	+2d12	130 lb.	× (2d6) lb.
Wilderness, male	5´ 5˝	+2d12	170 lb.	× (2d8) lb.
Wilderness, female	5´ 0˝	+2d12	150 lb.	× (2d8) lb.
Woodland, male	5´ 1˝	+2d12	145 lb.	× (2d6) lb.
Woodland, female	4´ 8˝	+2d10	130 lb.	× (2d6) lb.