Ogre (/ˈoʊɡə/)
The hulking humanoids
A giant humanoid with a very muscular body and a large head with a dim-witted look. It stands over 9 feet tall.
Ogres were a race of Giant-kin.
Ogres are as lazy of mind as they are strong of body. They live by raiding, scavenging, and killing for food and pleasure. The average adult specimen stands between 9 and 10 feet tall and weighs close to a thousand pounds.
Furious Tempers. Ogres are notorious for their quick tempers, which flare at the smallest perceived offense. Insults and name-calling can rouse an ogre's wrath in an instant-as can stealing from it, bumping, jabbing, or prodding it, laughing, making faces, or simply looking at it the wrong way. When its rage is incited, an ogre lashes out in a frustrated tantrum until it runs out of objects or creatures to smash.
Gruesome Gluttons. Ogres eat almost anything, but they especially enjoy the taste of dwarves, halflings, and elves. When they can, they combine dinner with pleasure, chasing scurrying victims around before eating them raw. If enough of its victim remains after the ogre has gorged itself, it might make a loincloth from its quarry's skin and a necklace from its leftover bones. This macabre crafting is the height of ogre culture.
Greedy Collectors. An ogre's eyes glitter with avarice when it sees the possessions of others. Ogres carry rough sacks on their raids, which they fill with fabulous "treasure" taken from their victims. This might include a collection of battered helmets, a moldy wheel of cheese, a rough patch of animal fur fastened like a cloak, or a squealing, mud-spattered pig. Ogres also delight in the gleam of gold and silver, and they will fight one another over small handfuls of coins. Smarter creatures can earn an ogre's trust by offering it gold or a weapon forged for a creature of its size.
Legendary Stupidity. Few ogres can count to ten, even with their fingers in front of them. Most speak only a rudimentary form of Giant and know a smattering of Common words. Ogres believe what they are told and are easy to fool or confuse, but they break things they don't understand. Silver-tongued tricksters who test their talents on these savages typically end up eating their eloquent words-and then being eaten in turn.
Primitive Wanderers. Ogres clothe themselves in animal pelts and uproot trees for use as crude tools and weapons. They create stone-tipped javelins for hunting. When they establish lairs, they settle near the rural edges of civilized lands, taking advantage of poorly protected livestock, undefended larders, and unwary farmers.
An ogre sleeps in caves, animal dens, or under trees until it finds a cabin or isolated farmhouse, whereupon it kills the inhabitants and lairs there. Whenever it is bored or hungry, an ogre ventures out from its lair, attacking anything that crosses its path. Only after an ogre has depleted an area of food does it move on.
Ogre Gangs. Ogres sometimes band together in small, nomadic groups, but they lack a true sense of tribalism. When bands of ogres meet, one might attempt to capture the members of the other group to increase its numbers. However, ogre bands are just as likely to trade members freely, especially if the welcoming band is temporarily flush with food and weapons.
Whenever possible, ogres gang up with other monsters to bully or prey on creatures weaker than themselves. They associate freely with goblinoids, orcs, and trolls, and practically worship giants. In the giants' complex social structure (known as the ordning), ogres rank beneath the lowest giants in status. As a result, an ogre will do nearly anything a giant asks.
“Worst. Dancers. Ever.”
The Menagerie fought some that straggled into the Tharros Underdark Hideout "Near" Outding Refuge. Later they fought some Chain Brutes and Bolt Launchers on the Road North of Skola Vale
Basic Information
Anatomy
Description
Ogres appeared as giant humanoids with very muscular bodies and large heads. They stood between 9 and 10 feet tall and could weigh 600 to 650 lbs.Subraces
Half-ogre
Half-ogres were a crossbreed of ogre that was somewhat smarter and weaker than the standard ogre race. They could sometimes pass as unusually large, albeit ugly, humans.Merrow
Merrows were ogres adapted to the water.Ice Spire ogre
An ogre subrace found in the Ice Spires region.Ogrillon
The result of ogre-orc crossbreeding.Zakharan ogre
Civilized ogres that were common in the southern continent of Zakhara.Behaviour
Personality
Ogres were a lazy, brutish, avaricious race with notoriously quick tempers. Their avaricious nature would often lead them distrust one another and incite squabbling over treasure.Combat
Ogres generally preferred to rely on ambushing their foes and overwhelming them through sheer numbers. In terms of weapons, ogres were typically seen to use uprooted trees and stone-tipped javelins.Additional Information
Social Structure
Society
Much like hill giants, ogres were gluttonous creatures willing to eat almost anything. They enjoyed the taste of raw dwarf flesh, but would also eat halfling or elf flesh when they could get it. They would often use the skin and bones of their prey to fashion crude loincloths and necklaces. Ogres were known to typically associate with goblinoids, orcs, and their fellow giant-kin trolls. In the social structure of the giants, the Ordning, ogres were considered the lowest-ranked of all giant-kin. Because of this, they were typically found to be willing servants of giants. The giant races they were most often seen working alongside were hill giants and verbeeg, the former of which they often traded with for trinkets or food. Many ogres worked as mercenaries, hoping for easy plunder, and in that line of work they were often seen alongside verbeeg. Lone hags, as well as covens, were known to employ ogres as guards, while others polymorphed ogres and sent them out to work as spies.
