Orcs

Orcs

Orcs are a hardy, but noble, folk who dwell predominantly in Eashavar's mountains. Unlike their close friends, the Dwarves, they prefer to live above-ground in the various hidden crevices and valleys that their homeland ranges provide. Orcs are expert survivalists and adapt rapidly to new environments, their skin color changing within generations to mimic the terrain around them. Most Orcs follow the Prime Canon, often the Dwarven flavor of it, and they integrate into broader societies quite well when necessary. All Orcs bear a dagger that ties them to their clan, and this dagger is often passed down for generations even after an Orc has left their ancestral home.

General Information

Rarity: Common. (You may play this race without consulting the DM.)
Physical Description: Orcs bear a natural musculature and toughened skin, traits emerging as a result of their preferred environments; some even have natural resistances to extreme regions such as lava floes and glaciers. Orc hair tends to be thicker and less-vibrant, ranging in color from dull white to grays and black. Orcs are long-lived, and their populations tend to be relatively stagnant as a result - both with respect to number and to social change. The color of an Orc's skin is maternally inherited, though it is also impacted over many generations by the climate they inhabit. Orcs who have lived in lands of magma, for example, are prone to red skin, while pale (or blue) Orcs stem from snowy peaks, such as those of Aedenhal.
Family Structure: Most Orcs who still dwell among the mountains live in extended tribes, which they refer to as clans. Clans serve as an Orc's family, and they are communally raised by them. In most cases, immediate ancestry is disregarded, though this varies more greatly amongst the different clans. Orcs who live in non-Orc settlements typically live in quarters dedicated to their own peoples, where everybody is family. This can often go beyond Orcs - if you've been allowed to live and accepted within their quarter, then you're as good as family to them. This can sometimes make relationships between Orc communities and outsiders confusing, as they may not be used to such close and personal ties with their neighbors.
Attitude Toward Society: Orcs are fundamentally creatures of order, though they have a distaste for the order-through-law that permeates most of the world's nations. Within most Orc clans, matters of law are maintained by ingrained social norms, and not complicated documents which detail every possible nuanced crime and punishment. Trials and tribunals are held open to the public and their results are determined by public vote, with respect given towards tribal authorities and experts. In a non-Orc city, Orcs often feel disrespected or condescended to by the alienating judicial processes of the other mortal races, which is a primary motivator for the formation of their own enclaves.
Attitude Toward Gender: Though there is some variety between the Orcish tribes, most recognize three genders and assign social expectations according to them. Orcish men have the values of tribal history and world-lore instilled within them, while women are instead geared more towards more practical trades which keep clan life running. The third gender is generally associated with Orcs who have an affinity for the arcane; these Orcs are typically regarded as the ideal blend of the other two genders' energies, and they are taught from a young age about magic and religion.
Gender is not ingrained at birth, but rather develops during the early years of schooling, and thus there is a strange correlation between broader gendered behaviors and work speciality. After one's early years, it is considered improper to change one's gender. Those who do change it later in life are viewed with suspicion, but they are typically tolerated.
Attitude Toward Relationships: Orcs do not typically form relationships. Clans of Orcs handle reproduction as an almost purely logistical matter: Orcs which are recognized for their excellence (be it for their intelligence, strength, or leadership) are imparted a social duty to parent many children when they age, and there's rarely a shortage of volunteers among the broader clan to aid in its fulfilment. Orcish sexuality is thus largely impersonal and strictly necessary for the persistence of the race. It is not necessarily a faux pas to have personal relationships (regardless of their gender dynamics) as long as they do not interfere with one's social duty, and so long as they do not result in reproduction outside of the prior norms.
Orcs which are raised in the absence of a clan - or even a makeshift clan, such as in Orcish quarters of cities - may be more open to forming relationships, indicating their apparent "asexuality" is more environmental than biological. Still, stereotypes and expectations from others about Orcs are rarely so nuanced, and so Orcs can end up feeling like outcasts when they've been raised in an environment less negative towards the development of relationships.

Race (5e)

Orcs (5e)

ability score increase: +1 Wisdom

age: Orcs take on roles within their clans from their youth, but are considered fully aged by about 40, at which point they've had a satisfactory amount of life experiences. They have lifespans of up to 300 years, though only so long as they live near their favored climes. Elsewhere, Orcs only tend to live up to half as long.

Size: Medium

speed: 30ft

Languages:

race features:
Farvision: You can see twice as far in dim light, and retain the ability to distinguish colors and detail under these conditions.
Home-Hardened: You gain immunity to one type of damage (excluding bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing) pertaining to your (or your ancestors') homeland climate. You gain resistance to one other type of damage.
Relentless Endurance: When you are 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.

Ancestry (Pathfinder 2e)

Orc feats emphasize their ties to their ancestral clan, their drive towards protecting allies and glory in battle, and their expertise in survival.

