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ORC

ANCESTRY

UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

HUMANOID

ORC

Hit Points 10

Size Medium; Speed 25 feet

Ability Boosts Strength, Free

Languages Common, Orcish

Additional Languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it’s positive). Choose from Goblin, Jotun, Terran, Undercommon, and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent in your region).

Senses Darkvision

Orcs are forged in the fires of violence and conflict, often from the moment they are born. As they live lives that are frequently cut brutally short, orcs revel in testing their strength against worthy foes, whether by challenging a higher-ranking member of their community for dominance or raiding a neighboring settlement. Many orcs seek glory as soon as they can walk and carry a blade or club, taming wild beasts or hunting deadly monsters.

Orcs often struggle to gain acceptance among other communities, who frequently see them as brutes. Those who earn the loyalty of an orc friend, however, soon learn that an orc’s fidelity and honesty are unparalleled. Orc barbarians, fighters, and rangers are prized as gladiators and mercenaries. While some human settlements might be hesitant to accept an entire orc community into their midst, a small handful of orc mercenaries can do the job of an entire squad of human conscripts, so long as the orcs are well fed and well paid. Though the belief that orcs are only suited for battle is pervasive among other humanoids, the harsh orc mentality comes from a long history of conflict rather than a lack of ability in other areas.

Orc culture teaches that they are shaped by the challenges they survive, and the most worthy survive the most hardships. Orcs who attain both a long life and great triumphs command immense respect.

If you want a character who is hardy, fearsome, and excels at feats of physical prowess, you should play an orc.

You Might...

  • Eagerly meet any chance to prove your strength in a physical contest.
  • Believe that lies and treachery are for those who lack the strength to seize what they want.
  • View dying in glorious combat as preferable to a mundane death from old age or illness.

Others Probably...

  • See you as violent or lacking in discipline.
  • Underestimate your intellect, cunning, and knowledge.
  • Admire your forthrightness and blunt honesty.

Physical Description

Orcs are tall and powerfully built, with long arms and stocky legs. Many orcs top 7 feet in height, though they tend to adopt broad, almost bow-legged stances and slouch forward at the shoulders. The combination makes for a seeming contradiction, sharing an eye level with most humanoids while simultaneously towering over them. Orcs have rough skin, thick bones, and rockhard muscles, making them suited to war and other physically demanding tasks. Despite the roughness of their skin, orcs scar easily, and most orcs take great pride in the scars they have accumulated. Orc skin color is typically green and occasionally gray, though some orcs have other skin colors that reflect adaptations to their environments.

Orcs consider powerful builds and heavily scarred skin attractive, regardless of gender. A powerful orc makes the hold stronger, and scars are signs of victories won or hardships survived. Similarly, many orcs consider large, jutting tusks to be more attractive than smaller tusks, since the former make more effective weapons. Many orcs also find tattoos to be attractive, particularly large or painful ones that cover a significant amount of skin.

Society

Most orc communities define themselves through two things: pain and glory. Each earns respect in near equal measure, so long as the pain is borne with stoicism. An orc with many scars who walks uncomplaining with a broken leg draws as much admiration as one who wins a great victory on the battlefield.

Power in an orc hold comes from strength or family lineage. The structure tends to be feudal, with weaker orcs working at the behest of the strong. The Hold of Belkzen is the largest such society, and power changes hands there quickly. One mighty orc dying in battle can shake up an entire power structure, leading to squabbling and duels to decide control. Many orcs who tire of being subservient split off to form their own warbands, traveling to new territory.

Young orcs are typically raised by the entire community. Indeed, it would be almost impossible for orcs to raise their young any other way, since twins, triplets, and even quadruplets are quite common in orc families, as are deaths among orcs in their child-rearing years. Many orc holds conduct ceremonies when a young orc comes of age, typically around their tenth or eleventh birthday, during which the new adults are told what their role in the hold will be. For communities that practice ritual scarification or tattooing, this is often when the young orcs receive their first hold-scar or tattoo as well.

