Ruin Explorer
Legend
I'm sorry mate, if the burden of choosing a race to apply the cultural template "generic barbarian" to (which is all Orcs have) is too demanding, then I don't think the problem lies in the MM.Except it puts the burden on DMs everywhere. Unless of course you want Star Wars aliens where 90% of the aliens are just a humans with a mask.
Different species just become set dressing and nothing more. Ooh look! The guy playing the saxophone looks different! See how cool this universe is? If not for the visuals, Mos Eisley's cantina is boring.
Orcs are just "humans in a mask" right now! It's just that they're stereotypically violent, primitive barbarians. Like some humans are violent, primitive barbarians. They have nothing unique or special about their culture.Honestly, that gets me too. Either every race is just human with a mask or they're at least somewhat unique and iconic. How do you do the latter in a way that's significantly different than what we have now?
This is why I pointed out they're so weak for the argument you're trying to make.
Lots of other races have some more complicated stuff going on. But not Orcs.
Exactly. It's valuable.I'm actively arguing for different species to have different cultures—it makes no sense that all orcs, spread over a continent to be monocultural. I disagree with this making a species lose its narrative ability—this opens up new narratives.