Orc

Lawful Evil Man-sized Humanoid (giant) (6+ ft.)

Surprise normal; Senses infravision 60 ft.

Armor Class 6 (Base 6; studded leather and shield)

Hit Points 4 (HD 1; 1d8)

Move 9”

Poison 14, Petrify 15, Wand 16, Breath 17, Spell 17

Special Defenses none

Weakness -1 to-hit in sunlight

Magic Resistance standard

To Hit AC 0: 19

Melee battle axe (1d8) or halberd (1d10)

Missile light crossbow (1d4)

Special Attacks battle standard; Hits As normal

Base Morale 50%

Intelligence low to average (5-10)

Languages Alignment language, Orc

Level I

Axe, battle. 1d8/1d8, Speed 7, Space 4, Length 4; vs. AC: 2: (-3), 3: (-2), 4: (-1), 5: (-1), 6: (+0), 7: (+0), 8: (+1), 9: (+1), 10: (+2)

Crossbow, light. 1d4/1d4, ROF 1, Speed 5/8, Range 6”/12”(-2)/18”(-5), vs. AC: 2: (-2), 3: (-1), 4: (+0), 5: (+0), 6: (+1), 7: (+2), 8: (+3), 9: (+3), 10: (+3)

Halberd. 1d10/2d6, Speed 9, Space 5, Length 5; vs. AC: 2: (+1), 3: (+1), 4: (+1), 5: (+2), 6: (+2), 7: (+2), 8: (+1), 9: (+1), 10: (+0)

Battle Standard. If a sub-chief is with a group, the tribal standard will be present 40% of the time. The standard is always present with a tribal chief. The standard will cause all orcs within 6" to fight more fiercely (+1 to-hit and 10% bonus on morale check dice [subtraction]).

Orcs are a species of aggressive carnivorous humanoids that band together in tribes and live by hunting and raiding. Orcs believe that in order to survive they must expand their territory, and so they are constantly involved in conflicts with those living nearby.

Thus, orc tribes are fiercely competitive, and when they meet it is 75% likely that they will fight each other unless a strong leader (such as a wizard, evil priest, evil lord) with sufficient force behind him or her is on hand to control the orcs. Being bullies, the stronger will always intimidate and dominate the weaker. (If goblins are near, for example, and the orcs are strong enough, they will happily bully them.)

Orcs dwell in places where sunlight is dim or non-existent (they see using infravision), for they hate the light.

Orcs appear particularly disgusting because their coloration—brown or brownish green with a bluish sheen— highlights their pinkish snouts and ears. Their bristly hair is dark brown or black, sometimes with tan patches. Even their armor tends to be unattractive—dirty and often a bit rusty. Orcs favor unpleasant colors in general. Their garments are in tribal colors, as are shield devices or trim. Typical colors are blood red, rust red, mustard yellow, yellow green, moss green, greenish purple, and blackish brown. They live for 40 years.

Orcs are cruel and hate living things in general, but they particularly hate elves and will always attack them in preference to other creatures. They take slaves for work, food, and entertainment (torture, etc.) but not elves whom they kill immediately.

Weapons. Orcs are proficient in any weapons they are indicated as wielding. If random assignment is desired, use the table provided.

Leaders and above will always have two weapons chosen from among the best weapons available.

Miner. Orcs are accomplished tunnelers and miners. They note new or unusual constructions underground 35% of the time and spot sloping passages 25% of the time.

Slavers. If the orcs are not in their lair there is a 20% chance they will be escorting a train of 1-6 carts and 10-60 slave bearers bringing supplies and loot to their chief or to a stronger orc tribe. The carts will hold goods worth from 10 to 1,oo0 gold pieces (1d100), and each slave will bear goods worth from 5 to 30 gold pieces (5d6). If such a train is indicated, double the number of leaders and assistants, add 10 normal orcs for each cart in the train, and a sub-chief with 5d6 guards will always be in charge.