Orcs fear very little, but most distrust magic. Magic is seen as a tool that bypasses the physical and allows the weak to contend with the strong, a belief that runs at odds with orc values. While they respect the physical might of Gorumite warpriests, and even druids who take on the forms of great beasts, they find arcane and occult magic questionable at best and unethical on the whole. All but the most depraved orc communities see necromancy as a foul art that steals glory from the dead, and their growing struggles against the undead have given them newfound common ground with their humanoid neighbors.

Alignment and Religion

A common orc saying is, “You are the scars that shape you.” Violent, chaotic lives in violent, chaotic lands mean that most orcs tend heavily toward chaotic alignments. Gorum, Lamashtu, and Rovagug are all commonly worshiped among orc communities, though less violent holds worship nature deities like Gozreh or gods like Sarenrae, whose tenets of fire, redemption, and glory all hold some appeal to orc sensibilities.

While there are orc deities, their worship is surprisingly uncommon among orcs. Orcs believe that if a creature has a face and a name, it can be killed, and so their own deities are targets, rather than objects of reverence. Some orc holds teach that the greatest members of the hold can earn a chance to challenge the orc deities for a place amid the pantheon. Most orcs don’t waste their dying moments praising the divine or praying for a place in the afterlife, but spitting a bloodflecked warning at their deities, promising a new challenger through broken teeth.

Names

Orcs have a harsh, guttural language, and their naming conventions are no exception. Many orc names are simply the Orcish word for a particularly desirable trait, such as great strength, height, or ferocity. Orcs commonly use either their hold name or a name referencing a particularly memorable accomplishment as their surname.

Sample Names

Arkus, Ausk, Durra, Grask, Grillgiss, Krugga, Mahja, Murdut, Ollak, Onyat, Thurk, Uirch, Unach

Orc Adventurers

An orc’s drive to overcome challenges and prove themself spurs many orcs to become adventurers, though orcs are more likely to set out on their own or with other orcs than alongside adventurers of other ancestries. Common orc backgrounds include gladiator, hunter, martial disciple, nomad, and warrior from the Core Rulebook, plus bandit, outrider, and refugee from this book. Orcs thrive in martial classes like barbarian and fighter.

