Orc

Orcs. Don't believe everything you hear about them. Some of my most profitable routes run through their territories. Last thing you want to do is underestimate the captain of an orc galleon, they have some of the keenest tactical minds I've ever encountered.
–Rurik Allar

Orcs, as a species, have a generally damaged reputation throughout the multiverse. On worlds such as Toril, Krynn, and Oerth; orcs are often associated with barbaric tribes under the sway of the deity Gruumsh. Beyond the terrestrial bodies of those crystal spheres, orcs are often raiders and pirates. In truth, orcs are as varied and diverse as humans. They can be found in nearly every crystal sphere, and some have civilizations rivaling that of the largest human and elf empires. When travelling to spheres beyond their own, they are often dismissed or viewed with suspicion - a fact they are all too happy to use to their advantage when needed.

Variant Orc

The statistics presented in Volo's Guide to Monsters and the Monster Manual represent the Gruuman orc raiders common to Toril, Krynn, and Oerth. You may choose to play a variant orc from a society much different than Gruuman orcs using the rules presented below.

Variant Orc

Ability Score Increase +2 Strength, +1 Constitution

Size Medium

Speed 30 ft.

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Variant Orcs are Orcs with the following alterations to their features:
Ability Score Increase Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age Orcs generally reach adulthood at age 18, and can live up to 100 years. In tribal communities, Orcs tend to reach adulthood at age 12 and live up to 50 years.
Alignment Orcs tend toward no particular alignment, though the society into which they're born heavily influences their alignment.
Size Orcs are usually over 6 feet tall and weigh between 230 and 280 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Darkvision You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
TBD

Languages. Common, Orc

Basic Information

Anatomy

Orcs are bipedal humanoids with two arms. Their overall muscular and skeletal structure is not that different from most humanoids - with the exception of their face. Their skulls are often larger, with mouths large enough to accommodate tusks on their lower jaw.

Biological Traits

Most orcs generally live an average of 100 years. Gruuman orcs tend to die much younger, due to sickness or battle, and have an average lifespan of 25 years. Orcs often have larger frames than many humanoids, and are usually between 6 and 7 feet tall. Their bones are slightly denser than humand, and orcs generally weigh 230 to 280 pounds.

Genetics and Reproduction

Orcs reproduce like most mammalian humanoids. They are however capable of inter-breeding with many other species, and a number of different Half Orc varieties are known to exist.

Growth Rate & Stages

Regardless of upbringing, Orcs experience rapid growth and are considered juveniles by the age of 4. They reach adulthood by age 12, and generally remain in their prime until their early 90's.

Ecology and Habitats

Orcs are capable of surviving in just about any environment capable of sustaining common life. Orc civilizations are often found in environments where life is able to flourish. In many crystal spheres orcs have Spelljammers of their own, and use this to spread to worlds with abundant resources.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Orcs are omnivorous.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

The most distinct feature common to all orcs are their under bites and prominent tusks.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

It is unknown if orcs originate in a single crystal sphere, but they are now found in just about every sphere known to existence.

Average Intelligence

An orc's intelligence is a function of society and upbringing. Gruuman orcs devote less attention to the development of intellectual pursuits, while the societies capable of Spelljamming and planar travel tend to have many brilliant minds among them.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

All orcs have darkvision.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Notable orc civilizations include the Mazoga Hegemony in the Bashuk Cluster, the Scro Empire of Dukagsh, and the Kingdom of Many-Arrows on Toril.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The orc language has only two major dialects, neither of which have diverged far from the other. Gruuman orcs speak a dialect that has a diminished vocabulary with many slang terms, and is often written with a Dwarvish script. The other dialect has continued to develop and evolve as civilizations progress like any language does, and has its own written form. Anyone who speaks either dialect of Orc can communicate well enough to have a basic conversation.

Appendix

External Links

• Orc on D&D Beyond.
• Orc at the Forgotten Realms Wiki
• Orc at the Greyhawk Wiki
• Orc at the Spelljammer Wiki

Lifespan

25 - 100 years

Average Height

6 - 7 ft.

Average Weight

230 - 280 lbs.

Average Physique

Varies

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Orcs skintones are generally shades of grey, green, or brown. Tattoos are not uncommon among orcs, but are extremely prevalent in Gruuman orc tribes.