Leaders. For every 30 orcs encountered, there will be a leader and 3 assistants. These orcs will have 8 hit points each (being the strongest/meanest in their group).

If 150 or more orcs are encountered there will be the following additional figures with the band: a sub-chief and 3d6 guards, each with 2 hit dice.

Orc shamans may reach 5th level and orc witch-doctors may achieve up to 4th level. Any particular tribe will posses only one type of spell caster. (See the NPC Appendix.)

Lair. Orc lairs are underground 75% of the time, in an above ground village 25% of the time. There will always be the following additional orcs when the encounter is in the creatures' lair: a chief and 5d6 bodyguards, each with 3 hit dice, females equal to 50% of the number of males, young equal to 100% of the number of males. If the lair is underground, there is a 50% chance that there will be from 1d4+1 ogres living with the orcs. If the lair is above ground, it will be a rude village of wooden huts protected by a ditch, rampart, and log palisade. The village will have from 1-4 watch towers and single gate. There will be 1 catapult and 1 ballista for each 100 male orcs.

Orc Sub-Chief

Lawful Evil Man-sized Humanoid (giant) (6+ ft.)

Surprise normal; Senses infravision 60 ft.

Armor Class 4 (Base 4; chain and shield)

Hit Points 11 (HD 2; 2d8*)

Move 9”

Poison 14, Petrify 15, Wand 16, Breath 17, Spell 17

Special Defenses none

Weakness -1 to-hit in sunlight

Magic Resistance standard

To Hit AC 0: 16

Melee battle axe (1d8) or halberd (1d10)

Missile short bow (1d6/1d6)

Special Attacks battle standard; Hits As normal

Base Morale 55%

Intelligence low to average (5-10)

Languages Alignment language, Orc

Level I

Axe, battle. 1d8/1d8, Speed 7, Space 4, Length 4; vs. AC: 2: (-3), 3: (-2), 4: (-1), 5: (-1), 6: (+0), 7: (+0), 8: (+1), 9: (+1), 10: (+2)

Bow, short. 1d6/1d6, ROF 2, Speed 5, Range 5”/10”/15”, vs. AC: 2: (-5), 3: (-4), 4: (-1), 5: (+0), 6: (+0), 7: (+1), 8: (+2), 9: (+2), 10: (+2)

Halberd. 1d10/2d6, Speed 9, Space 5, Length 5; vs. AC: 2: (+1), 3: (+1), 4: (+1), 5: (+2), 6: (+2), 7: (+2), 8: (+1), 9: (+1), 10: (+0)

*High Hit Points. Orc Sub-chiefs have higher than average hit points.

Orc Chief

Lawful Evil Man-sized Humanoid (giant) (6+ ft.)

Surprise normal; Senses infravision 60 ft.

Armor Class 4 (Base 4; chain and shield)

Hit Points 14 (HD 3; 3d8*)

Move 9”

Poison 13, Petrify 14, Wand 15, Breath 16, Spell 16

Special Defenses none

Weakness -1 to-hit in sunlight

Magic Resistance standard

To Hit AC 0: 16

Melee broad sword (2d4; THAC0 15) or halberd (1d10; THAC0 15)

Missile short bow (1d6/1d6; THAC0 15)

Special Attacks battle standard; Hits As normal

Base Morale 70%

Intelligence average (8-10)

Languages Alignment language, Orc

Level II

Bow, short. 1d6/1d6, ROF 2, Speed 5, Range 5”/10”/15”, vs. AC: 2: (-5), 3: (-4), 4: (-1), 5: (+0), 6: (+0), 7: (+1), 8: (+2), 9: (+2), 10: (+2)

Halberd. 1d10/2d6, Speed 9, Space 5, Length 5; vs. AC: 2: (+1), 3: (+1), 4: (+1), 5: (+2), 6: (+2), 7: (+2), 8: (+1), 9: (+1), 10: (+0)

Sword, broad. 2d4/1d6+1, Speed 5, Space 4, Length 3.5; vs. AC: 2: (-3), 3: (-2), 4: (-1), 5: (+0), 6: (+0), 7: (+1), 8: (+1), 9: (+1), 10: (+0)

*High Hit Points. Orc Chiefs have higher than average hit points (roll 1d4+12 for hit points).

