Orc Class

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which would you most like to see in game (OP has descriptions)

Eye of Grummsh
8
24%
Orc Warlord
6
18%
Blood Warrior
9
26%
Orc Lord
2
6%
Get back to the drawing board (explain)
9
26%
 
Total votes: 34

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Valefort
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by Valefort »

Yeah Orc archetypes are already covered by Barbarian and Cleric classes as far as I'm concerned.
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chad878262
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by chad878262 »

In my opinion there are two "prototypical" OWD (or HOWD if you prefer) builds. As Vale said they really work well in just about any build plan, which is a major selling point since Orcs are few and far between, Vale came up with an idea that supports many different archetypes.

The first prototypical build would be the Barbarian 20/OWD5/X5 (could be divine champion, WoD, FB, Dervish, Rogue, or whatever). Build would utilize The typical Barbarian 20 Epic Rage, Epic DR, gains +2 AB/Damage + save or +2AC/DR (effectively). Also gains an ability to confer +5 STR on allies for boss fights.

Next we have the F12 builds. Fits well here as further pumping AB/Damage so would work best IMO as a F14/WM7/OWD5/X4 (where 4 could be the same list as for Barbarian and the list is not exhaustive, obviously... In this case I would try to take a 4th class that grants Evasion to help confirm lots of Crits, perhaps Whirling Dervish).

The key here in both cases is the 'X'... As in, there is room for lots of different builds. Technically WM could be an 'X' as well, but the bonuses granted by OWD would seem to synergize well with a crit build, especially with evasion/EW.

There is also a possibility of going M@A with OWD, though that classes abilities don't really go well with Orc's poor charisma scores. However, if you wanted to go M@A 11/FB5/OWD5/X9 it would be a way to squeeze a good mix of offense and defense, especially if the 'X' was WoD, though it would be unfortunate to miss out on the bonus feat at 10. However, M@A 11 is giving free Greater Heavy Armor Optimization and +2 Shield Block for a total of 4 AC, plus bonus feats at 5 and 10 and a couple other abilities (though less interesting for the purpose of the mechanical nature of the discussion). The M@A bonuses to defense with Shield make FB more of a throw-away so you could definitely remove that (just wouldn't grant any STR bonus to allies for orders to charge). M@A 11/WoD 10/OWD 5/DC 4 would probably be my pick if I was going the M@A route.
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Bad Omens
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by Bad Omens »

chad878262 wrote:
There is also a possibility of going M@A with OWD, though that classes abilities don't really go well with Orc's poor charisma scores. However, if you wanted to go M@A 11/FB5/OWD5/X9 it would be a way to squeeze a good mix of offense and defense, especially if the 'X' was WoD, though it would be unfortunate to miss out on the bonus feat at 10. However, M@A 11 is giving free Greater Heavy Armor Optimization and +2 Shield Block for a total of 4 AC, plus bonus feats at 5 and 10 and a couple other abilities (though less interesting for the purpose of the mechanical nature of the discussion). The M@A bonuses to defense with Shield make FB more of a throw-away so you could definitely remove that (just wouldn't grant any STR bonus to allies for orders to charge). M@A 11/WoD 10/OWD 5/DC 4 would probably be my pick if I was going the M@A route.
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by aaron22 »

vale. playing an orc and following the lore of the server and trying not to metagame NPC's. i can not do quests. 80% of the dungeons are off limits because of proximity to guards. RP is challenging because i must assume all humanoids are aggressive even if i am not. that and they must come to me, because the hubs are heavily guarded. simply playing orc culture can be conceived as aggressive actions. i must travel to darkhold or roaring shores to use a bank or see mudd's stuff. need to get daylight adaption feat to play on the surface. traveling the realms is now almost impossible now that many of the back ways have been removed, so i am limited to just a short portion of the server.

