Orc
Orcish society is as unforgiving as the land they call home. Clans frequently skirmish with each other over control of scarce resources in the Atan northlands, and blood feuds drive clans to fight for no other reason than mutual hatred. Within most clans, orcs behave completely differently: almost any orc would give up his or her life to protect the clan, and honor has an important place in clan customs.
Despite the importance of honor, orcs do not have honorifics. Even the chief is not treated any differently from other orcs. Many outsiders perceive orcs' frankness and indecorousness as rudeness or insult.
Threefold People
There are three primary superclans of orcs. The Dej Khov or "Ice" Orcs along the northernmost shores spend half the year on the ice plains hunting for seals. The Qhov Tsua or "Cave" Orcs live underground, either in tunnels dug through permafrost or in the expansive cave networks of the northern mountains. In between are the Ntoo or "Wood" Orcs, who live in the boreal forests.
Each superclan has a king of sorts called a Khan. Every fifth winter, the chiefs of each clan from a given superclan gather at a sacred place known only to chiefs. There, the chiefs determine who is to be Khan. This meeting is called Lub rooj sib tham ntawm Cov Thawj Coj or "Chiefsmoot". If the existing Khan is deemed to have acted dishonorably or against the interests of the superclan, the chiefs may select a new Khan to replace him. In such cases, the previous Khan does not return from Chiefsmoot and is never spoken of again.
Despite having no direct authority, a Khan serves a handful of functions. A Khan belongs to no clan and fighting is prohibited in a Khan's presence, and he can therefore serve as a diplomat between feuding clans. (To orcs it is usually preferable to simply continue the feud.) He also speaks on behalf of the entire superclan when dealing with the other two Khans. Most importantly, only a Khan is permitted to travel to the hidden realm of the Great Orcs to trade offerings for favor and revelations.
The Great Orcs
Outside of the ice, cave, and wood orcs are the great orcs. These hulking brutes are the religious leaders of orckind. They preside from a place called Tsev Fuabtais Loj, which translates literally to Great Castle. The location of Tsev Fuabtais Loj is unknown to all but the Khans, and little is known of the great orcs except what is gleaned of them from old stories about human-orc wars.
It is believed that many fantastical magical items are kept at Tsev Fuabtais Loj. No human treasure hunter has ever found the place (and no orc would try).
<redacted> Physical Appearance
All orcs have mottled skin, protruding lower tusks, thick hair, and coarse features.
- Wood orcs have marbled skin of dark green and brown.
- Cave orcs have dark gray skin and nearly solid black eyes. They are the shortest type of orc by nearly a foot on average.
- Ice orcs have pale skin with a blue tint.
- Great orcs have splotchy skin of gray and off-white. They are the tallest and bulkiest by far, standing a head taller than most other orcs without exception. They are also prone to physical deformities due to a history of inbreeding.
Orcs and Humans
Humans largely believe orcs are monsters and are treated as such. This is due to a number of reasons, including their capacity for violence, apparent lack of manners, and scary appearance.
In a way, orcs agree with the humans. Orcs are far more suspicious and hateful of enemy clans than of humans. Most orcs are just wary of humans.
Game Mechanics
Abilities
Hinterland Survivors. Orcs almost always have a high Strength and Constitution score in order to survive in the harsh environments of northern Ata.
Strong-Willed. Living in northern Ata requires a strong will to survive, and orc cultures tend to emphasize independence of thought. The result is that orcs have a high-on-average Charisma score.
Alignment
Orcish society consists of close-knit clans in a state of mutual suspicion. Within a clan, orcs display fierce loyalty and have a strong sense of honor. Howewver, to rival clan members, orcs are pitiless and brutal. In general, orcs are capable of any moral extreme depending on the circumstances.
Age
Many orcs die young due to their harsh homeland and fighting, reaching maturity at 15 years. Your old age threshold is 65 years, with an aging rate of 5 years.
Orc
Size
Medium
Medium
Speeds
Walk 30 ft.
Walk 30 ft.
Old Age Threshold
65 years
65 years
Traits
Relentless Endurance. When you would be reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Protective Instincts. When an ally you can see takes damage, you can use a reaction to gain temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your Constitution score and move up to your speed towards a space within 5 feet of that ally.
Once you use this feature, you can use neither it nor Aggressive Instincts until you finish a short or long rest.
Aggressive Instincts. When a creature you can see takes damage, you can use a reaction to move up to your speed towards that creature and make a melee weapon attack against it. If the attack hits, it deals extra damage equal to your level.
Once you use this feature, you can use neither it nor Protective Instincts until you finish a short or long rest.
Subraces
Select one of the subraces below.