TABLE 1: ORC HERITAGES
Exclusive Heritages Description
badlands orcAPG You come from sun-scorched badlands, where long legs and an ability to withstand the elements helped you thrive.
battle-ready orcLOAG You descend from a line of terrifying battlefield commanders.
deep orcAPG 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.
grave orcLOAG You were exposed to powerful necromantic energies that should have killed you—but you survived.
hold-scarred orcAPG You are part of an orc community that participates in ritual scarification or tattooing.
rainfall orcAPG You were born in a rain forest with only tangles of trees providing protection from torrential rainstorms and flash floods.
winter orcLOAG Your ancestors survived in cold climates.
Versatile Heritages Description
AasimarAPG You descend from celestials or were touched by the celestial realms, gaining an air of awe and grace, as well as features distinctive to your celestial forebears.
AphoriteLOAG You were born with a connection to Axis, the Plane of Law.
ArdandeRE Your elemental heritage is reflected in the oils and fragrances of plants, in tree resin that fossilizes into amber, or in the gentle smell of a flower.
BeastkinLOAG The blood of a beast flows through your veins, granting you the ferocity and might of animals.
ChangelingAPG Your mother was a hag.
DhampirAPG You are the scion of a vampire, half living and half undead, gifted with uncanny charm and grace, a bloodless pallor, and elongated incisors.
DuskwalkerAPG Thanks to an ancient bargain, your soul has been reborn as a duskwalker, a planar scion with a connection to psychopomps and the Boneyard.
GanziLOAG Your blood is touched by primal chaos.
IfritLOAG You descend from fire elementals or bear the mark of the Inner Spheres, and your features illustrate the influence that elemental fire has over you.
OreadLOAG An earth elemental ancestor has influenced your bloodline, and your features highlight this elemental planar connection.
ReflectionDA You were created as a duplicate of another creature, intentionally or accidentally, though you might not know of your origins.
SuliLOAG You are descended from a janni or otherwise embody a dichotomy of opposing elemental planar forces.
SylphLOAG You are descended from air elementals or were born under the element’s influence.
TalosRE Your physical features reflect the influence a zuhra or other metal elemental has had over your bloodline.
TieflingAPG You descend from fiends or bear the mark of the fiendish realms, manifesting as some unusual feature that belies your heritage, such as horns or a tail.
UndineLOAG A water elemental ancestor influences your bloodline.
draconic scionBAD You possess the power of dragons, whether you descended from dragons, learned from dragons, were transformed by exposure to draconic energy, or reincarnated from a past life as a dragon.
TABLE 2: ORC ANCESTRY FEATS
Level 1 Orc Feats Prerequisites Benefits
Beast TrainerAPG — You have an impressive innate ability to tame and command ferocious beasts.
Iron FistsAPG — Your fists have been forged by battle, your naturally tough skin and dense bone further hardened by conflict.
rLet’s Try That AgainSG-04 — You feel a sense of deja vu when you’ve made a mistake, almost as if you weren’t so careless in a past life and could certainly do better if given another chance.
rLike a RoachSG-04 — Living with the bare necessities isn’t terribly hard for someone who has defied death, and like a cockroach, you always know how to survive.
Orc Ferocity — Fierceness in battle runs through your blood, and you refuse to fall from your injuries.
Orc LoreAPG — 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.
Orc Superstition — You defend yourself against magic by relying on techniques derived from orc cultural superstitions.
Orc WarmaskLOAG — You paint your face to create a warmask, an invested magic item of negligible Bulk with an item level equal to your level and a usage of worn (mask).
Orc Weapon Familiarity — In combat, you favor the brutal weapons that are traditional for your orc ancestors.
TusksAPG — You have particularly long, jagged tusks perfect for tearing meat from bone.
rWeight of ExperienceSG-04 — The experience you’ve accumulated over multiple lifetimes envelops you like a weighted blanket, providing comfort and bestowing confidence under pressure.
rWisdom From Another LifeSG-04 — You absorbed a wide variety of facts before you died, and your soul still remembers slivers of this precious knowledge.
Level 5 Orc Feats Prerequisites Benefits
rAnimal Soul SiblingsSG-04 — Your eyes have been opened to the spiritual essence suffusing the world.
Athletic MightAPG — Surviving in hostile terrain has given you a great talent for mobility.
Bloody BlowsAPG — Your lethal unarmed attacks leave bloody gouges or cause severe internal bleeding.
Defy DeathLOAG Orc Ferocity You’re exceptionally difficult to kill.
uDemonblood FrenzyLOTME tusks unarmed attack Just the taste of fiendish blood is enough to send blood rushing through your veins in a supernatural fury.
rEmpathy IncarnateSG-04 — Reincarnation has given you a compassionate perspective and enabled you to relate to almost everyone you speak with, putting them at ease and quickly generating trust.
rFey InfluenceLOIL — You have been exposed to powerful fey magic.
Hold MarkAPG — You bear scars or tattoos enhanced by the mark of your community’s prowess.
rI’Ve Had Many JobsSG-04 — Finding and excelling at odd jobs is child’s play to one who has worked many occupations during many lives.
Mask of PowerLOAG Orc Warmask Your warmask sharpens your connection to the source of your mask’s power.