Ogre Bolt Launcher
MPMM (p200) A bolt launcher carries a gigantic crossbow—a weapon so large it's essentially an ogre-held ballista. An ogre bolt launcher can load this immense weapon and loose its deadly missile as quickly as a dwarf handles a crossbow. The bolts are so large that few ogres can carry more than a half dozen at a time, but bolt launchers have been known to uproot small trees or tear beams out of buildings and launch those when their ammunition runs low.Ogres of War
Ogres love to rush headlong into battle, but with enough time and patience, some of them learn to carry out specialized missions. The names they are given—the battering ram, the bolt launcher, the chain brute, and the howdah—reflect their particular functions. These jobs are tailored to take advantage of an ogre's strengths.
Ogre Chain Brute
MPMM (p201) An ogre chain brute wields a great spiked chain, swinging it with both hands in a wide circle to knock foes off their feet. Alternatively, the ogre can swing the chain in a crushing overhead smash.Uses, Products & Exploitation
Harvesting
Instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Giant, the player should roll a Medicine Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Expiration | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Ogre Fat (large pouch) | An Ogre has a thick layer of fat under its filthy skin. It can be difficult to cut away enough useful fat, depending on the harvester's skill. The fat can be used to make soaps and candles. | 3 gp | 4 lb. | 2 days | Repelling Candle (HHH) |
| 15 | Ogre Skin | An ogre has a large, rough layer of pale skin. While strong and durable, leather made from the skin is not very aesthetic and has an odd smell (even after being treated). | 4 gp | 10 lb. | 10 days | - |
| 20 | Ogre Stomach | Ogres are known to be voracious eaters, and have an enlarged, elastic stomach with a strong lining. Leatherworkers can treat and fashion larger than normal sack and bags. While these bags are larger (50% bigger), they do not increase a character's encumbrance. | 10 gp | 4 lb. | 2 days | - |
| 15 | Ogre Blood (5 vials) | Brutish, rough, and very large, the hands of an ogre are meant for little more than wielding a club to smash those smaller than their owner. | 5 gp | 4 lb. | 2 days | Gauntlets of Ogre Power |
| 5 | Chain Brute ONLY: Ogre's Giant Chain | A chain ogre carried an enormous iron chain. The chain is over 15 feet long and weighs over 150 lbs. Each link is 6 inches thick, 1 foot long, and 8 inches wide. The chain is poorly forged, but shipbuilders, architects and smiths may find it useful. If the harvesting check is failed, the quality is extremely poor or the chain was shattered to pieces during the fight. | 80 gp | 150 lb. | ∞ | - |
This kind of creature may carry a few coins. This kind of creature may have a small hoard. This character usually carries: 1 Greatclub, 1d4 Javelin, 1 Hide (Large creatures tend to use larger standard weapons, like greatswords and greatclubs, but it is the DM's discretion if the items are usable or have a modified weight/value.)
Possible Trinkets
Possible trinkets
1d20 Item Weight Value 1 1 leather strap with 3 humanoid skulls 20 lb. 5 sp 2 1 waterskin full of cheap wine 5 lb. 4 sp 3 1 necklace of various teeth 1 lb. 3 sp 4 1 crude wooden statue of Vaprak the Destroyer 3 lb. 5 sp 5 1 gnawed thigh bone 3 lb. -- 6 1 gnarled tree branch, oddly tied into a knot 5 lb. 1 cp 7 1 silver longsword, bent (90 degrees) 3 lb. 20 gp 8 1 pouch of human teeth, each painted a different color 1 lb. 4 sp 9 1 bloody medallion with an unrecognizable symbol (possible plot hook) 1 lb. 1 gp 10 1 hard clump of dirt [DC 15 Investigation Check, on success finds a gem worth 25gp inside, failure finds nothing] -- -- 11 1 large drum made with a wooden barrel and stretched human skin 40 lb. 3 gp 12 1 desiccated bear paw tied to a string 3 lb. 2 cp 13 1 overstuffed cloth child's doll, with hay bursting at the seams 3 lb. 3 sp 14 1 helm, crumpled like a tin can 5 lb. 5 cp 15 1 clay jar of bloody, mashed up remains 6 lb. -- 16 1 large toothpick-shaped bone (crude rapier, only 1d6 damage) 3 lb. 5 sp 17 1 large ball of clay, with a bite eaten out of it 50 lb. 5 sp 18 1d4 slab(s) of raw meat (spoils in 1 day) 4 lb. 2 sp 19 1d4 small animal carcass(es) 1 lb. 1 sp 20 1d6 piece(s) of colored chalk -- 3 cp
This creature produces 6-36 pieces of Harvested Meat, weight total of 24-144 lb. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 12-72 sp There is a stigma to eating meat belonging to sentient creatures that have a humanoid form and features. Harvesting the meat may be frowned upon and even considered cannibalism. Some communities may refuse to buy the meat (and some evil communities may pay a premium). The meat may even be difficult to eat, or unedible. Of course, these are all up to the Dungeon Master to decide.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Language
Ogres spoke Jogishk, a patois of the Giant or Jotun tongue.Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Religion
Ogres typically worshiped Vaprak the Destroyer as their patron god. Though many also practically worshiped the true giants.History
According to legend, the ogre race was formed when Othea, wife of the titan Annam All-Father, had an affair with Vaprak.