Cave Orc
Darkvision. You have darkvision (60 ft.).
Ice Orc
Cold Resistance. You have resistance to cold damage.
Wood Orc
Forest Camouflage. You have advantage on Stealth checks made to Hide in vegetation, and you only need to be lightly obscured to do so.
Keen Smell. You have supersmell (5 ft.).
Great Orc
Powerful Build. You have the Powerful Build trait.
Siegebreaker. Your unarmed strike deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage, or 1d12 bludgeoning damage against a target that is at least one size larger than you. Your melee weapon attacks do double damage to objects and structures.
Suggested Backgrounds
Orc Combat Training
Prerequisite: The ability to speak Orcish
You were taught to fight in the manner of orc bloodragers. You gain the following benefits:
- You are proficient in Intimidation.
- Choose any number of the following weapons: unarmed strike, club, greatclub, mace, battleaxe, flail, greataxe, maul, morningstar, and/or warhammer. You are proficient with the chosen weapons.
- When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack using one of the chosen weapons, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Orc Survival Training
Prerequisite: The ability to speak Orcish
You learned to survive as orcs do in the northern hinterlands of Ata. You gain the following benefits:
- You are proficient in Survival and one of the following skills of your choice: Athletics, Nature, Perception, or Stealth.
- Choose one of the following terrains: arctic, underground, or taiga. When you make a Survival check in that terrain, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
Darkvision
Darkvision
Base sense: sight
Within a specified range, a creature with darkvision can see in dim light as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. The creature can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Light
Light
There are three categories of illumination: bright light, dim light, and darkness.
A source of light typically emits bright light in a small radius and dim light in a larger radius; these distances are given in parentheses. For example, a fire that sheds light (20/40 ft.) produces bright light within 20 feet and dim light for another 20 feet beyond that.
Bright Light
Bright light lets most creatures see normally. Even gloomy days provide bright light, as do torches, lanterns, fires, and other sources of illumination within a specific radius.
Dim Light
Dim light, also called shadows, creates a lightly obscured area. An area of dim light is usually a boundary between a source of bright light, such as a torch, and surrounding darkness. The soft light of twilight and dawn also counts as dim light. A particularly brilliant full moon might bathe the land in dim light.
Darkness
Darkness creates a heavily obscured area. Characters face darkness outdoors at night (even most moonlit nights), within the confines of an unlit dungeon or a subterranean vault, or in an area of magical darkness.
Obscured
Obscured
When vision in an area is hindered by smoke, darkness, or a similar phenomenon, the area is obscured. There are two degrees of obscurity.
Lightly Obscured
In a lightly obscured area, such as dim light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage, creatures have disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on sight.
Heavily Obscured
A heavily obscured area, such as darkness, opaque fog, or dense foliage, blocks vision entirely. Nothing in that area can be seen.
Supersmell
Supersmell
Base sense: smell
A creature with supersmell automatically detects the presence—but not the location—of creatures within a specified range. Supersmell goes around cover but can't penetrate barriers, including going from air to water or vice versa. Additionally, having supersmell of any range grants a creature advantage on Perception checks that rely on smell.
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Unarmed Strike
Unarmed Strike
Simple melee weapon
Cost: —
Damage: 1d1 (type varies)
Weight: —
Properties: unarmed
Damage: 1d1 (type varies)
Weight: —
Properties: unarmed
You punch, kick, or otherwise strike at an opponent with your body. On a hit, you deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage as appropriate.
An unarmed strike that you make with an empty hand also has the light property.
Light
Light
A light weapon is small enough to be easily wielded in one hand. Each time you spend at least 2 AP to take the Attack action and use a light weapon for the attack, you can take the Attack action once later that turn as a minor action. The secondary attack—called an offhand attack—must be made with a different light weapon, and it deals half damage.
Attack
Unarmed
Unarmed
When you use your own body as a weapon, such as when you punch or kick, the body part you use counts as a weapon with the "unarmed" property.
Walk
Walk
Natural Movement Modes: Jumping, walking
Other Movement Modes (+1 Cost): Climbing, crawling, sneaking, swimming
Other Movement Modes (+1 Cost): Climbing, crawling, sneaking, swimming
If you don't have a walk speed, you are prone while on the ground. If you have a walk speed of at least 5 feet, you can spend half of it as part of a move to stand up from prone.
Jumping
Jumping
Jumping is a movement modifier that lets you clear gaps or obstacles. Instead of the usual movement cost, you must spend 1 foot of movement for every foot you jump vertically or horizontally (whichever is higher).
When you jump, perform the following series of calculations; don't round until the end. The resulting value is the maximum number of feet you can jump.