Battle Standard. The standard is always present with a tribal chief. The standard will cause all orcs within 6" to fight more fiercely (+1 to-hit and a 10% bonus on morale check dice [subtraction]).

Tribes. Orc tribal name examples: Vile Rune, Bloody Head, Death Moon, Broken Bone, Evil Eye, Leprous Hand, Rotting Eye, Dripping Blade.

Half-orcs. As orcs will breed with anything, there are any number of unsavory mongrels with orcish blood, particularly orc-goblins, orc-hobgoblins, and orc-humans. Orcs cannot cross-breed with elves. Half-orcs tend to favor the orcish strain heavily, so such sorts are basically orcs although they can sometimes (10%) pass themselves off as true creatures of their other stock (goblins, hobgoblins, humans, etc.). For half-orcs without a character class, use the statistics for a full-blood orc. (See also Core Rulebook, Character Races.)

Orog (Great Orc)

Lawful Evil Man-sized Humanoid (7+ ft.)

Surprise normal; Senses infravision 60 ft.

Armor Class 5 (Base 5; chain)

Hit Points 13 (HD 2+2; 2d8+4)

Move 9”

Poison 14, Petrify 15, Wand 16, Breath 17, Spell 17

Special Defenses none

Weakness -1 to-hit in sunlight

Magic Resistance standard

To Hit AC 0: 16

Melee 2 claws (1d6+1) or two-handed sword (1d10+1) or hand axe (1d6+1)

Missile hand axe (1d6)

Special Attacks battle standard, strong; Hits As normal

Base Morale 57%

Intelligence low (5-7)

Languages Alignment language, Orc

Level II

Axe, hand (melee). 1d6/1d4, Speed 4, Space 1, Length 1.5; vs. AC: 2: (-3), 3: (-2), 4: (-2), 5: (-1), 6: (+0), 7: (+0), 8: (+1), 9: (+1), 10: (+1)

Axe, hand (thrown). 1d6/1d4, ROF 1, Speed 3, Range 1”/2”(-2)/3”(-5), vs. AC: 2: (-4), 3: (-3), 4: (-2), 5: (-1), 6: (-1), 7: (+0), 8: (+0), 9: (+0), 10: (+1)

Claws/Hands. 1d6/1d6, Speed 3, Space 2, Length 3;

Sword, two-handed. 1d10/3d6, Speed 10, Space 6, Length 6; vs. AC: 2: (+2), 3: (+2), 4: (+2), 5: (+2), 6: (+3), 7: (+3), 8: (+3), 9: (+1), 10: (+0)

Battle Standard. The standard will cause all orcs within 6" to fight more fiercely (+1 to-hit and +10% on morale check dice).

Strong. Orogs gain a +1 bonus to damage when using melee weapons.

ENCOUNTERS

Level I.

Frequency. Common; In Lair 35%

Number Appearing. 30-300 (Level I. 1d6+6)

Environment. Temperate/sub-tropical, uninhabited/wilderness areas (plain, scrub, forest, rough, hills, mountains, marsh); Temperate/sub-tropical, inhabited and/or patrolled areas (plain, scrub, forest, rough, desert, hills, mountains, marsh)

Treasure Type. Individuals L; In Lair C, O, Q (x 10), S

Experience. Orc. XP 14 (or 10+1 per h.p. +4 with standard); Orc with missile weapon. XP 18 (or 14+1 per h.p. +4 with standard); Orc Sub-Chief. XP 50 (or 28+2 per h.p. or 36+2 per h.p. with standard); Orc Chief. XP 122 (or 80+3 per h.p.); Orog. XP 89 (or 50+3 per h.p.)