Orcs vs Goblinoids: Who's the top Evil Race?

[LoneWolf23]

On one hand, You've got the Orcs: a single Savage, Fiersome and Brutal race. One the other, you've got the Goblinoids: Sneaky Goblins, Organised Hobgoblins and Brutal Bugbears, a race of Evil for every situation.

So, which race do you think makes the truest "Basic Race of Villains" in a Fantasy campaign? The Orcs, or the Goblinoids?

 

[Mouseferatu]

Kobolds.

 

[blackshirt5]

mouseferatu's make the best villains; they post WMD's like Gollum rapping.

But for a serious answer I have to agree with the undead rodent; kobolds rule!

 

[AnthonyJ]

Kobolds do make an excellent evil race. Frankly, goblinoids don't make sense as a race, it's not like bugbears and goblins are any more similar than orcs and gnolls.

Anyway, if I want barbarian hordes I'll go with orcs. If I want an organized evil empire, I'll go with hobgoblins. The second is generally scarier IME.

 

[Dark Jezter]

My vote goes for... Githyanki! PCs always expect to take on things like orcs, goblins, and drow in their D&D campaigns... but few PCs expect to fight against gaunt humanoids from the astral plane who fight with liquid metal swords.

Here are my thoughts on some other evil humanoids...

Orcs: After reading the latest R.A. Salvatore novel, The Lone Drow, I have developed a whole new outlook regarding orcs. I used to think that they were simple-minded brutes whose only purpose in life was to be slaughtered by adventuerers. Now, I've seen that they can be surprisingly cunning and dangerous. Next time my PCs go hunting orcs and expect them to be pushovers, they might be in for a nasty surprise.

Drow: In recent years, the drow have become very tired and cliche as villains, so I rarely use them in my campaign.

Kobolds: The recent thread on this forum regarding how to make kobolds into dangerous enemies has given me a desire to use them on my PCs.

 

[Grayhawk]

When making a home-brew world I think it would be nice to go with either orcs or goblinoids - especially if you're not into a lot of sub races and things like that - as it can make for a simpler, more 'clean' setting.

That said, I've got both orcs, goblinoids, gnolls and kobolds in my campaign - but they each have a specific role to fill.

One of the overarching story lines is actually about how the orcs came to be, as no one had seen them in my world prior to the humans showing up...

(And they worship Orcus, from whom they've taken their name.)

 

[Gez]

Well, goblinoids are varied, but it's not like they are a hive creature, with goblins being workers, hobgoblin being overseers and bugbear being warriors.

:wink:

Now that's an excellent idea!



Well, anyway, they are not all together and organized. In other words, they don't profit from their variety.


IMC, orcs are by far the most evil. Goblinoids are evil out of pettiness and shortsightedness. The wiser among them tend to be neutral, or even good, as they realize an evil society is not efficient.

Orcs, on the other hand... With the exception of the nomadic steppe orcs (violent raiders), they are actively evil. From the vile deep orcs who worship Orcus and dabble in all foul magics, necromancy, curses, diseases and poisons; to the tyrannical grey and black-eyed orcs, servants of an evergrowing sentient city whose purpose is to cover the whole world; orcs are those creature that serve metaphysical evil.

 

[Endur]

Orcs= hack and slash barbarians

Goblins = comedy relief

Hobgoblins = organized slavers

bugbears = Sneakiest, elite bully goblins

kobolds = Great servants for an evil dragon. They are lawful, so they can be expected to follow the Dragon's orders. 4th level Kobold Adept is CR 1. Great way to give your Dragon some buff spells.

Troglydytes = end of the world reptilian bad guys. They always have a plot to destroy the sun and all of the surface worlders.

Drow = Ultra-cool, evil, bad gals and guys.

Ogres and Giants = Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum ... everyone should have some of these guys.

 

[blackshirt5]

Hmm, hadn't thought about Troglodytes. Now Endur has given me a very nasty idea for my game.

 

[Tonguez]

Orcs aren't evil they're just misunderstood raised from birth to be brutal and violent

Goblins are sneaky and cowardly and will sell their own mother if it will get them what they want - thats not evil just dispicable
Hobs are too disciplined to be evil and bugbears are just big hairy orcs

Drow suck (as all elves do -but drow more so because they think they are kewl)

Gnolls however, gnolls are just way cool, gnolls get my vote for most evil race because gnolls are cool and will eat your guts while you watch so there