- Start with your passive Athletics. Alternatively, you can make an Athletics check and use the result instead.
- If you did not get a running start immediately before jumping, divide the value by 2. To get a running start, you must move in a straight line in the direction you want to jump for a number of feet determined by your size, as shown in the Running Start Distances table. The speed you use to get a running start must be the same speed you use to jump.
- To determine the vertical distance you can clear, divide the value by 2 again.
Running Start Distances
| Size | Running Start |
|---|---|
| Minuscule | 0 ft. |
| Tiny | 5 ft. |
| Small | 10 ft. |
| Medium | 10 ft. |
| Large | 15 ft. |
| Huge | 20 ft. |
| Gargantuan | 25 ft. |
Prone
Prone
Effects of This Condition
- The only movement mode available to you is crawling.
- You have disadvantage on attack rolls.
- An attack roll against you has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of you. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.
Ending This Condition
You can end this condition by standing up, which requires spending half of your walk speed when you move.
Causes of This Condition
Walking
Walking
Walking lets you move in any direction across a non-vertical surface. There is no mechanical distinction between walking and running. If you are on land and lack a walk speed, you fall prone.
Climbing
Climbing
Climbing lets you move in any direction across vertical surfaces. If the surface is particularly difficult to climb, you may have to make an Athletics check to avoid falling off.
Falling
Falling
When you begin falling, you immediately fall 60 feet. While falling, you drop another 180 feet at the start of each of your turns.
On impact, you take one size die of bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet you fell, to a maximum of 20 dice. You land prone unless you avoid taking damage from the fall, such as via the Break Fall reaction.
If you land in a creature's space, that creature must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. It can choose to fail. On a failed save, the fall damage is split evenly between you and it.
Break Fall
Break Fall
Trigger: you land at the end of a fall
You attempt to land safely. Make an Acrobatics check. The fall damage is reduced by half the result of the check.
Sneaking
Sneaking
Sneaking is a special movement mode that you use at the same time as another movement mode. If you are hidden, sneaking allows you to maintain your Hide DC.
Swimming
Swimming
Swimming lets you travel in any direction through a liquid. While swimming, you don't sink and are immune to the prone condition.
Club
Club
Simple melee weapon
Cost: 1 sp
Damage: 1d4 bludgeoning
Weight: 2 lb.
Properties: light
Damage: 1d4 bludgeoning
Weight: 2 lb.
Properties: light
Greatclub
Greatclub
Simple melee weapon
Cost: 2 sp
Damage: 1d8 bludgeoning
Weight: 10 lb.
Properties: two-handed
Damage: 1d8 bludgeoning
Weight: 10 lb.
Properties: two-handed
Two-Handed
Two-Handed
Two hands are required to make an attack with a two-handed weapon.
Mace
Mace
Simple melee weapon
Cost: 5 gp
Damage: 1d6 bludgeoning
Weight: 4 lb.
Properties: none
Damage: 1d6 bludgeoning
Weight: 4 lb.
Properties: none
Battleaxe
Battleaxe
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 10 gp
Damage: 1d8 slashing
Weight: 4 lb.
Properties: versatile (1d10)
Damage: 1d8 slashing
Weight: 4 lb.
Properties: versatile (1d10)
Versatile
Versatile
You can attack with a versatile weapon using one or two hands. When you use two hands, use the dice shown in parentheses after this property's listing as the weapon's damage dice.
Flail
Flail
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 10 gp
Damage: 1d8 bludgeoning
Weight: 2 lb.
Properties: none
Damage: 1d8 bludgeoning
Weight: 2 lb.
Properties: none
Greataxe
Greataxe
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 30 gp
Damage: 1d12 slashing
Weight: 7 lb.
Properties: heavy, two-handed
Damage: 1d12 slashing
Weight: 7 lb.
Properties: heavy, two-handed
Heavy
Heavy
Due to their weight distribution, Small creaturesExcept those with the Powerful Build trait have disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons.
Maul
Maul
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 10 gp
Damage: 2d6 bludgeoning
Weight: 10 lb.
Properties: heavy, two-handed
Damage: 2d6 bludgeoning
Weight: 10 lb.
Properties: heavy, two-handed
Morningstar
Morningstar
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 15 gp
Damage: 1d8 piercing
Weight: 4 lb.
Properties: none
Damage: 1d8 piercing
Weight: 4 lb.
Properties: none
Warhammer
Warhammer
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 15 gp
Damage: 1d8 bludgeoning
Weight: 2 lb.
Properties: versatile (1d10)
Damage: 1d8 bludgeoning
Weight: 2 lb.
Properties: versatile (1d10)