Orcs

Hit Points

10

Size

Medium

Speed

25

Ability Boosts

Strength, Free

Ability Flaw

Traits

Humanoid, Mortal, Orc

Languages

Human Common, choose one Orcish language group, additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it's positive).

Special Abilities

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Clan Dagger: You get one clan dagger for free, as it was given to you at birth. Selling this clan dagger is a terrible taboo and signifies that you have disowned your clan. It will earn you the disdain of not only your clan, but of other orcs, unless it is discarded through ceremony.

Heritages

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Deep Orc: Your calloused hands and red eyes speak to a life spent in the deep darkness of mountain caverns, where you learned to battle on rocky cliffs and survive with minimal resources. You gain the Terrain Expertise skill feat for underground terrain and the Combat Climber skill feat.
Frost Orc: Your ancestors survived in cold climates. You become trained in Survival, and you treat environmental cold effects as if they were one step less extreme (incredible cold becomes extreme, extreme cold becomes severe, and so on).
Magma Orc: You are adapted to great heat, whether by your clan's proximity to a volcano or the depths of the desert. You gain heat resistance equal to half your level (minimum 1), and you treat environmental heat effects as if they were one step less extreme (incredible heat becomes extreme, extreme heat becomes severe, and so on).
Misty Orc: You were born in a rain forest with only tangles of trees providing protection from torrential rainstorms and flash floods. You've learned to move adeptly through jungle terrain and resist the various ailments common in humid environs. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Athletics checks to Climb or Swim and a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws against diseases.

