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Hit Points. Did 3.0 Or 3.5 Get it Right?
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<blockquote data-quote="Neonchameleon" data-source="post: 9254582" data-attributes="member: 87792"><p>But orcs do have decent enough gear to do what they want. Hide armour, greataxe, javelin, and the appropriate racial traits of +3 Str, Night Vision, and Aggressive. This is a shock-and-awe attack to take down lightly armoured foes.</p><p></p><p>The point about aggressive is that it's a gap closer. If the orcs can get within 90' they can javelin from close range. If they can get within 60' they can melee on the first turn. And it's literally impossible to escape orcs by dashing because if you double move they either triple move after you thanks to aggressive (thus closing the gap) or double move and javelin (meaning you aren't getting further away and they have an extra attack).</p><p></p><p>Your average village, outside of wartime, isn't going to have professional <a href="https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Guard#content" target="_blank">guards</a> in a chain shirt and carrying a large shield. That stuff is heavy and expensive. No one wears 20lbs of metal unless they are <em>expecting</em> a fight or getting paid for it. Instead those keeping watch are basically equipped as <a href="https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Bandit#content" target="_blank">bandits</a> with leather armour and light crossbows or shortbows.</p><p></p><p>This makes the odds the orcs get for attacking pretty good even without advantage on turn 1.</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">vs AC 10 Commoners: 80% chance to hit (miss on a 1-4) and any hit kills</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">vs AC 12 guards/bandits/watch/militia: 70% chance to hit (miss on a 1-6), javelins kill on a 6 - or two javelin hits kill 5 times out of 6. Greataxes kill on a 8+ (so 5/12 times) or two greataxe hits kill 23/24 times</li> </ul><p></p><p>The orcs come out of the darkness. Against the people keeping watch they attack first (there wasn't enough clear ground because orcs attack faster than most other threats). Two hits with javelins gives a 2/3 chance to kill.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile what's left to strike back? Again using guard or bandit stats:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">vs AC 13 orcs that's only a 55% chance to hit</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Orcs have 15hp.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is no chance of a single hit taking an orc down</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">With two hits at d6+1 damage no chance either. At d8+1 you need 13+ off two dice - or less than 1 in 6.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Even with three hits you need an average of 4s on each damage dice to take down the orc.</li> </ul></li> </ul><p>Orcs, equipped as they are, are <em>substantially</em> more powerful than villagers - and aggressive really enables "bully" tactics for them to beat up weaker foes.</p><p></p><p>Edit: And why greataxes not e.g. greatswords or sword and shield?</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The best means not to get hurt is if the enemy is not hitting back. A 5/12 chance of killing a defender beats the 1/8 you'd have with a shield and longsword</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Axes are better than swords or mauls for breaking doors and chests and otherwise pillaging.</li> </ul><p>Hide armour is also a nice mix of light, protective, intimidating, and cheap for a rushdown fighting style. Not "the best" - but orcs aren't going to faff around making chain shirts.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Neonchameleon, post: 9254582, member: 87792"] But orcs do have decent enough gear to do what they want. Hide armour, greataxe, javelin, and the appropriate racial traits of +3 Str, Night Vision, and Aggressive. This is a shock-and-awe attack to take down lightly armoured foes. The point about aggressive is that it's a gap closer. If the orcs can get within 90' they can javelin from close range. If they can get within 60' they can melee on the first turn. And it's literally impossible to escape orcs by dashing because if you double move they either triple move after you thanks to aggressive (thus closing the gap) or double move and javelin (meaning you aren't getting further away and they have an extra attack). Your average village, outside of wartime, isn't going to have professional [URL='https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Guard#content']guards[/URL] in a chain shirt and carrying a large shield. That stuff is heavy and expensive. No one wears 20lbs of metal unless they are [I]expecting[/I] a fight or getting paid for it. Instead those keeping watch are basically equipped as [URL='https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Bandit#content']bandits[/URL] with leather armour and light crossbows or shortbows. This makes the odds the orcs get for attacking pretty good even without advantage on turn 1. [LIST] [*]vs AC 10 Commoners: 80% chance to hit (miss on a 1-4) and any hit kills [*]vs AC 12 guards/bandits/watch/militia: 70% chance to hit (miss on a 1-6), javelins kill on a 6 - or two javelin hits kill 5 times out of 6. Greataxes kill on a 8+ (so 5/12 times) or two greataxe hits kill 23/24 times [/LIST] The orcs come out of the darkness. Against the people keeping watch they attack first (there wasn't enough clear ground because orcs attack faster than most other threats). Two hits with javelins gives a 2/3 chance to kill. Meanwhile what's left to strike back? Again using guard or bandit stats: [LIST] [*]vs AC 13 orcs that's only a 55% chance to hit [*]Orcs have 15hp. [LIST] [*]There is no chance of a single hit taking an orc down [*]With two hits at d6+1 damage no chance either. At d8+1 you need 13+ off two dice - or less than 1 in 6. [*]Even with three hits you need an average of 4s on each damage dice to take down the orc. [/LIST] [/LIST] Orcs, equipped as they are, are [I]substantially[/I] more powerful than villagers - and aggressive really enables "bully" tactics for them to beat up weaker foes. Edit: And why greataxes not e.g. greatswords or sword and shield? [LIST] [*]The best means not to get hurt is if the enemy is not hitting back. A 5/12 chance of killing a defender beats the 1/8 you'd have with a shield and longsword [*]Axes are better than swords or mauls for breaking doors and chests and otherwise pillaging. [/LIST] Hide armour is also a nice mix of light, protective, intimidating, and cheap for a rushdown fighting style. Not "the best" - but orcs aren't going to faff around making chain shirts. [/QUOTE]
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