I consider PvP a part of RP. they seem to me to be conjoined on this game and i carry them in my character similarly. CvC Orcs were hunted for heads not too long ago. i couldnt leave the close vicinity of Uruk Lurra being as i was stuck in an area that shared the same map as those that hunted me. and there i was hoping that i could RP that the orcs there would assist me if i was approacjed again. and due to not wanting to be that guy who OOC meta's with scry or carryover intel char to char. to me, It was fun and i do not mind the struggle. but that is me. most are not going to endure this. my respawn point from a death is BG or FAI. bad spot for an orc and i hate the OOC AFK run cheese. if you are very low level it is hard to run back through the bugbears to soubar.

TL/DR limited areas to use, RP is rare and typically aggressive, dungeons are limited and if you go to a pop one then it is likely you will be PvP killed in there. will respawn in a bad area, soubar has broken or missing amenities. soubar houses one of the biggest aggressors of the orc race.
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by dzidek1983 »

aaron... we had some time ago a grey orc ranger on the surface.. with a worg companion... when the flaming fist was runned by a players guild.. and he did fine...

If you RP a bloodthirsty orc head hunter dont expect anything less then hard time on the surface.
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by aaron22 »

Bad Omens wrote:
chad878262 wrote:
There is also a possibility of going M@A with OWD, though that classes abilities don't really go well with Orc's poor charisma scores. However, if you wanted to go M@A 11/FB5/OWD5/X9 it would be a way to squeeze a good mix of offense and defense, especially if the 'X' was WoD, though it would be unfortunate to miss out on the bonus feat at 10. However, M@A 11 is giving free Greater Heavy Armor Optimization and +2 Shield Block for a total of 4 AC, plus bonus feats at 5 and 10 and a couple other abilities (though less interesting for the purpose of the mechanical nature of the discussion). The M@A bonuses to defense with Shield make FB more of a throw-away so you could definitely remove that (just wouldn't grant any STR bonus to allies for orders to charge). M@A 11/WoD 10/OWD 5/DC 4 would probably be my pick if I was going the M@A route.
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by Sun Wukong »

Sometimes people just pick a race because of the PRC it allows you to use. This holds true for Arcane Archer, Bladesinger, Dwarven Defender, Red Wizard of Thay, etc, etc. The reason might be due to mechanical perks, or just due to lore fluff.

Now, as for players of orcish characters, half-orcs or grey orcs, the numbers have remained few over the years. It is usually the same few guys rolling different 'orcish characters' whenever they manage to get a ball rolling for some tribe or faction.

Thus, the desire of having a more powerful PRC for 'orcs' is to draw more players to play orcs. You know, people that do not exactly care for the race they play, and if the number of orcish characters visibly increased it might also encourage others to create an orcish character. Perhaps then the orcish factions could have more lasting impact on the server. But even if orcs get the best PRC on the server, we have already long established groups of dwarves, humans, elves, and even halflings - and thus I don't think the odds are in favour of any ORC PRC bringing forth a change to the status quo.

Thus, I look at the 'HOWD' from the point of view of lone 'orcish' character. With this PRC, he could give almost any random party +2 AB and Damage, if not more perks. It might not seem much, but it does create a reason for some groups of characters to stomach that grey orc with some interesting choices in cuisine.
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Valefort
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by Valefort »

Respawn is easy enough to change/add an option, for the rest the last update should have brought back most of the paths. As for CvC it sure is part of RP but what is there to say about this for a PRC ?
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K'yon Oblodra
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by K'yon Oblodra »

I guess I know what you mean Aaron the second addition comment makes it very clear and in a way I agree.

The war drummer is very orcish but would be one in a couple hundred maybe thousands.

You're looking for something more typical to an orc army something that would be more frequently seen in numbers.

Have to admit that I am not too familiar with orc PRC's I read about eye of grumsh but it felt to focused on vision.
Something very brutish is probably what your looking for as first orc PRC.
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Akroma666
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by Akroma666 »

Would we allow a custom PRC if i drafted one?