Ancestry Feats

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Name	Traits	Level	Prerequisites	Benefits	Details
Beast Trainer	Orc	1	-	You have an impressive innate ability to tame and command ferocious beasts.	Show spoiler You have an impressive innate ability to tame and command ferocious beasts. You become trained in the Nature skill and gain the Train Animal skill feat.
Clan's Edge	Orc	1	-	By moving your clan dagger with rapid precision, you can protect yourself more effectively.	Show spoiler By moving your clan dagger with rapid precision, you can protect yourself more effectively. Make two clan dagger Strikes against different targets. Your multiple attack penalty applies normally to these Strikes. You then use an Interact action to gain the +1 circumstance bonus to your AC from your clan dagger’s parrying trait.
Orc Lore	Orc	1	-	The clan elders taught you your people's histories, told tales of great athletic feats, and shared with you the hardships your ancestors endured so that you can pass this wisdom down to future generations.	Show spoiler The hold elders taught you your people's histories, told tales of great athletic feats, and shared with you the hardships your ancestors endured so that you can pass this wisdom down to future generations. You become trained in Athletics and Survival. If you would automatically become trained in one of those skills (from your background or class, for example), you instead become trained in a skill of your choice. You also become trained in Orc Lore.
Orc Weapon Familiarity	Orc	1	-	In combat, you favor the brutal weapons that are traditional for your orc ancestors.	Show spoiler In combat, you favor the brutal weapons that are traditional for your orc ancestors. You are trained with the falchion and greataxe. In addition, you gain access to all uncommon orc weapons. For the purpose of determining your proficiency, martial orc weapons are simple weapons and advanced orc weapons are martial weapons.
Orc Tusks	Orc	1	-	You have particularly long, jagged tusks perfect for tearing meat from bone.	Show spoiler You have particularly long, jagged tusks perfect for tearing meat from bone. You gain a tusks unarmed attack that deals 1d6 piercing damage. Your tusks are in the brawling group and have the finesse and unarmed traits. Special You can take this feat only at 1st level, and you can't retrain into this feat. You can retrain out of this feat only through drastic measures such as breaking or filing your tusks.
Athletic Might	Orc	5	-	Surviving in hostile terrain has given you a great talent for mobility.	Show spoiler Surviving in hostile terrain has given you a great talent for mobility. Whenever you roll a success on an Athletics check to Climb or Swim, you get a critical success instead.
Clan's Protector	Orc	5	-	Your clan dagger can protect your allies as easily as yourself.	Show spoiler Your clan dagger can protect your allies as easily as yourself. When you use an Interact action to gain a circumstance bonus to AC from your clan dagger’s parry trait, you can grant the circumstance bonus to an adjacent ally instead of gaining it yourself. You can use multiple Interact actions to protect multiple allies, or to protect yourself and an ally. The ally benefits from the bonus to AC only when they are adjacent to you.
Defy Death	Orc	5	Orc Ferocity	You're hardy and exceptionally difficult to kill.	Show spoiler You're hardy and exceptionally difficult to kill. The DC of your recovery checks is equal to 9 + your dying value, or 8 + your dying value if you have the Toughness general feat. In addition, whenever someone returns you to life using magic that would normally leave you debilitated for a week (such as raise dead or the resurrect ritual), you don't suffer that condition.
Hold Mark	Orc	5	-	You bear scars or tattoos enhanced by the mark of your community's prowess.	Show spoiler You bear scars or tattoos enhanced by the mark of your community's prowess. When you select this feat, choose one weapon. When you critically hit using that weapon, you apply the weapon's critical specialization effect. You gain a large brand or tattoo in the shape of the chosen weapon or some similar symbol (for example, an axe could be a bear or other symbol of ferocious strength, while a shield might be a turtle or another symbol associated with a strong defense).
Orc Weapon Carnage	Orc	5	Orc Weapon Familiarity	You are brutally efficient with the weapons of your orc ancestors.	Show spoiler You are brutally efficient with the weapons of your orc ancestors. Whenever you critically hit using a falchion, a greataxe, or an orc weapon, you apply the weapon's critical specialization effect.
Protective Sheath	Orc	5	Clan's Edge	When you lash out with your clan dagger, you keep its sheath close at hand.	Show spoiler When you lash out with your clan dagger, you keep its sheath close at hand. When you use Clan’s Edge, if the hand you’re not holding the dagger with is empty, you can use your clan dagger’s sheath to block attacks as well. The circumstance bonus to your AC from parrying increases to a +2 against any target you hit with a Strike this turn.
Recognize Ambush	Orc	5	-	Your survivalist training has honed you to be ready for an attack at all times.	Show spoiler Your survivalist training has honed you to be ready for an attack at all times. When you roll initiative, you Interact to draw a weapon.
Victorious Vigor	Orc	5	-	Your victories in battle fill you with pride and imbue you with the energy to fight a bit longer despite your wounds.	Show spoiler When you bring a foe to 0 hit points, your victories in battle fill you with pride and imbue you with the energy to fight a bit longer despite your wounds. You gain temporary Hit Points equal to your Constitution modifier until the end of your next turn.
Death's Drums	Orc	9	-	Your life has been spent challenging death itself, and proximity to that implacable foe only makes your heart beat harder.	Show spoiler Your life has been spent challenging death itself, and proximity to that implacable foe only makes your heart beat harder. When you are taking persistent damage or your wounded value is 1 or greater, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Fortitude saving throws.
Pride In Arms	Orc, Auditory	9	Victorious Vigor	With a shout of triumph, you grant inspiration to an ally to fight on.	Show spoiler With a shout of triumph, you grant inspiration to an ally to fight on. This is triggered when an ally within 30 feet brings a foe to 0 hit points. The triggering ally gains temporary Hit Points equal to their Constitution modifier until the end of their next turn.
Can't Fall Here	Orc, Auditory, Manipulate	13	-	You physically help an ally remain standing and encourage them to push through their pain against dire odds.	Show spoiler You physically help an ally remain standing and encourage them to push through their pain against dire odds. Once per day, when an adjacent and willing ally would be reduced to 0 HP but not killed, your ally doesn't fall unconscious and remains at 1 Hit Point. The ally also gains a number of temporary Hit Points equal to your level that last for 1 minute. Fighting onward with such an injury isn't without consequence; your ally's wounded condition increases by 1.
Orc Weapon Expertise	Orc	13	Orc Weapon Familiarity	Your orc affinity blends with your class training, granting you great skill with orc weapons.	Show spoiler Your orc affinity blends with your class training, granting you great skill with orc weapons. Whenever you gain a class feature that grants you expert or greater proficiency in a given weapon or weapons, you also gain that proficiency in the falchion, the greataxe, and all orc weapons in which you are trained.
Spell Devourer	Orc	13	Pervasive Superstition	You don't just resist magic; you devour it.	Show spoiler You don't just resist magic; you devour it. Whenever you succeed at a saving throw against a spell or magical effect, you gain temporary Hit Points equal to double the spell's level, or equal to the level if the magical effect isn't a spell. These temporary Hit Points last until the end of your next turn.
Wandering Heart	Orc	13	-	While all Orcs adapt to their environments over time, you have traveled so widely and become attuned to so many environs that your body now changes more rapidly than other Orcs.	Show spoiler While all Orcs adapt to their environments over time, you have traveled so widely and become attuned to so many environs that your body now changes more rapidly than other Orcs. After spending a week in an environment associated with an Orc heritage, your heritage automatically changes to become that heritage.

You Might...

• Judge people on their merit, and nothing less.
• Seek out the most effective and practical solutions to any problem.
• Fight tooth and nail—sometimes literally—to protect yourself and your friends from danger.

Others Probably...

• Admire your forthrightness and blunt honesty.
• Wonder about the background of your ancestors and your home-clan.
• Become annoyed when you question their merits or authority.

by PGT Creative

by PGT Creative