Mask of RejectionLOAG Orc Warmask Your warmask projects a white-hot fury that attempts to vaporize the offending magic.
Orc Weapon Carnage Orc Weapon Familiarity You are brutally efficient with the weapons of your orc ancestors.
rReincarnated RidiculerSG-04 — You’ve practiced the art of taunting an enemy, ensuring they know death will only make you stronger.
Scar-Thick SkinLOAG — Glorious, storied scars cover and protect much of your body.
rSleep of the RebornSG-04 — Philosophers compare the cycle of life, death, and rebirth to sleeping, dreaming, and waking.
Victorious Vigor — Your victories in battle fill you with pride and imbue you with the energy to fight a bit longer despite your wounds.
Level 9 Orc Feats Prerequisites Benefits
Death’s DrumsAPG — Your life has been spent challenging death itself, and proximity to that implacable foe only makes your heart beat harder.
uDragon GripLOAG Beast Trainer (Advanced Player’s Guide 18) Your hold has a unique draconic connection.
rDrain EmotionLOIL Fey Influence You touch an adjacent creature and attempt to draw out its excess emotion.
rFey AscensionLOIL Fey Influence The fey influence on your form and features grows even more powerful and notable.
rLingering EchoesSG-04 — Not everyone is reincarnated, and you feel a strong connection with the spiritual echoes of those who didn’t receive the same opportunity as you.
Mask of PainLOAG expert in Intimidation, Orc Warmask Your mask has grown into a manifestation of your pain, which you can release.
Pervasive Superstition Orc Superstition You steep yourself in superstition and practice ancient orc mental exercises for shrugging off the effects of magic.
rPlant Soul SiblingsSG-04 Animal Soul Siblings You’re now able to connect with the spirits present in the greenery of the natural world.
rRapid RetrainingSG-04 — Some feel trapped by their choices and have a tough time reinventing themselves.
Undying FerocityAPG Orc Ferocity (Core Rulebook 59) You resist death’s clutches with supernatural vigor.
rYou Seem Somewhat FamiliarSG-04 — You fought hundreds of foes in your various past lives, and now and then, something about a new opponent tugs at your memory, almost as if you defeated their grandparent long ago.
Level 13 Orc Feats Prerequisites Benefits
rCannibalize MagicLOIL Fey Influence The fey magic inside of you is a vital part of your body, and you can steal other sources of magic to replenish yours.
rClinging to LifeSG-04 — This life still holds much for you, and you aren’t ready to fall back into the River of Souls just yet.
rEldritch CalmLOIL Fey Influence Your fey heritage has altered your mindset to more resemble the uncanny perspective of the fey.
Ferocious BeastsAPG Beast Trainer or animal companion, Orc Ferocity (Core Rulebook 59) Since ancient times, the mightiest orc beast tamers would draw out the true fighting spirit of their companion beasts by feeding the creatures a draft incorporating the orc’s own blood.
rGlamourLOIL Fey Influence You unlock a new level of fey power and can manipulate the perceptions of others using a font of First World magic.
rI Sense MalevolenceSG-04 — Your time in theRiver of Souls has given you deep insight into the machinations of those who refuse to move on.
Incredible Ferocity Orc Ferocity Given time to collect yourself after a near-death scrape, you can rebuild your ferocity and withstand additional finishing blows.
Lifeblood’s CallLOAG — The impulse to survive and continue fighting resonates deep within you.
rLinguistic RevivalSG-04 — You achieved fluency in different languages with each reincarnation, and your brain remembers much of the grammar, idioms, and obscenities that you spouted in old lives.
Mask of FearLOAG Orc Warmask Your warmask burns off of your face, releasing your apprehension.
Orc Weapon Expertise Orc Weapon Familiarity Your orc affinity blends with your class training, granting you great skill with orc weapons.
rPain Is TemporarySG-04 — Sangpotshi practitioners know that suffering is a fleeting sensation that ultimately strengthens the soul and prepares it for a new reincarnation.
Spell DevourerAPG Pervasive Superstition (Core Rulebook 59) You don’t just resist magic; you devour it.
rStone Soul SiblingsSG-04 Plant Soul Siblings Your connection with nature’s spirits has progressed to the point where you can even have casual conversation with pebbles and boulders.
rUnbreakable ResolveSG-04 — The experience of coming back after death has granted you a strong sense of resolve; devilish words, slick spells, and conniving trickery can’t easily catch you off guard.
Level 17 Orc Feats Prerequisites Benefits
rBoneyard AcquaintanceSG-04 — Before your soul returned to the Material Plane, you interacted with a host of other souls on their way to the Boneyard.
rFey TranscendenceLOIL Fey Influence You become a powerful fey creature, gaining strengths tied to the First World but also some of the weakness against which all fey must contend.
rIndomitable SpiritSG-04 — Your soul has accumulated countless particles of quintessence over myriad deaths and rebirths, and for one moment, this raw material from the Great Beyond envelops you and your comrades.
Rampaging FerocityAPG Orc Ferocity (Core Rulebook 59) You lash out viciously even as you fend off death.
rRelease the LightSG-04 — Many people report seeing a bright light before their death.
rSee You in HellSG-04 — You aren’t sure if you’ll be reincarnated again, so you might as well take this foe with you.
rThis Time, Bring the BodySG-04 — Death sends a soul into the River of Souls.