Honestly I made a bunch of classes for a book long ago and I'm sure i could create something that's a 7/10 on the power scale that would work. I would probably make it a martial class and request that someone offer a lore foundation to go off of
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K'yon Oblodra
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by K'yon Oblodra »

Akroma666 wrote:Would we allow a custom PRC if i drafted one?

Honestly I made a bunch of classes for a book long ago and I'm sure i could create something that's a 7/10 on the power scale that would work. I would probably make it a martial class and request that someone offer a lore foundation to go off of
Would like to see something new, no offense Aaron but the classes I just checked out in your first post don't appeal to me too much.

Really think something even more brutish then the Frenzied Berserker would be the best fit for an orc PRC.
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by Akroma666 »

Give me some lore to work with one of you lore experts. I'll have something on your desk hopefully by late today.
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by Sun Wukong »

K'yon Oblodra wrote:Really think something even more brutish then the Frenzied Berserker would be the best fit for an orc PRC.
But the problem is that Frenzied Berserker is already pretty much as brutish as things come, so brutish that some of its class abilities rarely get used. (I am looking at the Frenzy and Inspire Frenzy.)

Another alternative could be some kind of PRC that gives Blood Magic rituals for an orcish caster. But we already got that in the form of Blood Magic for Spirit Shamans, and the Blood Magus PRC...

But as for coming up with some entirely custom PRC, well, we had one for Flaming Fist and one for the guards in Sshamath. Not to mention that HOWD appears to be entirely home brewed... At least it doesn't ring a bell for me... So yeah, you can come up with something else entirely. There are precedents.
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by Akroma666 »

Comments Only wrote:
K'yon Oblodra wrote:Really think something even more brutish then the Frenzied Berserker would be the best fit for an orc PRC.
But the problem is that Frenzied Berserker is already pretty much as brutish as things come, so brutish that some of its class abilities rarely get used. (I am looking at the Frenzy and Inspire Frenzy.).
I got something in mind... Get me some lore to go with it
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Re: Orc Class

Unread post by aaron22 »

dzidek1983 wrote:aaron... we had some time ago a grey orc ranger on the surface.. with a worg companion... when the flaming fist was runned by a players guild.. and he did fine...

If you RP a bloodthirsty orc head hunter dont expect anything less then hard time on the surface.
i play cause and effect with my toons. obviously my toon comes to the land with apprehension and the will to survive making other humanoids potentially deady. that makes sense to me from a RP background setting. after a short time (level1-10) she was PvP'd and beaten more often when approached by strangers. i RP this as an effect to the persona of the toon. she is also evil so that is to be RP'd as well.

I UNDERSTAND THESE ARE MY CHOICES. I WANT THIS. i could join the masses of good aligned. but i want a bigger challenge. try to do what may be impossible. its a different kind of satisfaction. 30 minutes of DM attention makes my month. RP (both + and -) is enjoyable and exciting, especially since it CAN go either way. these are my choices and i am not complaining about this so that it can be fixed. simply detailing the tribulations of #orclife. of course i could make a good orc and join the radiant hearts and be the most pleasant orc on the server. be invited to all the tea parties and dance with the prettiest girls. #wirglife (LOL JK had to do it) BARF!!

but that is not what this is about. its not about me. its not about having something for me to play. it is about making something that exemplifies the orc race in a class. that may make a person that may have considered rolling orc before but didnt do it because of the struggles, roll that orc. give depth and lore to to the community. nothing against dwarves, i just dont like the rp, but the only reason i have considered rolling one is to play a DD. no lie. that feeling cannot be unique to me. that very well might be something that others may feel about orc. but i do not think that many are willing to see the joy in the struggle as i do. so a class addition seems like a good choice. something that doesnt have to ALL POWERFUL, but gives a effective alternative to a style they are wanting. it makes sense. i really doubt that anyone will make a orc because of the OWD unless they had already wanted to. its a really good class.. 2nd class. the thing that completes the party. that makes a solid clan into a dangerous clan. lets try to get to solid clan first. at least that is where i am coming from.
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