Help giving Orcs variety?

[Undyne]

So, basically, I am thinking of running an Orc heavy campaign, and being a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and the Shadow of Mordor/War games, is there a BALANCED way to incorporate the system in those games? With different "classes" of orcs, each one being a template, with some templates being put together for stronger variants? I'm able to make homebrew monsters, but I've never done any template work before, so how would I make it balanced? My first thought is just "Use PHB Classes!" But it seems kinda... lazy to do that.

[Evil DM Mark3]

Not experienced with 5e but I have found a way to do somthing similar in the past, if you want to focus on one, varied, enemy, race.

Here's a cheap and dirty way of getting what you want, and one that will wrongfoot meta-gamers too.

Take medium sized humanoids from monsterous races other than Orcs, like Hobgoblins or Grimlocks and the like, and change their names. And probably their gear too. Turn them into alternate types of Orc, its mostly roleplaying. So regular Orcs are hunter Orcs (due to their aggression ability), Grimlocks are the dangerous, creeping Dark Orcs, Hobgoblins are War Orcs and so on.

EDIT: Also, no using PHB classes is not lazy, in fact it is rather complex but also can get very fun as it really gives the NPCs, well, character.

[Undyne]

Not experienced with 5e but I have found a way to do somthing similar in the past, if you want to focus on one, varied, enemy, race.

Here's a cheap and dirty way of getting what you want, and one that will wrongfoot meta-gamers too.

Take medium sized humanoids from monsterous races other than Orcs, like Hobgoblins or Grimlocks and the like, and change their names. And probably their gear too. Turn them into alternate types of Orc, its mostly roleplaying. So regular Orcs are hunter Orcs (due to their aggression ability), Grimlocks are the dangerous, creeping Dark Orcs, Hobgoblins are War Orcs and so on.

God, and I thought using classes was lazy- That's hilarious! And then you just add the traits all orcs have, so it doesn't seem off.

[BoutsofInsanity]

Check out 4e monster manuals and look at the different orcs there.

I recommend you think of different orca via their rolls.

Orc trappers
Orc berserkers
Shamans
NecromancerS


Essentially just think about rolls and where they draw their power and do abilities that way.

Look at other monsters for inspiration.

[Jophiel]

The Nord Games "Revenge of the Horde (https://nordgamesllc.com/product/ultimate-bestiary-revenge-horde/)" bestiary has ten orc types such as archer, berserker, bruiser, commander, shaman, etc and CR charts for creating level appropriate warbands. Don't know if you'd want to pay $15 (PDF) just for the orcs but I recommend the book as a whole.

[GlenSmash!]

There are 9 varieties of Orcs in the MM and VGtM.

First I'd get familiar with those and determine what niche or interesting concept is not being fulfilled by those options.

[J-H]

Orc roles:

Tracker (Hunter's Mark, survival checks, perception, less durable, slightly faster and sneakier)
Archer (give 1 battlemaster archery maneuver to each archer per combat)
Berserker (Reckless Attack, higher HP in lieu of Barbarian Resistance)
Witch Doctor (Druid/Cleric hybrid spell list)
Apprentice (Casts cantrips)
Sorcerer
Line-Holder (sword & board, heavier armor)
Horse-Killer (reach polearm weapon and PAM)

[JackPhoenix]

You can take any NPC stat block and simply add orc racial traits: increased Str and Con, lowered Int, the bonus action movement, Darkvision.

[BloodOgre]

I do this all the time, and the DMG spells it out in the neighborhood of page 282. Take that stats for some NPC (Thug, Bandit, Veteran, Archmage, Druid, Champion, Gladiator, etc), and then give it Orc characteristics.

[Cikomyr]

You can also have different orc cultures and variants. Barbarian Orcs. Industrialists Orcs. Raider Orcs. Etc..

[Sparky McDibben]

You can also have different orc cultures and variants. Barbarian Orcs. Industrialists Orcs. Raider Orcs. Etc..

Hehe, industrialist orcs makes think of orcs wearing tophats and monocles...

[Cikomyr]

Hehe, industrialist orcs makes think of orcs wearing tophats and monocles...

Why not? Saruman made a great monologue about Orcs having massive industrial engines

Plus, they must have a kickass economical and logistic system to easily outfit tens and tens of thousands of Orcs, and feed them all with *meat*

[Sparky McDibben]

No, I totally get where you were going, and it's totally a great idea, well supported by various sources. I just thought of "Monopoly Orc" and cracked up.

[Makorel]

There are 9 varieties of Orcs in the MM and VGtM.

First I'd get familiar with those and determine what niche or interesting concept is not being fulfilled by those options.

I find these Orcs don't really scratch that itch because they don't add much flavor since they're still the same sort of "scorch the earth" raiders that 5e expects Orcs to be. That and they're not very powerful, topping out at CR 5 with the Tanarukk. Doesn't look to good compared to other monster races when a Hobgoblin Warlord is CR 6 and the Drow have good enemy options all the way up to CR 20. I would go with a previous poster's suggestion of reskinning hobgoblins.

[Chugger]

Why not let the players be orcs (or goblins, or evil humans, or half orcs) and just pick classes from the phb? Let them customize their roles. Instead of you telling them how to be an orc tracker or an orc leader or an orc summoner - let them imagine it and do it - they can make a warlock/druid mc and call it an orc shaman maybe. I think it'd be great.

[Revaros]

Think of the variety in any fantasy army and orcify it (i.e. make it more tribal, more savage, and more.... pragmatic). Pet ogres or ettins should abound, not to mention hellhounds or dire wolves.

[SirGraystone]

Orcs should also have different tribes or clans. The red talon tribe can have necklace with claws painted red, ritual scars from cuts they do on their arms with blades and have more bloodthirsty barbarian/champion. The black arrow clan using black feathered arrow and raven painted on their shield, have necromancer with a cloak of black feather. The green snake may live more in forest or marsh, uses poisoned weapons with shaman/druid. Small things that players will recognize next time they meet some orcs.

[stoutstien]

I find these Orcs don't really scratch that itch because they don't add much flavor since they're still the same sort of "scorch the earth" raiders that 5e expects Orcs to be. That and they're not very powerful, topping out at CR 5 with the Tanarukk. Doesn't look to good compared to other monster races when a Hobgoblin Warlord is CR 6 and the Drow have good enemy options all the way up to CR 20. I would go with a previous poster's suggestion of reskinning hobgoblins.

I think the horde premise is the goal behind orcs. They don't have individual high CR because they always show up in vast numbers. A really lazy one is just slap the orc traits on an ogre and them orcs.