Orcish Mounts?

[Wings of Blood]

I'm helping my DM to help set up our current campaign which as you guessed is based around Orcs. He asked me to look up some creatures we can use as mounts that fit the Orc's style. The setting starts with us in the dessert so I'm about to start browsing "Sandstorm." But we won't be in the desert forever so any help will be appreciated. I'd prefer creatures from source books since I'm not sure about whether or not he'll accept home-brewed creatures. There is also going to be massive encounters such as full on war as well. Any help or Ideas would be greatly appreciated.

*Starts flipping through his many source books*

[Inhuman Bot]

From what I've seen in other settings, orcs use dire/giant wolves and boar as mounts, with the strongest, most powerfull ones sometimes getting Wyverns or Red dragons.

For specificly desert creatures... I don't have any ideas.

[Glyphic]

Have them ride Giant Scorpions. It will be super effective, especially when the pcs encounter the dreaded Ork-manscropion and think it's just another rider.

[TempusCCK]

Big scorpians work for the desert, wolves and boars are pretty classic for other stuff.

Big rams, giant eagles, basically anything that's rideable and you can find and train somewhere in nature.

[Kristoss]

Large brutish hairy animals would work, such as dire boars, buffalo, mammoths ect. Also some dinosaurs would fit.
Specificaly for a desert setting I might suggest a Triceratops (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dinosaur.htm#triceratops), large Lizards, elephants (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/elephant.htm), or rinoceroses (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/rhinoceros.htm).

[Fhaolan]

Depending on the sourcebooks you're allowed to use, the Warbeast template from MMII will probably be useful. The sample Warbeast looks very Orcish, actually. A Warbeast Rhino. :smallsmile:

[Innis Cabal]

Rhino's or worgs. Go for tradition I say!

[Inyssius Tor]

Insectile bears of Legend. Six legs, blood made out of fire, and chitin of spell turning.

[pirateshow]

Big lizards, like the Dewbacks from Star Wars. Possibly with a less vegetarian attitude.

[Wings of Blood]

Thanks for all the help that should be more then enough for me to work with. In fact the scorpion idea might work very well since there is a prestige class for thoose who revere scorpions.

Once again thanks for all the responses so quickly ^_^

*starts looking for creatures templates*

[Zeful]

I'm helping my DM to help set up our current campaign which as you guessed is based around Orcs. He asked me to look up some creatures we can use as mounts that fit the Orc's style. The setting starts with us in the dessert so I'm about to start browsing "Sandstorm." But we won't be in the desert forever so any help will be appreciated. I'd prefer creatures from source books since I'm not sure about whether or not he'll accept home-brewed creatures. There is also going to be massive encounters such as full on war as well. Any help or Ideas would be greatly appreciated.

*Starts flipping through his many source books*

Use large wolves and call them Mastif Hounds. Orc war dogs double as beasts of burden, as well as mounts. It's what I do.

[Dyllan]

Dire Poodles

[Assassin89]

Dire Poodles

Don't you mean Dire Salukis? Salukis are desert dwelling dogs and are more fit for the setting than a breed of dog originating from Germany.

[Limos]

Don't you mean Dire Salukis? Salukis are desert dwelling dogs and are more fit for the setting than a breed of dog originating from Germany.

No he means Dire Poodles.

But I think Giant Dire Chihuahas would be even better.

[theMycon]

No he means Dire Poodles.

But I think Giant Dire Chihuahas would be even better.

Poodles can be tamed, at least. Chihuahuas, on the other hand, are simply vicious, bloodthirsty monsters who already try to eat you alive (at 60 times their size), and then if they get full they try to tear you limb from limb. If they were even so large as a Standard Poodle (50 lbs, I guess), we'd have wiped them out as a matter of sheer survival.

Were they large enough for an orc to ride (but keeping their vicious nature and bones reshaped so they could still move), they would be the most terrifying beast known to man. Even dragons would step past out of sheer terror.

It actually works rather well.

[Wizzardman]

Well, in the nationbuilding game I'm currently in, the Orcs that have been attacking us ride velociraptors and pterodactyls.

But, then again, my DM really loves orcs.

