uberorcs?

[Blue Prussian]

I noticed in my last campaign that the characters thought of orcs as nothing more than evil cannon fodder. I mean, they would actively seek out orcs to destroy during their downtime (and this was at low level). That prompted me to mull over options to either make orcs a bit nastier, or come up with a nasty elite orc subrace.

That being said, I can't think of much to do other than increase their ability scores. Boosting strength (and maybe constitution) would be a good way to make low level PCs notice that orcs aren't the monster equivalent to ants.

So, I was wondering what people here thought. Have you tweaked orcs in your campaigns? If so, how? Or do you think orcs should be left alone? I'm not trying to make orcs into PC-eating death machines, just into something that characters would stop and think about attacking instead of blithely charging.

 

[Xiryc]

I noticed in my last campaign that the characters thought of orcs as nothing more than evil cannon fodder. I mean, they would actively seek out orcs to destroy during their downtime (and this was at low level). That prompted me to mull over options to either make orcs a bit nastier, or come up with a nasty elite orc subrace.

That being said, I can't think of much to do other than increase their ability scores. Boosting strength (and maybe constitution) would be a good way to make low level PCs notice that orcs aren't the monster equivalent to ants.

So, I was wondering what people here thought. Have you tweaked orcs in your campaigns? If so, how? Or do you think orcs should be left alone? I'm not trying to make orcs into PC-eating death machines, just into something that characters would stop and think about attacking instead of blithely charging.

I give my Orcs class levels. The best was when my party came across what they thought was a group of helpless, unarmed orcs. Orc Monks are fun.

 

[Aaron2]

I run a game set in the Warhammer world so I just use Black Orcs. To set them apart, I made them LN and gave them a chivalric code (honor, fair fights, hospitality etc). Of course, they were bigger and tougher too. The players meet a huge orc on a rode, dressed in full plate, carrying a lance and followed by a orc squire, who challenges them to a friendly duel.

I also have a race of elf-orc crossbreeds. They have all the nasty oricsh traits combined with the long life and inate magical ability of elves. They make good BBEGs since they have no problem with evil schemes that take 20 years to come to fruition, giving the characters time to level up and stop them.


Aaron

 

[Phaedrus]

Giving humanoids class levels... That was one of the coolest things about 3e IMHO.

In the old days you see a group of goblins/kobolds/orcs/etc sitting around a camp fire and you just smile and charge right in.

In 3e you'd better take a look. Is that a kobold in robes carrying a staff? Hey! Is that orc committing a whirlwind attack?! How does this goblin get so many attacks with his sword? Yikes! Did that hobgoblin just sneak attack me?

Sa-weet!

 

[Wolf72]

Class levels for one: barbarian is nice ... a lvl 1 raging barbarian with 20 str and a great axe can do lots of dmg.

try out Orogs and Ogrillans too

 

[Nine Hands]

I noticed in my last campaign that the characters thought of orcs as nothing more than evil cannon fodder. I mean, they would actively seek out orcs to destroy during their downtime (and this was at low level). That prompted me to mull over options to either make orcs a bit nastier, or come up with a nasty elite orc subrace.

That being said, I can't think of much to do other than increase their ability scores. Boosting strength (and maybe constitution) would be a good way to make low level PCs notice that orcs aren't the monster equivalent to ants.

So, I was wondering what people here thought. Have you tweaked orcs in your campaigns? If so, how? Or do you think orcs should be left alone? I'm not trying to make orcs into PC-eating death machines, just into something that characters would stop and think about attacking instead of blithely charging.

Apply a template or two. I picked up the Book of Templates from Silverthorne Games and applied the Dreadnought template to some 8th level Barbarian orc. Talk about putting the fear into the players! They still talk about the Dreadnought Orcs in reverence or is that fear As the players got higher in level, I just pushed up the Dreadnought Orcs levels and even changed some of the classes around to confuse them. Since some have escaped into the wilderness and will probably never be found, they will eventually return, more powerful than when they left

 

[Silverglass]

Apply class levels to your Orcs. In most worlds the life of an Orc is nasty brutish and short, however those who survive those raids on caravans/battles with neighboring tribes/challenges from underlings will gain experience. You could even justifiably say that just surviving a year garners an xp award for an Orc, as you now get xp for overcoming a challenge rather that just killing enemies.

So start giving your players encounters with those hardbitten, battlescarred veteran orcs that have survived a decade or two of conflict rather than the young and inexperienced mass of warriors that do a lot of the dying for the tribe.

If a human city has a certain proportion of people above 5th level then an Orc tribe will have as many, if not more. The more brutal the life the faster the survivors gain levels and in D&D gaining levels improves your chance of surviving to the next level.

So throw in that encounter with a half dozen Orc Barbarians and Barbarian/Rogues with a Cleric or two and a Sorceror to back them up. That will make your PC's start respecting the enemy.

 

[Blue Prussian]

Thanks for all the ideas. I never really thought about a standardized military structure for an orc culture. The orc-elf crossbreed is a great idea as well. I guess that gives me something to work on this weekend...

 

[Spyritwind]

Others already said the obvious, but just to give you an example:

add 2 levels of fighter to an orc.

+2 BAB
+10 HPs
+3 Fort Save
+2 skill points (would be four, but "duh" orcs)
2 feats, could be weapon focus and toughness for straight combat ability.

Quite easily much tougher than standard orcs without adding several levels to them.