LE Orcs

[knifespeaks]

Ok, so I noticed the other day that 3.5 orcs are CE - I always kinda preferred 'em as LE, so:

From the more experienced 3.x folks, what issues am I likely to face (balance/gameplay wise) if I change some of my orcs back to LE? The reasoning behind it is I wish to explore the concept of the 'orcish nation' in some detail, so I am planning to give them the breadth of human alignments.

Anything obvious?

 

[Eremite]

The main one will be that orc barbarians will be far more rare. Otherwise, there will be no real changes.

FWIW, orcs were originally CE in original D&D (well, at least in the blue book). I personally think that LE is a mistake and does not reflect their culture and society.

 

[Filby]

The main one will be that orc barbarians will be far more rare. Otherwise, there will be no real changes.

Yeah. I'd make their new favored class fighter.

FWIW, orcs were originally CE in original D&D (well, at least in the blue book). I personally think that LE is a mistake and does not reflect their culture and society.

Well, the edition for which the blue book was published only allowed for Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic, and at the time it was generally assumed that Chaotic is the same as Evil.

I agree that orcs in 2E were really more CE than LE, but it's always possible to have a subrace of orcs that are LE.

 

[BOZ]

i'm with ya dude. LE orcs, LG halflings, and CE drow are the way to go in my worlds.

as far as impact... less in-fighting, more focused warfare? and yes, fewer barbarians - change their favored class to fighter.

 

[Trencher]

I second the fighter idea.
Or you could use the despot class from dragon 312

 

[Orichin]

Allowing orcs to take barbarian so long as they retain their racial alignment is another option. LE orcs, as BOZ stated, will be more organized militarily; think, what would happen if hobgoblins (organized orcs, more or less), started breeding like goblins and orcs do? You'd have a mess on your hands for everyone that's not a LE orc, provided they had the numbers orcs are generally assumed to have. Also, this military monstrosity would make political friends and enemies fast, whether the orcs wanted them or not, most likely.