In 1357 DR, a small army of ogres served the monstrous extraplanar being Imgig Zu. He gathered them in the caverns beneath his tower to witness the Great Awakening of his people from Selûne's Eye, and to provide defense during the deed. The heroes Priam Agrivar, Vajra Valmeyjar, Timoth Eyesbright, and Onyx the Invincible fought through the ogres to confront Imgig and free Cybriana. Though the ogres clubbed them down and caught them, the roof of the cavern miraculously tore open and the brilliant light of the full moon shone through, blinding the ogres long enough for Priam to slay Imgig. As the ritual was undone, the surviving ogres fled.
Historical Figures
Bonegnasher took over the Tomb of Damara in search of the orb of dragonkind in the mid-14 century DR.
Guruk Bonesnap led a tribe of ogres after crushing the skull of its previous leader Kolgok Skullcrush. The tribe feuded with a neighboring gnoll pack led by Rattlefang in Wild Hills, the vicinity of Daggerdale circa 1370 DR.
Sources
Source(s):
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 237–238. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 198–199. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 198–200. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), pp. 272–273. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 75. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 57. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
- Dave Gross ed. (1999). Dragon Annual #4 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 29.
- Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 19. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
- Michael Fleisher (March 1989). “Sorcerer's Moon”. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #4 (DC Comics).
- Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), pp. 141, 147. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 34. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
- Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 181. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- Monstrous Compendium included in Tim Beach, Tom Prusa and Steve Kurtz (1993). City of Delights. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 1-56076-589-5.
- Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 9. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
- Richard Baker III, David Cook, Kevin Melka, Bruce Nesmith (January 1997). Introduction to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-0332-5.
- Ossian Studios (June 2018). Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford. Beamdog.
Scientific Name
Animalia, Materia, Humanoidus, Bipedia, Gigantus (Monster, Ogre)
Origin/Ancestry
Giant (Monstrous Humanoid | Ogre)
Lifespan
around 50 years
Conservation Status
Long ago Ogres, Bugbears, and other Goblinoids were attacked on sight as they were often the aggressors, however the past two thousand years or so have seen Ogres finding some acceptance, more so in larger cities. However, there is still discrimination and disappearances of Ogres all the time as well as attacks outside of city walls. Many places still don't consider the murder of a Ogres the same as the murder of others. They are sometimes hired for protection or for hard tasks.
Average Height
8'
Average Weight
400 lbs.
Geographic Distribution
- Arctic Terrain
- Coast Terrain
- Cold Climate
- Desert Terrain
- Forest Terrain
- Grassland Terrain
- Hill Terrain
- Kampos
- Mountain Terrain
- Polar Climate
- Skola Vale
- Subpolar Climate
- Swamp Terrain
- Temperate Climate
- Tharros Underdark Hideout "Near" Outding Refuge
- The Dark Rain Forest
- Underdark Terrain
- Underground Terrain
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Ogre
| Size | Large |
| Type | Giant |
| Alignment | Chaotic Evil |
| Challenge Rating | 2 |
General Information
| Patron deity | Vaprak |
| Vision | Darkvision, low-light vision |
| Language(s) | Common, Jogishk, Giant |
| Subraces | Merrow |
| Favored Climate | Temperate |
| Favored Terrain | Hill |
Appearance
| Average Height | Male: 10'1" - 10'10" Female: 9'3" - 10'0" |
| Average Weight | 600-690 lbs. Female: 555-645 lbs. |
See Also: Ogre on Forgotten Realms Wiki