[mostlyharmful]

Camals. If you want a vicious, badtempered, biting, kicking, spiting, sack of hatefueled onrinous you can't go much better than an ordinary camal. Seriously, they're horrible things. DireCamal if your players laugh at you. Plus you can get the kick ass desert nomad headscarf shiek.

[newbDM]

I also say giant boars.

I am also a big fan of orcs having slave goblins (who also serve well as projectiles, improvised weapons, and emergency rations), so they could be riding regular sized boars.


Have them ride Giant Scorpions. It will be super effective, especially when the pcs encounter the dreaded Ork-manscropion and think it's just another rider.

Hmm. That seems like a fun idea (although I would use it with another race besides orcs). How would a DM go about adjusting the orc's CR in this case for 3.5? Are there rules for adjusting CRs due to special mounts?

[Grail]

Boars are silly, stupid GW has a lot to answer for. I'd say just horses, wild and feral horses. Maybe even Dire Horses.

[Tehnar]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8PBKB5G0&show_article=1&image=large

Now I can surely imagine a orc riding one of these babies.

[Solaris]

Puny oomies, orcs don't need no mounts! All dey needz is more choppa! An' any good orc knows dat ginormous scorpyunz gotz plenty a choppa!
An' when youz ain't in da desert (an' sometimes when you iz), olliphants make great stompa! No choppa, but dat's what youz and youz buddies iz for with youz's axes on long sticks!

[Triaxx]

Anything that looks suitably dangerous is always a good one. A dire bear for an Orc Cheiftain is a great idea. I like mounting Orc Wizards on large vultures, or Wyverns to give them the advantage of the air. Archers too.

[Zen Master]

For a desert setting I think I'd go with dire hyenas.

The only animal nature has to offer that is even more awesome than the hyena is the rhino - I suppose the orc heavies could ride those.

I'd also throw in lots of pets - since animals is the sort of resource orcs are likely to have. Say snakes, lizards (another possibl mount), vultures (maybe their shamans familiar), scorpions (those have been mentioned for mounts, but I'd personally have second thoughts about riding that close to a poisonous stinger), and the like.

I think desert orc tribes might to me, thematically, work well with weapons like nets, bolas and such. Not that I'd intend them to be non-lethal. They'd have perfectly lethal spears and bows, but also some very annoying traps and hunting weapons.

Also - food in the desert is scarce. I'd rewrite how they look slightly - emphasize how they are lean going on emaciated, but powerful of build.

[Malacode]

Squigs! Google Squig, you'll love them!

[Greg]

Hmm. That seems like a fun idea (although I would use it with another race besides orcs). How would a DM go about adjusting the orc's CR in this case for 3.5? Are there rules for adjusting CRs due to special mounts?
Do you not just add the CR of the mount to the calculation?

[Solaris]

...scorpions (those have been mentioned for mounts, but I'd personally have second thoughts about riding that close to a poisonous stinger), and the like...

And dat's why youz is just a oomie. Pinkies. Dey just don' un'erstand.

[metagaia]

How about you just take the pegasi, turn them into camels and add a fiendish template? I just can't get the idea out of my mind of brimstone winged camels emerging from the glare of the midday sun...

[Solaris]

But in all honesty, camels would make near-perfect mounts for orcs.
Maybe not fiendish winged camels, but definitely some kind of camel.

[Xonaag]

[...]scorpions (those have been mentioned for mounts, but I'd personally have second thoughts about riding that close to a poisonous stinger), and the like.[...]

They could use pseudoscorpions, they are like a scorpion but without the sting, or maybe warp the sting with hard leather or something like that so they can't attack with them.

[Premier]

You know what I'd suggest? Completely ordinary horses (or camels).

You see, for decades now, tens of thousands of DM's have been trying to come up with interesting, new and unique mounts for their orcs, gnolls, goblins, whatevers. By now, there's probably not a single Monster Manual entry that hasn't been used as orc mounts, like, a hundred times... except the lowly horse (or camel), since these tens of thousands of DM have always started with throwing them out in favour of something else.

So if you want some animal that your players have probably never, ever seen being ridden by orcs, go for the horse (or camel).

[Prometheus]

Ooh! I just thought of a good one: Mares of Diomedes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mares_of_Diomedes). They are man-eating horses, just like orcs are man-eating men. Make them look different, have sharp teeth, a bite attack, improved grab, and drag damage - damage that the horse deals when a target hanging by it's teeth (grappled) is dragged across the ground as the horse gallops (move action at no penalty).

[Wings of Blood]

Just for any of those who don't understand the PCs are the Orcs. Were just looking for mounts that make them more imposing in number and gives us something that isn't used to being tamed and have to do it ourselves. Horses tend to not give that option a good portion of the time, and I do agree with camels its good for the setting, Its also is the DM's style to encourage something different.

Also were not in strictly the desert setting, were just giving our PCs a more RP reason to seek for something more; not to mention it also matches with Gruumsh's lore on how he made the deserts and marsh's for the Orcs. (or so I heard)

Once again thanks for all the help!

[Zen Master]

And dat's why youz is just a oomie. Pinkies. Dey just don' un'erstand.

It is this sort of reasoning that keeps the number of orcs in the world down at a managable number.

Also, come to think of it, I'd say hyenas were supremely uncomfortable mounts, what with their short hind legs and all. Probably have a disagreeable gait, those things.

Still, they are nasty enough for an orc to ride, regardless.

[slexlollar89]

Bone oozes, gelatinous cubes, heck, any kind of ooze or jelly. They have the same attitude as the typical orc... don't slow down, run through those farms, and generally devour stuff that doesn't blong to you with little regard of the repurcussions. I think you might need magical saddles though.

If you don't have high level characters for high level mounts, or for some reason are restricted to regular-ish ones, go with dire jackals.

[Risek]

Psh.. Dire boars, dire horses (MMII), ankhegs (easily adapted for desert settings), chuuls (for marsh settings), hippogriffs (anything really)...those are a few of my favorites. Also, don't forget to use the symbiont template from Savage Species, what better way to make a warrior who really is connected to his mount?

[Grail]

Or they could ride lobotomized Ogres! :smallsmile:

[Fhaolan]

You know what I'd suggest? Completely ordinary horses (or camels).

You see, for decades now, tens of thousands of DM's have been trying to come up with interesting, new and unique mounts for their orcs, gnolls, goblins, whatevers. By now, there's probably not a single Monster Manual entry that hasn't been used as orc mounts, like, a hundred times... except the lowly horse (or camel), since these tens of thousands of DM have always started with throwing them out in favour of something else.

So if you want some animal that your players have probably never, ever seen being ridden by orcs, go for the horse (or camel).

I actually reversed this once, and confused the *heck* out of my players. They did enjoy it though, and started paying a lot more attention.

What I did was use situation-correct names, but attached them to not-correct creatures. Once the players figured this out, it increased the fantasy level of the world quite a bit. For example they would ride horses. All nice and fine. I would off-hand mention some things the horses were doing, like eating grass, pushing each other around to establish herd dominance, and how two of the stallions would constantly head-butt each other with their antlers...

It took three different occasions of me mentioning not-horse attributes for the players to clue in that they weren't actually horses, but were some form of elk.

The reason I did this was I noticed that none of the PCs were human, and the players wanted to emphasize the non-human-ness of the adventures. So I took it a step farther and took them somewhere alien. :smallsmile:

[Lord Mancow]

When you attack cities since you said there will likely be war use some of these (http://membres.lycos.fr/lesorks/images/squiggoth.jpg). Use modified Tarrasque ability scores and give them a stompy attack.

[Risek]

When you attack cities since you said there will likely be war use some of these (http://membres.lycos.fr/lesorks/images/squiggoth.jpg). Use modified Tarrasque ability scores and give them a stompy attack.

Wow, that's really sexy....where can I find that?

[Wizzardman]

Wow, that's really sexy....where can I find that?

Its a miniature, from Games Workshop's 40k line of games. Its called a Squiggoth. Just look for their website, and you can find it fairly easily.

Edit:

Okay, I don't know where they got that particular Squiggoth, but there's another version right here, if it helps:

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/squiggoth.htm